Ipoh Chinese Food – Mun Ji Restaurant @ Taman Rasi Jaya, Menglembu
February 2, 2010 | 12,424 viewsA reader recently lamented about the lack of Ipoh food reviews, in spite of the more than obvious name of my blog. If you’re still scratching your head, please …. scroll to the top of the page, okay? And if you’re diligent enough, or cared enough to read what the others wrote (brickbats thrown straight at Motormouth’s face etc etc …) then you would have no problem locating that particular comment. But of course, the recent spate of Krabi-Phuket posts, almost immediately after the Bali saga might have gotten to one’s nerves, for reading a Malaysian Food Blog yapping about Babi Guling and Krabi street foods sounds somewhat out of place.
Somewhat, okay? For this blog is STILL my personal journal of sorts, hence the rather detailed travelogues.
I don’t wanna be pinching myself in my golden years, desperately trying to recollect those memories of my glitzy/glamorous days of excessive travelling, and food-hunting.
But of course, I’m a pleaser. At least, that’s what I’d like to think. Hehe, okay okay …. I saw someone puking back there. What?! Can’t I have MY moment for once?! Huh ……
Here’s a fuss-free, satisfying, yet won’t break a hole in your pocket type of eatery, situated in Taman Rasi of Menglembu, the town famous for groundnuts in Ipoh.
From a very reliable source (she stays very, VERY near to this restaurant), Mun Ji Restaurant (pronounced as Mun KEE in Cantonese) is gaining grounds as one of the more prominent ‘Chu Char’ restaurant in Menglembu. Packed on most nights, and sometimes one even have to stand around and wait for a vacant seat. Deja vu? Read THIS post and you’ll know why.
As they say, the larger the crowd, the better the food. ALMOST always true, sans some exceptions. Over-rated dim sum outlets come to mind, naturally. 🙂
At Mun Ji Restaurant, you require NO menu. For they do not even have one in the first place. Since the cook (a young chap who’s whipping up a storm at the open kitchen, literally) whips up whatever he fancies, and updates his repertoire of dishes from time to time, you’ll feel at ease listening to their recommendations instead.
The Curry Fish Head is one of the perennial favourites, judging from the frequency of orders from adjacent tables, and a personal preference of Psychic Queen herself. Rich, luscious and brimming with ingredients, the claypot of goodness went for only RM16 per serving for four. Laden with ladies fingers (okra, to some), brinjals (aubergine) and taufu pok (beancurd), the fish was thankfully fresh and fleshy. Not as impressive as the other maestro of Curry Fish Head, Up & Up Restaurant on Jalan Yang Kalsom, but Mun Ji’s version was richer, with more santan (coconut milk) and lacking in heat.
The Herbal Steamed Chicken with Wine (RM16) and Sweet & Sour Pork (RM10) were fabulous, and spot-on. The former arrived in a pleasant platter of yellowish-tinged free range chicken (kampung chicken, to you and me), with a rather potent nuance of Chinese wine, and various herbs for flavours, and extra nutritional values. The chicken was tender to the bite, yet possessed a much-revered bite – Chewy, springy, and firm. Heavenly, although mixing the gravy AND the curry from the claypot fish head curry resulted in a most complicated taste on the palate.
The Sweet and Sour Pork was delicious. I admit, I am a Gu Lou Yoke fan since my toddler days. Probably one of my longest-standing favourite. The other being Sambal Petai, of course. 🙂
Crunchy on the exterior, with tender, marinated lean pork cuts on the inside, the tangy tomato-chili sauce duet was not overwhelming yet complemented the fried pork very well. One of the better ones in Ipoh, no doubt.
Surprisingly, much heat came from the greens, being young French beans stir-fried with Sambal Belacan and dried shrimps. Nothing much to complain about this dish, for they sure cooked their greens very well. If you’re not fond of spicy dishes, ask for less FIRE instead.
The restaurant situated at the corner of the row, and they did not even bother to light their signboard up.
Address
Mun Ji Restaurant
1, Laluan Rasi Jaya 2,
Taman Rasi Jaya,
31450 Menglembu,
Perak, Malaysia.
Opens from about 5pm+ until 10pm+ daily.
Day off not sure.
Here’s a rough Google Map to the restaurant. I was not sure of the exact location, sorry.
But if you’re going from Ipoh towards Lumut using the Lumut highway, you’ll pass by Gunung Kledang on your RIGHT while on the way down south. Taman Rasi Jaya is the residential area on your RIGHT, before reaching the crossroad traffic lights, when turning left would lead you to Jalan Kledang, towards Menglembu town direction.
Mun Ji Restaurant @ Menglembu, Ipoh, Perak | Motormouth From Ipoh – A Malaysian Food Blog…
Cheap and Delicious Chinese food in Menglembu of Ipoh, Perak. Curry Fish Head, Herbal Wine Steamed Chicken and Sweet and Sour Pork….
The only thing that caught my eyes here are the sweet and sour pork. :p
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wa, y so ‘foh’?? haha.. haiyo.. u cant please the whole world.. this is ur blog afterall… so, dun bother much wat ppl commented. Juz be yourself… cheer up ya motormouth and keep the good work… 🙂
yea, cheap + nice food here… Thanks to ‘SHE’ for the recommendation.. 😉
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J2Kfm Reply:
February 3rd, 2010 at 9:08 am
Wei, not foh lah … Hahaha, it was all done in a most tongue-in-cheek manner okay? 🙂
Least someone cared enough to drop recommendations ma.
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menglembu lots of nice anc cheap food ya…i am drooling seeing the gu lou yok….i cant forget the one my grandma made those days…still the best!!!!
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Apparently I heard that Up & Up Restaurant have closed down. Is it true?
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J2Kfm Reply:
February 3rd, 2010 at 9:10 am
Really? I went there in Nov/Dec of 2009, and they were still up and running.
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Why they bother to light up their sign board when they already has so many regular customers who recognize their tasty food right 🙂
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J2Kfm Reply:
February 3rd, 2010 at 4:33 pm
Haha, somewhat true lah ….. No need for neon signboard already. Since people know the shop by heart, I assume.
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heh, i dun think we need to wait for our senile years. these days, i can barely remember what i had for dinner last week. so yeah, keep those non-ipoh posts coming (especially the malacca ones, heh!) 😀
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those dishes looks good-Ah Wah in Menglembu is also famous.
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J2Kfm Reply:
February 3rd, 2010 at 4:30 pm
Yeah, I think you meant Wah Chai in Menglembu town? That was very popular back then, but somehow the quality dwindled over the years.
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but but but…i like to read your travelogues wo.
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J2Kfm Reply:
February 3rd, 2010 at 4:32 pm
Thanks. sob sob … veli touched. 😉
Ditto with your ever useful Taiwan/HK posts.
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hmmm… we have something in common after all… gu lou yoke 🙂
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Wow! The gu lou yuk looks so delicious!
I like to read your travelogues too! Maybe you should have another blog mainly on travel? : )
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J2Kfm Reply:
February 8th, 2010 at 8:15 am
Hi foong ….. erm, that’s rather HARD. To maintain two blogs at one time, I don’t think so. Or maybe I’m just lazy. 😉
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You should try their “Heong Pun Guat” as in Champagne Spare-ribs.
It’s nice also !
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J2Kfm Reply:
February 8th, 2010 at 8:15 am
Thanks Satosan. Will be sure to do so if I’m there again. Heard from the friend that they cook some mean Tofu as well …
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Ah love ku lou yuk! And the sign board looks modern! A contrast to the outlook of the shop, actually. 😛
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J2Kfm Reply:
February 8th, 2010 at 8:14 am
Hehe, witch … I edited the signboard ok? 🙂
That was not lighted up, hence the name was not obvious.
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the skin of the chicken so yellowish!!!
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[…] Mun Ji Restaurant @ Menglembu – Great Sweet & Sour Pork, damn crowded every night !!! (NEW!) […]
Yesterday, after reading your post, I suggest the family to give “Mun Ji Restaurant” a try. Reached there about 7pm, the shop was packed with no vacant table & some were halting at ppl’s table where their food was being served. My brother went forward to the lady at the counter to ask for a table in waiting, to our surprise, she answered bluntly: “No-ah” (in cantonese). As a result, we give-up the idea & walk out from the shop. I think, her business is so good until she does not mind chasing out her new customers…..
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J2Kfm Reply:
August 16th, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Hi jojolulu,
That’s rather unfortunate of you being disappointed in such a manner. She should not have done so, no matter how busy the place really was.
Yes, the restaurant’s REALLY packed on the weekends, and even weekdays. Thanks for sharing your experience here.
Anyone else with similar negative experience at Mun Ji, or anywhere at all?
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Be there at 6 , when they just start their business and before the crowd, u will sure get a table, if u are late, then will have to either wait for table or wait up to 40min for food…
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J2Kfm Reply:
May 13th, 2011 at 11:31 pm
Yeah, we were there very late, so we did not have to wait. The crowd is maddening at times.
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[…] and sour pork paled in comparison to some of the better ones in Ipoh (eg: Sun Marpoh, Wong Koh Kee, Mun Ji). The claypot beancurd shone where the others faltered, flavourful and homely with a delectable […]
This place sucks to the max!!!
Waited for more than one hour, total one hour and fifteen minutes before food arrived. Few tables whom arrived later than us already start eating yet our food haven’t arrive
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Y’all reckon Fox’ll give Roseanne a show, now, or is she barred from syndication for life?
It depends on the contract with ABC. She can get a show with another network if there are no hangups.
Even Netflix if they will take it. Doesn’t matter;
she’s still making tons in syndication from the original show.
It depends on the contract with ABC. She can get a show with another network if there are
no hangups. Even Netflix if they will take it.
Doesn’t matter; she’s still making tons in syndication from the original
show.
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