Breakfast in Kampar, Tapah or Tanjung Malim?
August 31, 2009 | 10,191 views
Breakfast @ Medan Selera Kampar, beside Kampar’s morning wet market
Shivering from the inevitable ‘balik kampung’ exodus yet? No fret, as if you’re not fond of the highways, go for the trunk roads instead. Not that I’m giving my words suggesting there won’t be any traffic jams on the significantly longer and tedious journey on the one-lane roads from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur, but at least one can stop over for a leisurely breakfast in various smaller towns, and be amazed by the sheer quality of the simpler, hawker food, aside from the possibly more fruitful and entertaining journey along the way.
Just be sure to endure the incessant “Are we there yet?” nonsense from the young ones, as the rural outlook of the towns and whatever else sandwiched in the middle between the towns may get to a child’s nerve pretty fast. Especially if one’s tailing a lorry or roadhog at 40km/h.
Kampar is a developing town about 30km south of Ipoh. Previously only famous for the ‘Chicken Biscuits’ (Kai Jai Peng), Claypot chicken Rice (coincidentally, I wrote about the origin of claypot chicken rice HERE before) and Curry Chicken Bread, Kampar has been transformed to a bustling town complete with a hypermarket, a university, and new residential areas sprouting to cater to the growing population.
For breakfast, hop over to Medan Selera Kampar adjacent to Kampar’s wet market that houses an impressive number of stalls selling a delicious array of hawker fare, from the hearty pork porridge and famous glutinous rice to Kampar famous ‘Lou Shu Fan’ and Char Kuey Teow.
The Char Kuey Teow (fried noodles with eggs, prawns, and waxed sausages) was served on a sheet of banana leaf, and a welcoming half a calamansi lime for extra zing. A respectable portion, enough to feed a big eater (Mr Z had them, not me … LOL), the noodles was fried with enough ‘wok hei’ or fire from the wok, hence ensuring a satisfying plate of greasy noodles for breakfast. At RM3.30 per plate, considered a steal if you ask me.
The Nasi Pulut or Glutinous Rice (Stall No 42) was ever so satisfying, with the usual slices of Char Siew, and peanuts, with optional curry gravy, and garnished with chopped spring onions. At a mere RM1.70, one pack or plate may not be enough. Just be sure to arrive early as they finish rather fast especially on weekends and public holidays.
Skip the Hong Kong Chee Cheong Fun though, for the taste was a little off, with an evidently pungent taste emitting from somewhere (probably the steamed rice noodles was soaked in some foul liquid).
Location : Medan Selera Kampar @ Jalan Pasar, Kampar, Perak.
Thick, fragrant Roti Telur with a piping hot cup of teh susu @ Anjung Ria in Tapah
A little commercialization never hurts … their pockets. But ours did.
We used to frequent this halal restaurant a few doors away from Yik Mun. It's a malay rest run by chinese and it had the bestest fried bihun, similar to hainanese fried bihun except it's drier. Despite the lack of chi yau char, it is very good as it is chockful of seafood and chicken. Best! But haven't been there for years, dunno if it's still around.
In the olden days before PLUS, we'd use the trunk road and savour hidden goodies found along the way. Even now, if we have the time we'd rather use the trunk road. More scenic and less hectic. Plus no more lorries!
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Kampar is nearest to IPOH.. each time i go there, i normally take the fish balls in the corner coffeeshop along the main rd.. cannot remember the name.. thanks for sharing, now i know where to have good food!
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Good long post. Now how about Sungkai and Lawan Kuda, Gopeng!
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We have always loved the countryside trunk roads where the fruit stalls remain our top favourite , both for input and output … and the sorry accidents brings out the best of Mat Rempits , ah beng GP King , & 1malaysia , truly Asia … LOL !
The smaller towns are great for cheap good food of all kinds, and there is always one or 2 hotshots … sadly slowly spoilt by touristy citikillers so sometimes we ground busting food bloggers must be careful not to divulge such fine secrets before they crash ! haha
Tj Malim paus we always laugh coz it is not even pau ( no that meat one how can !). It remains our black hole area coz we have never been inside , always skirting through rushing to KKB , Ulu Yam , Gentings
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Wow you blogged about my hometown. I'm so proud!
The glutinous rice is really one of a kind huh? I never missed it too whenever I go back home. 
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I love traveling on trunk road. So much to see, so much to eat and so much to learn.
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damn…. i am the kampung boy of tg malim… but i never eat yik mun bao >< but always go to the restaurant mentioned by GFAD… hihihi that restaurant is famous for its steak too =p
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yeah… driving through trunk road can be fun! just like how I enjoy driving to KL from Kuala Lipis… plan to use the less travelled Kuala Kubu Bharu road one day… and stop by to eat somewhere along the way!
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was in Tapah to buy some grated coconut bread at Phoon Kee Bakery along Tapah Road.
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Hi j2kfm,
Thanks for your blog. I was born in Ipoh but since 1998 my parents have sold their house and stay with me in KL.
Your blog brought back a lot of fond memories and also new things. Didn't know there are so much of good food in Ipoh.
I went to Penang few days ago with my colleagues. On the way, we stopped by Yat Yat Seng in Ipoh Gdn for breakfast. On the way back, we tried to buy the Heong Piang from Gunung Rapat but was only allowed one packet w/o prior order. Thanks for the recommendation. It was truly fantastic. Can forget about Yee Hup after tasting it. Oh yes, finally tried the Yong Tau Fu nearby. Never seen so many varieties before.
In less than 2 weeks time I'll be going to Damai Laut Resort to celebrate my weeding anniversary. I'll be using your blog as a guide as to where to eat on the way and back.
Thanks again and continue writing.
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so many choices so little time! i also need a teleport machine;)
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The Merdeka mob has made me swear off travelling interstate EVER on public holidays!! It's a gruelling test of patience and yes, the ugly side (the only side) of 1Malaysia rears its head with a vengeance!! CKT.. I missed CKT this trip back to Penang, boohoohoo…
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All the food pictures here look so yummy and I definitely want to try them all
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OMG! I want that low mai fan! I can't resist of not having it, my favourite!
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GFAD : is it at the other corner from Yik Mun? cz there's a mamak shop of sorts, with a respectable number of people patronizing.
reanaclaire : any idea whats the name, or colour of the signboard of the shop? didnt notice any shop on the main road though.
worldwindows : long post? hehe, but only 3 photos woh. Sungkai was covered in the Choy Kee section, and Lawan Kuda in the Chee Cheong Fun segment. though dying to try the exotic meats. any takers?
BSG : indeed. i dun mind no pork, really. but the quality of the pau, aside from the fluffy skin and dough, pales in comparison to most dim sum outlets' version.
iamthewitch : yeah, Kampar. and still waiting for your recommendations lah. where to get the famous lou shu fan ah?
Precious pea : is there any over in Aust? or the highways down under look more or less like trunk roads?
fufu : aiks. the Hainan steak is next to Yik Mun right? also owned by them. if i'm not mistaken.
thule aka leo : KKB … the Hainanese shop boo covered before? interesting.
foodbin : Phoon Kee bakery? ok, noted. thanks.
sp lim : you're most welcomed. I'm still mighty proud of Ipoh, and its surrounding towns, really. there's so much to be discovered, and I'm havin a blast covering this type of small towns.
will write a post on the heong peng soon, a more comprehensive one.
cumi & ciki : teleport? no need lah. a mere 2 hours from KL. can one …
550ml jar of faith : how could you?! i made it a point to eat CKT< be it good, bad or ugly, whenever i;m in Pg!
selba : no problem. go ahead and indulge. but breakfast over in your country should be a little different, no?
BBO : nice eh? no wonder they finish so fast.
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if i'm not wrong, the pau can be found at one u's jusco foodcourt. maybe i shd at least try once la, hor? just to satisfy my curiosity..hehe
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yik mun's paos used to be good, no? ;P
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Nic : erm, go and buy yourself a frozen pack, and experiment away! but results NOT guaranteed.
Christine : maybe before they turned to the commercialization route. but now … ahem.
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Oh MANN! I really miss my hometown, Kampar sooooo much! I can’t wait to come back to MAKAN end of the year!
.-= Ee Vonn´s last blog ..Canon in D Major Pantene Thailand’s Commercial =-.
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oh, post on my hometown Kampar. makan place sprouting everywhere in Bandar Baru though still find the food in the old town part more authentic
ps prefer the lo mai fan selling outside the medan selera in the morning.. the bbq pork is nice!
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J2Kfm Reply:
January 6th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
Yeah, that was exactly what my Kampar fren told me!
Will blog about that the next time.
And the Ham Kok Chai ……
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I’m planning a vacation KL – Tapah – Cameron Highland – Kampar – Bidor – Sungkla Hot Spring – Tg Malim – KL
Any Good food (Dim Sum) @ Tapah?
Special @ Kampar
Delicious @ Tg Malim
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J2Kfm Reply:
November 21st, 2010 at 12:23 am
Dim Sum in Tapah? Not that I know of. But there’s one fish cakes + noodle stall on Jalan Stesen recommended by another reader. I have not tried the noodles myself, but the shop’s somewhere opposite of a Kawan mini market or something.
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J2Kfm Reply:
November 21st, 2010 at 12:25 am
Kampar – Morning : Breakfast at the Medan Selera Kampar (Kampar Market). Everything’s there. Or lunch at Kam Ling Restaurant.
Tanjung Malim – Yik Mun Pau is famous, bt I would not recommend that. You can try Fu Man (just search this blog) for lunch or dinner. Very good ‘dai chow’ dishes, at reasonable price. If it’s pau you’re seeking for, try Kalumpang’s Cheong Fong. Not blogged yet, but the small town’s at Hulu Selangor, from Tg Malim towards KL using the trunk road.
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For the glutinous rice, I prefer the one outside the food court, next to the Malay food stall entrance area. They sell also “??” during CNY time.
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