Motormouth From Ipoh

Fresh, piping hot dim sum from the round, wooden steamers @ Restoran Sun Kim Aik, Jalan Lahat – Last of the classic dim sum series. I hope.

Admittedly, I kind of felt ashamed that this was my first visit to Restoran Sun Kim Aik on Jalan Lahat in Falim near Menglembu. The name might sound unfamiliar, but ask your parents or even your grandparents about this decades-old dim sum shop on Jalan Lahat; and chances are they could have eaten there before.

My parents had their breakfast here ages ago. Just without me in tow. Hmm. But there were those odd times when Mum would take away (‘ta pau’) the famous Tai Pau (literally translated to “The Big Bun” … don’t roll your eyes, please) for breakfast at home.

And I was not impressed. This could lead to my instinctive aversion to reviewing the dim sum here; slightly biased owing to the lacklustre Tai Pau I have had a couple of times.

But what are the odds of their ‘usual’ dim sum outshining their signature pau? Read on to find out more.

Har Gau (Crystal Prawn Dumplings) with Yue Mai (Fish Paste) and a Salted Egg Yolk Minced Pork Paste creation at the background

There we were seated at Folie-Folie the night before, casually catching up on stories lost in transition of time. It has been a good few months since we caught up with each other. The blaring, screechy, amplified shrieks from the live singer notwithstanding, we actually enjoyed the al fresco seating arrangement there. Though they elevated the prices of their drinks significantly!

Anyway, we were contemplating on whether to pursue breakfast the very next morning. I mean, not like us ‘young’ folks to set alarm clocks on weekends and jostle for seats with the … ahem … tourists and elderly at dim sum joints in Ipoh. (Wanna read about some of the best dim sum outlets in Ipoh? Jump here)

But … since I am half a tourist myself (sad case eh?), I managed to push my case through. Then the decision on whether to choose Ipoh Garden South’s Chooi Yue, Bercham’s Hong Xing or Falim’s Sun Kim Aik fell on my hands somewhat.

The choice was obvious. You, my dear readers, would understand that I lay my life on the line (okay, too dramatic … but still, close enough) searching for new outlets, or older classics that I have not written before. And Sun Kim Aik being one of the oldest dim sum establishments in Ipoh without a review on the blog came across as  …. sacrilegious.

Falim near to Menglembu is a part of town that mimics old town of Ipoh; the difference being the former has lesser food options and more industrial lands.

Arriving at close to 9am, the place was packed. I was not surprised, since this was a Saturday. However, I was not aware that they expanded to a second premise a shop away (separated by an old grocery store, if I am not mistaken), and that newer one was also overflowing with hungry dim sum lovers.

Okay, so this is still good old Ipoh, where people still wake up at unGodly hours and enjoy their breakfasts before 9am.

Oh ya …. then I recalled how Mum told me about Sun Kim Aik being a firm favourite of early-risers who are working for the factories around the area, and taxi drivers looking to fuel their hunger before embarking on their daily journeys.

Short of going into details, let’s summarize the breakfast experience there, shall we?

Aside from the Big Pau, I enjoyed most of the other dim sum that morning.

Seriously. Maybe the fact remains that I don’t like to bite into buns filled with barely-cooked meats; especially chicken without much marinade. A bit gross to taste the very natural flavours of the chicken; while credits need to be given to their fluffy pau skin that did not stick to the teeth. The Char Siew Pau was much better, packed with scarlet-tinted, generous fillings made up of chopped barbecued pork encased in a beautifully-soft dough.

The Har Gau (prawn dumplings), Lor Mai Gai (glutinous rice with chicken and mushrooms), egg tarts and yam puffs were excellent choices that did not falter one bit. Short of over-heaping them with compliments, my initially-reserved expectations were exceeded. If you despise the thought of being treated like dirt (literally) at the more famous outlets in town, consider this a relatively near and viable option.

The breakfast for 5 including a pot of Chinese tea came to about RM10/USD3.50 per person only. No joke, and this being one of the more renowned ones in town too. Recently refurbished, the shop appears to be cleaner, more presentable and definitely more comfortable than before.

RESTORAN SUN KIM AIK (non-Halal)
297, Jalan Lahat,
30100 Menglembu, Perak, Malaysia
Tel No : +605-282 2634
GPS Coordinates : 4.582564,101.06469
Opens for breakfast only.
Coming from Ipoh town towards Menglembu direction using Jalan Lahat, you will pass by ACS Ipoh, then the Perodua service centre on your RIGHT. After crossing the bridge, you will see an empty land on your LEFT of what used to be K-Kai Corner Steamboat & BBQ (they have moved to Ipoh Garden East near to K10 Claypot Chicken Rice), and a row of old shops on your RIGHT. Sun Kim Aik is in the middle of the row.

*Thinking of being adventurous and not eating out at the same old tourist hotspots in Ipoh this weekend? Try the many hidden gems in old town of Ipoh – Food in Ipoh Old Town; from Teo Chew style of ‘dai chow’ dishes behind the flats, to white coffee beyond the famous stretch at Ah Chow, char kuey teow nicked GOLDEN fried noodles, the best Hor Hee in Ipoh, and even something different from the usual kopitiams @ Burps & Giggles.