Motormouth From Ipoh – Malaysian Food & Travel

The Bistro @ Impiana Hotel Ipoh – The all-day dining alternative to The Coffee House; currently running an Italian cuisine promotion

Impiana Hotel Ipoh (formerly known as Casuarina Hotel; the unmistakable landmark hotel of Ipoh back in its heydays) has successfully undergone transformation; coupling refurbishment and renovation works to its rooms and F&B establishments.

Still, the only four-star hotel in Ipoh that actually feels like one, the Impiana group has injected life back to the decades old premise; and still drawing in tourists from all walks of life; including the royal families and ministers.

Fresh breads from the kitchen of The Bistro to perk up the appetite

Throughout the years, I have only grown accustomed to The Coffee House; the designated Halal dining option of the hotel serving daily buffets and various local and international delights. That being said, Impiana has added another feather (or two) to its cap by resurrecting the flagging interest (of yours truly, at least) of dining in hotels in Ipoh; with the welcome of two new outlets; The Bistro & The Deli.

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Pretty alluring for some fresh strawberries and blueberries pastries huh? At Levain, you can effortlessly go overboard with your breads and pastries if you’re not careful. Temptations abound at every corner!

And so, after weeks of procrastination, delays, unexpected excursions and of course …. the occasional need to recharge Motormouth’s batteries (and somewhat detox?), I finally made it (yay!) to Levain Boulangerie & Patisserie (let’s shorten that to Levain for the remainder of this post, okay?).

Been months, since I first read the review from Rebecca on this charming premise with a colonial touch; contemporary decor with a fine British element to it. We felt as though we have stepped into the comfort of someone’s secluded/luxurious bungalow; almost akin to the warm sensation one gets when having scones and tea at The Smokehouse @ Cameron Highlands.

Two floors of meticulously-designed facade and interior, reflecting the quaint charm of a high tea session on a Sunday evening. When coupled with an inner desire to binge on fresh, stone oven-baked breads, a visit to Levain will be sure to please ….

In case you’re wondering, wah …. this must have caused an arm, a leg and maybe half of the a$$, then you’re wrong. Read on for an idea of what’s brewing (or rather, baking) inside this increasingly famous patisserie-cum-restaurant …… Read the rest of this entry »

Citrus Wine & Dine – Remains as one of our favourite restaurant in Ipoh for good Western food, or rather “Modern Euro Asia Cuisine”, as printed on their menus

Tomorrow’s the BIG day for all the mothers. Instead of having her cooking/’ta-pau-ing’ (taking away)/paying for the meals, why not be a filial child and bring her out for a decent meal instead?

If your argument borders on the lines of absurdity (NO good restaurants in Ipoh, Fine-dining in Ipoh sounds like I have to mortgage an arm and a leg, Ipoh’s too jam-packed with people, yadda yadda …..), then shame on you. Really. Okay, maybe the last one IS somewhat true, as I bear witness to unbelievable congestion in Ipoh these few days, with no clue as to why.

Braised Lamb Shank with Oriental Bean Sauce (RM35/USD10.95) – A clever burst of flavours from the East and the West. Or in this case, from down under as well?

I wrote about Citrus Wine & Dine before, way back in 2008. The restaurant situated in Ipoh Garden East, facing the main road of Jalan Perajurit en route to Tambun/Sunway City has been around for a good few years now. This huge building, occupying a lot of its own, also houses another eatery named Wan Stop Cafe (previously Sharon’s Laksa), that serves forgettable food ranging from Portuguese-style Grilled Seafood, and the likes.  Read the rest of this entry »