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.
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.
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.