Kluang Eat: Tangkak Beef (东甲牛腩面) Beef Noodle
Restoran Tangkak Beef (东甲牛腩面), as the name implies, originates from Tangkak in northern Johor. Tangkak beef noodle is rather well-known in Malaysia and is hailed as one of the best beef noodles in Johor, using 100% fresh kampung beef. The outlet in Kluang is probably the closest to Singapore.
Tangkak Beef's signature dish is their traditional beef noodle — used to be soup-based only but they added dry-styles in recent months. Apart from classic beef, there are mixes of beef brisket, cow's stomach / tripe and tendon. Special dishes comprising tendons, beef balls, tenderloin and short ribs are also available. Non-beefy options include fishball noodle soup, spicy chicken rice, curry chicken rice, etc.
The classic beef (经典牛肉面) with kway teow noodle in delicious clear broth added with chopped pickled vegetable and spring onions. The sourness of the pickled vegetable adds a refreshing touch to the tasty and non-oily herbal broth, which are brewed with cow bones.
The classic mixed beef noodle (经典牛腩面) comes with a mix of tender beef briskets and cow's stomach and tripe. For normal size, it is a rather big bowl filled with most of the goodness.
One of Tangkak Beef's special is the short ribs & beef balls (单人排骨牛丸). The single's portion comes with two large meaty short ribs and two beef balls in the same beefy broth. The tender ribs meat separate from the bones easily and the beef balls are surprisingly springy.
Since dry-style noodles are new to Tangkak Beef, I gave it a try too. I ordered the lai fun (or laksa noodle) separately from the short ribs & beef balls soup. The noodle in dark sauce is topped with lots of chopped spring onions, fried shallots, finely ground peanut. On its own, it has a mild taste that is not sweet or savoury to "complicate" the flavour of the beef broth.
One item on the menu stands out among others — the signature claypot short ribs (特色砂煲排骨) for 2 pax. It looks delicious on the menu. I will bring someone along next time to try it.
Address:
Tangkak Beef (东甲牛腩面)
No 5, Jalan Langsat, Kampung Masjid Lama, 86000 Kluang, Johor, Malaysia
Opening Hours:
8am to 5:30pm | Daily