Apam balik is a traditional Malaysian folded pancake made from wheat flour batter with coconut milk and pandan, filled with crushed roasted peanuts, sugar and sweet corn. It comes in two styles — thin and crispy, or thick and fluffy. It is also known as min chiang kueh or ban jian kueh in Chinese, and terang bulan in some regions. Apam Balik Jalil at Century Foodcourt serves the thick, soft, fluffy style.

Where is Century Street Food Court in JB?

Century Street Food Court is located at 221 Jalan Dato Sulaiman, Taman Abad, Johor Bahru 80250. It is directly opposite KSL City Mall and opens daily from 4 PM to 2 AM. With over 50 stalls, it is one of the largest open-air food courts in JB and is popular with both locals and Singaporean visitors.

How far is Century Foodcourt from KSL D'Esplanade / Southern Homestay?

Century Street Food Court is approximately a 5-minute walk from KSL D'Esplanade, where Southern Homestay is located. Both are in the KSL City area — the food court sits directly opposite KSL City Mall, making it one of the most convenient supper spots for guests staying with us.

Apam Balik Jalil at Century Foodcourt, JB (Near KSL)

If you’ve never tried apam balik, think of it as Malaysia’s answer to a stuffed pancake — wheat flour batter enriched with coconut milk and a hint of pandan, folded over a generous filling of crushed roasted peanuts, sugar and sweet corn. The result is something halfway between a crepe and a thick fluffy pancake, eaten fresh off a cast-iron griddle. You may also hear it called min chiang kueh or ban jian kueh in Chinese, or terang bulan in some parts of Malaysia. There are two schools of thought — thin and crispy, or thick and fluffy — and Apam Balik Jalil sits firmly in the latter camp. It’s the kind of snack that disappears in three bites and has you queuing up for a second one.

Century Street Food Court — JB’s Largest Open-Air Night Hawker Scene

The stall is located inside Century Street Food Court at 221 Jalan Dato Sulaiman, Taman Abad — directly opposite KSL City Mall and just a 5-minute walk from Southern Homestay at KSL D’Esplanade. With 50+ stalls spread across a sprawling open-air compound, Century is widely regarded as the largest food court of its kind in Johor Bahru, and it pulls in a loyal crowd of locals as well as Singaporean visitors who make it a regular stop when they cross the border. The food court opens at 4 PM and runs until 2 AM daily, making it an ideal destination after a day at the mall or a late-night supper when everywhere else has called it a night. Muslim-friendly stalls are well represented throughout.

A large folded apam balik pancake, a Malaysian street snack — A large folded apam balik, the same family of snack as the ones sold at Century. Photo: Yun Huang Yong, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Apam Balik Jalil — Soft, Generous, and Hard to Beat

Among all the choices at Century, Apam Balik Jalil has built a reputation that extends well beyond the food court. The stall describes itself as the most famous apam balik in Johor Bahru — paling terkenal di Johor Bahru — and the numbers back it up: 5 stars from 177 reviews on Foodpanda, plus an active Facebook following at facebook.com/apambalikjalil. The soft, fluffy style means each piece is thick and pillowy, the corn-and-peanut filling is well-balanced and “not overly sweet” as one reviewer put it — a welcome quality when you want something satisfying without the sugar overload. It’s the sort of stall that earns repeat visits, and once you’ve had it you’ll understand why Singaporeans specifically seek it out on their JB trips.

Quick facts

Where: inside Century Street Food Court, Jalan Dato Sulaiman, Taman Abad
Food court hours: 4 PM to 2 AM daily (individual stalls may differ)
Style: thick, soft and fluffy with peanut and sweet corn
Distance from KSL D'Esplanade: a short walk of roughly 700 to 800 m

What is the best way to eat apam balik?

Eat it fresh, while the edges are still warm and the filling is soft. Fold-and-tear it with your hands, share a piece with whoever you are with, and go for a second one if the queue allows. If you are taking it back to your unit, ask for it to be wrapped loosely so it does not go soggy, and enjoy it within the hour.

What else should you order nearby?

Apam balik works best as dessert or a mid-walk snack, so pair it with something savoury first. Century has plenty to choose from, and our Century Street Food Court guide covers the stalls, halal notes and parking. On Monday evenings, the market on Jalan Seladang is another good hunting ground for sweet snacks: see our Monday pasar malam guide.

Any tips for visiting?

Go in the early evening, when stalls are open but the peak crowd has not yet arrived, and bring a little cash in small notes in case a stall does not take e-wallets. Queues tend to grow on weekend nights, so be ready to wait a few minutes. Since the food court sells a mix of dishes, halal-conscious guests should ask each stall about ingredients and cooking oil instead of assuming. Prices and stall hours can change, so it is best to check the stall's own page before you head over.

Staying at Southern Homestay puts you perfectly placed to enjoy Century Foodcourt any evening of your trip — it’s a 5-minute stroll, no transport needed. If you’re planning your visit, book your stay via WhatsApp and our team can point you toward the best spots nearby. You might also want to read our KSL City Mall guest guide for more on what’s walkable from your door.