We checked into Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre, dropped our bags and hopped straight into a Grab. Destination? SKS City Mall JBCC, the shiny new kid on the block. It only opened in May 2026. Our mission was simple: dim sum lunch at Canton Boy. This halal Chinese restaurant chain started life in KL, and SKS City Mall now houses its first and only JB outlet.
Why Canton Boy Caught My Eye
Awards, basically. Canton Boy took home Halal Dim Sum of the Year 2025 at the ASEAN Food & Travel (AFT) Awards. It also recently bagged the Top Outstanding F&B Brand Award at the 8th World Top Gourmet Awards. Two trophies? I had to see what the fuss was about.
First Impressions of Canton Boy
We rocked up on a Monday afternoon. The mall felt super quiet. No queue at all. Staff showed us to a table straight away.
- Ordering: Scan the QR code on your table.
- Paying: Settle the bill at the counter after your meal.
- Tea: They charge per person, minimum two pax.
The Canton Boy Menu
What We Ordered at Canton Boy
Jasmine Tea (RM4.50 per pax)
Jasmine is always my go-to with dim sum. This one smelt fragrant and aromatic. Bonus: they refill hot water for free.
Siu Mai King (RM11.80)
Their number one bestseller, apparently. These looked plump and tasted surprisingly good. Very meaty. Prawn bits add a lovely crunch, and earthy mushrooms bring a nice aroma. Canton Boy uses chicken instead of pork, yet the meat never tastes dry. Flavourful through and through.
Crispy Prawn Ruby Rice Roll (RM16.80)
Red koji rice rolls wrap around a crispy prawn fritter. So, so good. The solid prawn filling stays really crunchy. Drench it in the accompanying sauce. Trust me.
Beef Rendang Spring Roll (RM12.80)
I spotted this and ordered it instantly. First time I’ve ever seen beef rendang in a spring roll! The kitchen seasons the rendang filling beautifully, and the skin shatters with every bite. Think samosa in spring roll form. I prefer this to a regular spring roll. Really good.
Peranakan Beancurd Roll (RM12.80)
It starts like a regular steamed beancurd skin roll with chicken filling. Then a thick, piquant laksa sauce changes everything. Fresh laksa leaf on top adds even more fragrance. The meaty filling seals the deal. Another winner for me.
Penang Fried Kuey Teow (RM24.80)
Big, plump, crunchy prawns. Plenty of egg, thick slices of fishcake and beansprouts. It carries a bit of wok hei. A touch more and it would hit perfection. Still, it tastes spicy, savoury and well balanced. Pretty satisfying.
Sze Chuan Spicy Wonton (RM12.80)
Hubby orders this whenever he sees it on a menu. I quite like the sauce. Very vinegary, very spicy. The chicken dumplings run small, though. They taste nicely seasoned but pretty average. Not the best version we’ve had. It still scratches the itch if you crave something piquant.
Honey-Glazed BBQ Chicken Rice Roll (RM12.80)
Basically char siew cheong fun, chicken edition. Pretty normal. The sauce leans too sweet and gets sickly fast.
Stir-Fried Radish Cake (RM14.80)
Average. A bit bland. It reminds me of a chye poh omelette with radish cake cubes tossed through. I love all the egg, but I wish the radish cake felt softer. Tim Ho Wan does it better.
Our fix: We poured the leftover cheong fun sauce over it and mixed in some sambal udang kering. Super nice! Try our hack.
The Hits and Misses
- Must-order: Crispy Prawn Ruby Rice Roll, Beef Rendang Spring Roll, Peranakan Beancurd Roll, Siu Mai King
- Solid: Penang Fried Kuey Teow
- Skippable: Honey-Glazed BBQ Chicken Rice Roll, Stir-Fried Radish Cake (unless you try our hack)
The Damage at Canton Boy
Our bill came to RM141.25 after the 10% service charge. Not the cheapest by local standards. But it’s a sit-down restaurant in a shopping mall, so I expected that.
Final Verdict: Is Canton Boy Worth It?
Yes. Good service, a comfy dining room and food that beat my expectations. Here’s my confession. Halal dim sum rarely leaves a mark on me. I usually go for pork-filled dim sum because it packs richer flavour. But Canton Boy ranks among the best halal dim sum I’ve had so far. They swap pork for chicken and pull it off. I’d happily come back.
