Food Blog | 初 Initial Modern European Cuisine JB (Taman Molek)

I would say that since Sprout JB closed down, there aren’t too many more options around the JB area for a fine dining experience. But now you can look no further than 初 or Initial, brainchild of Chef Koh Chin Hong.

Initial 初 Modern European Cuisine JB Restaurant

This is a restaurant that prides itself on a farm to table concept - choosing to display the freshness of local ingredients - to showcase a Japanese twist on modern European food (which I guess from the style of the plating, you will quite evidently see). Chef Koh has worked in numerous Michelin starred restaurants, even Noma (legitimately one of the best restaurants in the world - see the video below)!

Context: Came here with my girlfriend for our anniversary dinner . Saw it on IG and made the reservation through Instagram as well. (which I do recommend if you are planning to come on Friday - Sunday).

As usual, unedited photos here, edited (or at least I try coming up on my IG @bibzeats !

(For people looking for other fine dining options, you guys can take a look at Restaurant VoID (Citrine Hub) - it is on the even pricier end, but it is worth considering if you are looking for another fine dining experience).

Is it Halal?

They have got some pork dishes - as well as their Wagyu main dish using a red wine sauce, so with this aspect, I do recommend that you eat at your own discretion (this is a non-halal eatery).

Where it Is?

It is located in Taman Molek in a rather lonely area. I don’t really see too many landmarks around, so I would just say that you should follow your GPS route and you should be fine. It is located along one of those rows of shop-lots and it is pretty bright, so it is hard to miss. Parking is free and aplenty around the restaurant.

Address: 9, Jln Molek 3/20, Taman Molek, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

Operating Hours:

Tuesday - Sunday : 6 - 11pm

(But I do believe that they are adding a lunch menu and they actually have a teatime thing going on from 1pm to 5pm selling some nice, high quality pastries)

What it Costs

I think that the way that I would describe this place would be that this is friendly to the pockets of people coming over from Singapore (we’re talking about ~60SGD per pax.) and unfriendly to people from Malaysians. And this isn’t saying much apart from the fact that the Malaysian currency is weak XD.

But the meal that we had ultimately came up to RM510.40 which ultimately comes up to ~RM250 per person, so we’re talking about a meal on the really expensive side. But just for comparisons sake, Meta’s (Michelin star restaurant in Singapore which I reviewed a few months back) 7 course menu is priced at SGD188 per person - of course take into account the Michelin star and the fact that it is in Singapore, but this is just a basic comparison of the value you get if you’re crossing over the Causeway.

The breakdown of the RM510.40 is like such: 1 tasting menu (pork belly) - RM198 and 1 tasting menu (wagyu) - RM238 (add RM40 for wagyu), as well as 2 bottles of mineral water (RM28), together with 10% service charge.

What you do get in the set is a 7 course meal which I guess you can see in the menu that I’m putting below this. Please do note that you can actually order it a-la-carte, albeit at higher per-dish prices (just ask for the a-la-carte menu) and there’s even a RM298 11 course meal (but you have to pre-order this).

Initial 初 Modern European Cuisine Menu JB

How it Tastes

I feel as though this is a really good reflection on this European-Japanese fusion/omakase-esque cuisine. If you want me to pick the stars, my personal favourites were the daikon/prawn entree, the wagyu main and the coconut dessert.

It all starts off some bread with a seaweed butter (if I heard correctly XD) before the feasting begins.

Next up, you have the entrees. The daikon is one of those really light dishes that really whet your appetite for the dishes to come. You’ll see a common theme of broths/sauces being poured in front of your eyes starting here with the combination of the radish and that miso dashi going really well together to produce one of those really ‘zen’ dishes.

Then, the prawn with charcoal tuile. Definitely one of the most aesthetically pleasing dishes of the night. You’ve got a really nice prawn stuffing with a tinge of lime dressing in order to balance the dish - and also one where you can actually eat everything in order to actually appreciate the stuffing! My girlfriend picked the daikon as her clear favourite for the entrees.

The egg is the last entree and I guess this one is the one that I was a bit meh about. But it’s basically an onsen egg in some brown rice green tea (which I feel kinda has that soy sauce vibe to it) broth.

Then onto the mains!

In general, I’m a big fan of all 3!

Starting off with the seasonal fish (which happened to be seabass for us), this is one of those dishes that is really colourful in flavour. Lots of richness coming from the semi dried tomato, saffron beurre and waterchest - so you have that richness that means you really forget this is even a fish! (especially for people that are not big fans of fish like me and my girlfriend) So this is a pretty darn nice main dish.

Then, you have the choice of the wagyu beef or the pork belly (which we tried one of each of and shared).

The wagyu beef itself I feel isn’t like the type of wagyu beef that makes you marvel in the quality of the beef, but I would say that it is complemented very well by the strong umami-ness coming from that DELICIOUS mushroom puree! The marrow crumb and the red wine jus together with that little bit of acidity from the Japanese artichoke makes this both me and my girlfriend’s dish of the night. Really yum.

Last, but not least, the pork belly dish. Crispy skin, a really nice cook, I really couldn’t ask for anything else! Lots of different components here and there, but overall a pretty nice dish.

Then onto the desserts!

First up, the dragon fruit dessert. A really pretty dish, I must say. You have an actual dragon fruit which they have deconstructed and made this dragon fruit balls which are I guess more palatable than just the normal dragon fruit - but together with roselle jelly and the granita. A bit of a miss - I like the concept and the texture of those dragon fruit balls but I guess the flavour could be a little bit richer.

Lastly, the coconut dessert! I’m a super big fan of coconut desserts, and this just enhanced that thought further. A really light dessert which makes for a fantastic meal ender. I didn’t actually think that something as sour as a mango sorbet and passion fruit jelly would go well with something like a coconut mousse, but this one works WELL. Lots of flavours working together to make a flavour explosion in your mouth.

Star Rating

8/10. But this is taking into account the price point that it is at for a Malaysian perspective. Great food and a cozy ambience complimented by service that is eager to please. Probably one of the best options (even though there aren’t many to begin with) for a fine dining experience in Johor Bahru.