Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

Follow me on Instagram (@ipohmotormouth) for continuous updates
  • rss
  • Home
  • About
    • Terms & Conditions
  • Ipoh Food
  • Perak Food
  • KL/Selangor Food
  • Penang Food
  • Travelogue
  • Featured
  • Links
    • Malaysian Food Blogs
    • Inspirational Food Blogs
    • Random Blogs
  • Contact Me

Kampai Japanese Restaurant – A Toast to A Pioneer

August 11, 2011 | 11,774 views
Tweet

Assorted Sushi

#1 – Sushi as part of the SET. Kampai offers various lunch and dinner sets, at extremely affordable prices. And they do not skimp on the portions either.

“THANK YOU.”

This blog hits another milestone today. 3 million hits, and counting. Thank you dear readers, for staying sane and still having faith in this motormouth of a glutton-cum-writer. Time flies indeed, and soon enough Motormouth From Ipoh will hit its 4th year on the web.

I feel old. And the recent amnesiac attacks came in a slurry of unfortunate incidents; from leaving my diary in another meeting room, to paying at parking machines and completely forgetting to retrieve the paid ticket. Lucky me, good Samaritans all around with angelic halos hovering above their heads ….. I was saved from the hassle,shame and ultimately, penalty ($$) of having to pay for the lost ticket.

Here’s a very simple yet heartwarming piece on Kampai; one of the pioneers of Japanese cuisine in Ipoh.

Japanese Seaweed Salad

#2 – A deadly combination that’s both addictive, healthy (?) and perfect for sharing. Oh, and to get the young ones to eat their greens? Japanese seaweed salad, or chuka wakame. (RM12.95/USD4.30)

And doesn’t this just make you wonder why this is the FIRST time I am writing about Kampai? When they have been in business for close to two decades now?

Beats me. I have more than a few folders full of pictures taken at Kampai. From shots taken with my handphone (the ever trusty Nokia 5610 back in 2008) to a few folders containing pictures from my Panasonic Lumix LX3 era. And now, the last visit in July with pictures taken by my current camera.

Somehow, procrastination is the biggest of all evil.

And the deluge of Japanese restaurants in Ipoh (lazy to name, just read through this list) got me all wide-eyed, jumpy, excited and had me completely forgotten about my roots.

Gyoza

#3 – Gyoza, or pan fried dumplings. Kampai does NOT serve pork by the way, but they do serve alcoholic drinks.

My parents and the owners of Kampai have known each other for more than 20 years. Maybe 30, but I was not born then so I would not have known. But as far as my memories allow me to reminiscence, we have been family friends prior to my primary school days.

Before this concept of a marriage between Japanese+Western cuisine restaurant was incepted. And definitely way before my palate was inducted into the Japanese food extravaganza.

My first experience however, was at this Japanese restaurant at Lot 10 in KL, situated on the 2nd or 3rd floor. But no longer there, and I would appreciate if someone can come back to me with the name ….

Crunchy Maki

#4 – And no, not another food blogger’s privilege, but more of a “friend-friend” situation …. when we always get freebies, ice-cream at the end of the meal and additional 10% discount. 🙂

And so, before there was even Moritomo, let alone Kizuna etc, there was only Kampai. And another Japanese restaurant on Jalan Kampar at Fairmont Hotel. There was also this Bushi Japanese BBQ restaurant in Ipoh Garden, facing Hospital Fatimah.

Needless to say, all of those mentioned (aside from Kizuna’s era of modern Japanese restaurants) have been etched in the hall of fame ….. or shame. None still operates up until today, but Kampai still stand strong albeit stiff competition from the younger generations of fusion Japanese cuisine, sushi outlets, etc.

Thick Cuts of Sashimi

#5 – Slices of sashimi also part of the same SET. (RM48/USD16 that’s enough for two)

If you’re wondering about authenticity and the freshest of imported ingredients, then you might be in for a disappointment. Not that we cared back then …. when Japanese restaurants were not a dime a dozen, and dining in authentic Japanese restaurants in KL would have cost a bomb back then!

Furthermore, when I was still in my schooling days, I did not give a damn whether my maguro (tuna) came fresh from the sea or from the canned variety. Nor my tempura to be eaten only with tentsuyu sauce with lots of radish, or did it go well with mayo/chili sauce.

Only when the onslaught of Japanese restaurants arrived in Malaysia, paired with the immense marketing (brainwashing?) effort by Sushi King, Genki Sushi and Sakae Sushi, that we were exposed to what’s raw, what’s hot, what’s local and what’s not in Japanese cuisine.

Seafood Teppanyaki

#6 – Dad’s favourite; Seafood Teppan Yaki (RM28.95/USD10) came loaded with every seafood imaginable, including scallops, oysters, soft shell crabs and prawns.

As time goes by, when this discerning tastebud started to pick up on the finer flavours and the mind started to lean towards the ‘authenticity’ of fresh, imported ingredients, that my visits to Kampai were lessened. But still, the current batch of Japanese outlets in Ipoh have much to catch up with before staking claims on the prized throne of being crowned the top Japanese restaurant in Malaysia.

Soft Shell Crabs

#7 – Batter-coated Soft Shell Crabs (RM23.95/USD8) – Served with an interesting tangy plum-based dipping sauce.

Lo and behold, we still appreciate the sentimental values of eating at the same old spot time and again. Especially during my secondary school-university days, when paying more than RM15 for a lunch set sounded ridiculous. And Kampai came in with hands down; the BEST offers the others could not match.

Set lunches at around RM10 each; in sizeable portions and more varieties than even Sushi King. And thus, we found ourselves going back again and again … for they serve the BEST tempura in Ipoh (still do, in my opinion), and still had no air about them.

No such distinctively ‘atas’ (high class, exquisite, premium) aura that makes you squirm in your seat. At Kampai, you can be in your short pants and sandals, chat loudly in your most obnoxious manner (but please don’t), and feels right at home.

Tempura Mania

#8 – Tempura, Tempura & More Tempura. Funny this 4 shots were taken at 4 successive visits. Mum’s favourite, and mine too.

No, Kampai does not hire a Japanese chef for show or bump up that ‘authentic’ ambience.

No, they STILL do not have a proper menu with beautifully designed layout.

And No, they have not increased their price much since a decade ago. Yup, lunch sets hovering around RM15 still, and no skimpy, pretentious bento sets.

Kampai Restaurant

Kampai. Cheers to the two decades of Resilience. Here’s to many more to come!

To me, Kampai is still my favourite Japanese-Chinese restaurant. If there ever was this category. But if you’re a local in Ipoh, you must have heard of this place or eaten here before. Share your memories (good or bad, doesn’t matter …) with all please.

Awkwardly, I sense a rush of filial piety in me as I put my thoughts into words for this review. Much akin to closing a chapter of my life. Phew.

“With that, I would like to thank each and everyone of you, especially those who have endured my endless ramblings since day one.”

KAMPAI JAPANESE RESTAURANT (pork-free)
5-7, Jalan Lim Bo Seng,
30300 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
Tel No : 605-242 3688, 242 5388

Business hours : 12.30pm – 4.00pm (lunch sets available), 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Google Map to Kampai
GPS Coordinates : 4.600381,101.084409

Blog Widget by LinkWithin
Share
Categories
Ipoh Food, Motormouthing
Tags
Bento, Ipoh, Ipoh Food, Japanese Food, Kampai Japanese Restaurant, Motormouthing, Sashimi, Seafood Teppanyaki, Soft Shell Crab, Sushi, Tempura
Comments rss
Comments rss
Trackback
Trackback

« Yook Woo Hin @ Petaling Street. 1928 – 2011? HK Eats – Sing Heung Yuen @ Central; The “Dai Pai Dong” Culture Reigns Supreme! »

18 Responses to “Kampai Japanese Restaurant – A Toast to A Pioneer”

  1. iamthewitch says:
    August 11, 2011 at 10:44 am

    Gosh this restaurant has been around THAT long? I have never even heard of it :O The food looks good and unpretentious.. plus I love that they survived the test of time. Must visit when I balik kampung one of these days!

    [Reply]

  2. jason says:
    August 11, 2011 at 11:30 am

    Happy 3Million Milestone! 😉

    Yeah, it’s been donkey years since my last visit there… used to be working really nearby there last time.

    [Reply]

    J2Kfm Reply:
    August 11th, 2011 at 8:39 pm

    Yeahloh, we only have family dinners there when we run out of ideas on what to eat around our house.

    [Reply]

  3. eiling says:
    August 11, 2011 at 11:58 am

    finally a decent Japanese restaurant in Ipoh! Can’t wait to go back to Ipoh!

    [Reply]

    J2Kfm Reply:
    August 11th, 2011 at 8:39 pm

    Hehe … this was a Jurassic in its own right. And what a tenacious run too .. for a good 2 decades.

    [Reply]

  4. Sean says:
    August 11, 2011 at 2:38 pm

    3 million!!! i wish we had a ringgit for every hit, right. or even 10 sen also can. ok, or even 1 sen 😀

    [Reply]

    J2Kfm Reply:
    August 11th, 2011 at 8:38 pm

    Dream on? Sometimes it’s in the joy of sharing I’d say. When the readers reciprocate by giving feedback, throwing brickbats and showing gratitude.

    [Reply]

  5. A Damn Fat Monkey in Sarawak says:
    August 11, 2011 at 7:13 pm

    Congrats on your recent milestone…worth the Kampai i’d day!

    [Reply]

    J2Kfm Reply:
    August 11th, 2011 at 8:37 pm

    Haha … why are you in Sarawak?! 🙂

    [Reply]

  6. A Lil' Fat Monkey says:
    August 11, 2011 at 7:17 pm

    Aiyah,,, forget to change my “name” earlier. LOL

    [Reply]

  7. Dt says:
    August 11, 2011 at 7:58 pm

    Like their thick cut salmon sashimi and the wakame salad best…

    [Reply]

    J2Kfm Reply:
    August 11th, 2011 at 8:39 pm

    Yup, the salmon sashimi still goes for only Rm3.50 per piece.

    [Reply]

  8. Charles T says:
    August 12, 2011 at 12:39 am

    Congrats on your 3 Million hits! 🙂

    [Reply]

  9. jahomebaked says:
    August 12, 2011 at 2:02 pm

    Everytime if we crave for Japanese food, this is the place we always go to.:) Good that they still maintain the food standard all these years though I can’t say much about their decos and environment inside:P

    [Reply]

    J2Kfm Reply:
    August 12th, 2011 at 3:31 pm

    Haha …. not too shabby lah. Felt much at home though, and maybe the fact that we have been visiting since the 90’s, and we used to hold schoolmates gatherings there back in the late 90’s, early 2000’s.

    [Reply]

  10. Ultimate Ipoh Food List by J2Kfm | Motormouth From Ipoh - Malaysian Food & Travel Blog says:
    September 1, 2011 at 11:04 pm

    […] Kampai Japanese Restaurant @ Ipoh – A Pioneer of Japanese Cuisine | Motormouth From Ipoh – Malaysian… says: August 10, 2011 at 11:32 pm […]

  11. Paris Kan says:
    November 30, 2011 at 7:57 pm

    Kampai is very near from my house.love the seaweed salad and seafood teppan!!

    [Reply]

  12. Pritpal Singh Paul says:
    July 1, 2015 at 10:35 am

    I am writing to enquire if your establishment would be interested to manage a Japanese Restaurant in Seremban ( specifically in Sendayan ). Currently we operate a Clubhouse and are a Public Listed company under the name of Matrix Concepts. You may wish to check out our club via the web. Please key in D Tempat Clubhouse Sendayan. Please do call me if you have any interest. My hp no is 012-3616217. Tq Paul

    [Reply]

Leave a Reply

Click here to cancel reply.

Click to cancel reply
Load More...
Follow me on Instagram

Why not start from here?

Motormouth's Ultimate List of Ipoh Food Motormouth EATS in the Klang Valley!!! Travel Stories from All Over the World Motormouth's eating up Perak!

Recent Stories

  • Hungry? Head your way to Merindy Restaurant in Kampung Simee
  • Not a Houdini’s Act, but almost … in this blanket of haze
  • Keep calm and take a break: Three cafes to do just that in Ipoh
  • Guangdong cuisine at its best from this unassuming Hong Kong eatery
  • Have An “Oddies” Saturday!
  • The Coffee Academics @ Wan Chai, Hong Kong
  • Grab a quiet breakfast of curry mee and yong tau foo at Foo Kwai, Bercham
  • Motormouth’s Life in Hong Kong
  • Heart still beating, but the energy fizzled out …
  • Beach Road Scissor-Cut Curry Rice – More than a Mess

Archives

Discover All About Ipoh on Facebook

All About Ipoh on Facebook

Most Viewed Posts

  • Ultimate Ipoh Food List by J2Kfm - 1,495,984 views
  • KL/Selangor Food - 246,206 views
  • Best of 2012 – Motormouth’s Top 12 Ipoh Food Finds - 168,621 views
  • Perak Food - 118,326 views
  • Ipoh Famous Yong Tau Foo @ Pasir Pinji Big Tree Foot (Dai Shu Geok) - 112,064 views
  • Bentong @ Pahang – Small Town, Big Heart, Even Bigger Appetite! - 110,273 views
  • Penang Food - 107,698 views
  • A Closing Chapter in Life @ Felda Residence Hot Springs, Sungai Klah - 107,074 views
  • Medan Muara Ikan Bakar @ Tanjung Harapan, Port Klang - 98,886 views
  • Sitiawan Food For Dummies – Half A Day’s Worth of Food Hunt - 89,995 views
  • Ready for A Culinary Safari in Taiping? - 88,972 views
  • Teluk Intan in A Whirlwind – Of Street Food, Leaning Tower & BIG Cinemas - 85,689 views
  • Motormouth’s Travel Ideas – Eating Up Sitiawan! - 83,251 views
  • Village Park @ Damansara Uptown – Is This The BEST Nasi Lemak in Klang Valley? - 72,822 views
  • It’s Perfectly Alright for Girls to “Burp” & Guys to “Giggle” … - 71,714 views
  • Bukit Tinggi – Eat. Shoot. Breathe. Bliss. - 68,344 views
  • Perak Food Guide by J2Kfm - 66,226 views
  • All About Ipoh’s Dim Sum Restaurants – 10 of the Best - 64,674 views
  • All About Ipoh’s Curry Noodles – 15 of the Best - 63,578 views
  • Sin Eng Heong’s Famous Kaya Puff, Ipoh - 63,091 views

Categories

Stats

Admin

  • Log in
  • Entries RSS
  • Comments RSS
  • WordPress.org
rss Comments rss