Food Blog | Mad Plate Malaysia Sizzling Hot Plate Restaurant Mount Austin
I was pretty intrigued when I saw quite a few Instagram posts about this restaurant serving up sizzling hot plate dishes, so naturally I went to check it out! It is none other than Johor Bahru’s very own Mad Plate Malaysia restaurant!
Disclaimer: I’m a SUPER big fan of a similar restaurant in Singapore - Pepper Lunch Express - which is in a lot of food courts around Singapore, so I feel like I can’t help it but there will be certain comparisons that I will make in relation to this food review (I believe they also have a branch in Pavilion KL, but that’s another issue completely)
Additional Disclaimer: I will probably be back to this place for another meal in the future, so this page is likely to be edited in the future because it is one of the cheaper and more convenient options in the area.
Is it Halal?
This one I’m not 100% sure, but I will get back to you guys if I find out. What I have found is that they are pork free and they are listed as “Muslim” on FoodPanda. Not sure whether it actually means it is halal certified, so don’t take my word for it - just double check if you’re worried about this.
Where it Is?
To be fair I was a little surprised by their location because I’ve been in that square a few times and haven’t really seen it, but it is basically facing Sunway College - same row as shops like Wafu Kitchen, Daebap Korean home meal, etc. It is a pretty convenient place to go if you’re in the Hospital Sultan Ismail area or the Mount Austin area in general.
Their concept is probably more in the fast food direction. This is a place you place the order at the counter and you pay first, and I guess the feeling in general when you walk in is probably more like a fast food restaurant.
Address: 26, Jln Austin Heights 3/2, Taman Mount Austin, 81100 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Operating Hours:
Daily: 11am - 10pm (No rest days)
What it Costs
I’m not too sure whether they have any special hidden promotions (because they probably do but I’m just a bit blur) but basically what I had was a beef slice with cheese basic slice rice - RM13.90. This is basically A7 on the menu that I’ve attached onto here. The difference between A7 and A1 is basically the cheese, but I believe they tell you that on the physical menu. I like that - like Pepper Lunch Express - they give you the choice to add-on things like eggs, cheese, extra meat, etc. because a lot of people have different preferences.
I also got an iced peach tea for RM3.20 just to complete the meal. They have some sort of Madness Hour promotion - basically eating hours (12pm to 3pm, 6pm to 9pm) which is basically an additional RM2 and you get drinks and broccoli - I probably would have saved money if I knew there was this set but oh wells.
They seem to have a pretty nice brownie which I didn’t really try on this occasion, so that might be well worth trying. If you’d like to see the full menu, check it out in the link here!
Mad Plate Malaysia Menu - Source: Mad Plate Malaysia FB Page
How it Tastes
Overall, this is a solid meal. As with a lot of these types of places, the meat-rice ratio is much more in the rice’s favour, so I personally think if you want a nicer ratio you can add meat/vegetables to your dish - the list of add-ons is on the FB page. But overall, it is nice.
The seasoning is really nice, the cheese melts into that rice to give you a really cheesy bite when you munch in on it, and the beef is juicy and delicious. I would say it naturally is a bit more on the salty side once it is ready, so I do recommend not adding the sauces first and trying it as is, because they give you all the sauces and the seasonings in order to make it to your liking.
I feel like the pictures really say most of the story for me. But it’s aromatic, delicious, really fast (honestly I HIGHLY recommend it for people who are in a rush because it comes really quickly - at least when I had it) and a really simple meal with vegetables meat and rice.
The iced peach tea is kind of what you expect from an iced peach tea. More on the strong tasting/sweeter side (which I appreciate at restaurants like these because often they try to dilute the drinks a lot in order to get the most out of their drinks.
Star Rating
7/10. I was a bit torn between a 6.5 and a 7, but I think this is a solid meal. Fairly cheap, especially considering the area and the deals I probably don’t know about, and basically a delicious hot plate for lunch! Probably a place I’m definitely coming back for simply because it is one of the cheaper options in the area!