Fabulous Indian Mee Goreng & Pasembur @ Cathay Mee Stall, Jalan Yang Kalsom
June 22, 2010 | 20,936 views
Indian Mee Goreng (RM3.50/USD1.00) – Large portion enough for two, but you’ll have no problems finishing the whole plate, really.
And let me share this place that I have been intending to write about for so long. As I have mentioned before in my post on Mee Hailam Parit, I am not a fan of yellow noodles. I’ll go for Kuey Teow/Sar Hor Fun (flat rice noodles) first, if not then Lou Shu Fun (rat’s tail noodles, I know … it sounds morbid but actually ain’t) followed by Mee Hoon (rice vermicelli noodles). The last resort? The yellow mee; no thanks to various bad experiences with heavy alkaline taste from the lye water used to cure the noodles.
Look at how chirpy the Indian girl was …. Cathay Mee Stall @ Restoran dan Rumah Tumpangan Beauty Baru – Brisk business come lunch hours, hence be there early. Or very late.
Initially I was skeptical when Mum told me about this great Indian (or Mamak/Indian-Muslim) Mee Goreng (fried yellow noodles) & Pasembur (Indian rojak; a type of salad) stall on Jalan Yang Kalsom. That this stall beats even the famous one at Padang Ipoh in old town, and the various incarnations everywhere else. Heck, there’s even one on Jalan Yang Kalsom itself, at Restoran Sen Yee.
But after tasting a packet of their Mee Goreng brought home by Mum, I was sold ……. and this has been MY personal favourite Mee Goreng in all of Ipoh. This coming from someone who hates his Mee …
Impatient they sure were not, but the close to 15 minutes wait can be daunting, especially when you see your neighbours tucking in with much relish.
First and foremost, parking can be a hassle. Especially if you come during the peak hours; anytime between 12.30pm – 2.00pm. Lunch hour is a disaster on Yang Kalsom Road. So be wise by either going earlier (although they state that they open at 11.00am, but they actually start operating at about 12.00pm+), or much later. Choose to park a distance away, and walk over instead of caught up in the jam and circling the vicinity.
Then grab a seat, which should be easy since the shop occupies two lots, and spacious enough to cater to a large crowd. Anyway, you CAN share tables, after all. There is even a separate section, directly beside the stall that caters to the Muslim crowd. Yes, Cathay Mee Stall is HALAL, but to be eating in a Chinese coffee shop may sound unsavoury to some. Hence the partition.
At RM3.50 per serving, you’ll feel that every cent paid is worthy …. and wishing that you’d have ordered more than a plate instead of sharing with someone!
The Mee Goreng comes in a hefty portion, and the first glimpse at the stacked noodles was horrifying if you’re not fond of Mee Goreng, or your intention was merely to test the waters, so to speak. But bliss comes after squeezing in the wedge of lime, tossing the noodles thoroughly so that the gravy mixes well with the noodles and the plethora of garnishes and ingredients, then proceeded to slurp your first mouthful …..
Unlike the generic Mamak Mee Goreng, Cathay’s version comes with lots of bean sprouts, chopped scallions, prawn fritters, taukua (dried beancurd), and potatoes. But most importantly, the moist noodles has a perfectly balance tastes of sweet, savoury, spicy and definitely moreish. And they fry the noodles with lots of egg, not as common among Indian Mee Goreng, but resembling the Chinese style of Char Kuey Teow.
Pasembur, or Indian Rojak (RM3.50/USD1.00) is another good choice if you want something lighter and not as sinful.
Cathay Mee Stall makes a tasty version of Pasembur as well. Lots of bean sprouts, turnip and julienned cucumber, tossed around with crunchy fritters, a whole boiled egg sliced into quarters, and potatoes. The deep red gravy was not spicy at all, but was a sweet-ish, starchy base with an added tangy and slightly spicy kick from the sambal-like sauce with sesame seeds and crushed peanuts drizzled on top of the crackers. You can of course request for a notch up the fiery-o-meter, and they’ll be glad to accommodate your request gleefully.
A messy ensemble that requires no table manner in the devouring process …..
Cathay Mee Stall also serves Mee Rebus, but I have yet to give this a try. It’s usually Mee Goreng, or Pasembur for me. And comparing this to Padang Ipoh’s Mee Goreng/Mee Rojak, or the stall in front of Sin Yoon Loong white coffee in old town, my vote goes to Cathay indefinitely. Unless of course, I’m proven wrong by any of you …. 🙂
Situated at the traffic lights connecting Jalan Yang Kalsom to Jalan Pasir Puteh, Restoran Dan Rumah Tumpangan Beauty Baru may not look like your destined spot for food-hunting, but if you have the time, DON’T MISS CMS (Cathay Mee Stall) !!!
CATHAY MEE STALL @
RESTORAN DAN RUMAH TUMPANGAN BEAUTY BARU
97, Jalan Yang Kalsom,
Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
Opens from 11am – 8pm daily.
Closed on Sundays.
Here’s a GOOGLE MAP to Cathay Mee Stall
* This stall is situated on the same row as Up & Up Curry Fish Head Restaurant, Wing Hoong Lapan Famous Porridge, and opposite Ritz Garden Hotel. M. Salim Nasi Biryani Anarkali and Yong Suan Nasi Ganja are further down the road.
I have been there since kids. The best mee goreng I ever had.
Wonderful place.
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J2Kfm Reply:
June 22nd, 2010 at 9:15 pm
Since you were small?! Wow … really a die hard fan huh?
That’s good. I wish I had discovered this much earlier than this.
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This place is new to me…definitely worth checking out 🙂
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Interesting… the pasembur sauce looks redder than the ones I usually eat…
(Oh man. The list of things I want to eat when I visit Ipoh is starting to get ridiculously long!)
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J2Kfm Reply:
June 22nd, 2010 at 7:47 pm
Haha, no worries. Break them into smaller targets. Or separate trips.
After all, KL’s just a mere two hours away …
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Will keep a lookout for this! You’re right, it doesn’t look like a shop that I would enter for food! LOL!
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J2Kfm Reply:
June 22nd, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Yeah true … this shop has always escaped my radar. And the name’s not too memorable either. Beauty Baru …. 🙂
But a pack of mee goreng is definitely worth the wait.
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Wah! Yummy looking leh……
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if i am not mistaken this was the good old one at the corner coffee shop many years back, those days when i was still a kid very famous, dad used to bring us there to “da bao” the mee goreng~~
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J2Kfm Reply:
June 22nd, 2010 at 7:50 pm
Oh ic … means this was not here since ages ago?
Let me clarify with my parents then ….
But still, this opened my eyes to good mee goreng in Ipoh.
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D-Tourist Reply:
June 23rd, 2010 at 10:03 pm
yeah.. if i am not mistaken… this mee goreng stall was located at the next door corner coffee shop (at the traffic light) which used to haf a rumah tumpangan cathay on top and bottom was the cathay coffee shop. This mee goreng stall used to be located at the back portion of the coffee shop. Very nice mee goreng… Hmmm the cathay coffee shop used to serve a superb oriental chicken chop (hainan style)…i wonder if anyone still remember the oriental chicken chop 😀
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D-Tourist Reply:
June 23rd, 2010 at 10:05 pm
hmm… all of the sudden i feel so antiquated for remembering these old memories 😛
J2Kfm Reply:
June 23rd, 2010 at 10:24 pm
Oh, that afternoon when I was there, there was also a stall selling various rice and noodle dishes. Not sure about Western food though.
How I miss Hainan style chicken chop ….
Right on !
This is da best !
Standard dropped badly past few years when the old man retired & the sons made a mess of it. Then old man came back & took charge last year & we get to enjoy it again.
Which is a reminder to go enjoy all those old establishments before they die off. ( Remember Kg Simee Spider fried kuay teow anyone ? )
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J2Kfm Reply:
June 22nd, 2010 at 9:16 pm
Spider Fried Kuey Teow?!!! I am lost on this one.
But this Cathay Mee Stall should be continued as long as he lives, and hopefully his offspring won’t make a mess of it in the near future.
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Wow. Now when in Ipoh, no more call Kayakok J but MiGoreng J!
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J2Kfm Reply:
June 23rd, 2010 at 7:28 pm
Haha …. why BRAND me?!!! 🙂
So have you been getting your kayakok’s lately?
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we did not eat mee goreng for a very long time already.. now u mentioned about it, we feel like craving for it now 😀
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I don’t think I’d want to share my mee goreng. Heck, I’ll eat two plates myself! =P
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J2Kfm Reply:
June 23rd, 2010 at 7:29 pm
TWO plates?!!! Haha … I usually won’t condone such acts of bravery, but you’re a pageant.
So go eat out without the guilt?!!!
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What a special name for a mamak stall. 😀 Cathay?
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That plate of mee goreng look so spicy~~ Btw, I like yellow noodle & how harmful is the lye water to our health ar? O.O
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J2Kfm Reply:
June 23rd, 2010 at 6:47 pm
Hi mimi, lye water is actually a type of alkaline-based chemical, also known as caustic soda or sodium hydroxide if I’m not mistaken.
Not sure about the harmful side effect, but there’s a reason chemicals are controlled especially in food products.
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nice mee goreng…yummy
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Haven’t tried the mee goreng there nor the pasembor recently. My personal preference of pasembor is from the Rojak Greentown (the hawker centre opposite UDA Ocean along Ashby Road – Jalan Hospital now). They were formerly from the field along Jalan Sultan Abdul Jalil in Greentown. Can tambah the brown sotong into your rojak!
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J2Kfm Reply:
June 23rd, 2010 at 6:59 pm
Yeah, there was this story about how when it comes to good Pasembur, it was either Padang Ipoh or Padang Greentown.
I have not tried this one opposite UDA Ocean, but I think this should warrant a visit.
I like marinated cuttlefish in my rojak too. Much like Penang’s Bangkok Lane’s mee goreng.
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Ipoh’s BEST Mee Goreng & Pasembur? Cathay Mee Stall @ Jalan Yang Kalsom…
My personal favourite Mee Goreng and Pasembur in Ipoh, Cathay Mee Stall serves a very delicious Indian mee goreng for many years now….
I’m sold by the first look at the mee goreng. Hardly you would see many mamak cook the noodles as whole and dry as that. I’m sure he had some Chinese CKT influences before. 😛
By the way, there are two types of yellow noodles available nowadays. I think the one you had would be the less lye water type which would cost almost twice the price of the normal ones. Most of them would buy the cheaper ones for business. That’s why you had the phobia of consuming yellow noodles. 🙂
Err… by the way… I have to rectify one “wrongly termed” vegetable here. It’s bangkuang/sengkuang/jicama/yam bean and not “turnip” as commonly used by some Malaysians here. You can check up jicama vs turnip in Wiki. Both are different type of vegetables. Sorry to point out ya. 🙂
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J2Kfm Reply:
June 23rd, 2010 at 11:42 pm
Oh thanks Criz. I have always got confused between jicama/yam bean and turnip. Thinking that those are one of the same. No need to be sorry …. 🙂
I have visited a few yellow noodles and kuey teow factories in the course of my work. Hence … I have seen more than that’s desired. Seriously.
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wow….really looks yummy…! love it
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[…] Cathay Mee Stall @ Jalan Yang Kalsom (NEW!!) – BEST Mee Goreng & Pasembur in Ipoh […]
Visited CMS after a 4-year hiatus. Sad to say, the mee goreng was nothing like I remembered it. What was worse was that I waited almost 45 minutes for it (from 5.15pm)! The mee goreng was way too salty and not quite moist enough. Good thing I also got the pasembur (excellent!) which helped to tone down the saltiness somewhat. A younger chap (the son?) was doing the frying while the elderly gentleman was chopping up ingredients. Sigh… seems like the son needs more training.
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my late father always wanted this mee mamak, when he had tea while dialysis. heheheh!! sedapp oooo!
cnnot find this satisfying mee mamak like this in my current place here in kedah huhuuhhu!!!!! miss ipohh!
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J2Kfm Reply:
November 24th, 2010 at 9:45 pm
Yeah, this one is my personal favourite too. Very very good.
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[…] with potatoes, bean sprouts and green chillies), and Indian rojak (for a clearer picture, read this post). I have tried this version of ‘fusion’ noodles at Teluk Intan (the Mastan Ghani […]
Reaaaaaly liked the Mee Goreng… authentic and delicious!
*I recommended this stall in my blog too 🙂 *
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J2Kfm Reply:
February 15th, 2012 at 11:35 pm
Yes, very good indeed. I daresay none comes close to this, so far. Not even the famous Ipoh Padang one.
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Hello to everybody who is busy talking abt mee goreng. Yes is true this cathay mee stall was at the corner shop was my grandfather was doing the business. His name is mohamed ibrahim bin mohd yusof. Nw my father ali jahir is taken over the business. Thank you vry much for all of u comments. Welcome to Cathay mee stall when ever u all down to Ipoh.
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