Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

The prawns, the squids, the compulsory B-A-L-L-S, dumplings, enoki mushrooms and boiled quail’s eggs (to boost that cholesterol level a notch or two)

Cameron Highlands houses various steamboat outlets, each with its own following, and charges almost the same price. But the portions may not be adequate, and choices are rather limited. So, being the smart alecs that we are, we transported 2 whole steamboat sets, shopped for a lot of ingredients before we reached the highlands, and held the inaugural annual steamboat dinner in Cameron.

Seeing greens? Motormouth I may be, but I worship my vegetables nonetheless …

One pot clear broth flavoured by chicken stock, another by tomyam paste. Once again, we did NOT learn our lesson from last year’s Steamboat-in-Cameron event, leftovers aplenty, that lasted until the next day’s breakfast. Mostly the greens were bought in excess. Wonder which one of us is the culprit/carnivore ….

Giant white radishes … Arm yourself with one, and no thugs will dare come near!

After a potentially stomach-bursting dinner, the sane option would be to burn them “evil calories” off. And what better way than to traverse through the pasar malam (night market) in Brinchang, savouring the sights, the sounds, and erm, the FOOD?!!! =O

Clockwise from top left : (a) Crystal Jambu (amazingly sweet and crunchy fruit @ RM6 each!), (b) Fried mushrooms, watercress, enoki mushrooms, (c) Fried BIG prawns, crabs and chicken, (d) “I see strawberries. They’re everywhere.

Ice cream with a twist?

The night market at Brinchang town comes alive every weekend, on Friday and Saturday. My aim of course, is the FOOD. Though you can buy fresh vegetables, flowers, clothes and accessories, and the usual offerings at your favourite pasar malam.

My list of MUST-TRIES : 1) Batter-fried Enoki Mushrooms, and “Kam Cham Fah”

2) Fried sweet potato balls – Orange & Purple ones!

3) The jagung/maize/corn – Dubbed “Jagung Mutiara” ~ Sweet & juicy

4) The imaginatively-flavoured ice cream …

The ice-cream stall owner is a friendly auntie, making her own ice-cream, and developing new flavours every now and then. It so happened that night, BEER, RUM, Cheesecake, Mango, Strawberry, Buah Cinta (Love fruit?), and various other weird varieties were available.

People say steamboat should be enjoyed with a pint of beer or two. Sad to say, we did not buy any. BUT, here’s redemption. BEER Ice Cream !!! You can really taste the beer in the creamy dessert, thus every lick was a joy. The other flavour I tried was the Cheese flavour. Awkward, but not as cheesy as I’d hoped it would be.

Various sights around, and from our apartment, The Honeymoon Villa

Strawberry Muffins, and the morning-afternoon market at Brinchang

Sweet Potato Balls, and Jagung Mutiara (RM2/each), that can be eaten raw

And that’s a wrap, folks. Thinking of a destination for your family vacation? Or a simple getaway from the hustle and bustle of metropolitan life? Visit Cameron Highlands for a cool, relaxing, and serene experience …

Notice the settlement area? A primary school is situated in the midst of the plantation, catering to the educational needs of children so isolated from civilization?

On the way from Kampung Raja to Brinchang, we passed by the BOH Sungei Palas Tea Centre signboard on the right, and a quick glimpse revealed the opening hours from 9am – 4.30pm, and daily operation except Mondays. Wow, after lunch the time was nearly 3pm, hence the rush to get our caffeine fix over at the aforementioned destination. (Though coffee is not a popular option up there, so stick to your teas)

A word of advice ; Do let the one with the better vehicle-manoeuvring skills to take helm, as the roads to the tea centre are spiralling, and narrow. Some stretches are so narrow, that only ONE car can passby at a time. Please be extra cautious, and speeding is a definite no-no.

Choose between the steep tar road, or the tea bush walk to reach the tea centre

Once you survive the torturous ordeal of crossing the beaten track, praying at every corner and swerve for no incoming vehicles, you’ll reach a barren land, to park your cars. There is a small settlement for the residents up the hill, no prize for guessing where their income is from. From here, you can either opt for the adventurous path up to the tea centre, tackling the tea bush walk (not tough, as stairs available), OR you can choose the easy way up, by tracking on the tar road.

See? They cleared a path for the adventure-seekers. So you can practise abstinence. From picking on the tea leaves, that is.

Choosing the tea bush walk is more rewarding, as the endless green fields of tea plantations offer a scenic landscape for avid photographers. Or unleash that camwhore in you. =)

Look at how tall the tree is … Skyscraper of a species!

Clean, sleek, and modern architecture of the interior. The boards reveal the secrets, history and identity of Cameron Highlands

Tea Factory

Of course, what’s a visit to the tea centre, without an educational tour around the processing plant, detailing every process of tea making (no, none of the teh tarik techniques). The tour is FREE, but you’ve to wait for a guide (there are a few, no worries), and form a small crowd before you can embark on your ‘tour’.

The tour is interesting, as you learn the 5 steps in tea processing, from sorting, drying, and so on. (OK, so I wasn’t exactly paying attention. Sue me … =P)

The fans are mere decorations, we think. The windy hilltop surroundings is sufficient to provide breeze and circulation

Of course, Malaysians being Malaysians, the immensely ‘taxing‘ 2 km trip into the tea centre wouldn’t be complete without a sip of the homegrown, processed and widely distributed BOH tea, would it? 🙂

Unleash the child in you, glancing at the glass display of snacks, and point to your favourite pieces, to complement your hot cup of tea

They serve a dazzling array of tea, from your usual mik tea, to fruit infusions, and various fusion flavoured ones such as lemon myrtle, lychee, caramel and so forth. Previous visit revealed the lychee tea was aromatic, fresh, and soothing.

Huh? Steaming hot tea in paper cups???!!!

This time around, probably as a move to cut cost (every cup of tea costs around RM2-RM3 only), they utilize paper cups to serve their brews. Huh? Last time they used mugs. That was more like it. Fortunately they still exercise their common sense and wrap a thick cardboard around the cups, else you risk torching your pretty fingers.

My Passionfruit Orange was a deep red, alike F&N Strawberry colour, but too sour for good. I managed to finish barely half of the cup. Should’ve restrained myself and picked something safe instead. The other varieties seemed OK, as I barely heard laments. Or I could be busy indulging in these …..

Strawberry tart (RM3.50), Carrot Banana Cake (RM5) and Moist Chocolate (RM5)

Yup, desserts, for the 3rd time in half a day. Geez … Mostly pharmacists, and nobody worried about our sugar levels spiking. Holidays ma …. rite? =P

“Why So Serious?”

Somehow these Joker cards are different from your usual clown pictures. Probably someone watched The Dark Knight, and utterly disgusted by the Joker’s villainy streak.

Calm, quiet, unchartered territory … Promising a sense of serenity and relaxation

The tea plantations nearer to the tea centre somehow lacked “Oomph!” (no pun intended). The tea leaves around that area were all dryer, and a shade of darker green.

Therefore, on the way back, we diverted and turned right at a junction to a signboard indicating strawberry farm. Once again, the paths are winding, and narrow (in fact, if you’re driving an MPV of SUV, tough luck). But the pay off was well-worth the tachycardia experienced throughout the journey ….

A survivor/stranger amidst the lush greenery ….

Suffice to say, tonnes of pics were snapped, poses were struck, and dignity thrown out of the windows. Aaaahhhh …. to be experiencing secondary school years’ lunacy all over again. Sheer bliss ….

to be continued …

The main bus terminal at Tanah Rata

T Cafe – Warmly Welcomes You? During daytime, this may NOT be what you desire as the hot and humid weather (yup, even in Cameron) is slightly forbidding …

I was introduced to this cafe by TallGal during the previous visit. Supposedly popular for their scones, and apple pies, I found the Western and Asian fare they served were not up to par. But the strawberry scone was pretty good. That was 8 months ago.

The Eastern influence in the food, as well as the ambience was evident

After Googling around for good food BEFORE we set foot at Cameron Highlands, surprisingly, the unanimous votes go to T Cafe. Yup, it’s THAT popular. Or over-rated. Depending on how you see it, and your experience at the place.

“Gee, how do I arrange 6 chairs to seat 10 ppl?”

No doubt the place is exuding a warmth and homely ambience, cozy enough for a satisfying meal, and bright enough for a good read while sipping on a cuppa. The seating capacity may be lacking, as the cafe occupies only the second floor, while Marrybrown is situated downstairs.

Aaahhh …. What better way to warm your hands than with a cup of CHINESE tea … Huh?

The menu is quite impressive, serving Western and Asian food, from soups, sandwiches and chops to your everyday fried rice, noodles, and pasta. But their main selling point is their desserts, and they even cater to vegans, with a section of the menu tailored to their needs.

Claypot Chicken Rice

Sorry I could not remember the prices for most of the dishes, as the payment system is particularly interesting. You line up at the counter and pay before you leave, no receipts issued. Talk about self-service. Anyway, most of the Asian fare are below RM10, with most claypot noodles and rice around RM4.90 only.

The Claypot Chicken Rice was unlike your average serving, as the dish resembles fried rice in claypot, more than anything else. Still, it was satisfactory, with ample amount of chicken cubes, fried shallots, vegetables and egg. The claypot does impart a smoky aroma to the rice, while preserving the warmth of the grains.

Claypot Yee Mee (RM4.90)

Boiling in a claypot, the yee mee (Egg Noodles) arrived piping hot, perfect to warm the body in the cold weather. But as stated earlier, the weather just ain’t what it was years ago. But still, sitting right by the windows did allow the breeze to reach us, else those indulging in their claypot meals would be sweating, a rare scenario at the highlands, no?

Fried Rice

I took a close up shot of the fried rice, but the portion was barely sufficient to feed a hungry ghost. I mean, human. And no, my itchy fingers did not pry the dish, as the rest were already eyeing my actions, hunger pangs screaming and all. But the response was positive, or was it?

Spaghetti Bolognese with Chicken

It struck me while I was browsing the menu, the Western fare is pricier, with chicken chops priced at around RM14.50, and the pasta selection at around RM9 each. I still remembered their lasagne was an abysmal affair, with tasteless, dilute tomato paste, and miniscule amount of beef, and cheese.

Mr Po ordered the fusilli (not spiralli as he had me believed … hmmm) cooked with chicken bolognese, and the pasta came out disappointing. Again, the tomato paste was tasteless, too diluted, and spoiled what could have been a delicious meal.

Curry Chicken Rice

Dr ordered the curry chicken rice, an awkward choice, but rather befitting, as Cameron Highlands is also well-known for its Indian food. Probably the Indian community is aplenty, or curry does work its magic in the chilling weather.

Chicken Sandwich (RM3)

Still mighty bloated from the desserts, I ordered a simple chicken sandwich, and pleasantly surprised that the chicken is not your run-of-the-mill cold cuts, overnight, stripped (of its dignity) and shredded, but instead chicken cubes lightly pan-fried and served sandwiched between 2 slices of white bread, and partnered with the usual suspects of cucumber and lettuce. Quite tasty, but bear in mind eating the sandwich with bare hands may be a challenge, as the chicken pieces fell off and had to be ‘re-inserted’ between the bread.

Hmm, strange that Motormouth can survive on sandwiches for lunch? …. Oh, that was not all !!

Moist Chocolate Cake (RM3.80)

Strawberry Scones (RM2.90)

Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice-Cream (RM5)

Yup, their desserts DID fare better, much better than the mains, scoring brownie points with the chocolate cake, and their ultra-famous scones and apple pies.

Topped with a dollop of fresh cream, the chocolate cake was moist, slightly decadent, but not too rich. Not to mention reasonably-priced as well. The strawberry scones are their forte, with dried strawberry bits, and served with cream. Sweet, crumbly, and with a hint of cinnamon (or at least that was what I think that flavour was), the scone is a must-try if you happen to drop by.

The apple pie with vanilla ice cream (RM3.60 for pie alone, but WHY?) scored well in my books, the crumbly pastry pairing well with the apple slices sandwiched between. Served warm, with dustings of sugar, the pie went really well with the vanilla ice-cream which though was frozen, but not to the point of freezing cold. A match made in heaven. Or in this case, made in the Highlands. 😉

Location : T Cafe on the upstairs of Marrybrown Restaurant, on the main road of Tanah Rata. You’ll have to walk to the side of Marrybrown, and go up the stairs at the side. The extensive menu is printed on the white board downstairs, so you can make your decisions BEFORE entering the cafe, for fear of embarassing yourself if suddenly you decide to order banana leaf curry rice. Or something.

After the reasonably ‘light’ lunch, we were off to our next destination. It was already 2.30 pm, guess where we headed to? ….

A perfect way to end the meal?

to be continued ….

If you’re at a crossroad in life, which way to turn? Left, or right? >_<

The spiralling path to the peak … though milder in comparison to the Tapah way, aka nausea-inducing roads of doom ….

Taken through the passenger’s seat window, this photo came out a blur … but the name of the destination was obvious. Cameron Highlands, HERE WE COME AGAIN !!!

8 months soldiered on, and we are here again, on the highlands. A cool, breezy, and relaxing spot to chill, and wind down. An escapade to a simpler life, watching the farmers at work, vendors heavily promoting their products at the market, and the residents kicking back on a weekend, sipping tea and enjoying their steamboat meals. Not to mention the droves of tourists from all over, having a jolly good time at this spot.

Our accomodation – Honeymoon Villa on Brinchang

Previously we stayed at Desa Anthurium apartments in the middle of Tanah Rata and Brinchang. But this time, we booked an apartment for 10, at Brinchang. Yup, there were TEN of us, and the place fitted us nicely, with 3 rooms, 3 bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen. For RM200 nett. No air-cond (obviously), but with hot water supply (not showers), and TV, possibly the smallest TV around, all 14″ of it, captivating us with the “live” telecast of the Olympics.

Rows of new shoplots in Brinchang

Cameron Highlands has been, and is still, developing as an agricultural hub (for its vegetables, fruits and flowers produce) and a fascinating tourism spot. For its history, accomodation options, restaurants, and sight-seeing galore, do visit HERE for more information, or Wikipedia’s page HERE.

Giant, colourful statues of cactuses welcoming everyone to the Cactus Valley and Agro Tourism Garden at Brinchang

Situated opposite the rows of new shoplots, housing some inns, and various eateries, is the Cactus Valley, a prominent place for tourists and locals alike. Entrance fee is RM4 per adult, RM2 per child. Opens daily from 8am til 6pm. Attractions include cactuses, endless pots of them on display, and for sale. Some of the more outstanding species (ie : BIG, colourful, and EXPENSIVE!!) are also available here.

Wa-hey! FOC!! 😉

But one visit is sufficient to cover the whole area, and subsequent visits may induce boredom and cactus-overdosage. Therefore, for this visit, we did not enter Cactus Valley, but instead hurried over to the garden next to the place; an Agro-Tourism Garden/Plantation.

Bright orange flora … whatever the species is …

Butterhead lettuce, raised utilizing the hydroponic system

Before, and After – The transformation from pale, colourless fruit to a bright, fiery red juicy strawberry, begging to be plucked
Temptations abound …. though the warning sign restricting, I can’t help myself from touching the forbidden fruits …
Especially when this special pair of twins/freaks of nature awkwardly resembled the human anatomy … =P
Various ways to serve them, available at the cafe
Strawberry Sundae (RM5.90)

What’s the purpose of visiting Cameron, if not for the strawberries? The cafe atop the plantation serves several interesting strawberry desserts, from the sundae and yoghurt, to the shakes, juices and waffles.

Thick, strawberry shake (RM4.90)

Yoghurt with Fresh Strawberry (RM3.90)

If you’re one born with a sweet tooth (or two), you’ll probably be spoilt for choice, and tempted to try most of the strawberry desserts. The sundae came in a tall plastic container, with smooth vanilla ice-cream, lots of whipped cream, drizzles of honey, and of course, lots of strawberry slices at the bottom. The strawberry shake is brimming with flavour, sweet but with a slight hint of sourness, you can really taste the freshness of this concoction. The yoghurt with strawberries strangely gave us the impression of eating ‘tau fu far’, though the generous drizzling of honey was sickeningly sweet.

Cam-whoring with the sundae … Pls do not follow their footsteps! =P

As you might have realized, explanation is rather scarce for this post, as I’m a bit drowsy from all the travelling lately. Withdrawal syndrome, if you will. Lots more to come on Cameron Highlands, an ideal destination for the family, and an unforgettable gathering with friends.

The epitome, the icon, the “king of fruits” in Cameron Highlands ….

The thorny but petite & colourful cactus …

Sour temptations, awaiting their fate – pasta sauce, or tomyam soup?

Wake up and smell the …. tea?

The feeling may be akin to bungee jumping, but the precariously built structure is drawing the crowd, not unlike the moths that are hopelessly drawn to a light ….

A sanctuary for the believers …

And a warming pot of boiling characters, celebrating friendship, and togetherness …

Full account in days to come, as work is beckoning in Kuala Lumpur. Til then, make the most out of your day. We all deserve some form of pampering every once in a while …. =)

Click the following links for subsequent stories ;

http://j2kfm.blogspot.com/2008/08/cameron-highlands-strawberry-delights.html

http://j2kfm.blogspot.com/2008/08/cameron-highlands-scones-apple-pies-and.html

Sungei Palas Boh Tea Plantation

Brinchang Night Market, Steamboat, and The Morning After