Jose & Deli Eatery @ French Hotel, Ipoh
December 22, 2012 | 15,945 views
JOSE & DELI - Josephine Cafe & Bistro’s latest venture of one all-day eatery + delicatessen in Ipoh
Ready for a fresh avalanche of Ipoh food reviews? Let’s kick the series off with Jose & Deli; a new all-day eatery-cum-delicatessen situated on the 1st floor of the refurbished landmark named French Hotel along Cockman Street, Ipoh.
I guess finally, our pleas have been heard and fulfilled. As here we have another eatery that opens all day, without a break in between from 7.30am until 11.00pm everyday. Perfect spot for the in-between-meals cravings and gatherings with family and friends.
Read on to find out more about this place.
This reunion of the All About Ipoh admins took place earlier today. Never short of new eating choices in Ipoh, we settled for brunch at Jose & Deli.
First up, if you have absolutely NO idea where French Hotel is, or wondering aloud whether this is some swanky/posh/new boutique hotel in Ipoh, you’re half right.
Situated next to the old Lido cinema in town, along the same road as The Store (previously known as Ocean Supermarket) and opposite of KFC/Pizza Hut in town, French Hotel has been a classic landmark of Ipoh since the 70′s.
I know, because I literally grew up with the hotel. My father used to work as a manager with the hotel throughout a large chunk of my childhood. And so, the neverending stories of Mun Thin’s caramel egg custards, First Coffee House lunch sets, KFC’s banana splits and French Hotel’s Peacock Cafe ensued …..
But enough of reminiscence. Let’s welcome this new cafe run by Jo Cheok; this affable lady founder of Jose & Deli; part of the Josephine Cafe & Bistro group, that started business for three weeks now.
Essentially an in-house dining option for the hotel guests; serving traditional breakfast sets since 7.30am everyday, the eatery is slowly gaining steam with walk-in customers thanks to the word-of-mouth and influence through social media.
The dim lights, dark-hued ambience, quirky ornaments (zebras aplenty!) and cool air-conditioned seating area make for a very pleasant dining environment. While the adjacent area lined with plush, cushioned seats, bright yellow-painted chairs and natural sunlight streaming from the large panel of glass windows that overlook the side alley is most suitable for casual bites with friends or plain lazing around with a good book in hand and a cup of Illy coffee in the other.
The breakfast menu is served from 7.30am until 11.30am everyday. So you can choose to either wake up early and bask in the minimally-filtered morning sun on the couch with a sandwich in hand, or come later for brunch.
Three Traditional Breakfast options were laid bare on a piece of yellow paper tied to a block of wood. Priced from RM15-RM20 (USD5-7) per set, you get a cup of tea or coffee along with your choice of breakfast. You can also choose to have scones, cakes or even their homemade biscuits from the retail section if you are not keen on having something too filling.
Traditional Breakfast 3 – Scrambled eggs, tender ham, baked beans, sausages, sauteed mushrooms, grilled carrot and fresh lettuce, homemade wholemeal toast and fresh potatoes sauteed with butter (RM20/USD7)
Traditional Breakfast 2 – Smoked Salmon with Olive Oil and Lettuce sandwiched between toasted wholemeal breads, scrambled eggs and baked beans (RM18/USD6)
Traditional Breakfast 1 – Ratatouille with Sunny Side Up Egg & Homemade Whole Meal Toast (RM15/USD5)
Naturally, since there were 3 of us, we sampled all three options. The portions were definitely sufficient for a moderately hungry diner, with Set #3 being the most power-packed one; deemed the BIG Breakfast at Jose & Deli. Personally, I enjoyed the smoked salmon and toasted wholemeal breads most.
Jose & Deli also serves lunch sets (three options as well) for around RM19/USD6 that includes a cup of green tea and desserts. For dinner, only ala carte selections are available, but that’s saying a LOT, since they have a well-planned menu with diverse range of appetizers, mains and liquor selection. (Note that the place is only pork-free, but NOT Halal)
Aside from fresh food served, you can also purchase various merchandises from Jose & Deli, including scented candles, colourful ornaments and cushions, alcohol by the bottle, dining wares, homemade cookies and condiments, and even clothes and potted plants!
And of course … in true Gangnam style, you can find many zebras around the vicinity. Needless to say, bring along your camera and have a blast camwhoring. 
Jose & Deli is a perfect example of a new establishment done right, located in a strategic spot in town that has yet to be crowded with similar ventures and easily accessible for both tourists and locals. Ample parking spaces can be found at the lot next to the old Lido cinema (now a pub, as the previous Lido restaurant has ceased operations), about 200 metres away.
The initial plan was to sample their lunch menu and other mains and desserts before the writeup. But then again …. I don’t have the luxury of time; staying back in Ipoh for another three days before going back to KL.
Oh … this looks familiar? Read the entire chapter HERE. Fancy finding own post printed as a guide for the guests of French Hotel. Hmm, maybe I should consider doing a published guide to eating in Ipoh someday, to benefit the tourists to Ipoh that have grown tired of the same old ‘nga choy gai’ and white coffee alternatives.
For those wondering whether French Hotel is worth considering, read the reviews from TripAdvisor, or jump to their website. With 48 newly-renovated rooms ranging from RM138/USD45 onwards, the hotel is within walkable distance to most popular eateries and attractions around Ipoh town.
JOSE & DELI EATERY (pork-free)
No. 60-62, Level 1, French Hotel
Jalan Dato Onn Jaafar
30300 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Tel No : +6016-457 4093, +605-241 3712, +605-547 3267
Business hours : 7.30am – 11.00pm daily.
GPS Coordinates : 4.59799,101.083396
Google Map to French Hotel
Looking at the decor, I can’t help but think. Did Burps and Giggles set off a new slew of all-day restaurants with quirky decor? Would certainly like to try here, bcos the big breakfast looks mighty fine.
[Reply]
J2Kfm Reply:
December 23rd, 2012 at 9:19 am
choons; can’t be a bad thing that one.
I certainly won’t mind more cafes that invest a little in the ambience, and standing out from the crowd of generic fusion cafes.
At least until this concept turns stale with multiple copiers.
Anyway, transforming older, pre-war lots into cafes, boutique hotels and other retail outlets IS a deed worth a pat on the back, hence B&G started that on a fine note.
[Reply]
Thanks for sharing this. I remember French Hotel as a dark and gloomy building last time. Used to walk past it on the way to the cinema after I got off the bus in front of KFC (next door to the hotel back in the 80′s). It’s nice to see the new French hotel. My father went back to Ipoh and stayed here once. He said the hotel is fabulous. Just 2 complaints and that’s the carpark and this part of town looks like kotaraya on weekend. Will definitely check out this swanky Jose & Deli Eatery when I go back to Ipoh.
[Reply]
J2Kfm Reply:
December 23rd, 2012 at 9:17 am
Yeah, half a lobby, half a cafe, and a portion of the hotel turned to parking lot for roughly 8 cars?
Those were the days. Parking can be a slight chore though, at the open space carpark next to ex-Lido.
But still, the rooms are apparently very satisfactory.
[Reply]
It is always a joy to see buildings in my hometown rejuvenated by people who clearly take pride in doing what they do. All the best to Jose & Deli! Ipoh may have been too late waking up to conservation for Unesco heritage status, but I just hope that DBI will finally wake up, be more efficient and provide the proper services and framework for this city to thrive again.
[Reply]
Allow me to share my atrocious experience at J&D here today. My party and I (4 of us) arrived at 10am and promptly ordered 3 breakfasts and a slice of cake. At that time there were only 2 other tables occupied, with one already eating. We thought it would be a matter of time before we would get to eat. Wrong. Despite having only 3 items on the menu, our meals arrived after SEVENTY-FIVE MINUTES of waiting and starving. What sort of HOPELESS establishment allows their customers to wait more than an hour for their meals! Even the cake slice took an hour to arrive, and that was because I reminded the waitress about it. The cake was already made and all they had to do was slice it, but the waitress said she was “very busy”. Busy with what? There were only 2 other tables around and all our orders were taken! The worst part is, after the meals finally arrived, there was no explanation given as to why our food took so long. It might be Christmas, and they might be short of staff, but they owe us at least an explanation. Whatever high hopes we had for the breakfast, however nice their restaurant setting is, nobody deserves to wait more than an hour in a near-empty establishment without proper explanation. This was my first and last time here. They ruined our Christmas.
[Reply]
@Richard —
Consider perhaps that there might be a genuine reason for the delay? Its really very difficult to envisage a new eatery somehow leaving their patrons wait 70 minutes for their order, after the attestation that there was only a couple of occupied tables? Being a chef, i really cannot wrap my head around this.
I tried to put myself there…and thought about the few options which was open for consideration ~ one of which was to holler out “Hey, its been 25 minutes/Hey, its been 30 minutes/Hey, its been 40 minutes”, and so on. Unless i am some kind of a goon, personally, i would not have left myself waiting that length of time for a meal, regardless. Either you are ‘kar yim kar choe’ or… nah, i’d say you were exaggerating just to shed bad light on the place, and got a favor for it in return. Who knows, a competitor even? Who knows… you could even moan simply for moaning’s sake.
(son of ipoh, now an expat somewhere far)
[Reply]
Richard Reply:
December 26th, 2012 at 10:16 am
CT, what you’re suggesting is insulting. If I didn’t make it explicitly clear in my first post, a few reminders were sent to the lone waiter/waitress. The standard replies were given. “Busy”, or “coming”. Then the cake decided to show up after an hour, and the meal after another 15 minutes. No apologies, no explanations, nothing. I don’t believe in losing my temper at staff especially during festivities, bcos I was once a waiter and had to deal with angry customers bcos the bloody chefs were slow. I did not make the times up. No salt no vinegar, do I have to send photos of my watch to prove my point? Stop speculating if you weren’t there yourself, you sound like a football pundit who got all his predictions wrong. I’m not a brilliant, award-winning chef like you (nor an expat, I’m so impressed by that btw), but my award-winning sausages and eggs take a grand total of 10 minutes to fix. Just for calling me a liar you should by all means go there on New Year’s day and I hope you wait even LONGER for the meal. I came here to share an experience. I wish it were good, but either way future patrons have to be warned about the downright comical waiting time. I do not want them to suffer as I did. So please go knock yourself out, expat.
[Reply]
CT Reply:
December 26th, 2012 at 1:03 pm
My, a touchy one. And spiteful too, might I add.
Let me reiterate please. This time, i’ll make it short: If you were made to wait SEVENTY FIVE MINUTES (ONE HOUR AND 15 MINUTES!!!!) for 2 mains and a slice of cake, and here’s the great part: the fact that you sat there, with patience like Job for the meals to arrive, then, why do you even bother to ‘share your experience’, makes one wonder. If i was ‘starving’, assessed that the place was not by any means hectically busy, and then had to wait even 25 minutes and still no sign of food, it wouldn’t take a genius to have a ‘light bulb moment’, and hop out of there to another place, festivity or not. I mean, let’s try and apply a bit of logic here, shall we, rather than reacting the way you did.
Sorry, but i did not accuse you of lying about the waiting time. What was implied is the fact that you chose to wait that length of time, so, why are you moaning here?
You presume, with a superfluous air of magnanimity, that this effort of ‘sharing your experience’ is indeed to wise up future patrons, but, in fact, i’d suggest that you have overlooked the probability that this incident was only a once-off.
Indeed, i could be wrong – the place could really be suffering from the worst possible case of ‘full stomach, selling buns’, that they couldn’t care less about service, that they wouldn’t give a damn about any aspect of right management and marketing of a newly established restaurant, and that they set up the business simply out of boredom (the negative possibilities are quite endless), but, in all seriousness, who in their right minds would invest such carefully detailed attention to decor and ambience, only to follow up with sloppy management? From the business point, it does not make sense.
If i was really, really a football pundit, i’d wager that this time you scored an ‘own goal’ and is now making feeble justifications just to make yourself feel a little better for the blunder.
The next time i go back to Ipoh, it might be a great idea to take up your suggestion to give the place a try ~ who knows, with some luck, they’d knock me out with some really nice food.
[Reply]
Richard Reply:
December 26th, 2012 at 3:39 pm
My God you certainly are thick! For someone who hasn’t even tried that place, and is still searching vapidly for reasons and justifications that something is indeed wrong with me. Are you Jose? Do you cook for that place? What took you so darned long yesterday? Do you get favours for defending a place you haven’t even gone to?
Everytime you make an assumption I feel like sending you a 1000-word, detailed account of the meal just to get you off my back bcos you love filling in the blanks. I have the good company of friends and conversation, not “sat there with patience (sic) like Job”. We wanted to try this new place bcos it looks special. And, believe it or not, some meals ARE indeed worth waiting for, and Motormouth’s reviews are to be trusted. Of course we gave this little place the benefit of the doubt. Oh, I didn’t have a light bulb moment? Help me, I lack intelligence!
I mean, let’s try to apply a bit of logic here, shall we, rather than pointing fingers and accusing people of less genius decisions. It’s been an hour, there’s been a few reminders, a few (false) reassurances, company’s good, the only place nearby open is KFC… unless I want a face full of fried chicken, isn’t it more logical to weather the storm rather than another bout of driving, parking, waiting at another place? The only difference being this restaurant really took the waiting to another ANOTHER level, hence the need to share it. Oh I’m not allowed to in a public forum? Says who, a chef who hasn’t even been there? And it’s not a one-off, either… the other non-eating table also waited for over an hour. False assumption #2. And even if it IS a one-off, should you dine there one day wouldn’t you like to have known this red flag?
“I did not accuse you of lying about the waiting time.” Uh, yes you did. Quote, “…i’d say you were exaggerating just to shed bad light on the place.” Exaggerating IS lying. Plus an accusation to boot! I’m butt-hurt, man. You sound like you’re a smart enough person, trying to keep yourself impartial and above the situation, but the fact is I tried that place, and am entitled to an opinion of it. You, for whatever reason, saw it fit to dispute everything I put forth, claiming it was one-off, that I am a dense person and therefore deserve it, bringing a football into a restaurant… what’s your angle, Jose? You’re talking from an empty can because you have NEVER EVEN SET FOOT THERE. That’s where my superfluous air of magnanimity COMES FROM.
Everyone is different. Had I gone to KFC instead I would never have tried the breakfast here. And it’s actually not bad, but defo not worth the waiting time. Notice I have never knocked the food. Alright, fair enough. Bygones be bygones. I hope you have a good meal there yourself, just be mindful of the waiting time. Happy new year.
[...] surprise. Almost 4 years later, we had a titillate to revisit Josephine. More so due to a Jose Deli‘s effect. That new all-day eatery housed in a refurbished French Hotel in [...]
Went there on a weekday night. Parked in the parking space just next to former Lido for RM3. The food were good, but it is also a fact that we waited for quite some time for the food and drinks. For the fruit juices, they took about 20 + minutes to serve us and another additional 40 + minutes for the food. We didn’t leave as we like the ambiance and were not in a rush.
[Reply]
Dear CT, screw you, I told you it wasn’t a one-off.
Dear mt, high five! Disgruntled (but patient) customers unite!
Dear Jose & Deli, screw you, thanks for taking the time to decorate such a nice-looking place and pairing it with the worst service in Ipoh. I really wanted to enjoy this place, I really did. I have nothing but bad words for this establishment.
[Reply]
Anonymous Reply:
February 11th, 2013 at 2:41 pm
With the size of the axe you’re lobbing around, cant help but think perhaps you are simply begging to be pitied.
Your middle-fingering my viewpoint says all there is to say about your mentality. Sad, and boring. Not you, but the mindset which you have around this issue.
December to Feb… more than a month has transpired, and you are still carrying this around. There is no need to suffer more than you already had.
No biggie, really, having a bad experience at an eatery. We all get it, the odd time. Do such experiences justify lengthy commentaries each and every time they happen? Not, in my opinion, unless there are other motivations and subversive traits attached.
[Reply]
Blatant ripoff of Five & Dime.
http://www.fiveanddime.com.sg/
[Reply]
Get over it. This is the place where I could get some peacefulness & good quality food.
[Reply]