Pondok Santapan Larkin: JB’s famous breakfast spot dishes cheap Johor classics near the Causeway
Johor Bahru, or JB, has breakfast down to an art. Sure, every state in Malaysia has its own morning specialties, but Johor’s holds a special place in my heart — probably because you’ll often find them served in KL. So on my recent trip to JB, I had to check out the most popular breakfast spot: Pondok Santapan Larkin.
I arrived around 9am, and the place was already packed with a line of patrons stretching to the entrance of the old-school hut. This only confirmed that Pondok Santapan Larkin is a top breakfast spot in JB. If you plan to visit, aim for around 10am, when the crowd has eased up — but remember, they close at 12pm.
This spot uses the classic self-service system, so you’ll need to queue up for food. For hot dishes, just order from the person at the counter. Otherwise, you can load your plate with ready-made options like Kueh Tiaw Goreng (RM3), Makaroni Goreng (RM3), and Jemput-Jemput (RM1 for 3 pcs).
Pay before bringing your food to the table, and grab your drinks at the same cashier counter! It does get a bit hot and stuffy inside, especially with the crowd. Luckily, my group snagged seats in a smaller hut outside, where the natural breeze kept things much cooler.
What I tried at Pondok Santapan Larkin
Honestly, everything on the counter looked amazing, making it tough to decide. In the end, I went with some online recommendations, starting with the popular Roti Arab (RM4). Each serving came with 2 pieces of bread, a choice of chicken or beef curry (I chose beef), and sambal.
Tearing into the bread was the best part — it was as soft as expected, with a crispy exterior and buttery, airy insides. Imagine fried pau, but better. The beef curry, with a few chunks of potato, was decent, though I’d have liked it to be spicier. The sambal added a traditional sweet kick. For the price, this dish was a fantastic start.
Having eaten plenty of Laksa Johor in KL, I had to try it in its hometown. At RM8, the portion was generous, with spaghetti noodles drenched in a flavourful fish broth and topped with cucumber, taugeh, red onions, and Vietnamese coriander (daun kesum). Each plate also came with sambal belacan and lime for an extra zing.
The noodles were perfectly cooked and nicely separated. While there were fish bits on top, the broth was noticeably on the runnier side. I couldn’t quite tell which fish they used, but it definitely wasn’t herring like I’m used to in KL.
The broth was less flavourful than I expected, primarily standing out for its saltiness rather than spices. The veggies were fresh and crisp, avoiding the classic raw taste of taugeh, which made the dish even more appetising. I found the sambal belacan to be mild, but everyone’s spice tolerance varies, so proceed with caution!
Finally, we ordered a bowl of Soto Bergedil (RM7), which offers 3 carb options: bee hoon, mee, and nasi impit. We went with bee hoon, and the portion was generous for the price. The soto was topped with taugeh, roasted peanuts, fried shallots, Chinese celery leaves (daun sup), deep-fried suhun, and, of course, bergedil. It also came with a side of sambal kicap.
If you’re unfamiliar with bergedil, it’s a deep-fried potato patty made by mashing potatoes, shaping them, and coating them in an egg mixture to achieve that signature crispy exterior.
While some recipes add ingredients like chopped chilies, most people prefer the simple version with just seasonings like salt and pepper — which is exactly what you’ll find at Pondok Santapan Larkin.
The soup was packed with flavour without being so thick that it would hurt your throat. Every slurp warmed my soul! Combined with the bee hoon, roasted peanuts, fried shallots, and taugeh, each bite was satisfying and a delightful mix of savoury and sweet flavours.
The sambal kicap leaned on the sweeter side, which wasn’t really my preference, but the soto was perfect on its own so I didn’t mind much.
Final thoughts
Out of all 3 dishes, Pondok Santapan Larkin’s Soto Bergedil was definitely the star of the show. The Roti Arab was good, but nothing to rave about. As for the Laksa Johor, I’ve had better in KL — though the authentic version is, of course, still found in Johor!
Overall, it was a lovely breakfast experience. I can see why this place is so popular among locals. While I found the prices to be reasonable, I’ve heard Johoreans grumbling about them being expensive. What do you think? You can be the judge of that!
Expected damage: RM4 – RM8 per pax
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