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David’s Diner Revisited – 180 Degrees Turnaround?

February 4, 2009 | 12,620 views
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Still remember my previous (not-so-positive) experience at David’s Diner in Ipoh? Well, that was afterall, their 2nd or 3rd day in operation, and everything was in a mess, from the service, to the food, and the bane of all outlets serving lunch during peak hours; horrendous waiting time.
Obviously, the spirit of the Lunar New Year’s still in the air … somewhere. ..
Judging from one comment on that post, and other personal experiences at the place, surprisingly, they were good. No, good’s a rather mild choice of word here, they’re simply AWESOME, or FANTASTIC, or DELICIOUS. Or whatnot.
And that, certainly piqued my interest in the diner once again, plus the countless advertisements they’ve put up in the papers.
Mexican Tacos with Minced Chicken Filling (RM13.90)
So today, being rather indecisive about whereto for lunch, we hopped, skipped, and of course, drove to David’s Diner over in Greentown, hoping to debunk the myth, or so they say.
A little before lunch hour, we arrived to a rather empty restaurant, with occupancy rate bordering on 10-20%. But of course, we were early, and the crowd swelled to a near-full house by the end of our meal. Which was a good sign, was it not?
Mexican Burritos (RM13.90)
Service was prompt, in a friendly-manner, and on-the-spot, with no minor mistakes or gripes, aside from the forgotten menus on the table AFTER our orders were taken. But that’s nothing major, and kudos to the staff at David’s Diner, for if you’ve read my previous post on this place, you would’ve been exposed to the helter-skelter extravaganza on that unfortunate luncheon hour.

Drinks were served almost immediately, though no sky juice/warm water/plain water was in sight. It’ll do wonders had they served a glass of warm water while the patrons are pondering and browsing through the menu, given the sweltering heat outside. That’s but a suggestion.

Sour Cream and Tomato Ketchup for the tortilla in the Burritos, the Tacos and the Quesadillas
Miraculously, me, Mr.Z and KYT ordered almost the same item. I chose the Roasted Chicken Quesadillas, while Mr. Z and KYT had the Burritos and Tacos, respectively. The plates of warm tortilla wrapped with fillings arrived uncannily resembled one another, with KYT’s Tacos on the slightly colder and drier side. Mr. Z’s chicken burrito had a layer of melted cheese no top, with salsa topping, and served on double plates, as the burrito was heated before served.
Both the Tacos and Burrito were served with Mexican rice, a mildly spicy/sweet side dish of rice, and some salad. The portion’s definitely filling, albeit the smaller-than-expected visual appearance. So far, so good.
Roasted Chicken Quesadillas (RM11.90)
Opting for a lighter meal, after a rather heavy breakfast of Nam Chau Dry Curry Mee (ooohhh …. they’re still the BEST, I tell ya!), I picked the Quesadillas set with 2 side dishes, bearing in mind a few pieces of starters can’t be anymore filling than their burritos and such. Wrong.

4 BIG pieces of Quesadillas, using the same tortilla wrapping I presume but toasted, filled with tender roasted chicken meat, melted cheese, chopped onions and scallions, and served with sour cream and ketchup for additional flavour. I’m a sucker for anything with cheese and sour cream, and was mesmerized by the burst of flavours. Thumbs up, as I doubt one can find quesadillas as good as these in Ipoh.

Mac & Cheese

From the list of side dishes available (a staggering 20 or so choices!) I picked the Mexican rice (without knowing that KYT and MrZ’s dishes had them as well) and Mac & Cheese. The macaroni with cheese was a little too much to stomach, too rich & creamy. On its own, it manages to hold its pride, but the pasta was a little soggy, not as al dente as expected.

David’s All-American Cheese Burger (Chicken) RM8.90 (?)

TallGal picked the cheese burger, with chicken patty. Their burgers are still small, sadly. But, one major plus point is that, their patties are homemade, NOT those from the supermarket. Amnesiac me forgot about the buns though, as previously I abhorred their generic dry and tasteless buns from the freezer. TallGal, kindly advise here!

Italian Roasted Potatoes
With 2 side dishes of her choice, she had the roasted potatoes (smaller serving this time) and the fries. Nothing spectacular, but yet worked well. Stole a bite of the burger, and was glad the chicken was tender, warm, and served with melted cheddar.
So, on the whole, we were pleasantly surprised at the change in the service, the management, and the food. But do take my words lightly, as taste is a rather subjective preference. One man’s meat may be another’s poison, right?
Will we return again? Well, it was almost a resounding YES. =)

Address & Contact Number :
DAVID’S DINER (HALAL)
B-G-1, Ground Floor,
Greentown Square,
Jalan Dato Seri Ahmad Said,
30450 Ipoh,
Perak, Malaysia.
Telephone : 605-242 5733

They also provide American catering services.
Opens daily from 12pm until 10.30pm.

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Ipoh Food
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American Food, Halal Food, Ipoh Food, Western Food
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33 Responses to “David’s Diner Revisited – 180 Degrees Turnaround?”

  1. TallGal says:
    February 4, 2009 at 9:55 pm

    It really improves a lot compared to last time. Next time remember to drag ‘S’ together. She missed again this time..:P

    [Reply]

  2. FCOE says:
    February 4, 2009 at 10:15 pm

    wei…really want to go lar..dun eat good food when i’m not there:)

    [Reply]

  3. kampungboycitygal says:
    February 4, 2009 at 11:44 pm

    it seems like they deserve a second chance haha..i went to josephine cafe..what a big ripped off! 🙁

    [Reply]

  4. Nic (KHKL) says:
    February 4, 2009 at 11:47 pm

    cheese and sour cream? hi5!

    to be honest, at RM8.90 for the cheese burger and sides, it is definitely more value-for-money than the prosperity burger. heck, this IS the prosperity burger (cos can save some money mah..hehe)

    [Reply]

  5. adeL says:
    February 5, 2009 at 1:10 am

    I feel like blowing the dried herbs (presumably parsley) on every dish as the chef obviously is having a sprinkle-dried-parsley policy on every dish without knowing when to stop!!
    Not to say the arrangment in the dishes seem like a mess!
    Nothing personal here, attacking only at the food presentation.
    Taste wise, I couldn’t say anything as I didn’t taste them myself 🙂

    [Reply]

  6. SimpleGirl says:
    February 5, 2009 at 8:25 am

    since your second experience was better, I should give a try also…and the prices seem ok ya!

    [Reply]

  7. FooDcrazEE says:
    February 5, 2009 at 9:07 am

    good deal alright and love the way you write up . . . . .be back to read more. . . .

    cheers!

    [Reply]

  8. iamthewitch says:
    February 5, 2009 at 9:10 am

    The food here resembles Mexican cuisine! I had burritos in KL before and it was more than RM20! So getting it here for RM13 was so much cheaper! Definitely will try it out when I go back next time! 🙂

    [Reply]

  9. 550ml jar of faith says:
    February 5, 2009 at 9:17 am

    It’s nice to know they haven’t stopped trying! I’m all for the choice of sides; really over the iceberg lettuce variety!

    [Reply]

  10. Life for Beginners says:
    February 5, 2009 at 10:53 am

    Well, I’m glad to hear you had a good time dining there this round. There is something slightly wrong about red, red, red angbaos on the exposed brick walls of a grillhouse wannabe, no? 😛

    [Reply]

  11. worldwindows says:
    February 5, 2009 at 11:01 am

    Food looks mouth watering. My son will appreciate the food here esp Ipoh.

    [Reply]

  12. mimid3vils says:
    February 5, 2009 at 2:17 pm

    Foods are more to Mexican style?

    [Reply]

  13. jason says:
    February 5, 2009 at 2:59 pm

    That’s one positive change there!

    [Reply]

  14. J2Kfm says:
    February 5, 2009 at 3:57 pm

    TallGal : yeah, sadly. who asked her to go to Tg Malim?! eat pau meh …

    FCOE : ahem, as I was saying … 🙂

    kampungboycitygal : yeah! they didnt improve at all ah?

    Nic : Hi5 eh! i probably wont touch another Prosp Burger afterr this year’s horrendous experience. dry, tasteless, and MAHAL!

    adel : hahaha … so true. but cant reli taste the herbs, hence it was all good.

    SimpleGirl : yeah, quite reasonable. but dun expect the food to impress too much. after all, you get what you pay for? 🙂

    Foodcrazee : thanks for visiting.

    iamthewitch : hahaa, burritos in REAL mexican joint, or even CHili’s and such, are way better IMO. but this one is cheap, tasty, and perfect for a lighter lunch.

    550ml jar of faith : y the craze for lettuce all of a sudden?!

    Life for Beginners : hahaha, look closer and you’ll realise the bricks aint real after all … they’re mere wallpaper.

    worldwindows : glad to know Ipoh’s flourishing in terms of restaurants n cafes eh

    mimid3vils : it’s supposedly an American style diner, and the owner’s wife’s from US. more to Tex-Mex?

    jason : yeah, hopefully we’ll see many more to come.

    [Reply]

  15. Lyrical Lemongrass says:
    February 5, 2009 at 7:04 pm

    Second chances are important. You did the right thing. 🙂

    [Reply]

  16. mycroft says:
    February 5, 2009 at 8:34 pm

    had vistited this place few times d, really like it, though sometimes the food is not consistent. prefer goin there for early dinner cause not many people and the boss make it a point to come n greet u before u leave. nice personal touch
    ps, love the baked potato side dish

    [Reply]

  17. J2Kfm says:
    February 5, 2009 at 10:28 pm

    Lyrical Lemongrass : yup, every outlet deserves a 2nd chance. lets hope they really buck up and improve, for their own welfare.

    mycroft : the baked potato is actually sweet potato right? but looks uncannily like potato. hmm …

    [Reply]

  18. thenomadGourmand says:
    February 6, 2009 at 7:04 am

    hmmm..the Italian roasted looks really gd..eating out in Ipoh is getting diversified..w more choices of cuisine yet reasonable prices!

    [Reply]

  19. Lingzie says:
    February 6, 2009 at 12:52 pm

    homemade burger patties are always a plus! and for rm8.90 at that… quite a steal! 🙂
    i think that’s what penang is missing… mexican food!! (not considering Chili’s)

    [Reply]

  20. The Travelling Foodie says:
    February 6, 2009 at 4:30 pm

    Very interesting. I’m glad that Ipoh has a Tex-Mex diner now and the prices are reasonable.

    [Reply]

  21. J2Kfm says:
    February 10, 2009 at 7:33 pm

    thenomadGourmand : yeah. glad to see more choices of food here in good old Ipoh. let’s keep our fingers crossed for more?

    Lingzie : erm, Chili’s also good ma? Tex-Mex style somewhat.

    The Travelling Foodie : yeah indeed. let’s hope they buck up in areas needing improvement.

    [Reply]

  22. Anonymous says:
    March 11, 2009 at 1:36 pm

    This is a nice place. the burger is nice, not so salthy. The fried chicken is better than KFC. with reasonable price….although it’s just a ordinary family restaurant, the quality of food is better than josephine….

    [Reply]

  23. J2Kfm says:
    March 11, 2009 at 2:55 pm

    hi Anonymous, you’re from Ipoh as well? 🙂

    kindly advise on worthy restaurants/cafes in Ipoh, if you’ve any in mind. thanks!

    [Reply]

  24. Anonymous says:
    March 12, 2009 at 10:13 am

    haha…u know i’m from ipoh…sense it?…i think you are more pro than me…u went many places

    [Reply]

  25. fooder says:
    November 29, 2009 at 12:06 am

    o. i came here too. in fact i came twice and twice the food was bad. i recommend brewsters lane. a bit pricey but food’s much much much better.

    [Reply]

  26. Curt says:
    December 16, 2009 at 5:35 pm

    I do have to say from the beginning it WAS good/edible & filling.

    Now prices are inflated, portions smaller & the quality dropped
    tremendously.

    My verdict: I BOYCOTT

    I’m an ang moh/whitey in malaysia & when I hear of authentic,
    american food, I have to see for myself.

    It’s like having chinese food cooked back in USA, not TRUELY
    chinese & there’s nothing that can compare to what I have had
    here in malaysia, thailand & singapore.

    [Reply]

    J2Kfm Reply:
    December 16th, 2009 at 9:31 pm

    Really? Oh dear.. I havent been there since months ago. Maybe since last year.
    I noticed they are running the RM10.90 per set, during lunch hours.

    [Reply]

  27. IpohBoy says:
    December 24, 2009 at 3:26 pm

    I went to this Diner awhile back and have been here twice in total. I do feel their prices were cheap but essentially you are paying for what you get. RM9 for a burger will not got get you a 200g pattie. The Diner does come across as a Chili’s copycat and I naturally find myself comparing it to Chili’s. Nevertheless, it is abit way off from Chili’s but one cannot complain based on prices.

    What I would suggest is the friendly owner consider making minor changes, home made buns for the burgers as opposed to third party generic buns for e.g. and perhaps increase prices slightly along with portions. Perhaps offer two sizes to take into account the price sensitive Ipoh dweller. By offering larger portion options, it might just pick up more traction.

    [Reply]

  28. mycroft says:
    December 28, 2009 at 10:17 pm

    last visit was 2 months back, true, compare to the earlier days, davids probably did fare slightly less, but none the less, it is still better compare to the wannabe pseudo western in most of the “cafes”…
    still love the side dish garlic mash potato, lol….

    [Reply]

  29. Ultimate Ipoh Food List by J2Kfm | Motormouth From Ipoh - A Malaysian Food Blog says:
    August 5, 2010 at 8:33 pm

    […] David’s Diner – Halal American Food […]

  30. Macoy European Restaurant @ Greentown Square, Ipoh | Motormouth From Ipoh - Malaysian Food & Travel Blog says:
    January 12, 2012 at 11:12 pm

    […] who travels the stretch of road passing in front of Greentown Square (the business centre housing David’s Diner, and Restoran Simpang Tiga) then you probably would not be aware of this spanking new European […]

  31. Anonymous says:
    February 16, 2012 at 3:23 am

    I love the way the white shirt waitress serve me 🙂 she’s polite .. despite she’s alone working that time , she does tell me evrthing on menus .. xcellent service

    [Reply]

  32. USAfoodie says:
    September 20, 2014 at 9:08 pm

    Thought of trying after 3 years – last time went with family and it was good with nice sized portions. I remember I had mixed grill and it was good. Today was a birthday dinner for my daughter with family. Ordered dinner set – grilled lamb. mint sauce good but the portion appalling small with 45% all bones. side order were baked potato with small dollop of sour cream (no chopped chives 🙁 & other typical US toppings like grated cheese or bacon-like topping) and Spanish rice (rather dry dry). Had a taste of my daughter’s cheese macaroni and pasta salad – typical chinese food court style taste where cheese is held back for the former and the texture is from yesterday’s batch. dessert was ‘cake’ – what they meant was a scoop of ice cream with tiny square of brownie (it is good though). Only the grill chicken which others ordered – they gave thumbs up. Would I go again? only time will tell.

    [Reply]

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