Motormouth From Ipoh – A Malaysian Food Blog

Penang food has never ceased to amaze me. Or any self-respecting foodie for that matter. The abundance of hawker stalls selling famous street food at dirt-cheap prices (ok, maybe not ALL but still, a lavish meal of everything will never cost you an arm or a leg), the flourishing number of restaurants and cafes on the island, and not to mention the wide array of cuisines, a perfect epitome of REAL 1Malaysia concept, whereby you’ll see people of all races hanging out at Mamak stalls more often than not.

But pardon me for the shorter than usual post today, for I was stuck in a most horrendous jam on the highway yesterday evening. For a good 6 hours on the expressway, traveling southbound from Penang back to Ipoh. Needless to say, the temptation to skip work could not get any greater.

Anyway, I wrote about Azuma Japanese Restaurant @ Queensbay Mall before, the much-relished, celebration feast after the much dreaded 5 days of imprisonment on an island known as Langkawi. So let me just share some photos of the food we had this time around, for a quick lunch in Queensbay Mall.

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Wait, what’s up with J2Kfm and his obsession with Banana Leaf Rice meals all of a sudden?!!!! Influences from his peers? Or the awakening of the Indian blood in him? (Sounds kind of wrong though, whoops. Twilight 3 in the making?).

First there was Sri Asoka Corner @ Ipoh Stadium and Samy’s @ Chemor. Then came along NS Curry House, and Old Andersonian Cafeteria near to Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun (that’s Ipoh General Hospital, for the uninitiated). Last month we even went down to Kuala Lumpur in search of good restaurants serving banana leaf curry rice, and ended up at Kanna’s Curry House in Section 17, Petaling Jaya.

Backtrack a little, and let me introduce one of my better banana leaf meals experience recently. Not in Ipoh, not around Perak, nor even in the Klang Valley. But on the good old, quaint and charming Penang island.

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## Updated July 2010 – On the 1st of July 2010, the whole stretch of shops including Luen Fong and Sun Mee Fong restaurants were tragically burnt from a fire. Hence they have ceased operations until further notice. ##

The abundance of roes was astounding! Pity Mr Prawn’s head also punctured by the pressure!

To get you along the mid-week blues (though it’s a much, much revered 4 days working week), let me share another famous Chinese seafood restaurant in Tanjung Tualang of Perak. No doubt you’ve read about my crustacean-walloping experience back in August of 2008. What? You mean you forgot to read the Lung Seng Restaurant review, when we had half a kg of prawns cooked Kam Heong style, while another 500g in lots of crunchy Nestum? Go read now, wipe your chin dry, and come back again.

Okay, done? Tanjung Tualang houses so many seafood restaurants, you’d be thinking where to go for some simpler hawker food. Really. They’re all around the wet market of Tanjung Tualang, built in the midst of the town itself. Another restaurant that has been around for many years now, and with a strong following of its own, is Luen Fong Restaurant – An air-conditioned corner lot next to Sun Mee Fong (sp?), another popular choice amongst the tourists. Though I have heard from a friend, stating that the locals do NOT patronize these erm … tourist-traps. Instead, they go to lesser known brands, an example being Yau Kee (again, not sure of the spelling).

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How often do you find a whole piece of fresh & succulent prawn in one wanton?

Since the post on Buntong Wan Tan Noodle received mixed reactions; some true blue Ipohans still swear by the authentic and most traditional approach of cooking the wantan noodle, while the others felt that the quality has dwindled over the years, I’m still on the prowl, searching for the BEST Wantan Mee Ipoh has to offer. The Ipoh stadium’s version has its own share of fans, but my only gripe is the small portion being served, as well as the comparatively long waiting time. But of course, the Buntong’s version triumphs once again in this aspect, especially come peak business hours.

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Tom Yam Seafood Noodles (RM5.50 / USD1.60), Saito Fishballs (RM0.40/USD0.10 each), and a small serving of Pork Beads (RM4/USD1.20)

Fai Kee Restaurant is a household name of sorts in Ipoh, an eatery associated with excellent seafood and fish head noodles in Ipoh. And since someone has commented about me being extra long-winded lately, I’ll just elaborate ever so slightly (promise!) on each item we ordered this afternoon, okay?

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Yet another Bak Kut Teh post you ask? Don’t fret, this one’s a short and sweet post. For it’s a perfect, rainy Saturday here in Ipoh. And the cravings for something warm, hearty and wholesome can not be any greater. Sigh …. What wouldn’t I do for a serving of piping hot Bak Kut Teh in a claypot brimming with an appetizing array of pork, from the ribs to the tender and fatty cuts, to the offals (innards, intestines, whatever …) and the floating pieces of soaked, crispy yau char kwai (Chinese crullers). Ahhhh … Blissful thoughts.

Yap Keat is a Bak Kut Teh restaurant that is not very new to the scene, yet has been operating almost under the radar (I could not find any review at all on Yap Keat, while googling for the address). Notice I mentioned ‘almost’, for the outlet prides itself from the sufficient media attention courtesy of Axian‘s (of Taste With Jason’s fame) feature on his weekly TV show. There was even a banner hanging at the front porch of the shop, a surefire tactic to lure in the doubtful crowd.

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