Restoran Chua Kee — Restaurant in Iskandar Puteri

Nestled in a rustic, unassuming setting, Restoran Chua Kee is the kind of place that reminds you why food is so much more than just sustenance—it’s an experience. From the moment I stepped in, I was greeted by the warm, no-frills ambiance that felt like a comforting embrace. But let’s be real: the star of the show here is the food. Oh, the food!

The Teochew Steamed Promfet was the first dish to grace our table, and it set the tone for the entire meal. The fish was impossibly fresh, its delicate flesh flaking apart at the slightest touch of my chopsticks. The light, savory broth it was steamed in complemented the natural sweetness of the fish perfectly. It was a dish that spoke of simplicity and mastery, a testament to the chef’s ability to let quality ingredients shine.

Next up was the Butter Fried Pork Cubes. Now, I’m not usually one to rave about pork dishes, but this one? It was insane. Each cube was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and coated in a rich, buttery glaze that had me reaching for seconds (and thirds). The flavor was indulgent without being overwhelming, and the texture was nothing short of perfection.

But the pièce de résistance, the dish that stole the night for me, was the Black Pepper Crab. Let me tell you, this was no ordinary crab. The aroma hit me before the plate even touched the table—a heady mix of black pepper, garlic, and spices that made my mouth water instantly. The crab itself was cooked to perfection, its meat succulent and sweet, while the black pepper sauce was bold, spicy, and utterly addictive. I found myself licking my fingers shamelessly, not wanting to waste a single drop of that glorious sauce.

What truly blew my mind, though, was the price. For a meal of this quality, I expected to pay a small fortune, especially coming from Singapore where seafood dishes like these can cost an arm and a leg. But Restoran Chua Kee offered all this at just a fraction of what I’d pay back home. It felt like I’d stumbled upon a hidden treasure, a place where incredible food and value coexist in perfect harmony.

As I left the restaurant, already planning my next visit, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for places like Restoran Chua Kee. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most extraordinary experiences come from the most unassuming places. If you’re ever in the area, do yourself a favor and pay them a visit. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you.

Until next time, Chua Kee. I’ll be back for that black...

Food was ok, similar to neighbouring restaurant Tian Lai

Service: 0 star - Need to fight for own table due to no queue system. You will need to awkwardly stand closely beside diners (else others will want to stand and book the same table) who are still enjoying their meal and we are like giving them unknown pressure to finish up faster. No staff to attend you at any point of time when seated, you will need to provide your own service.

Honesty: Worse than 0 star - Order 2 medium crabs and what turned up on our table were 2 baby crabs and they claimed that the 2 baby crabs weighed 1.3kg in total (Can refer to the photo). When we approached the staff to feedback on it, they denied and her attitude was very rude and scolded us too. She took 1 live crab which was a size smaller than what we had and put on the weighing scale, it weighs only 600g. Thereafter don’t dare to weigh other crab for us to see. I meant I never question on the weight of a crab in my life before, but the difference this time round was too obvious to be ignored. Despite the whole episode, they still think they did no wrong and was very arrogant during the final payment.

In additional, if you want plastic table cover for the “so call” medium size dining table (big size foc) due to their table was not cleaned. They won’t tell you there will be a charge for the plastic table cover, till when you run through the bill and saw it being registered under “Others”. Is just RM2 not much, but I think the correct way to provide a service should be informing us right from the start, if they have such policy.

Cleanliness: 0 star - Just turn your head and look around, and you can easily spot liquid spilt and rubbish littering all around the compound. Dining chairs were dirty too (rice, sauce, stains etc.), better to have a quick look before you place your buttocks on it.

Conclusion: Very bad experience. Will be the first and last visit. Will just head straight to neighbouring Tian Lai restaurant for equally good food with much much better system and service plus clean. Tian Lai crabs were equally fresh and they charge around 15-20% cheaper. More importantly, they don’t provide baby...

Recommended by a colleague, say "cheap and nice", I have to disagree and blacklist that noob colleague who needs to be schooled on what's "cheap and nice".

Chili crab is fresh, with eggs! That's awesome. Not so great though is the sauce which is below par in my opinion. Passable, just not great. The mantou make up for the shortcomings in the sauce. At time of writing the crab costs rm160 per kg note that it's seasonal pricing.

Bittergourd chicken was much better value for money only if the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Dish was returned to the kitchen because I bit into uncooked chicken, penultimate fail in culinary. And the staff wasn't apologetic at all. Not a word.

Sambal kangkong is good, probably the best dish, because the noodle that we ordered, fujian noodle, has way too much pepper. Maybe it was an accident, chef meant to put a pinch of pepper but the cap came off and he/she dumped all the pepper into the wok, who knows? Could have happened. Great for those who inhale pepper powder as if it's Vicks, or those who use pepper in their coffee instead of sugar. It will be your favourite fujian mian.

The basin is convenient for washing hands after a crab meal, but water pressure gets lower and lower while using for slightly extended period of time. The environment is nice except for the pesky house flies buzzing all over, not crowded, unassuming and rustic. Overall, it's not a complete disaster, make sure what to order and what to avoid, and perhaps want to check your food is...