Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

PERLIS – The smallest state in Malaysia

Borderless evergreen paddy fields providing an impressive backdrop for wedding photos …. (Eelektra : Take note. =P)

Paddy farms – The aftermath

From Ipoh to Perlis, the journey took us 4 whole hours. That may not be a lot for one who’s accustomed to long distance travelling, but I’ve abstained from long and winding journeys since before the fasting month. Needless to say, I was restless.

Malaysian’s favourite poisons … re-mixed aka “The Spice Crunch” version

Lunch was at the rest stop in Gurun, Kedah. The meagre fare at the stalls was not inviting, thus KFC’s our choice. The Ramadan special Spice Crunch Fried Chickens are nothing but Hot & Spicy, albeit with added chilli powder and spices. But sprinkled on top only. The salty/spicy combination may be detrimental to one’s throat, especially in such blistering hot weather. But we threw caution to the wind.

Sri Garden Hotel in Kangar, Perlis

We arrived in Kangar, which is Perlis’s capital. It was certainly an eye-opener, as I was expecting much more “kampung” (read : backwater) environment than this. Far from being a small town, but of course we’re not comparing Kangar to other state’s capitals.

Clean, simple and sufficient

We were put up at Sri Garden Hotel @ 96, Persiaran Jubli Emas, 01000 Kangar, Perlis. Yup, PUT UP, as it was not our choice. But the hotel is one of the larger ones in town, and stood out amongst others. At merely RM94.50 for a regular double room+breakfast, what more could we asked for? (And everyone’s staying solo, one to a room, to avoid bathroom fights)

Kangar – The state capital of Perlis

More paddy fields in rural areas of Perlis

Scenic stagnant ponds of water … fertile land for the grains to grow

Kedah’s always been well-known to be the “Rice Bowl” of Malaysia, being the main rice producer in the country. But Perlis has its fair share of contribution as well, with paddy plantations lining the outskirts of town.

The vast lands of greeneries, against the hills and mountains, and watching the locals farming under the hot sun, with buffaloes and storks (bangau) basking in tandem, instilled a sense of serenity, and a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of city life. Sheer bliss.

Chuping Sugar cane plantation

Perlis is also famous for producing sugar to the community, hence deemed guilty for the rapidly-increasing diabetes prevalence among Malaysians. LOL.

Nasi Lemak for breakfast …. courtesy of Sri Garden Hotel

Food-wise, we were appalled by the lacklustre fare on the first night. Absolutely horrendous experience at Kuala Perlis, that rendered me dumb-founded and couldn’t be bothered to whip out my trusty phone for a shot or two. Even the drinks at that stall (it’s the furthest stall at the Medan Selera at Kuala Perlis, if you’re coming from Kangar direction) were sweet nothings. Remember DO NOT abandon Food Hunt Rule 101 : Trust the power of the people. If there’s not much business at a stall compared to the brisk ones at others, DO NOT push your luck!

P/S : But the next night’s seafood dinner was a saving grace, a timely redemption.

Sungai Perlis

to be continued …. (Motormouth’s down, and out)

Modern and sleek architecture, expressed by the exterior of this skyliner

Esprit Outlet in Tsim Sha Tsui Read the rest of this entry »

SSTC – Spaghetti Sweet Tea Cafe @ Medan Ipoh Bistari, Ipoh

I’ve read about this particular cafe way back then, when they started business a year or two ago, at Greentown Nova. Subsequently they relocated to this current premise at the new row of shoplots near to Tesco in Medan Ipoh Bistari, Ipoh Garden East. But what’s keeping me so long from giving this restaurant a try? Hmm, let’s see … the lack of publicity and rave reviews from friends and acquaintances for one, and paired with the prospect of fine dining in a relatively-unknown restaurant was holding me back.

The clean and minimalist interior exudes a sense of warmth, and homely feeling

Out of ideas on where for lunch on a weekend, we found ourselves driving in circles around Jusco/Tesco. Bumped into this cafe, AGAIN (Serai Sate Kajang is situated a few doors away), hence shortlisted our options to either McD Drive-Thru, Kizuna (which is nearby as well), SSTC (Spaghetti Sweet Tea Cafe), or satay for lunch. And why not go Italian? 🙂

Pictures of the chef’s mentor, celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck from Las Vegas and Martin Yan of Yan Can Cook fame

The place was miserably empty on a Saturday’s afternoon. We had our doubts, but still trusted our instincts. And the screaming hunger pangs kinda let rationality bypass our brains.

The attentive and cheerful staff were perky and proceeded to serve us with such gusto, explaining the items on the menu and their specialities, as well as giving me a rundown of the restaurant’s history in one breath. OK, so I exaggerated, but she was really informative in more ways than one.

Seems the chef learnt from his mentor in Las Vegas, a celebrity chef by the name of Wolfgang Puck, supposedly a Michelin Guide‘s 3 Stars chef, the highest accolade one can achieve in the kitchen. I meant, recognition of his work in the kitchen. (=P) Gee, at least that was reaffirming.

Panini – Italian Sandwich (RM12)

The menu’s simple, separated into various categories, ranging from several categories of spaghetti (normal-160g (smaller serving), special-200g (regular serving), and signature ones), risotto, soups, salads and sandwiches, as well as desserts. No lasagne and pizzas, as she claimed those are “fast food”, and deviate from their principle of serving ONLY fresh food from the freshest of ingredients.

We picked the Panini as an appetizer, listed in the “Herbed” segment. Panini is a type of Italian sandwich, made from ciabatta bread, and toasted with fillings of ham, cheese and rocket leaves (Arugula). Served with sides of fresh lettuce drizzled with a tangy, citrusy lemon dressing, the sandwich fared well in our books, the soft bread lightly buttered and highlighted by the creamy, melted cheese and ham. Quite a portion, and sufficient for light eaters.

Turkey Ham Spaghetti with White Sauce (RM20)

But the best dish that afternoon went to their pasta. The spaghetti was supposedly from the best quality batches produced by Barilla, a world’s leading pasta manufacturer. And glad to say, SSTC cooked them to perfection, al dente, and did not skimp on the portion nor the ingredients. Though the turkey ham slices may be slightly saltish (expected from cured meat), the addition of fresh rocket leaves lent the pasta a refreshing, mint-y flavour, and off-set the creamy, “guilt-inducing” white sauce. Btw, you can opt for other sauces such as tomato paste, brown sauce, and Asian brown sauce (spicy).

Chicken Risotto in Brown Sauce (RM20)

With no pizzas or lasagnes in sight, I was torn between the risottos or the grilled meats. I was rather apprehensive when it comes to risotto, as Italiannie’s version was a letdown, too soggy and lacking in flavour and texture. But still, after the waitress reassured me that they had feedback from customers, stating that they did not wish for soft, squishy and soggy risottos. Hence, she proceeded to explain how good risottos should NOT be too soft or overcooked, and must retain the rice’s (usually Arborio) natural flavour and texture. SSTC import their grains from Milan, Italy, or so it seems.

And I was pleased to bite into the plump, rounded & short rice, each grain providing a slightly firmer bite and yet remained creamy enough to be differentiated from local produce. The accompanying chicken in brown sauce was nothing to shout about however. Should’ve gone for the seafood risotto in white sauce instead.

Tiramisu (RM15)

Desserts selection comprises of three items, the Chocolate Cream Cake, Rice Pudding or the perennial Italian favourite, Tiramisu. No Creme Brulee though, a French dessert of egg custard with caramelized sugar, one of my favourite sweet treats of all time. I love anything with eggs, mind you. LOL.

Tiramisu’s their signature, as in the case with most fine dining restaurants, especially Italian ones. The creamy, light and spongy Tiramisu at SSTC was rather delightful, but I’d prefer mine with the coffee syrup laden with heavier alcoholic tone, like Suchan‘s version. Or with a twist, with creamier mascarpone cheese and served in a cup.

Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, they serve Set Lunches @ RM17 from Wed-Fri.

Overall, a rather pleasant dining experience. And the friendly yet classy ambience was akin to fine dining, but not as strict as to impose dress code on its patrons. I was there in short pants and slippers. Hehe …. A disgrace, I know. But there’s always redemption in future visits.

Location : Spaghetti Sweet Tea Cafe @ 19A, Jalan Medan Ipoh 1E, Medan Ipoh Bistari, 31400 Ipoh, Malaysia. Tel : 05-5488832. Same row with Serai Sate Kajang, refer that post for directions.

Lemang – A traditional Malay food made from glutinous rice and coconut milk cooked in bamboo, with a pinch of salt for taste

Skewers of chicken satay – Who can say NO?

It has been embed in our office’s unwritten, unsanctioned tradition to hold Jamuan Raya every year without fail, celebrating the event after all the Muslim staff are back to work. That explained why this year’s feast arrived rather late, TWO weeks late, to be exact. But all’s well, for us non-Muslims, as not only did we benefit from the free meals, it was a bonding period among the colleagues, proving once and for all, Food DOES bridge the Gap between people. Muhibbah spirit at its peak …?

Rendang Chicken, Plates of Laksa before getting “wet”, and Lontong

Unlimited food. Bottomless beverages. Or rather, cordial orange juice. But no laments there, as the food was sufficient to feed a village or two. We indulged for an hour plus, completely losing ourselves in the delightful spread, yapping away and saliva-a-spewing.

Laksa – A tad diluted for my liking … and the toned-down spiciness marred the slurping experience a notch

Chocolate muffins lined and stacked, a creative alternative to a cake?

(The icing on the muffins spelled Jasamu Di Kenang – Roughly translated to “Your Deeds and Services Will Be Remembered”)

Sweet treats to end the feast ……

Sorry for the shorter than usual rants and garbages. But a less tormenting read for some, nevertheless. You know who you are …. =P

SELAMAT HARI RAYA to Each and Everyone of You !!!

FINALLY it rained. Heavily after sooooooo many days ….

A wet, gloomy and cloudy Friday morning. The rainfall was relished with utmost gratitude, washing away our phobia for scorching hot days, and extreme humidity levels. (Somehow, the heavens above must have emphatized with us, as the subsequent week saw heavy rain and typhoon in Hong Kong, a definite letdown for travelling on foot).

Breakfast at REALLY GOOD NOODLES & CONGEE (don’t laugh, that IS their real name)

All 3 of them were armed with umbrellas. Silly me brought along 3 disposable raincoats. But to imagine wearing/stripping the coats everytime entering/exiting any premise. Slapping my forehead in disbelief, I unabashedly shared shelters. =P

Read the rest of this entry »

The “chipped” signboard notwithstanding, Ayam Goreng Poh Lee (or Poh Lee Fried Chicken) has been around since I was a kid in the ‘hood …

Since I’m on a roll here, ranting bout Ipoh food (some still stashed in the backlog for what seemed like eternity), let’s not halt the momentum and share ANOTHER one of the food I’ve not had for ages. Poh Lee Fried Chicken in Pasir Pinji, Ipoh.

Nope, not the original ‘chef’ doing the deep-frying

These few years, whenever there was any family-relatives gathering/birthday fiesta, Mum would booked a whole lotsa fried chickens from Poh Lee, the headquarter, not this shop. Mum’s a close friend to the lady boss, or rather, old neighbourhood acquitances would fit the bill perfectly. Therefore she’s bound to either get discounts for purchases in bulk volume, OR we’d be rewarded with extra ‘gifts’ as a token of gratitude. However, the headquarter (in Pasir Pinji/Pasir Putih border as well) does NOT sell them by “retail” therefore visiting their shop on Jln Pasir Pinji may be a brighter idea.

Pardon the over-exposed photo, but you can see how thin the batter is

Priced at around RM2.50-RM4 per piece (I kinda forgot to ask, but that should be the range), they operate from roughly 11am onwards. What’s so special bout their fried chickens, you may wonder? The flavourful batter (not as crunchy as KFC’s though), the tastier and fresher chicken cuts, and the addictive self-concocted sweet and spicy chilli sauce (they do sell them by the bottles) explain their popularity after all these years.

Whole chicken thigh fried without batter – RM5 each

Another one of their signature item is the fried chicken without batter, sold in the form of whole chicken thighs, at RM5 per piece. The meat is juicier, yet firm, and paired with the same homemade chilli sauce, one thigh’s a substantial meal on its own.

The sides and the cooling factor

The shop only houses the fried chicken stall, and another selling drinks, or rather, the refreshing bowl of colourful combination of ingredients aka “Ling Chee Kang“. You can opt for chicken nuggets, fries, sausages, etc in case you desire for some variety.

Location : 1340, Jalan Pasir Putih, 31650 Ipoh. On the same road as THIS Yong Tau Foo shop.

The corner lot facing the Canning Garden morning market

I’ve not been here since aeons ago. Possibly since secondary school years. Yeah, and now I’m a priceless, ancient piece of antique, do your maths.

The intimidating morning crowd. OK, not in THAT sense.

For a mere RM2.50, you get a plate of satisfying breakfast

There were a few occasions when we went there for breakfast, and felt dejected as the shop was closed. But usually open for business (a very brisk one at that) on weekends, it’s safe to get your CCF fix on a Saturday or a Sunday. (Do correct me if I’m wrong, ya?)

A regular serving for RM2.50, large portion for RM3.00. No frills. Either the chilli sauce+sweet red sauce combination, OR their mushroom gravy to accompany your rice noodle rolls generously sprinkled with sesame seeds, fried shallots, and served with pickled green chillies, the compulsory side kick.

Steaming, chopping, and serving them fresh … be patience. You’ve been warned. 🙂

The uncle and his assistant are not the friendliest chaps around. So when they said you’ve to wait for a while as there are a lot of customers around, DO NOT protest and throw a tantrum. Seriously. Even if you see those coming in later than you, and got their servings first, DO NOT scold the uncle, but “politely” remind him that you’re on the brink of starvation and would really appreciate a faster service instead. (We were lucky to get some seats right behind the stall, thus we got ours pretty fast =P)

Still being served on those classic metal plates, with wooden chopsticks

The rice noodles rolls was impressively smooth, and glided down the throat with ease. The sesame seeds and fried shallots provided much texture and crunchiness, as well as extra fragrance, while the pickled green chillies are never enough. Of course, you can ask for more. Politely, remember? 🙂

But sorely disappointed that the chilli sauce and sweet red sauce combination did not work wonders, in fact was way too salty as he was probably in an ultra-high mood, liberately dousing my CCF with the red sweet sauce. Remember to request for less, if you’re not in favour of wet, and saltish gravy.

The regular portion’s rather sufficient as breakfast, and even if it’s not, there are NO sides of Yong Tau Foo (Stuffed fish paste) and the likes (unlike KL’s version) to complement the noodles.

Location : Kedai Makanan Canning Garden @ No. 27, a corner lot facing Canning Garden wet market. Sorry I forgot to take down the road’s name. But it’s right behind Restaurant HONG KONG, that faces the main road of Jalan Lee Kwee Foh, which sells chicken/duck rice, and tasty fried dough (yau char kwai, fried nin gou etc).

UPDATED 12 Oct 2008 – Directions to the Canning Garden CCF. I’m in such a jolly weekend holiday mood. Here goes ; Exiting from PLUS Highway IPOH SELATAN exit (the one with Tanjung Rambutan/Tambun on the signboard), you’ll reach a T-junction traffic lights, whereby turning right will reach Tasek and Bercham, while left leads to Jusco. Take the LEFT turn, and go straight, passing by McD Drive-Thru on your left, and some rows of 3-4 storeys shoplots+Jusco on your left as well. At the Jusco’s traffic lights, turn RIGHT and you’ll soon reach another traffic lights. Turn LEFT at this one, and go straight until you reach a round about. Take a 12 o’clock turning, and you’ll reach Jln Lee Kwee Foh, then see a field on your right. Turn RIGHT after the field, before the row of shophouses on your left. The CCF shop is at the left corner, facing the back, opposite the market.

But before I’m off for my precious, beauty sleep, here’s another strong contender :

Dilapidated house tucked away at some corner in Pasir Pinji – Address : 1456, Jalan Pasir Pinji 5, Pasir Pinji 31650 Ipoh. Familiar?