Evolution of Motormouth? Nah … Just the Same Old, Same Old (Dinner @ 1919 Restaurant, Ipoh)
December 5, 2010 | 8,995 viewsThis is officially my first post from the land down south. Not that I am in a land far, far away from my beloved hometown of Ipoh. But still, the thought of NOT being able to relish in the thought of dunking cups after cups of white coffee in old town in the mornings, then leisurely taking up 1-2 hour of lunch without being caught in massive congestion on the roads, and finally reaching home at 5.30pm SHARP (of course, usually 5-10 minutes earlier!) ….. it’s already killing me. 
This plate of batter-coated fried eggplants drizzled with a sweet and spicy Thai chili sauce is one of 1919’s signature dishes. Very famous, until you can see almost every table ordering a plate!
And so, for the very last meal while I was still based in Ipoh, I chose 1919 Restaurant & Gallery in Bandar Baru Medan Ipoh. Not that this restaurant holds any significance in my life as a foodie in Ipoh, nor this eatery epitomizes what the culinary scene in Ipoh’s all about. (And you just know that it’s the street food that wins them all!)
More to because I was craving for a decent meal in a pleasant environment; a feast that won’t break a hole in the pocket yet offering dishes that are suitably more robust in flavours and a deviation from the normal ‘dai chow’ restaurants. And of course, for that bite of a tempura-like batter-coated eggplants …..
A simple stir fried combination of bean sprouts, ‘dai wong mew’ (sorry lazy to find the translation, but the greens resembled ‘sawi’ or mustard greens, and salted fish.
Way back in 2008 (two years ago, somewhat exactly) I wrote a piece on 1919. With my ever trustworthy Nokia 5610 (now handed down … or rather up, to the next owner – Mum!), I snapped photos with gusto back then, taking up ample time to even set the auto-focus function, and wasting precious time before a shot get saved, and the next could be taken.
Talk about resilience, that camera phone was used for a good one whole year! Before the inevitable … not that I donated the phone to the sewers, or some lucky chap picked up my 5610 accidentally. But the hassle of borrowing a camera from friends while on the roads, or the fact that under very low light condition the pictures all turned out grainy and not salvageable, changed my ever stubborn stand on the unnecessary need for a fully functional digital camera. Or even a DSLR. But I was not up to the challenge yet.
A cross between your Lemon Chicken, Honey Chicken and Marmite Chicken, you can almost imagine the taste of the crunchy, boneless chicken fried then coated in a glistening, caramelized ‘King’ sauce.
To which my current LX3 (see the photo from my Profile page) was bought and lasted me for almost two years, until this very day. And the shots displayed in every post after February 2009. Not a bad investment really, for the time and effort saved (as well as many curse words deleted from my vocab) was well worth the money spent.
Anyway, this post was never meant to be about my shooting equipments, or even skills (or the lack thereof). But I just am at lost for words here, trying to find back the groove ….. desperately seeking for descriptive, beautiful words to project that exact dining experience at 1919.
Far from opulence, yet the service was attentive, fast and efficient. They even separated the Signatures or famous dishes from the main menu, hence it was miles easier to browse through the simpler list. And the captain that day threw many good recommendations, instead of the routine : ‘Die-Die recommend an Expensive Fish so that your meal won’t be a cheapskate affair’ …. he actually took the time to suggest dishes based on our preference.
Grouper Fish Fillets in a Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine)
As Grandma was tagging along (albeit in her dire condition to even ambulate around like times before), he combined the subtler dishes with the robust ones, and the portions came out suitably impressive; not too much and not too little.
Well, except for the grouper fillets, maybe. But that plate of fish infused with the aroma of Chinese cooking wine was cookedd really well, amidst the fact that each of us only had 2 slices or so.
The rest of the dishes were okay, nothing that jumped at us nor commanding to be ordered on a repeated basis. Yet the Philippines eggplants this time around was not as memorable as the last. A few bites of the fried eggplants and the stinging/burning sensation arose; successfully marring the tastebud.
A Jolly Little Christmas, everyone?
Anyway, 1919 has always been one of my top recommendations to the locals, or even outsiders seeking for a proper meal. Especially of the Pork-Free category. Yes, they do serve liquor, hence the inability to get this restaurant certified as Halal. But I did see a few Muslims dining there on that evening.
Maybe, just maybe … the allure of good, Nyonya/Thai/Chinese fusion style of cooking was too much to resist?
Happy Monday People! Let’s hope that Motormouth here can get back into his rhythm, and start writing properly already ….. !!!
1919 Restaurant & Gallery Sdn Bhd
No 1, Jalan Medan Ipoh 6,
Bandar Baru Medan Ipoh,
31400 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
Telephone : 605-547 7196.
Opens for lunch and dinner.
GPS Coordinates : 4.615794,101.119332
Google Map to 1919 Restaurant & Gallery
All the best in KL!
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J2Kfm Reply:
December 6th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Thanks day dreamer!
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1919 is getting to be very expensive.
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J2Kfm Reply:
December 6th, 2010 at 2:14 pm
I once had a very bad experience there, a meal for about 15 or so cost RM400. And not much was ordered, only a fish, and some chicken and vegetables.
After a while, when we went for subsequent visits, the price does not seem to be so exorbitant anymore. On par with Assam house, Yum Yum and such.
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i went there before. i love their decoration.
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Avoid 1919 during CNY. A simple meal, simple dishes for 5 adults cost us close to RM250. When asked “Why so expensive?”… “Chinese New Year mah!” replied. That was nearly a year ago and we have not been there since.
Not to say I will never go there again. Just not during CNY. I expected the meal to cost higher but not doubled.
Still, quite expensive for Ipoh standard. Food is not bad.
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J2Kfm Reply:
December 6th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Expensive for Ipoh’s standards, maybe. Our meal cost about RM54 only. For four persons, inclusive of tea and rice. Not exactly unreasonable, yet the portions not hefty nor minimal.
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welcome to KL! not that im in KL anymore..
cant say i miss the traffic jam but i can resemblance with ipoh and aust, especially the reaching home on time!
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Life will be different in KL, for sure… but hopefully you can find happiness here despite the terrible terrible traffic jams that we have become famous for…
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J2Kfm Reply:
December 6th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
I’ll just grin and bear my way through. Hehehe ….
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The eggplant dish seem like very interesting, I think my hubby which don’t like eggplant will like this too.
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Wondering where were you writing this from… :p
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J2Kfm Reply:
December 7th, 2010 at 8:51 am
From ‘home’ of course …. don’t be sarcastic lah u… hehe …
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[…] Evolution of Motormouth? Nah … Just the Same Old, Same Old (Dinner @ 1919 Restaurant, Ipoh) […]
Not cheap but not bad. Vegetables the definite highlight: kangkong with blacan and beansprouts with ikan bilis as well as aubergine strips.
Do NOT go on Tuesdays – the infamous ‘pasar malam’ is on and you run the risk of Astro blasting their promotional ‘flee candy floss’ through speakers strategically located on the pavement outside.
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J2Kfm Reply:
October 11th, 2012 at 6:51 pm
Yeah. And the incredible stench (or fragrance?) of stinky tofu! Hehe …. that’s a winner for me.
Though many might be put off by the smell.
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I think the price is still ok for me ..
10 person just about RM 180 .. It is consider cheap isn’t ?
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Have eaten at 1919 Restaurant many times and am never disappointed. Steven the owner is always there so the service and the quality of the food never changes.
My favourite dish is the eggplant and I love their pineapple fried rice. The venison is good and the king sauce chicken.
Took a group of ladies from Penang there and had a wonderful evening. One of them commented that it was the best meal she had had since being in Malaysia. High praise because she has travelled extensively.
The smell some one mentioned in an earlier post is the smelly bean curd from the stall outside on a Tuesday night where they have the night market. LOL!
Enjoy!
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