Banana Leaf Rice Etiquette and 5 Johor Bahru Restaurants
Guide · Published 25 October 2026
Reviewed and approved by a NearbyWise editor before publishing. Every fact is checked against the business's own website. How we check
Banana leaf rice is a South Indian-style meal: rice served on a banana leaf with vegetable sides, curries, pickles and crisp papadum, with meat or fish ordered alongside. It is eaten with the right hand, servers usually come round to top up rice and curry, and the leaf is folded when you finish. This guide explains that etiquette, then lists five Johor Bahru restaurants in the order our ranking method placed them. The listings do not include a confirmed banana leaf rice specialist, so each entry sets out only what that venue states about its food, hours, halal status and booking.
1. K Fry Urban Korean Holiday Villa
K Fry Urban Korean Holiday Villa serves Korean fried chicken and Korean food. All K Fry outlets across Malaysia are stated to be halal certified. Signature dishes include the K Fry Boneless Fried Chicken Rasa Kick Series, Cheesy Fried Chicken Bumbuk and Yangnyeom Chicken Wings. Tables can be booked through www.kfry.my. Payment by MAE, Touch & Go and Boost e-wallets or by Visa and Mastercard cards is accepted.
| Cuisine | Korean fried chicken |
| Signature dishes | K Fry Boneless Fried Chicken Rasa Kick Series |
| Halal status | All K Fry outlets across Malaysia are Halal certified |
| Booking | www.kfry.my - Book A Table |
- Address: 260, Jalan Dato Sulaiman, Taman Abad, 80250 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'zim (from Google)
- Hours: Mon–Sun 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM (from Google)
- Phone: 07-266 0902 (from Google)
- Website: kfry.my
More about K Fry Urban Korean Holiday Villa
2. Kuroma Buffet & Dining
Kuroma Buffet & Dining is a Japanese buffet at TD Central, Jalan Sagu 21, Taman Daya. Its listed dishes include sushi and sashimi, teppanyaki, oysters imported from Japan and Canada, and salmon from Norway. It opens Monday to Sunday from 5:30pm to 10:00pm. Reservations are highly recommended and the listed phone number is 019-773 0754. The dress code is smart casual, and it opened in 2021.
| Cuisine | Japanese |
| Signature dishes | Premium sushi and sashimi |
| How to book | Reservations are highly recommended |
- Address: TD Central, 3, Jalan Sagu 21, Taman Daya, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor
- Hours: Monday to Sunday 5:30pm to 10:00pm
- Phone: 019-773 0754
- Website: kuroma.com.my
More about Kuroma Buffet & Dining
3. JIBRIL Johor Bahru
JIBRIL Johor Bahru is at Jalan Geroda 2/1, Pusat Perdagangan Larkin, Larkin Jaya. Its signature dishes include salted egg butter chicken and deep-fried chicken thigh pieces coated in percik sauce. It is open daily from 12:00pm to 12:00am, with last orders at 11:30pm. Dine-in prices are in ringgit before tax and service, with a 10% service charge and 6% SST added to the bill. It opened in 2015.
| Signature dishes | Salted Egg Butter Chicken |
| Price range | All prices are in Ringgit Malaysia and are for dine-in, before tax and service. A 10% service charge and 6% service tax (SST) are added to your bill. |
- Address: No. 51, 51-01 & 51-02, Jalan Geroda 2/1, Pusat Perdagangan Larkin, Larkin Jaya, 80350 Johor Bahru, Johor
- Hours: Open daily, 12:00pm – 12:00am, last order 11:30pm
- Phone: 012-743 0350 (from Google)
- Website: jibrilgroup.com
4. Awagyu restaurant
Awagyu restaurant serves Japanese cuisine, including yakiniku, shabu-shabu and sukiyaki. A5 grade Wagyu beef is listed among its signature dishes. It is at GF 12 & GF 13, Komtar JBCC, Jalan Wong Ah Fook. The listed phone number is +6018-369 1129. It opened in November 2019.
| Cuisine | Japanese |
| Signature dishes | Yakiniku, Shabu-Shabu, Sukiyaki, and other Japanese delicacies |
- Address: GF 12 & GF 13, Komtar JBCC, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
- Hours: Mon–Fri 12:00 – 3:00 PM, 5:30 – 10:30 PM; Sat–Sun 12:00 – 10:30 PM (from Google)
- Phone: +6018-369 1129
- Website: awagyu.com.my
5. Senibong Bay Seafood
Senibong Bay Seafood is a seafood restaurant. It describes itself as Muslim friendly, with no pork and no lard. It states that it is open daily, 365 days a year. Reservations can be made by WhatsApp, and the listed phone number is 019-710 1281. Contact the restaurant directly to confirm what is on the menu before you visit.
| Cuisine | Seafood |
| Halal status | Muslim Friendly - No Pork & No Lard |
| How to book | WhatsApp reservation available |
- Address: Lot120714, Kampung Senibong, Permas Jaya, 81750 Masai, Johor (from Google)
- Hours: Open daily 365 days a year
- Phone: 019-710 1281
- Website: senibongbayseafood.com
More about Senibong Bay Seafood
Frequently asked questions
How do you eat banana leaf rice with your hand?
Use your right hand only, mixing a little rice with curry and sides using your fingertips. Gather it into a small mound and push it into your mouth with your thumb, keeping your palm clean where you can.
What does folding the banana leaf mean?
When you finish, folding the top half of the leaf towards you is commonly read as a sign that you enjoyed the meal. Folding it away from you is traditionally associated with dissatisfaction or with funerals, so most diners fold towards themselves.
How do you ask for refills of rice and curry?
Servers usually walk round with rice, curries and vegetables, so simply nod or point to what you would like more of. To decline, cover your leaf with your hand or wave politely.
Are service charges added to the bill?
At JIBRIL Johor Bahru, a 10% service charge and 6% SST are added to dine-in prices, which are listed before tax and service. For other restaurants, ask about charges when you book or order.
How we chose these businesses
We ranked every business in our restoran listings that publishes the relevant details on its own website. The ranking combines the business's Google rating, adjusted for how many reviews it has, how many of the facts this guide needs the business publishes, and how recently we checked them. Every price and detail listed here comes from the business's own website. We don't review or rate businesses ourselves, and no business paid to be included. Prices and menus change, so confirm with the business before you go or book. How we rank · Report a correction
Facts last checked against each business's website on 18 October 2026.