Chez Papa • French Bistro & Wine Bar — Restaurant in Johor

The place is nicely decorated with alot of artistic vintage vibes items and some history of the restaurant. My friend and I went on a weekday evening, the atmosphere is very quiet and nice to relax from bustling city. There is also nice music setting in the background and the servers r well dressed. We are greeted nicely upon arrival.

So I've ordered Fruits de mer en Gratin and a pairing of chardonnay by the glass. My friend ordered a special wagyu sirloin with truffle reduction sauce and french onion soup. They served a very nice basket of bread and butter as complementary. The bread is very nice, crispy on the outside and soft in the inside and was heated up to make it feel slightly warm.

My friends starter was french onion soup, onions r nicely caramelized in a flavourful soup. Then it's topped with a toast and a good serving of cheese and ovened b4 served. Salty flavours from the cheese complements well with the sweet robust flavours of the soup. The chardonnay has a nice fruit aroma to it, abit acidic but in a nice way. Very nice and crisp, appreciate tat it's served a a chilled wine glass.

My friend's main wagyu sirloin is cooked to perfection, slightly under seasoned but the tenderness is spot on. The only small complain in the sauce that it's served with. The reduction is a little bit on the light side for the meat. The sauce is however very good for the mash potato, silky smooth mash. The side carrots is a plus point, could feel the time and effort for scraping and softening the carrot then cooking it in sweeten butter. The Fruits de mer en Gratin is excellent, the seafood within this bowl of treasure is very fresh. Only very slight funky taste from the clams but other seafoods is very fresh. There is clams, scallops, prawns and fish. All this is smother with a umami and slight hint of lemon type of gratin. The flavour is very oceanic, like a sea breeze, would highly recommend.

Because we have no desserts, the staffs r kind enough to serve us a complementary creme brulee. I must say it's one of the best I've eaten. Very authentic, from the clay pot it's used and the way it's heated for the top sugar crust. Soft eggy flavours coming from the custardy pudding below and sweet flavours from the thin sugar crust which adds nt only flavour but crunchy texture as well.

The servers r very polite and nice, good service from them for constantly refilling our water and clearing our empty dishes. Would highly recommend all to visit...

One of the places which i really enjoyed the western food. In terms of the ambience, it was pretty nice. It gave that olden rustic bistro feel which i like. As for the service, it was good too since the servers were attentive and the chef also asked if everything was alright which i think was pretty nice of them

For the food, i think there were some hit and misses. Such as the mushroom soup, i didnt really like the texture of it since i felt that it was too thick and clumpy however the taste was not too bad. Similar to the aglio olio linguine with prawns and scallops, the taste was good but i would have preferred if they used angel hair pasta. The tomato soup was one of the best tomato soup i ever had, since it was creamy and had the right amount of acidity in it. The tomato based spaghetti with prawns was also great. Perhaps their tomato based stuff is great here? cant really make such a definite statement since i only had 2 of their tomato based dishes. The escargot was not too bad.

Overall, i will definitely visit this place again given the standard of food

Came here again some time in April 2025. Had the usuals and it tasted great as expected. However we ordered a bowl of roasted garlic soup which was a temporary dish on the menu and it was amazing! I can't stress how flavourful that dish was, the taste and texture worked well with one another and it was so good that it made the tomato soup alittle underwhelming. Would definitely wish this dish to become a permanent item on the menu

Came here 1 week again after having the garlic soup and it was not sold anymore. Majorly disappointed about it. However they have a new item watercress soup which taste decent but not as good as the garlic soup. While the soup was decently seasoned, the texture and taste of it was somewhat identical to watercress soup you find in Chinese cuisine. The poached egg in it is pretty good too. We tried the onion soup which is permanently on the menu and it...

Stepping into Chez Papa in Pelangi is like being whisked away to a charming Parisian bistro. The intimate, candlelit atmosphere and classic French decor set the stage for a romantic evening. However, while the ambiance shines, my recent Christmas dinner experience revealed some areas for improvement.

Chez Papa definitely falls on the pricier side of French dining in Johor Bahru. While the prices aren't exorbitant, I did find myself questioning whether the value fully aligned with the overall experience. The fixed Christmas menu, for instance, offered limited choices and unfortunately lacked any vegetarian options. Even the sole pasta dish on the menu was firmly anchored in a seafood base, with no flexibility for adjustments. As a vegetarian, this lack of adaptability was a significant disappointment.

While I understand the concept of a fixed menu for special occasions, I do hope Chez Papa considers offering a vegetarian-friendly alternative for future Christmas menus. A simple, elegant pasta dish with seasonal vegetables or a hearty mushroom-based main course would be a welcome addition. Flexibility in adjusting existing dishes to accommodate dietary preferences would also enhance the dining experience for those with restrictions. That said, the dishes enjoyed by my non-vegetarian companions were beautifully presented and generally well-received. The wine list, too, is extensive and offers an enticing array of French and international selections. The service was attentive and professional, adding to the overall ambiance.

Overall, Chez Papa presents a delightful atmosphere for those seeking a taste of French romance. However, if you're vegetarian or have dietary constraints, it's important to inquire about menu flexibility beforehand to avoid disappointment. Here's hoping Chez Papa expands its culinary horizons to cater to a wider spectrum of diners...