Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

Darting across the jam-packed restaurant spanning a few lots, this ‘macha’ clearly threw all caution to the wind, oblivious to the snapping camera, daggering stares, and erm ….. matter of hygiene.

Since I was ranting on a strong contender for Ipoh’s best chapati in my previous post, kindly allow me to follow up with this restaurant tucked in the midst of a residential area in Pandamaran of Klang. I.V. Restaurant is the name of the restaurant, and there is no doubt as to what they’re famous for.

The words ‘Roti Canai Pandamaran‘ was emblazoned on the apple green signboard, proudly/patriotically flagged (literally) with our beloved Malaysia’s and the state of Selangor’s flags in an alternating manner.

Good thing was, the Teh Tarik (Frothy Pulled Milk Tea – A Malaysia’s favourite beverage) was never earth-shatteringly sweet nor reeking of condensed milk. Rather, all the beverages at I.V. Restaurant were of reasonable level of sweetness. Possibly thanks to the largely Chinese clienteles?

I first read about this comparatively-obscure Halal Indian restaurant from Criz Lai’s blog. I did not think much of it, but after a good many extravagant Klang Bak Kut Teh meal for breakfasts, one can’t help but to seek for a simpler, fuss-free (preferably meat-less) breakfast.

And was I grateful enough for reading that post from Criz …. !! Read the rest of this entry »

Among the many types of Indian bread, the healthiest choice has to be Chapati. I have to admit though, aside from the average roti canai, tosai and naan, I seldom go for the other fancier items. But in this case, I don’t usually order chapati unless it’s proven to be really really good.

He was merely posing for the shot, not in action sadly. 🙂 Very down to earth staff at Moga Punjab, I felt comforted in the sense that I don’t get attitudes, nor impatient intrusions while taking my sweet time glancing around and spewing questions asking about the foods they serve.

I first read about Moga Punjab from Simple Girl’s post back in November 2009. Yes, a good half year marched past, and I’m only getting to this. And Moga Punjab is conveniently situated in old town of Ipoh,  along the stretch of Ipoh’s Little India, and within the vicinity of my work place.

Ahem … I AM SLOW, I know …. but blame it on the abundance of other delicious options around old town. Talk about excuses, eh? 😉

Read the rest of this entry »

Ice Baby (RM11.90/USD3.60) – A cross between the ice blended beverage and the milkshake

Refer to the previous post on Strawberry Park Resort & Cameron Valley Tea Shop for a better idea on why Motormouth’s everywhere in the month of May.

Strawberry Strudel (RM7.50/USD2.30) – Easily their most popular signature item off their rather extensive ‘strawberry-fied’ menu

Given the lapse of time between two consecutive events, we were somewhat stuck at a crossroad of decisions. Either sleep in throughout the 5 hours allocated for absolutely nothing-at-all, OR take up the Cameron Highlands day tour offer (few hours, at most) that covered most of the farms, gardens, tea plantations, etc.

Or better yet, go for a random drive around town(s) to seek for good grubs in-between meals, immersing oneself in the mesmerizing scenery, and embracing the cool breeze (or lack thereof?) of the highlands. Hence, we stopped over for a brief moment at Strawberry Moment Dessert Cafe in Brinchang town for some sweet delights. Read the rest of this entry »

Cameron Valley Tea (Bharat Plantations) – A sight for sore eyes indeed … the endless fields of lush greenery greeting the weary soul from the lowlands.

Still remember how I jump-started my Monday two weeks ago, at Swiss Garden Resort @ Damai Laut? Ironically, exactly one week after, we were required to travel all the way up the highlands for another 3 days, 2 nights of work-related holiday.

Wait, I just coined that term. It could well be a holiday-related work for all I care !!! 🙂

Wanna read more about Strawberry Park Resort; aptly named The Highest Resort in Cameron Highlands? Then you wouldn’t wanna miss my last year’s stories ….

Almost one year on, and we were back again in possibly the one resort in Cameron Highlands that correctly defines the alluring charm of neo-Tudor influences from the days of the British colonization on our lands.

Of course, some might argue that Strawberry Park Resort is way past its prime …. being a decade or two too late for familiarization amongst the younger generations. But wait, therein lies the charm … of a resort that has seen better days, complete with rickety (slightly exaggerated, no worries) polished wooden floors, a bath tub in the middle of the humongous bathroom, eerie closet with creaking sounds, yet bear such  pride; a testament to their rich legacy.   Read the rest of this entry »

Not the most generous of portion, but this plate of Nasi Lemak Kukus (freshly steamed rice with coconut milk) with pieces of fried Ayam Kampung (free-range chicken) got tongues wagging for years now …

This place, named Restoran Nasi Lemak Ayam Kampung on Jalan Ali Pitchay has been the talk of the town (Ipoh town, of course) for about 7 years or so now. Previously operating from their original outlet situated on the next street (Jalan Che Tak), they moved to this spanking new, much more spacious premise to cater to the growing clientele.

Opens only for dinner/supper daily, Nasi Lemak Ayam Kampung also prides on their freshly-grilled/fried seafood, especially their famous Ketam Masak Serbuk Kari or Stir-fried Crabs with Curry Powder

In reality, this was my first visit to the restaurant. Yes, after repeated reminders, guilt-ridden porky affairs that led to a serious lack of ‘Halal’ food posts, and of course …. procrastination, a Motormouth’s trademark !! So, did the famous Nasi Lemak manage to impress, or vice versa? Read on to find out ….  Read the rest of this entry »

In life there will be missed opportunities, and there are those times when you secretly wished that you have done one particular action sooner; as soon as you get your hands on them. We call it ‘seizing the opportunity‘ …. or getting into the thick of the action.

No, this post ain’t about grieving over dearly departed ones, nor wobbling over lost contacts. Someone once asked me to write about places for desserts in Ipoh; with no regards to the existence (abundance?) of the Secret Recipe’s, the Gold Visions, nor the glitzy-yet-down-to-earth Tong Sui‘s(sweet soups) from Tong Sui Kai, or Funny Mountain’s velvety Tau Fu Fah.

Ahhhh …. to imagine being in those shoes once again, without a care in the world! WHAT?? What riots in Bangkok? Volcanic ash from Ejyajallaf … (etc etc)? AH1N1’s the latest R2D2 ?!!!!

Due to procrastination and forgetfulness, I missed writing about Essence Plus (a quaint Taiwanese cafe in Ipoh Garden East, serving an array of healthy foods and drinks, but has since closed … sadly), while San Marco Polo Ice-Cream Parlour (With years of history, they made their own ice-cream with a supposedly first-in-Ipoh ice-cream machine) chose to cease operations just when I was about to go for a second visit.

The weighing machine at the end of the check-out counter, just right after you pile everything onto your scoops/squeezed/dispensed FroYo @ Tutti Frutti

And so, when Jason made it back one blistering weekend, we settled for a tummy-warming Thai feast in Bercham, followed closely by an impromptu exodus to the relatively new (opened since April 2010) Tutti Frutti Frozen Yoghurt (or FroYo, for short) kiosk at De Garden Ipoh. Read the rest of this entry »

UPDATED Aug 2013 – San Francisco Steakhouse is now CLOSED.

Not sure if the menu changes, but for the time being, you can refer to the sets published above. Every set comes with a soup of the day, and a glass of soft drink of your choice.

In the spirits of NEW chain outlets springing up in Ipoh (just like mushrooms sprouting after the rain; “Bagai Cendawan Tumbuh Selepas Hujan?” 🙂 ), San Francisco Steakhouse arrived in Ipoh without much fanfare recently.

A thick slab of minced beef patty sandwiched between toasted sesame buns, with a slice of melted cheese, onions, tomatoes and lettuce in between. The serving of Swiss mushrooms was surprisingly on the side, instead of sandwiched between the buns; like pictured in the menu.

Under the same umbrella companies of Tai Thong Group of Restaurants, (other notable eateries include Room Eighteen, Santini Italian Restaurant, and of course; the 798 Public House & Royal China Chinese restaurant located adjacent to San Francisco Steakhouse here), San Francisco Steakhouse (SFS) started with a few branches in the Klang Valley …. Read the rest of this entry »