Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

The “Lontong” from Gerai Mak Yah @ Section 14 Wet Market Hawker Centre has been repeatedly proclaimed as the BEST in Klang Valley. 40 years of legacy can’t be wrong.

A case of growing addiction perhaps, but we see ourselves going back to the Section 14 (where Digital Mall is and the area where the new Jaya Supermarket will soon be operating from) for breakfast again; for 2 consecutive weekends. Last week, we tried Lum Kee’s Siam Laksa and Curry Laksa from the hawker food centre on the lower floor, while today we ventured over to the Halal portion of the area; where Gerai Mak Yah Lontong & Nasi Lemak seems to be perpetually luring in the breakfast crowd.

It was barely 9am and the queue extended to a good 15 pax or so. Yes, service is DIY here. You walk up to the stall with the green signboard, get yourself in line and be prepared for the wait. Took me a good 15 minutes or so; with a dozen of hungry Lontong fans in front of me.

And the question boils down to … was it worth the effort?  Read the rest of this entry »

Mostly Penang delights; Curry Laksa and Siam Laksa are two wise (and sumptuous) choices here at Lum Kee stall; manned by two elderly brothers

It’s not often that you see me writing about good street food in the Klang Valley these days. This could be due to a multitude of reasons; the most obvious being the absence of real, intense effort to venture all out for a decent food hunt after a day’s work (usually an energy-sapping routine), saving up the weekends for a splurge somewhere else instead (more often than not, back to my beloved hometown of Ipoh) or possibly due to the lack of information.

Or sheer lack of interesting spots worthy of a detour.

Don’t get me wrong. KL and Selangor when combined, have a good handful of gems deserving a nod. Real, delightful hawker food stalls that have stood the test of time. But these are either few and far in between, or closed down … giving way to commercialisation and dawn of the new era of cafes, burger bars and fine diners. Or wannabes.

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Dry Yee Mee with Fish Balls & Fish Cakes (RM5.50/USD1.80) @ Min Yee Fish Ball Noodles Stall, Mei Keng Coffee Shop, off Jalan 222, Petaling Jaya

Happy Monday dear folks! And a Happy New Year to all. Not easy to get back into the groove of things; the steady (laborious, mundane) rhythm of work after a long break. This being the start of a full 5 days working week (shock! horror!), I guess most of us are still in dreamland, Christmas mood or probably wishing for another bowl of Tang Yuen (Winter Solstice was on 22 Dec, btw).

Anyway, the year started on the opposite side of a high note for Motormouth however. Down with slight fever and sore throat on the first day itself, followed by some rather disturbing news from home … Grandma got admitted two nights ago.

It’s not uncommon for me to share life stories way back in 2008 or 2009, but ever since then, rarely do readers observe Motormouth rambling about life’s finer details and mishaps. Like in the words of a fellow reader; has Motormouth gone commercialised?

Maybe. Maybe not. But rest assured that the delicious food shots and reviews will still come in rapid-fire style. Happy 2014. And let’s hop over to a breakfast spot in Petaling Jaya that I have taken a strong liking to.

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In line with 2012’s Top 12 Food Finds, here we have my Top 13 Delicious Dining Discoveries of 2013. Let’s kick off this series and see whether your favourites are here …

13. TANDOOR GRILL  – Best of North Indian Cuisine @ Ipoh

Hands down one of the biggest (literally) & most pleasant surprise that has hit Ipoh in the recent years; the opening of Tandoor Grill in Greentown breathed new life to the North Indian cuisine scene in Ipoh. Trailblazing a few firsts in Ipoh; namely pairing authentic Indian cuisine with wines, injecting a certain finesse to the dining experience and allocating a venue large enough for a wedding banquet, Tandoor Grill tops it all with excellent rendition of North Indian fares thanks to the ensemble of capable hands in the kitchen. Try their signature mocktails, succulent Tandoori chicken with fluffy Garlic Naan, Hyderabad Gosht Biryani and their fabulous Kulfi.

CONTINUE TO #12 & #11 ON THE LIST

1. Lunch @ Indulgence Restaurant & Living – The paella from the Specials board with lamb sausages, fish, chicken and mussels deserves a try; and the creamy avocado blend (Vovo) with a faint hint of coconut perked up the senses. (RM120/USD40 for 2 pax)

Wow. And there goes 2013. Seated here in front of my pc, I can’t help but be amazed at the milestones and breakthroughs that have taken place throughout the past 12 months. Not to mention a fair share of turbulence, challenges and sweet successes.

Before I do the year in review (read 2012’s Top 12 Food Finds), I returned home on a whirlwind of a food tour last weekend. Still recuperating from the avalanche of food this season; here goes nothing. Grab a napkin while you’re at it.

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Missing Marbles @ Ipoh Old Town – The expansion of Julie Song’s empire; bringing back the rustic charm of old town from the yesteryears. Think Burps & Giggles but in an Asian way.

Every visit back home rendered me more and more amazed at the speed of new eateries (especially specialty cafes; those focusing on gourmet coffee) sprouting up left, right and centre. The last visit brought me to espressolab and Thumb’s Cafe (a Halal choice), while I missed El Negra Distro and Happy 8 Retreat.

Then in a blink of an eye, at least half a dozen more came bursting to the cafe scene. Though not as manic as the relatively booming cafe scene in Klang Valley, these new outlets injected much oomph  and option to the otherwise lopsided food scene dominated by street food stalls.

Missing Marbles is the 3rd joint of lifestyle cafe along the same row of shop, operated by Julie (of Indulgence fame) and her team. Let’s see whether have they lost their marbles or found them in all the right places.  Read the rest of this entry »

Could this be the epitome of good breakfasts in Hong Kong? The perennial classic named Polo Bun with a slab of cold butter wedged in-between (also named Bo Lo Yau in Cantonese). Crisp on the outside; moist, fluffy and warm on the inside, this was an instant win the very first moment we sank our teeth into one at Kam Wah back in 2008.

Almost there in completing the 2013 Hong Kong/Macau chapters, today we revisit some of the classic breakfast and snacking spots around Mong Kok; a whirlwind of street eats experience in the heart of Hong Kong. Mong Kok is of course, famed for the many shopping streets; namely Women’s Street, Sneakers Street, Gold Fish Street, etc. But then again, for really good shopping, Sogo Departmental Stores or the few selected outlet stores (Tsim Sha Tsui’s China Hong Kong City and Tung Chung’s Citygate Outlets being fine examples) are your better bets.

Nonetheless, Merry Christmas dear readers and pardon for the lapse in reviews. The holiday season has definitely eaten into Motormouth’s schedule (eating, shopping, traveling, working), but more Ipoh food posts to come this weekend.

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