Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

For two weeks in a row this month, work takes us to the west of Perak. Last week, we were put up at Orient Star Resort (www) in Lumut for 3 days. Lumut is the pier town before one takes the ferry to the more glitzy Pangkor Island. Situated about 10 minutes away from Seri Manjung and Sitiawan, seeking for FOOD and FUN (in whatever way you wish to interpret this) has never been a hassle. (If you’re lost on what to eat, you can refer to my constantly-updated list of Perak Food Guide)

Orient Star @ Lumut – Gorgeous right? You can imagine wailing hours after hours waddling in the pool, underneath the scorching-ly delicious sun. Now if ONLY the trip was not solely for work.

A little resemblance to Eastern & Oriental Hotel on Penang Island? Shades of a pre-colonial residence preserved til this very day?

But of course, if you’ve been an ardent follower of this blog (Hehe, I am so over myself here ….but allow me to, for I’ll tell you why at the end of the post!) you would have known that Motormouth does not go outstation without at least slipping out for a meal or two. And it’s no difference for this short exodus to Lumut. Albeit, for a very short seafood dinner and a movie (Predators, in case you’re curious) in Sitiawan ….

“We be crabbin’ while you be crappin’ yo !!!”

Since we got about a few hours on our hands (before the semi-finals clash between Germany and Spain much later that night), we ventured out from our hotel and proceeded to Sitiawan.

In case you’re wondering where in the blue world is this ‘ulu‘ place named Sitiawan, you’re in for a shock. Or at least I’ll jolt you out from your shell. Really.

Sitiawan is another fantastic spot for food-hunting, and recently (last year or so), a Big C cineplex was built to cater to the movie fanatics down south west of Ipoh. After all, all this while only Ipoh has two cinemas, one being TGV in Jusco Kinta City, while another is the lesser populated GSC at Ipoh Parade. Hence Perakians had to travel all the way from Taiping, Teluk Intan and Sitiawan to Ipoh for a movie.

Not to indicate that that’s a bad idea, given the potentially a glutton’s wet dreams come true once stepping foot on Ipoh’s soils ……

Sar Jui Yue (Garfish) – Fried until unbelievably crispy. You can pop the whole fish into your mouth! But don’t sue me if you get choked. I usually take out the bigger bones myself 🙂

Anyway, to cut a long story short, a ticket to the screening of Predators cost us RM10 each. Not a small sum, yet the same would have set us back for about RM12+ at TGV here in Ipoh.

We had more than an hour on our hands. Okay, where to for FOOD this time?

If you’re ever stuck in Sitiawan, don’t count yourself unlucky or curse with all the flowery languages known to mankind. (#$%&*#$#*!!).

Instead, take a deep breath, and with a clear mind ….. choose between having Seafood, Foo Chow cuisine (Sitiawan’s highly populated with the Foo Chow clan), Street Food, Steakhouse/Bistro/Cafe or even Halal Malay food (though this I have to ask for assistance).

Lovingly Yours, the Hypermegaly Scallops died for a Good Cause. Steamed to Perfection.

Seeking for a change from the usual SEAFOOD feasts (read my last post on Villa Seafood, and then Ah Pek Lee Kou Hock not long after) in Kampung  Cina in Sitiawan, we wanted to taste again the salted egg chicken and other Foo Chow fares from Happy Restaurant in Kampung Koh.

But shock and horror, they have CLOSED down!!!! Or rather, they have moved to the main road somewhere near to Nan Hwa Chinese school, before reaching Kampung Koh, as told by a friend of mine.

Geez, I blame you for not informing me prior to this. You know who you are. >_<

And why chicken in a Seafood restaurant? The KYT factor, that’s why. 🙂 But we ain’t complaining though, can’t be risking all the calories a week after the Tanjung Tualang’s prawn fest.

And so, we veered off the righteous path and ended up at Ah Pek Lee Kou Hock restaurant again. Since it was a weekday, and we were early (they open at 6pm, and we were there 5 minutes before), we were the second batch of customers.

This time, we had the Steamed Flower Crabs (RM6/USD1.80 each ONLY). Wait, why not mud crabs, Sri Lankan giant crabs, snow crabs, Alaskan king crabs, or even the invisible crabs (sorry, can’t help), but FLOWER crabs?!!!

For those not sure what a flower crab is, read this article. They’re rather cheap and easily available in supermarkets, with not much meat let alone roes. So we seldom settle for these in restaurants.

But … and that should be a BUT, at Ah Pek’s, the steamed flower crab is one of their most famous dish. And you can see the fresh ones swimming (or rather, climbing on top of one another) at the many tanks outside of the restaurant. So everything’s FRESH and killed on the spot.

Or Chien – Crispy egg omelettes. Perfect to go along with the Kampung Koh chili sauce.

Oh, and to be steamed with NO sauce, NO condiments, NO frills nor thrills. Steamed just like it is. You can easily down a few crabs to yourself, for they’re smaller than the usual mud crabs. But still the pale yellow roes stuck in between the carapace was heavenly. Bitterish with a slight briny tinge, you have to momentarily forget about cholesterol level and such. Okay, remember to pop a statin thereafter, if you’re having paranoia.

The other dishes were flawless, except maybe for the chicken. Unlike the usually darker in colour and more savoury than sweet 3 Cups Chicken in regular restaurants, Ah Pek’s version is a dead giveaway to its origin in Sitiawan; a slightly tangy and sweet flavour that correlates well with the Foo Chow style of cooking.

And then Motormouth met Motormouth in an unfamiliar territory. 🙂

For the full address, map and contact numbers, please refer to my previous post on Ah Pek Lee Kou Hock Restaurant.

For details about Orient Star Resort @ Lumut, please jump over to their website : http://www.orientstar.com.my/

Taken at the beach front directly behind our resort – And we were freaked out when Mr Z appeared out of nowhere from the rubble …. NOT!!!

And why oh why, did I mention about quivering in anticipation (or lack thereof) of this week’s excursion? Much like a horror movie in constant replay mode, history is bound to repeat itself – culminating in a 3 days 2 nights bootcamp like torture over at Changkat Lada. (For a sneak, you can see how we survived back in 2008)

WHERE in the WORLD you ask?!! Any potential FOOD HUNT ? Sorry folks, this time … even the Motormouth strips off his white brief and wave it frantically in the air !!!