Keijomoto in Taman Melodies, JB
With an increasing array of Instagram-worthy cafes springing up in Johor Bahru, cafe-hoppers are spoiled for choice when it comes to scouring the capital of Johor for brunch spots.
A new cafe that Johoreans and beyond can now visit is Keijometo – an industrial-themed cafe that recently opened its doors in March 2022. It serves Japanese dishes and speciality matcha drinks in an aesthetically pleasing space with trendy decor that’s reminiscent of an art gallery.
Industrial-themed cafe in Johor Bahru
Image credit: @lewisjaysonn
Keijometo has all the influences of an unfinished, industrial-style factory – but made chic to offer cafe-goers a calming and cool space to relax away from the blistering Malaysian heat.
The building it occupies is hard to miss too, with the same industrial charms of bare concrete and large windows seen from outside that’s a popular backdrop for photos among diners.
The cafe is roughly a ten-minute drive from the Woodlands checkpoint, and only eight minutes from one of Johor’s most popular malls, Mid Valley Southkey.
With its raw industrial interior that’s decorated with eclectic decor items such as an old-school box TV, Keijometo has plenty of ‘grammable spots inside that has been attracting patrons too.
Image credit: @2802.000
Whether you want to spend quality time alone, or with your group of friends to catch up over good food and drinks, they have a variety of indoor and outdoor seating options to accommodate their patrons.
This includes sofas, window bar seats that overlook their outdoor space, and concrete benches, all of which are synonymous with their industrial theme.
Image credit: @qingyingtee
Sando, donburi and speciality matcha drinks
Aside from being visually appealing, Keijometo serves a wide variety of Japanese cuisine staples such as sando – Japanese-style sandwiches – donburi, or rice bowls, and fusion udon dishes.
To help you narrow down your choices among their plethora of Japanese food offerings, we recommend their Salmon Ochazuke (RM30), where the smokiness of the baked salmon pairs well with the rice balls that soaks up the savoury, hot yuri matcha dashi stock.
Another go-to donburi order would be their Chicken Katsu Curry (RM24), an explosion of umami and tanginess from their miso-marinated chicken, and creaminess from the 64-degree egg on the side.
If you’re not in the mood for rice, try their juicy Chicken Karaage Sando (RM19) made with thick, fluffy bread or their Cold Inawiwa Udon (RM24) – a combination of cold, flavourful dashi base with chewy udon noodles and crispy prawn tempura.
Image adapted from: @martabakcoklat and @juliajuliadii
Matcha and Genmaicha-based sandos are also available to order for those with a sweet tooth who plan to visit Keijometo. This includes the Matcha Strawberry Sando (RM14), which consists of fresh strawberries sandwiched between classic yuri matcha cream and soft white bread. If you prefer a more earthy flavour, go for their Matcha Red Bean Sando (RM15).
Image credit: @yoshiko_lifeistravel
Keijomoto also has an extensive selection of matcha drinks for tea enthusiasts. For something refreshing, there are Watermelon Matcha Iced Latte (RM15) and Lychee Matcha Iced Tea (RM14).
However, if you prefer simple, classic matcha drinks, there are Japanese origin tea base like Kiku – a balanced nutty and umami notes – or Ren, clean high-quality matcha from Niko Neko, that you can have as a latte or served pure.
Speciality matcha drinks and Japanese food at Keijometo
Though Keijometo has only been open for a short time, they have been receiving a large number of customers ever since they opened due to their welcoming dining space and scrumptious Japanese food offerings.
So if you’re in the city and are looking for a quaint, artistic place to satisfy your Japanese cravings, we recommend stopping by this new cafe in JB.
Address: 3, Jalan Chengai, Taman Melodies, 80250 Johor Bahru, Johor
Opening hours: Tue – Sun 11:30AM-9PM (Closed on Mondays)
Telephone: 07-331 1825
Keijometo’s Instagram
Check out these places nearby:
- Sea Horizon Resort, glamping resort with sea views in Johor
- Fortune Dragon, a 351ft-long dragon tunnel in Johor
- RUD Karting, go-karting spot in JB from RM55/pax
Cover image adapted from: @davelohment, @s03dna.kl and @juliajuliadii