There was a time when braised duck was hardly an exotic discovery in Malaysia and Singapore. Through the 1980s and 90s, old-school braised meats were simply part of the neighbourhood food landscape.
Then things changed. Proprietors retired without successors, fast food became terribly exciting, and somewhere along the way we collectively decided that tapioca pearls floating in colourful drinks deserved our undivided attention.
Some of those old braising pots quietly disappeared.
Baliban (八哩半卤鸭) didn’t.
Since 1973, the family has been serving Teochew braised duck and an assortment of braised meats, with the second generation continuing the family’s closely guarded recipes today.
The name itself is a little relic of another era. “Baliban” refers to eight and a half miles – a throwback to when locations around Johor were commonly identified by their distance along the old roads.
And the setting hasn’t exactly rushed to catch up with modernity either.
This is the sort of Malaysian eatery where plastic stools have surrendered much of their original colour, zinc roofing provides the architectural statement, and those enormous old granite-topped tables look like they were installed with the understanding that nobody would ever attempt to move them again.
The Duck – Not Gamey
Whatever happens inside that pot works.
The characteristic gaminess of duck was remarkably restrained. Our duck breast arrived sliced very thinly, which initially made us suspicious. Thin slicing can sometimes be the culinary equivalent of hiding the evidence when meat is tough.
So we stacked several slices together.
Still tender.
The meat remained moist and flavourful, carrying the herbal-soy character of the braise without requiring anything resembling an oral workout.
Pork Belly – Properly Cut
The pork belly was another highlight, not least because Baliban understands an important principle: pork belly should actually resemble pork belly.
No paper-thin slices pretending to be generous portions here.
The chunky cuts delivered a satisfying balance of fat and meat, braised until tender without collapsing into mush. Its sauce was noticeably different from the duck – darker, mildly sweeter and richer, with fresh chilli providing just enough bite to interrupt all that fatty goodness.
Sometimes restraint is admirable. With pork belly, we’re less convinced.
Tofu Done Right
The tofu was briefly fried before braising, giving the exterior enough structure to survive its time in the pot while limiting how deeply the powerful sauce penetrated.
Break through the lightly seasoned exterior and the centre remained soft, pale and gently fragrant with soybean.
That’s exactly how we like braised tofu. It should taste like tofu that has met a good braising sauce – not tofu that has completely surrendered its identity to one.
Don’t Come Alone
Even the Kway Teow Kia (Tiny Rice Noodles) here has a little more heft than some of the finer versions around Johor Bahru. That extra thickness actually works alongside Baliban’s generous portions of meat; anything too delicate might simply disappear beneath them.
Its accompanying broth was intentionally mild and gently herbal, providing a welcome counterpoint to the much more robust braised dishes.
And “generous” really is the operative word at Baliban.
While shrinking portions have practically become a modern business strategy, Baliban appears not to have received the memo. Prices remain reasonable for what arrives on the table, but solo diners should approach ordering with some caution.
Baliban isn’t polished, curated or dressed up to look nostalgic.
It doesn’t need to be.
The old tables, faded stools and zinc roof aren’t there to manufacture atmosphere. They’ve simply been around long enough to acquire it.
More importantly, so has the braise.
