There are restaurants we visit because they are new, exciting or fashionable. Then there are restaurants we return to simply because they are familiar.
Goh Zha Lang (古早人) belongs firmly in the latter category.
Established over 30 years ago, Goh Zha Lang offers a glimpse into a style of Chinese family dining that was particularly familiar in Malaysia and Singapore during the 1980s and 1990s. Its original outlet is in Taman Sentosa, Johor Bahru, with a newer branch recently opened in Austin Crest.
A small clarification before we go any further: there is a similarly named porridge restaurant in Singapore. This is not that restaurant. We are talking about the Johor Bahru Goh Zha Lang.
People from Yesteryear
The name 古早人 roughly evokes the idea of “people from yesteryear” – a fitting description for a restaurant built around familiar, old-fashioned flavours.
The concept here is Taiwanese-style porridge dining, where dishes are ordered individually from an extensive à la carte menu and cooked to order. Goh Zha Lang has well over 50 dishes to choose from, ranging from vegetables and eggs to meat, seafood and traditional braised dishes.
And that is really half the pleasure of eating this way.
Cooking five or six different dishes at home means preparing five or six dishes, followed by the less romantic reality of washing everything afterwards. Here, portions are reasonably sized, allowing a family to fill the table with variety without committing themselves to a banquet.
Why Sweet Potato in Porridge?
Diners can choose between plain porridge, sweet potato porridge or steamed white rice, with unlimited servings. We went with the sweet potato porridge.
What began partly out of necessity eventually became something people continued eating because they enjoyed it.
At Goh Zha Lang, the sweet potato porridge arrived with generous chunks of sweet potato cooked until tender while still retaining enough structure for a satisfying bite. Its natural sweetness makes the porridge particularly good against the stronger, saltier dishes traditionally eaten alongside it. A bowl of porridge water or “arm”, is also a familiar accompaniment, traditionally enjoyed as something gentle and soothing for the stomach.
The Food
We deliberately chose several stronger-flavoured dishes that would work particularly well with porridge.
The Steamed pork patty with salted fish and ginger is old-school comfort food through and through. Dense, savoury and unapologetically fishy from the salted fish, it needs that intensity. Make it too delicate and the flavours simply disappear against the porridge. A little ginger cuts through the richness and keeps everything nicely balanced.
The Kung Pao chicken brings a different character to the table. Tender pieces of boneless chicken are coated in a dark, mildly spicy caramelised soy sauce. Dried chillies pick up a light char from the wok, bringing a smoky aroma to the sauce and chicken without turning the dish aggressively spicy.
Then there is the classic Braised pork belly with preserved mustard greens (梅菜扣肉). This is exactly the sort of dish porridge was invented to be friends with. The pork belly is soft and yielding, carrying the unmistakable savoury-sweet flavour of mei cai. Preserved mustard greens can easily overwhelm a dish with saltiness, but the seasoning here is nicely restrained. Rich pork, intensely flavoured vegetables and mild porridge – the combination needs very little explanation.
For some greenery, we had the Stir-fried baby spinach with baby anchovies. Fragrant with garlic, the vegetables retain their freshness while little crispy, salty anchovies provide bursts of flavour and texture. Against the gentle sweetness of the sweet potato porridge, it works beautifully.
The Old Faithful
There is an uncomplicated rhythm to eating at Goh Zha Lang. You sit down, everyone chooses a few favourites, the dishes arrive, and the porridge keeps coming.
And in Johor Bahru’s tropical heat, there is something particularly agreeable about enjoying piping hot porridge and freshly cooked dishes in the comfort of air-conditioning – especially when someone else is responsible for cooking five or six dishes and washing up afterwards.
At the end of the meal comes one final old-school touch: a complimentary dessert, usually something simple such as a warm bowl of green bean soup. Nothing elaborate, just a pleasant little finish before heading home.
Every family’s list of places to eat has a few old faithfuls. They are not necessarily the newest or most fashionable restaurants in town. They are the places you suggest when nobody can decide where to eat, because everyone knows there will be something on the menu they like.
After more than 30 years, Goh Zha Lang seems to have comfortably settled into that role.