Motormouth From Ipoh – A Malaysian Food Blog

The gal was obviously … surprised. Shocked. Or agitated ….

A friend recommended this place in Ipoh for the supposedly delicious curry noodles, beating Nam Chau’s and Yee Fatt’s hands down. WHAT?! For real?!!! (Note of bias here …. I’m a die-hard fan of Nam Chau’s dry curry noodles. Sinfully rich, and bursting with curry goodness ….sigh …. =P)

Dry Curry Noodles with Deepfried Beancurd (Tau Fu Pok), Char Siew, Prawns and Cuttlefish

Curry Noodles in all its glory …..

Kafe Tim’s version of dry curry failed to impress, however. The curry wasn’t rich enough for me, possibly holding back on the gravy, and the coconut milk used to cook the curry. Halfway through my plate of dry curry flat rice noodles (kuey teow), I was practically slurping on “Kon Lou Hor Fun“, instead of “Kon Kari Hor Fun.“

The soup version fared much better however, the curry exuded a very strong prawn flavour, possibly prawn shells were used in the stock. The curry’s a bit spicier than the others I’ve mentioned. The addition of cuttlefish (yau yue) is a refreshing change, offering a springy bite as opposed to the usual roast pork (siew yoke), and chicken shreds.

Kafe Tim @ Jalan Medan Ipoh 1E, Medan Ipoh Bistari, 31400 Ipoh.

Noticed a lot of other patrons indulging/slurping on their bowl of pork noodles, and chicken wine noodles. But my patience runs rather thin, especially on early mornings, as you know how long it takes for the bowl of pork noodles/fish head noodles/chicken wine noodles to be cooked, compared to a bowl of sinful curry mee.

Continuation from Part 1 of Motormouth’s Sg Petani’s journey ….

An overview of the golf course at Cinta Sayang Golf & Country Resort, Sg Petani

Whoever will swim under the hot sun?!

OR, you can …..

Sorry, only a poster …. didn’t bother crossing over to The Carnivall

LeBOSS Cafe and Restaurant

A quaint little cafe, with wacky ornaments such as golf clubs, bicycles (!) and cactus for decoration ….

I was rather surprised to discover that all the staff are Malays. Guess this place’s HALAL then? The menu covers Asian delights such as fried noodles and rice, to Western fare. Prices lean more towards the reasonable end, with most items below RM20.

Teh Tarik Hazelnut (RM3.90) – Frothy, milky elixir ….

Spot The Difference ?

Of all the items on the menu, all 5 of my dining companions chose the Grilled Chicken Breast. Geez …. talk about ‘muhibah‘ !!!

One can choose his/her preferred side dishes (two of them), from the usual fries and wedges, to buttered corn, pasta, salad and mashed potatoes.

The portion was large enough for one, and may even be shared among light eaters. The grilled chicken can be served with your choice of gravy, from BBQ to mushroom, and teriyaki as well as some others. The mushroom sauce was a tad too salty to go with the already marinated meat. Though the chicken breast was grilled well; tender and juicy without being overly tough.

Honey Quail (RM16.90)

I had my eyes on the Grilled Tiger Prawns (RM19.90), Grilled Tenggiri with Spicy Sauce (RM14.90) and the Honey Quail (RM16.90). Ended up with the quails, as these are seldom served in restaurants, aside from the Goreng Puyoh in Mamak outlets.

The birds had a really strong gamey flavour, not even masked by the honey sauce basking the exterior. Not one for those who does not take a liking to wild fowls, definitely. In fact, they served THREE birds, and I was having trouble finishing the whole portion. (Of course, the meal being a marathon of sorts somewhat jeopardized a leisure meal!)

Sides of Baby Fried Rice and Beef Bolognese Spaghetti

Pardon the hiatus. Last few days were spent in Cinta Sayang Golf and Country Resort, Sungai Petani, Kedah. Yup, THE rice bowl of Malaysia. Far from a holiday, it was another one of those courses. Rather intensive, with talks spanning hours, from early morning until night time. But on the whole, the experience was more play than work, at least to me.

Gee …. don’t you just miss those rural shots? Business’ picking up fast, and there’ll definitely be more outings to nowheres ….

Cinta Sayang Golf Resort has almost EVERYTHING. From health club to gym, archery sessions to putting and full golf course.

Notice the funny signboard? Saddle up and ride your horsies … at 30km/h tops !!

Home Sweet Home … our chalet

No complaints bout the room …. sans the company of those dastardly mosquitoes!

Uncle John’s Kopitiam @ Village Mall, Sungai Petani

Enough bout the place for today’s post, as I’m still reeling from the journey. Witnessed not one, but TWO bushfire of sorts along the highway. The weather’s burning hot ….

Bearing in mind the schedule’s rather tight, I did not search or ask around for good food in Sg Petani. Hmm, wrong move. Though our food was provided (6 meals per day, count em!), the quality left much to be desired. So off we went with our foodie-radars all up for some decent grub in town. Tough luck.

Ended up at Village Mall near Tesco Sungai Petani, housing some outlets such as Chicken Rice Shop, Laksa Shack, Nash Donuts (local?), Secret Recipe, Starbucks, and Uncle John Kopitiam. We unanimously chose the latter, as it was teatime and we were still keeping our fingers crossed for the potentially lip-smacking dinner ahead (yeah,RIGHT). The food’s nothing spectacular, and the beverages were a notch below Old Town’s even.

Erm, nasi campur anyone?

Breakfast – Nasi Lemak, Fried Kuey Teow, KIMCHI (yup, heard that right!)

Dim Sum – The taste was as artificial as the looks ….

Breakfast offers more choices, but we sticked to cereals and toasts mostly. The Nasi Lemak was not half bad though, and rather decent for hotel’s standards. But don’t get me starting on the Dim Sum. Or whatever they’re supposed to mimic.

Signing off now …..

Of course, it wasn’t all fun, eat and play. The various talks consumed most of our time, even until 11pm at night. Imagine that …..

To Be Continued …..

Astro AEC fans would recognize this show, Taste With Jason on every Sunday 10.00pm that introduces a lot of Chinese food from all over Malaysia

But when such simple and unassuming outlet has got the legendary boo_licious and so many others singing praises, you know it’s gotta be good!

Blink and you’ll miss this restaurant by the roadside …..

The intimidating crowd …. do NOT expect a comfortable tete-a-tete or a relaxing yumcha session with your pals here.

Refrain from arriving during peak hours. The shop’s opened for lunch and dinner, but come public holidays/weekends, the queue for a table can be a rather …. unforgiving ordeal. Fortunately, the staff are helpful, and thankfully remember who’s first, and who’s last, and who’s the impatient in-betweener who’s trying to sneak up and play dirty. =P

Steamed Tilapia with Ginger, Bird’s Eye Chillies (yup, potent ones!), and Garlic (RM12.50 onwards)

If you’re wondering, Lan Je refers to the lady owner who’s been manning this restaurant for a good many years. She does help out running the place, especially during peak times, when the place looks like helter-skelter, but instead rather systematic.

Ordering your food here is a breeze. No menus, no daily specials. Steamed Tilapia is a MUST, hence if you’re bringing one who doesn’t value his/her seafood, tough luck. Choose from mild, spicy, or extra spicy. Go for normal spicy, as you wouldn’t want the excessive ginger+chilli padi to burn your tongue and risk tasting none of those firm, sweet flesh. Most patrons order a fish each, to fully savour his/her own fish, without the need to fight over the best parts.

Kung Pao Chicken

They do not serve pork, so for your other carnivorous needs, you have chicken cooked either Kung Pao style (with onions and dried chillies) or Sweet and Sour style.

Without much expectation, the Kung Pao Chicken was nearly mind-blowingly good. Really thick, sweet, spicy and glistening gravy coating the slightly fried cuts of chicken. The difference between Lan Je’s version and the average out there lies in the sauce definitely. With a lot of chopped garlic, for that special flavour. Minor gripe? The cuts of chicken should be deboned 100%, so that every bite is a bliss.

Stir-fried Four Angle Beans with Dried Shrimps

Not much choices when it comes to the greens, with many ordering their famed “4 Dim Dau”, or Four-Angle Beans fried with Dried Shrimps. Crunchy, tasty, and not spicy at all, the vege was pleasing to the palate, as well as the wallet. Hahaha ….

The meal was cheap, with dishes ranging from RM6-RM7 per plate, and the fish at about RM13 each. Another one of their specialty includes the deep-fried prawns, which we did not order that day, at RM19 per serving.

Location : Kedai Makan Lan Je Steamed Fish @ 27-28, Block C, Jalan Rawang, Gerai MPS, Batu 16 Rawang.
Tel No: 012-227 0037

Directions : From Rawang toll exit, go straight until the traffic lights. Turn right and go straight along the long and winding road, which I believe is Jalan Batu Arang. You’ll pass over the railway beneath you, and KTM station on the left. Turn right at the traffic lights at the intersection, then go straight along Jalan Rawang, the main road. You’ll pass by the mosque on your left, and Maybank on your left further down the road. Lan Je is situated on your left, a single-storey shoplot tucked between some Malay shops and such.