Food in Seremban – 6 Dishes You Must Try
The image of Seremban as an industrial area sometimes makes us forget that its distinctive local delicacies are still something to write home about. Whether you’re making a trip or merely passing by the town, it is worthwhile to stop by for a delightful treat of some of the best Seremban food. The best thing is the relatively lower price! You don’t have to break the bank for a rewarding tamciak trip.
SIEW PAU (BAKED BUN)
At the mention of Seremban, people will immediately think of siew pau or baked buns. Siew Pau is often seen as the national food of Seremban. It is not a surprise though because you can find tons of siew pau shops at every corner of the city. The snack has a flaky pastry exterior that hides juicy sweet roast pork inside.
Ask for the best siew pau around, and most locals will direct to Asia Siew Pau, a simple, unadorned bakery. They make their siew paus all day, so you are guaranteed to get freshly baked siew pau straight out from the oven. Eat the siew pau on the spot while it’s still hot! You don’t want to miss the buttery crust crumbling in your mouth with the moist warm fillings bursting in flavours upon the first bite.
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Kedai Siew Pau Asia
Address: 368, Jalan Seng Meng Lee, Taman Union, 70200 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
GPS: 2.734186, 101.940292
Operating Hours:
Daily 7.00am – 6.30pm.
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BAKED CRAB
Another famous dish in this city is the signature baked crab, best had over dinner. Although the name is “baked crab”, there is no rigid rule whether the crab is supposed to be baked or grilled. Some outlets only bake, some only grill, while others do both. A few places also stir fry it in the light marmite sauce. Whatever the methods are, the star of the dish is definitely the marmite sauce, giving a light touch of umami while not overpowering the natural sweetness of the crab.
Photo credit: jeslyn_kuah
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Restaurant Sin Yit Sing
Address: 103, Jalan Labu Lama, Taman A.S.T, 70200 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
GPS: 2.725266, 101.930314
Operating hour: 5.00pm – 11.30pm. Closed on Thursday.
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Seremban Seafood Village
Address: 720-3724, Jalan Tuanku Munawir, Bandar Seremban, 70000 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
GPS: 2.733069, 101.934343
Operating hour:
Monday to Saturday 1.00pm – 1.00am
Sunday 12.00pm – 12.00am
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HAJI SHARIFF CENDOL
On a hot afternoon, it’s best to tone down the heat with a refreshing bowl of cendol. While you most likely have tried cendol elsewhere, the cendol at Haji Shariff Cendol is slightly different.
Having been in business for over 80 years, their cendol was hailed from Java, offering a well-balanced combination of creaminess and sweetness. Moreover, customers can choose from a wide selection of cendol toppings — glutinous rice (pulut), red beans (kacang), corn (jagung), mix (campur) and bandung (rose syrup and milk). They also take pride in using no artificial colourings in their ingredients. The colour of the cendol comes from pandan leaves, and thus, the pale green colour.
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Haji Shariff Cendol
Address: 44, Jalan Yam Tuan, Bandar Seremban, 70000 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
GPS: 2.727340, 101.940104
Operating hours:
10.30am – 6.00pm
Closed on Friday.
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YI POH LAO SHU FEN
In this small city, Yi Poh Lou Fen is the place to go for a hearty bowl of lao shu fen. Lao shu fen, a variety of thick noodles made from rice flour is very common in Malaysia, but at Yi Poh, it comes in long strand form which is more like ‘lai fun’. What you get here is lightly blanched rice noodles, doused with soy sauce, and topped with scrumptious minced meat and char siew.
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Restaurant Yi Poh
Address: 26A, Ground Floor, Jalan Seng Meng Lee, 70200 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
GPS: 2.734130, 101.940480
Operating hours:
Daily 7.30am – 5.30pm
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YEE KEE BEEF NOODLE
Founded in the 1930s, what used to be a humble stall in Seremban Old Market has since advanced to a spacious restaurant in the middle of the town. Yee Kee Beef Noodles serve opaque lai fun topped with a variety of meat parts to choose from.
The dry version is a mishmash of flavours thanks to the savoury meat, the tangy pickles and earthy sesame, drenched in thick beef broth sauce. No-less-impressive is its beef noodles in clear soup. The clear soup is lip-smacking good with a strong beef essence. You will probably wipe the bowl clean within minutes!
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Yee Kee Beef Noodle
Address: 44, Jalan Dato Lee Fong Yee, Bandar Seremban, 70000 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
GPS: 2.724968, 101.938314
Operating hours:
Monday to Friday 10.00am – 7.00pm
Saturday 9.00am – 8.00pm
Sunday 9.00am – 6.00pm
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Yee Kee Beef Noodle (Branch)
Address: No.181, Jalan S2 B22, Pusat Dagangan Seremban 2, 70300 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
GPS: 2.691937, 101.903932
Operating Hours:
9.00am – 6.00pm
Closed on Thursday
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MEE HOON SOTONG (SQUID VERMICELLI)
Another breakfast item that will beg you to get out of your bed early is the mee hoon sotong. The bustling Seremban Wet Market is an excellent place for your hunt for the famous Mee Hoon Sotong.
Photo credit: @steeven_gunner
The vermicelli is soaked in thick gravy, with a few slices of cuttlefish and tender braised pork. Although the mee hoon is immersed in the sauce, the texture remains crunchy as it is fried beforehand. Be warned though! Mee Hoon Sotong is one of the most sought-after breakfast for both locals and visitors, so they tend to be sold out rather fast. This should be a strong enough reason to get up early!
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Stall 787 or Stall 753 (Hioong Kee)
Address: Food Court in Pasar Besar Seremban, Jalan Pasar, 70000 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
GPS: 2.730766, 101.936593
Operating Hours:
5.30am – 11.30am (usually sold out by 10.00am)
Closed on Tuesday.
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Medan Selera Rasah Jaya
Address: Jalan Rasah Utama 1, Taman Rasah Jaya, 70300 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
GPS: 2.680696, 101.943763
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Where to Stay in Seremban
Palm Seremban Hotel is a popular option to stay in Seremban for its strategic location and great service. Otherwise, Royal Chulan Seremban also offers a 4-star service and is conveniently located within 15 minutes drive from most of the eateries and restaurants.
How to Get to Seremban
By plane Fly to Kuala Lumpur and rent a car to Seremban.
By train From Kuala Lumpur, take KTM train from KL Sentral (KL Sentral – Pulau Sebang line) to Seremban train station which is in the town centre.