Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

Amazingly, this place was here all this while, probably since I was in my teens (hehe, that was LONG ago liao) but we never thought of dining here. Situated in Ipoh Garden South, right opposite Thum’s Western Food, my foggy memory vaguely notices this shop for its grilled chicken wings stall that’s equally popular, and opens only at night. (But as luck would have it, the stall is closed for tonight … Hmm…)

Signature Homemade Beancurd with Minced meat & Dried Shrimps (RM6)

Enough of history trivia, let’s move on to the yummy food. Their homemade beancurd was crisp on the outer layer, but the inside was so, so smooth, velvety, egg-y, and scrumptious. Topped with generous amount of minced meat, dried shrimps, fried shallots, and spring onions, this dish reminded me a lot of Purple Cane’s Special Tofu with Tea. But at half, or even 1/3 of the price. LOL. More on Purple Cane’s offering in later posts.

Braised Spare Ribs with Mushrooms & Foo Chuk in Claypot (RM8)

After tasting the surprisingly good tofu, we were expecting more from the subsequent dishes. The claypot pork ribs did not disappoint at all. Braised until soft, the meat practically fell off the bones, but still retain its full flavour. The addition of foo chuk (dried beancurd?) was a nice touch, soaking up the gravy, which has a faint hint of wine.

Assam Fish Slices (RM14)

But my favourite dish of the night was the assam fish, served with lots of lady’s fingers, tomatoes, and tofu. The balanced flavours of the sweet, fleshy slices of fish, coupled with the spicy and sour gravy, makes this dish a godsent pairing with fluffy white rice. 😉

Stir-Fried Kailan with Roast Pork (Rm8)

For the compulsory vegetable dish, we ordered kailan stir-fry with roast pork. Nothing too special, but noteworthy for the vege’s crunchiness, and devoid of the common bitter taste of poorly dished out kailan. The roast pork was mediocre though. But did not really affect the taste of the overall dish.

Bill for 4 came to Rm42.40. Including rice and drinks. Tell me that’s not cheap. Will probably back for more, as I spied Sambal Petai (!!!) and Butter Mantis Prawns ordered by the next table. Oh, and the service can be a little on the slow side, so be prepared for a slight wait especially if the place is packed.

Location : Tingkat Taman Ipoh 11, off Lebuh Taman Ipoh. Specifically, it is opposite Restoran dan Kafe New Weng Fatt, which houses Thum’s Western Food.

Look for the lusty ducks …. =P

This restaurant has another branch in Medan Ipoh Baru, but this outlet serves the BETTER roasted pork. Don’t ask why, cz I have absolutely no idea. (Fact corrected thanks to Janice, from Sun Yeong Wai)

Their signature item, cripsy roasted duck

Variety of dishes ala economy rice style available for choosing

You can opt for personal serving, meaning some meat (roast chicken/duck/char siew/siu yoke) on rice, plus any vegetables of your choice ala Economy Rice, OR you can ask them to chop up some meats to be shared, plus some vegetable dishes (humans ARE omnivores) aka family-style luncheon/dinner.

Oh.. my love…. Char Siew & all its glory… (RM7)

We were persuaded by the lady boss to take their roasted ducks, as they are supposed to be DA BOMB! Or something along the line. But I rejected, as ducks cannot satiate my porky lust. Muahaha …..

Crackling skin, crispy, delicious siu yoke … v_v (Rm7)

So we ordered a plate each of Char Siew (BBQ Pork) and Siu Yoke (Roasted Pork), to be shared. Needless to say, the Siu Yoke was amazingly crispy at the skins, and the meat/fat ratio is just right (for me, at least). I can finish this plate on my own, if not for the existence of an outsider (LPN). Hehe! The Char Siew was one of the better ones in Ipoh, but could not hold a candle to FSF’s version, so let’s not compare. But to give credits where they’re due, the meat is tender, sweet, not chewy, and goes really well with the chilli sauce, and their fragrant oil rice.

Drools away ….

The Siu Yoke may look fat, but they really aren’t. Paired with the rice, they are indeed a match made in heaven. 😉 Oh, to counter the excessive protein intake, we ordered a plate of vegetables (if pumpkins can be considered one). Nothing special, but got the job done. Cooked until soft, the sweet pumpkins were tasty when paired with dried shrimps.

Pumpkins with Dried Shrimps (RM6)

Total damage was RM28 for 3 person, including rice and drinks. They have a variety of herbal teas freshly made everyday. I had the watercress with dates, which was cooling and refreshing, while I could not remember what Tall Gal and LPN had. Haha … Side effect of pork overdose?

Location : No17 & 19, Jalan Sri Ampang, Taman Ipoh Jaya, 31350 Ipoh. Tel : 053113600.

Specifically, it is at the area before Gunung Rapat, and same row with Old Town Kopitiam, Marrybrown, and Yee Hup Famous Hiong Pian. Anyone needs further directions, feel free to ask. Won’t bite, I promise.

Of course, as neither of us was driving, we had to rely on chauffeur-ial skills of wmw, to pick us from Kelana Jaya LRT station, then meet up with teckiee at Kayu Nasi Kandar around Sunway Mas area. Oh, was surprised that teckiee is indeed a GIRL, though her nick suggested otherwise.

Arriving pretty early for lunch, as wmw suggested we should avoid lunch hour madness, the place was half packed, a good signal of glorious food to come. Though still full from breakfast an hour ago, I was already salivating when i set my eyes on these babies ……

WHOA … Endless rows of Char Siew, hung at the glass display, with 2 solitary roasted chickens and a slab of roasted pork, no prize for guessing what they’re famous for ……

teckiee started snapping away, prompting me to timidly whipped out my trusty Nokia 5610 (hehe, paiseh) and clicked away. Suddenly 2 guys approached us from behind, and wmw recognised them instantly as Sunny and Sid from Big Boys Oven! Hey! From 1 flogger, to 5 of them!!! Star-struck … *_*

Yummy but pale looking Hakka Mee

As soon as we sat, the owner of the shop, Mr.Bill came over and took our orders. He’s completely used to floggers erm … flocking to his shop, and clicking away, therefore garnering a star (*) in my book for being blogger-friendly! Good on ya! Me and Jason had the Hakka mee, small portion (RM3.30) to go with the Char Siew, while teckiee, wmw and Sid had the Wantan Mee (Rm3.80 for small). Sunny chose the rice instead.

Oh, those who choose Wantan Mee get EXTRA Char Siew … *envious*

Sinfully delicious, shiny caramelized pork … Heaven on earth …

The limelight of course, was on the main character on the table (no, not us), the heavenly Char Siew (RM5 for small, RM10 for big). I’ve always had a soft spot for something porky, be it Char Siew, Roasted Pork, Sweet n Sour Pork etc. The type of Char Siew I love the most is exactly like the ones they serve here. Charred at the side, half lean meat-half fat, caramelized until nearly melt-in-mouth texture, with ample serving of dipping sauce. Oh yeah … It was a good thing wmw suggested we order a plate each, else we would be fighting on our 1st acquintance!!! 🙂

Wantan in Soup

Mr. Bill was kind enough to stuff us with MORE food, serving us wantan in soup, and fried Sui Kau (dumplings), ON-THE-HOUSE !!! The wantan was forgettable, but the Fried Sui Kau were crispy, and the fillings was delicious. Minor flaw was … no chilli sauce provided. Aiya, how leh? But it’s ok, I dipped mine into the Char Siew sauce. Haha … Brilliant eh?

Fried Sui Kau

We were stuffed to the brim, especially me and Jason, the (dis) advantage of being guys. Haha … Oh, and Mr. Bill brought ANOTHER plate of Char Siew, for free. This one is from the belly region, (reminding me of a Pork Belly Song by McDull that we used to hum and sing in class during the Pangkor course! =P) and sufficient to say, next time, I would order my Char Siew not only half lean meat-half fat, but also PORK BELLY parts.

Reasonably priced goodness.

Total bill for my bowl of Hakka mee, though small portion, was more than enough, plus my share of Char Siew and drink was RM9 only. Yeah, all that binging, and it did not burn a hole in my pocket. Definitely value for money.

Really, really glad to have met ALL of you, especially Jason who painstakingly organized all of these, right until midnight (LOL), and wmw for patiently driving us around. And not forgetting teckiee, for just being her crazy self? 😉

Location : No. 80-1 (Ground Floor), Jalan PJU 1/3B, Sunway Mas Commercial Centre, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

More porkies :

You Get What You Give

~Brought up 2 SharE~

Eat First, Think Later

Ipoh Mali Talak Sombong

A post dedicated to TallGal for an obvious reason she would understand. 😉

The interior of the restaurant/bakery/cafe

It was my virginal visit to Bangsar Village, and after hearing so much about Alexis from various floggers, was tempted to try their famed Tiramisu. However, as luck would have it, me and MB were searching every nook and corner but could not locate the bistro. Sigh …

But hey, as luck would have it, my eyes sparkled once I passed this cozy little restaurant-cum-cafe-cum-bakery, Suchan. I still remember The Star did an interview with the owner few weeks/months back. With my worsening memory, how did I manage to remember? Haha, let’s just say the name really rang a bell. Right, Tall Gal? LOL … Anyhow, the place was empty, but understandable considering the vast choices of eateries around the same area, and it was a working day after all.

The sinful tiramisu (RM9.90)

We skipped the mains as our ‘petite’ stomachs could not sustain the onslaught of food after a substantial breakfast. Headed straight to the cakes section, and contemplating on which ones to order. They do have quite a variety for choosing, and reasonably priced at around RM9.90 per piece. I chose their famous Tiramisu, while MB chose the Banoffee Pie, recommended by the waitress at the counter. Oh, one funny thing is, most, if not all, of the employees on the floor are Vietnamese (I think). Fortunately most of them have fair diction of the English language.

Banoffie Pie (RM9.90)

The Tiramisu was superb. Really, really good stuff. The sponge is soaked with coffee syrup (and I suspect a liberal addition of rum, hehe), sandwiched with cheese and bitter chocolate chips, topped with almond pralines. The crunchy bits on top was addictive. Not too sweet, nor too bitter from the coffee powder commonly used in tiramisu, the cake was served with tangy strawberry sauce, which not only complemented the cake well, but offset the feeling of fullness which often results from desserts.

The Banoffie Pie was quite a disappointment though. The coffee cream with banana slices and toffee layer was a good combination, but fell short of the oomph factor. We could not put our fingers on what it lacked, but probably the Tiramisu was just too good, over-shadowing the humble pie. Nevertheless, the portion was sufficient and they do not skimp on the ingredients.

Hmm, the cakes gotta be good enough to attract the BIG shots, right?

Aside from their cakes and pastries section, Suchan serves a commendable variety of mains, and set meals, whereby they assist you in choosing your meal by combining various mains, desserts and drinks and categorized them according to your mood.

Location : 2F-25A, Second Floor, Bangsar Village II, No.2, Jalan Telawi 1, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur. Tel : 03-22871914

(P/S : Btw, only when we left did we realise that Alexis is situated OUTSIDE of Bangsar Village. Hmm, fine. Next trip then. =P)

(P/S : Tall Gal, Not bad eh? One whole post dedicated to you … Haha …)

Other lapping tongues :

KL People KL Food

Lots of Cravings

Aiks, the name so familiar one?

Their ultra-famous dry pan mee, crowned with an egg (RM5)

Both aunt and grandma ordered the soup version, with mee hoon kuih (the chunky blocks of flour noodle) instead of the usual pan mee. Claimed they were so-so, and Jalan Alor’s version the true champion (or whatever). I of course ordered their famous kon-lou (dry version), which came with an egg (yolk intact, mind you … skilful?) anchovies, spring onions, and fried shallots. The serving was not big, sufficient for breakfast, not for lunch. 😉

Oooh… Deadly …. *_*

Consuming the bowl of noodles on its own is bland, and akin to sex-with-clothes, or something like that =P Therefore, it is highly recommended (by other floggers alike) to pepper your bowl with the dried chili flakes, liberately, to enhance the almighty “Kin Kin Experience” ….

(P/S : Take note that these babies are fiery, and those with weak bowels should stay vigilant. Don’t pour the whole bottle without trying them out 1st.)

Fan Shu Yip (Sweet Potato Leaves?)

If you think your bowl of noodles is too dry, or too spicy/salty due to over-dose of the aforementioned chilli flakes, you can douse the flame with some sweet broth soup, served together with the noodle. The vegetables provide fibres, helps in assisting bowel movement. LOL

A rare sight in Kin Kin Pan Mee, right?

The decor was simple, minimalist, with furnitures resembling those from period dramas (ancient period mind you, not the monthly kind =P) and the place is air-conditioned. Parking’s a breeze, but not sure if the same can be said during peak hours.

Location : 6-G, Jalan Perubatan 4, Off Jalan Pandan Ilmu. Specifically, it is directly opposite of Pandan Indah police station. The same area houses Hospital Pandan Indah, a Secret Recipe cafe, a famous Hakka Noodle shop, and another famous Pan Mee shop.

For more reviews on Kin Kin, here are some links :

Eat First, Think Later

The Gastronomic Diary

ky Speaks

The ‘floating’ restaurant : Malam Indah Selalu

The seating area, realize all the customers chose to sit by the river/strait/sea?

After a journey of roughly 10-15 minutes, we arrived at some secluded area, right by the straits of Johor, where we can view our beloved neighbour, Singapore, from our seats. This restaurant is situated alongside some seafood restaurants, so no worries if they’re closed.

Nasi Lemak with Fried Chicken (RM5)

The Johor guys led the orders, suggesting nasi lemak with either the fried chicken or the rendang version. One glance at the menu on the wall revealed that they DO serve other dishes to go with their nasi lemak, namely rendang daging, and various fish dishes.

Otak-Otak Kempas : A Johor Bahru speciality

As usual, no meal (Malay ones, at least) is complete without the ever-popular appetizer of Otak-Otak, right here in JB.

The amazing sambal, fried egg and ayam rendang

On to the main characters of this food venture, the nasi lemak. Hot, fragrant, right consistencies, not too sticky nor tough-like-nails, albeit a little too sweet for some. Yes, SWEET. The santan (coconut milk) used to cook the rice is different from the ones we usually have in northern states. Some of us could not bear the sweetness, while for me, the rice is cooked just right, and paired with their killer sambal (a little sweet also, btw) the dish is good in its own right, rendering the chicken completely unnecessary for extra brownie scores.

Not to say the chicken was bad, mind you. The fried version was crispy and delicious (according to them anyway, as I had the rendang one). But be warned their rendang is NOT the run-of-the-mill type. It was a tad erm, sweet (hehe), and not spicy at all.

Ikan Siakap Tiga Rasa (RM4/100g)

BK (the pure Johorean) ordered an extra dish of siakap tiga rasa (rough translation : 3 flavours sea bass) for us to try. Sweet, sour and erm either spicy/salty, the dish was alright, savoury, but the overwhelming ‘mud smell’ of the flesh kind of put me off.

Remember to turn at this sign, if you manage to find this anyway … 🙂

Location : Haha, asking the wrong person here. Let me see, it is at an area called Permas Jaya, there is a slightly more outstanding seafood restaurant called Senibong Village Seafood restaurant right before the sign board above. Word of advice : Ask a Johor guide to prevent unnecessary & extra miles. =)