Motormouth From Ipoh – Malaysian Food & Travel

I remember a reader asked me recently;

“Do you know where the famous (maybe legendary) Hakka mee stall at the shady food court (Tai Hwa Food Court @ Osborne Street; better known for the toddy/coconut wine and seafood at night?) has moved to?”

After a full two years away from Ipoh (yup, celebrated the occasion with a week-long homecoming!), I admitted that I have no idea. Heck, I could not even remember whether I have tried the Hakka mee at the original stall before!

But commitment is commitment. Through various reconnaissance tactics, we finally managed to seek out its new location; opening for business since 15th December 2012.

Today, on this beautiful Christmas morning, let me be Santa for once and share with you this 20+ years old Hakka mee stall with a rich legacy, strong following and damn good chili sauce …..

Hakka mee; served with or without Char Siew (BBQ pork), served with your options of fish balls, pork balls, stuffed tofu and various deep fried yong tau foo. But do NOT forget that addictive combo of spicy/tangy chili sauce with a hefty dollop of garlic!

Now, if you have no recollection whatsoever of where the food court was (it’s torn down now; making way for the development of a mixed commercial centre with condominiums), no sweat. But do come for the Hakka mee at least once to see how this fares when bench-marked against the extremely popular version on Hugh Low street (previously at Yin Yau Kui, then moved to Paris Restaurant opposite of the ex-premise).

For me, the defining moment came when I gulped down their bouncy self-made noodles with copious spoonfuls of the tangy chili sauce with garlic.  In fact, the chili sauce went well with the fish balls (homemade as well, evidently from the uneven shapes) and stuffed tofu too. The minced meat sauce and bean sprouts complementing the noodles were good, though not as memorable when compared to Hugh Low street’s version.

The deep fried yong tau foo; including the Ipoh’s omnipresent ‘sar kok liew’ fared much worse though; the foo chook being chewy and almost inedible.

My advice? Stick with the noodles, and don’t forget the Char Siew; a robust mix of sweetness and savoury flavours; redolent with a lingering smoky aroma from the grill. Go for the fish and pork balls, and douse your noodles with generous ladles of the chili sauce + fresh garlic.

Two servings of noodles, and about 10-12 pieces of yong tau foo for RM13.00/USD4.50. Very reasonable, given the quality of the ingredients, the name behind the noodles and the comfort of a new premise spanning two lots; and upholstered chairs covered with leather!

MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hakka Mee Stall @ Pusat Makanan MX (non-Halal)
Plaza Kinta, Jalan Dato Tahwil Azar (Osborne Street)
30300 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Opens from 8am until 1pm daily. Off-day not fixed.
GPS coordinates : 4.591627,101.083638
*Opposite of the former food court named Pusat Makanan Tai Hwa (the toddy/coconut wine and seafood place), same road as Kim Bali Restaurant and Cathay Restaurant’s Hainanese Chicken Chop.