Restoran Loke Tien Yuen in Mersing

Loke Tien Yuen Restaurant Mersing

If you visit Mersing and want to know a good place to eat Chinese food, I recommend trying Restoran Loke Tien Yuen in the main town area. However, one thing you must take note of is that they don’t do walk-ins because they are always full house.

While this place may sound so ‘atas‘, I guarantee you will not be disappointed with the food quality. Unless, of course, you do not care about food and only want to eat.

Restoran Loke Tien Yuen in Mersing

On a recent visit at the end of May 2023, I explored the Mersing area for birdwatching on land and out at sea; therefore, I stayed at Hotel Mersing, one of the best hotels in the town area.

Travelling with a group of birdwatchers from Kuala Lumpur, our leader, Mr Low Kok Hen, had pre-arranged our meals. As he has been here before, we trusted his recommendations as he’s a well-travelled birdwatcher.

Mersing Cantonese Restaurant
The overall classic look and feel of Loke Tien Yuen Restaurant is like an 80s Hong Kong TV series.

Restoran Loke Tien Yuen is a classic example of an original Cantonese restaurant. Its nostalgic green mosaic tiles line the walls and ceiling, giving the restaurant a very retro and old-school look and feel.

As for seating, there are only about six to seven large tables to seat ten people per table. But the classic interior decorations tend to catch your eye when seated comfortably. It is said that Restoran Loke Tien Yuen is now in its third generation and has been around for 123 years. Wow, that’s some impressive history.

Restoran Loke Tien Yuen Mersing
As we entered, the restaurant looked normal, but it doesn’t entertain walk-in customers and is non-airconditioned.
Loke Tien Yuen Restoran
Our reserved table is waiting for us. Just take a look at the classic wooden chairs and simple table settings.

This Cantonese seafood restaurant is notorious for turning away walk-in customers; therefore, you must make bookings at least two days before your lunch or dinner here. As for the menu, good luck, as it is not online. Maybe you can talk to Margaret, the daughter, and she can assist you with what is available. The number to make reservations is 07 7991639.

Restoran Loke Tien Yuen Food

Let’s get straight to the food part because that’s why you are reading this in the first place. Mr Low pre-ordered all our dishes, so we just came and ate like there was no tomorrow.

I will do my best to explain the dishes in each of the photos so you don’t have to read paragraph after paragraph. I’m trying to make my reviews easier to read nowadays. Gone are the days of lengthy articles.

Loke Tien Yuen Vegetables
The ‘Kangkung’ vegetables were cooked perfectly and had no over-taste.
Loke Tien Yuen Steamed White Kampung Chicken
The steamed white chicken is very basic and not overflavoured. The chicken head should not be eaten unless you enjoy it.
Loke Tien Yuen Deep Fried Steamed Duck
The house special is the Deep-Fried Steamed Duck with Lotus Seeds. I don’t fancy it, but 18 other people said it was truly one-of-a-kind.
Loke Tien Yuen Sweet Sour Pork Dish
The amazing Ku Lo Yoke, or Sweet and Sour Pork dish, is a must-try. This is the first time I am trying this dish with a different kind of batter mixture. It is not your conventional sweet and sour pork.
Loke Tien Yuen Steamed Grouper
The Steamed Grouper is in a class of its own. It is perfectly done, and the size is specially selected to be medium so that the meat is sweet and fresh. The sauce is not overpowering and is just nicely done, too.
Kung Po Squid Loke Tien Yuen Restaurant.
The unique Kung Po Squid dish was the first time I tried this; the squid’s freshness is another level. It didn’t taste like squid, but it was fresh.

After a delicious meal here, I could only think of walking around the town to settle the food; the following day, it was an early call to look for birds around the Mersing area. Again, this has to be one of the best Chinese meals I had in a long time.

For the benefit of foreigners reading this, the owners (the sisters) speak good English, so you can always call and converse in English with them. I apologise to my Muslim friends reading this article; this place is non-Halal.

This restaurant is also popular with scuba divers who come to Tioman Island. They usually arrive the night before and stay in Mersing town to catch the early ferry to the island. I was a scuba diver but retired from diving in 2018.

Seafood Restaurant Mersing
The classic mosaic tiles at the seafood restaurant in Mersing are rare nowadays. They are truly retro and very 80s.
Owner of Loke Tien Yuen Restaurant.
The owner of Loke Tien Yuen Restaurant—well, his dad opened the restaurant, and now his daughter Margaret runs it.
Restoran Loke Tien Yuen
Loke Tien Yuen Restaurant is about to close, and judging from this photo, we were the last customers to leave.

Restaurant name: Loke Tien Yuen Restaurant 乐天园酒家
Address: 55, Jalan Abu Bakar, Mersing, Johor
GPS: 2.433029,103.838374 / 2°25’58.9″N 103°50’18.1″E
Tel: +607 799 1639
Hours: 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm & 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Reservation: Yes! You need to call ahead to reserve your table
Visit Date: 20 May 2023

Location of Restoran Loke Tien Yuen in Mersing

For those who want to know more about the family’s history of this restaurant, I suggest you check out this article in Tony’s Blog, Johor Kaki. Tony wrote about this in 2012 and updated his article in 2016. Tony is a foodie friend, and I have not caught up with him for many years.

Conclusion

Overall, Restoran Loke Tien Yuen in Mersing was one of the best experiences I have had regarding good old home-cooked Cantonese dishes, and the price was very reasonable considering there were 19 of us there.

The next time I plan to visit Mersing, I will surely try to book a table, provided there’s a relatively large group of us. Again, if you are wondering what to eat in Mersing, this is a recommended place to try.

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