Motormouth From Ipoh – A Malaysian Food Blog

I have to admit I was never a fan of dining in Chinese restaurants. Wait, let me rephrase that. I was never a fan of the higher-end restaurants usually utilized for wedding banquets and celebrations.

So far, I have written only about Mun Choong Restaurant when we had a gathering there last year, and a simple lunch at Tung Hoi (East Ocean) Restaurant in Chemor. Of course, there was the recent wedding dinner at Hee Lai Ton, but that’s a different story altogether. The other BIG names like Kok Thai, Sun Lee How Fook and Tai Thong (now changed to Royal China) were not reviewed because either the meal was not satisfactory or the occasion was another banquet whereby I felt funny snapping the food while everyone’s salivating uncontrollably (you know Chinese wedding dinners and punctuality NEVER go together!).

Fantastic, melt-in-mouth Char Siew (caramelized, barbecued pork) with crispy roasted suckling pig (RM30/USD9)

That is, until I read about Oversea Restaurant‘s (www) fantastic Char Siew and “Ham Yue Fah Lam Pou” (Claypot Braised Pork Belly with Salted Fish); a to-die-for dish if you’re a lover of anything pungent and savoury, and goes perfectly with copious portion of white rice to lap up the juices. No thanks to the many hungry foodies over at the Facebook page …..

Oversea Restaurant (also known as Haewaytian) has TWO outlets in Ipoh now, the spanking new branch over at Jalan Datoh near to Srimaju bus station in town, a short distance away from the famous See See Heng Hor Hee stall. Read on to find out what other dishes we ordered at the original Oversea Restaurant facing Excelsior Hotel …. CONTINUE READING THE REST OF THIS ENTRY »

Gorgeously-glistening & crispy skin of the marinated roast duck @ Tai Sai Hee in Jelapang, Ipoh

Mention Char Siew, or Siew Yoke for lunch or dinner (or breakfast also can lah …) and you’ll see me flooding the entire street with my drool. Especially those proportionately cut pieces of lean-fat meat with a 50-50 ratio preferably, or in some instances, 60-40 also can, with the higher percentage of melt-in-mouth fat more than the tougher lean portion. Better yet, pair them with white rice, oil rice, noodles, or porridge, and you’ll have a balanced feast of porky haven.

Squint if you have to, but the ducks at Tai Sai Hee are priced from RM14/USD4.40 (half a duck) to RM28/USD8.80 (one whole duck). Except for the special XO Duck which is priced higher, and piqued our interest indefinitely.

There are several restaurants/food stalls that are famous for roast ducks, and various other roasted meats in Ipoh. One being the famous Sun Yeong Wai in Ipoh Jaya, somewhere within the vicinity of Gunung Rapat of Ipoh. Another old classic in Tasek is Kedai Makanan Hong Kong, that prides on their oil chicken (crispy chicken bathed in oil), roast ducks, and my personal favourite; the Fried Crispy Nam Yue Pork. Not forgetting the recent find at Falim’s Sri Taman Mas that has gained an admirable following nonetheless.

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Wantan Mee is one of the most famous Chinese hawker food, and especially popular in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. In some places, wantan mee is also known as ‘Tok Tok Mee‘, a fancy moniker given in reference to the knocking sounds of bamboo sticks made by the peddlers from the olden days, to attract the crowd.

For the best Char Siew, choose the corner cuts of the belly; For that smoky, aromatic and crunchy texture all rolled into one singular, orgasmic piece.

I first read about Char Siew Zhai Wantan Mee from several food posts circulating on the net. The name no doubt, sounds intriguing, whereby “Char Siew” refers to the charcoal-roasted marinated pork, while the “Zhai” part is an endearing call for “Son”, in Chinese.

When you put them together, it’s as though Char Siew Zhai refers to the “Barbecued Pork Son” …. Sure gives a whole new meaning to the Chinese phrase : “Better give birth to a piece of Char Siew than you !!!” (A laden-with-sarcasm scolding usually given to an unfilial child by a parent).

Crunchy Sui Kow (dumplings in soup) filled with lots of wood ear fungus, chopped carrots, minced pork and chives

So what makes this place particularly stand out amongst the rest? For sure you’ve read about Petaling Street’s legendary Koon Kee wantan mee, the Sungai Besi famous one, the bamboo noodles at Nippy’s, or even Char Siew from the rivalling FSF and SFS. (Go figure …..)

Read on to find out how they literally TOSS their noodles around !!!

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What makes a good slab of roast pork? Is it the crunchy skin, the perfectly tender and moist marinated meat? The layer of gelatinous fat underneath that crackly skin? Or even the accompanying piquant, and garlicky chili sauce?

Truth be told, back when I was a small kid, roast pork was never a favourite of mine. Nor even something that I would gladly choose when it  came to take away lunch at the chicken rice stall. I’d pick the Char Siew (BBQ marinated pork), the Siew Cheong (Pork/Offals Sausages), and even the roast chicken/duck, in that particular order. Probably more of an adult’s piece of meat, Siew Yoke (that’s roast pork in Cantonese) caters to the matured and possibly, jaded tastebuds more often than not.

On a whole different level, if you will.

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Sinful, caramelized goodness on the hangers

Previously operating from another lot, Kok Beng has since relocated to this new outlet on Jalan Kota in Taiping in 2000, and has been doing rather brisk business on a daily basis.

Ong Kok Beng is the proprietor of the chicken rice, a friendly chap probably in his late 30′s, or 40′s. An estimation of course, but given his cheerful demeanour and approachable aura, he could well be in his 50′s without people realising it.

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Back from a weekend getaway to KL. I’m in dire need of a vacation, to prepare myself for the impending bouts of travelling that’s beckoning in the near future. Wait, that did not sound right huh?

The orange signboard is attracting curious stares, and hungry souls …..

A short, short post on one of my favourite food, the Roasted Duck. You see, to find a restaurant or stall serving roasted duck (and other roasted meats) may not seem that hard at all. Lurking in every corner, in most coffee shops and food courts, you’re bound to discover a stall chopping away at their most-prized meats, though most of the time only chicken and pork are commonly dished out. Duck is a rarity, more so for goose. Which explains why I went all the way to KL for my fix sometime ago. (Curious? Click HERE for Pudu’s Famous Roasted Goose)

Crackly & glistening skins, sweet & sticky gravy. If only the portion’s slightly larger, for a change. Roasted Duck Rice @ RM4 per serving CONTINUE READING THE REST OF THIS ENTRY »