Motormouth From Ipoh – A Malaysian Food Blog

Citrus Wine & Dine – Remains as one of our favourite restaurant in Ipoh for good Western food, or rather “Modern Euro Asia Cuisine”, as printed on their menus

Tomorrow’s the BIG day for all the mothers. Instead of having her cooking/’ta-pau-ing’ (taking away)/paying for the meals, why not be a filial child and bring her out for a decent meal instead?

If your argument borders on the lines of absurdity (NO good restaurants in Ipoh, Fine-dining in Ipoh sounds like I have to mortgage an arm and a leg, Ipoh’s too jam-packed with people, yadda yadda …..), then shame on you. Really. Okay, maybe the last one IS somewhat true, as I bear witness to unbelievable congestion in Ipoh these few days, with no clue as to why.

Braised Lamb Shank with Oriental Bean Sauce (RM35/USD10.95) – A clever burst of flavours from the East and the West. Or in this case, from down under as well?

I wrote about Citrus Wine & Dine before, way back in 2008. The restaurant situated in Ipoh Garden East, facing the main road of Jalan Perajurit en route to Tambun/Sunway City has been around for a good few years now. This huge building, occupying a lot of its own, also houses another eatery named Wan Stop Cafe (previously Sharon’s Laksa), that serves forgettable food ranging from Portuguese-style Grilled Seafood, and the likes. 

Deep-fried batter-coated Brie Cheese with Grand Marnier Dried Fruits Chutney (RM20/USD6.30)

The menu remains unchanged since our last visit, and truth be told, I have been visiting Citrus for a good many times. They offer value-for-money lunch sets (RM18/USD5.60++ inclusive of soup of the day which is freshly made, a choice of main, a dessert which is usually one of their signature desserts, albeit at a smaller portion, and coffee or tea) and the fact that they provide ample parking spaces for free renders a quick lunch here beats a rush hour scramble in Greentown anyday.

Lightly tossed with olive oil, the pasta was far from soggy, and thankfully not swimming in oil. The three big prawns were inviting both to the eyes and the palate. Spaghetti Aglio Olio with King Prawns (RM26/USD8.20)

I chose their pasta, for I was in the mood for something lighter that evening. I once had their Aglio Olio with Sea Scallops before, and the experience turned out well. Hence, I figured that the King Prawns version would be far from disastrous, and I was proven right.

Succulent, juicy and firm prawns with the heads and tails attached, and the shells removed. The prawns were lightly pan-fried with finely-minced garlic and pepper, with a dash of chili flakes to perk up the senses. I succumbed to the suggestion of freshly-grounded peppers on the pasta and the prawns, for I prefer my pasta with a slight peppery tinge.

3 Way Chicken (RM35/USD10.90) – A medley of Yakitori Chicken, Roasted Chicken Thigh with Smoked Duck, and Lemongrass Chicken

If you can’t live without your MEATS, go for their steaks or lamb. They offer Australian Wagyu Ribeye from RM80 (100g) onwards, and Australian Black Angus Ribeye  & Black Truffle at a very enticing price of RM60/USD18.80 only. The Australian Lamb Shank was fork-tender, as the hefty portion of lamb was braised (with much TLC, I expected!) in an interesting Oriental Bean Sauce, instead of the usual buttery-rich brown sauce.  But I could not tell the difference from a few mouthfuls, hence judge for yourself. The lamb shank was served atop a bed of mashed potatoes that did well in soaking up the savoury gravy, and lots of boiled vegetables.

3 Kings (RM55/USD17.20) – A symphony of Roasted Cod Fish, Brown Buttered Sea Scallops with Teriyaki Sauce, and Grilled Unagi

Fish & Chips (RM19/USD5.90) – Deep Fried Dory Fish with Fries

The fresh-catch selections had some hits and misses. The Fish & Chips fared well, although presented in a lacklustre fashion on the table. The fish was fresh, sweet and juicy even after the whole batter-coated and deep-frying process. And the accompanying mayonnaise with finely-chopped gherkins added a pleasantly tangy flavour to the fish.

The 3 Kings platter did not shine as expected. The Grilled Unagi (freshwater eels) on a bed of mashed potatoes tasted uncannily like those served in common Japanese fast food restaurants, and the seared sea scallops were not as juicy and sweet as expected. Thankfully the roasted cod was tasty, presented as a rather thick slab on a bed of broccoli and carrots.

The 3 Way Chicken on the other hand, was good, but definitely for one who really, really loves his/her chicken. A little overwhelming when you have not one, not two, but THREE servings of chicken cooked in three diversely different manners. The rolled chicken thigh meat with smoked duck was the best, served with a mere drizzle of gravy which was not necessary anyway. The meat was tender, and still juicy. The Lemongrass Chicken had a stalk of lemongrass ‘pierced’ through the centre, evoking my resentment before I even dig in. But the chicken was good, in its defence. The Yakitori Chicken was forgettable though.

Aesthetically pleasing to the eyes, the Panna Cotta (RM6/USD1.90) was served in a cocktail glass, but a little too brimming with the strawberries puree, we had a tough time scooping out the custard beneath

Ginger Creme Brulee (RM6/USD1.90) – A very tasty end to the feast

But Citrus does serve some good desserts, although not as extensive as say, Indulgence. The Panna Cotta was indeed a lovely & wobbly Italian creation combining milk, cream and sugar, topped with luscious puree of strawberries that was thankfully not cloyingly sweet, but instead lent a tartness to the dessert. The Creme Brulee (it’s light green in colour, possibly from the addition of ‘pandan’/screwpine leaves extract?) was our favourite though, as the faint hint of gingery flavour added dimension to the otherwise simple egg custard with a layer of torched sugar on top.

On the whole, the dinner at Citrus was a most satisfying experience, and the tip-top service plus comfortable (almost homely) dining environment played a vital role as well. I will definitely return whenever I crave for a substantial, decent and unforgettable meal in Ipoh, for I believe aside from Citrus or Indulgence (or maybe Italia Mia) we do not have much choices now, do we?

CITRUS WINE & DINE
No 38-46, Laluan Ipoh Perdana,
31400 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
Telephone : 605-5451010
Business hours : 11.30am – 3.00pm, 6.30pm – 11.00pm.
Closed on Mondays.
Here’s a GOOGLE MAP to Citrus Wine & Dine in Ipoh.

“Happy Mother’s Day to All the Mothers in the World”

## P/S : For more dining options in Ipoh for celebrations and such, hop over the the Ultimate Ipoh Food List compiled and updated by Motormouth. ##