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Seafood Noodles @ Fai Kee Restaurant, Ipoh

November 22, 2009 | 4,441 views

Tom Yam Seafood Noodles

Tom Yam Seafood Noodles (RM5.50 / USD1.60), Saito Fishballs (RM0.40/USD0.10 each), and a small serving of Pork Beads (RM4/USD1.20)

Fai Kee Restaurant is a household name of sorts in Ipoh, an eatery associated with excellent seafood and fish head noodles in Ipoh. And since someone has commented about me being extra long-winded lately, I’ll just elaborate ever so slightly (promise!) on each item we ordered this afternoon, okay?

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Vnam Kitchen Restaurant – Vietnamese Food in Ipoh

September 29, 2009 | 7,506 views

VNam Kitchen Decorations

Very down to earth motto printed on the menu, and the vibrant decor inside of Vnam Kitchen.

A new restaurant serving Vietnamese cuisine opened its door to the public recently in Ipoh, at the same spot occupied by the previous Soon Fatt Restaurant on Jalan Seenivasagam around Greentown. Click on the link for the post on the NEW Soon Fatt Restaurant.

Vnam Kitchen is in fact, owned and run by a couple who had been operating various stalls and outlets serving delectable and authentic Vietnamese cuisine in the Klang Valley, located in several food courts by the name of Vietnamese Cuisine.

P1080239

Vietnamese Drip Coffee (RM4.50)

Since then, they’ve ‘surrendered’ their premises in the Klang Valley to their sons, and subsequently moved to Ipoh and opened up a stall by the name of (what else?) Vietnamese Cuisine in Woolley Food City in Ipoh Garden.

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Nasi Padang @ Restoran Simpang Tiga, Ipoh

September 18, 2009 | 15,037 views

Restoran Simpang Tiga is a famous chain of Nasi Padang restaurants originating from Indonesia, with five branches operating over in our neighbouring country. Nasi Padang resembles our very own Malay rice with dishes, or “Nasi Berlauk”, albeit with a little tweaks here and there. The Nasi Padang moniker actually pays tribute to the origin of the food;, whereby Padang is in fact a city in West Sumatra of Indonesia.

Bergedil, Tempe Kacang, & a Clean Environment for Dining

Clean & spacious ambience, with decor reminiscing of Minangkabau influences. Even most of the staff are from Indonesia. The Bergedil is a potato patty with minced meat, while Tempe Kacang is an addictive side dish, yet supposedly pose healthy benefits

Nasi Padang is the epitome of Minangkabau cuisine, but most of the dishes have already been incorporated into the array of Malay dishes commonly found in rice stalls all over Malaysia. The spread of dishes at Simpang Tiga was mind-boggling to an extent, with not less than 20 dishes being offered on the afternoon we patronized the outlet.

The huge space occupied by the restaurant (at least 4 shoplots in Greentown Square of Ipoh – a new business centre in the heart of the city) allows a large seating capacity, perfect for functions, or dinners to be held at the premise. The design of the restaurant exudes a traditional, rustic charm, with two main seating areas being Indoor (with air-conditioning) and Outdoor (al fresco style).

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A YUM(my) Lou Sang Experience? (Yum Yum Restaurant @ Ipoh)

February 3, 2009 | 2,132 views
The net connection’s acting up lately. Ever since b4 CNY, the line’s been throwing tantrum, possibly in a holiday mood as much as I’m in now.

Btw, it’s another public holiday in Perak today. Envious? =P

The myriad of colours, shape and sizes look appealing …. but WHERE’S DA FISH?!!!
A little on our (somewhat) compulsory annual get-together lunch. Last year it was at Assam House in Greentown. This year it was ‘destined‘ to be at Yum Yum Restaurant in Greentown, serving delectable Nyonya/Thai/Chinese cuisine. Ipohans would recognize this restaurant which has been in operation for a good many years. (Yup, another one of those oldies but goodies place in Ipoh …. for those wondering)

Crazy tossin’ a plenty, swearing’s a no-no, but “flowery” words are compulsory ….
The set for 10 pax cost RM298 nett, including rice, and chinese tea. 6 dishes (VERY large portion!) plus ‘Yee Sang’. Google that up, for those in the dark. But serenaded by the Chinese New Year’s sense of camaraderie, one can’t help but wonder, “What else can the restaurants come up with, as an alternative to the good ol’ traditional Yee Sang?”
Here at Yum Yum, we were rather surprised (shocked’s more like it!) to discover a platter of Yee Sang, WITHOUT the slices of raw fish!!!!! The horror of it all. Explanation was demanded promptly, and the lady nonchalantly explained that since Yum Yum’s a HALAL (or pork-free, I’m not sure) restaurant, they can’t serve raw fish but instead substituted with chicken meat floss! Ahem, OKAY …. but doesn’t that completely forsake the true meaning of Yee Sang? Or Lou Sang?
Yum Yum Fried Chicken
But not one to complain during the festivities (LOL), we concurred and tossed, flinged, and crossed swords (chopsticks, I mean!) and hoped/prayed for a fruitful year ahead. And meat floss with Yee Sang ain’t too bad either. But I still prefer my fish, TQ.
The chicken can be cooked in a variety of ways, and we picked Yum Yum Signature style ala Inchi Kabin fried chicken. Crispy, marinated well and tender flesh, each had at least 2-3 pcs.

Assam Golden Pomfret
Fish was cooked in assam gravy, not spicy at all, but rather sour with extra tamarind juices added for good measure. However, the fish failed to deliver, with a rather fishy taste and somewhat watery gravy. Served with plentiful of ladies’ finger and half a tomato atop the fish.

Sambal Prawns
De-shelled prawns are good, no matter how you cook it. Reason being I’m rather lazy to peel them off myself. Hahaha …. Though the sambal gravy was seriously in need of a kick, a notch up in the spiciness/tanginess department would do fine by me. But minor consolation came in the form of fresh, succulent prawns.

The Greens? …. Choy Tam.

I can’t sing praises for the greens, can’t I? But the portion’s definitely scary. HUGE pile of greens sufficient to feed a cow. Or ox, being the auspicious animal of the NIU year!

Brocolli, Mushrooms, Button Mushrooms and Beancurd sheets
Disappointment comes next, the platter of brocolli and friends was nothing to shout about, and the beancurd sheets (foo chuk) was a little off, with a faint hint of staleness. Half a plate was left untouched for the duration of the meal.

Nyonya Pineapple Squids
Best dish in my opinion was the squids cooked in a sweet, spicy and tangy sauce, with pineapple cubes, red chillies, and capsicums. Bouncy, fresh squids are perfect with the complementing sauce.
With some hits, some misses, and some surprises, the meal at Yum Yum served as a bonding session with friends and ex-colleagues, more than a feast. But sometimes, it’s the thought, and company that matters, right?
Location : YUM YUM RESTAURANT @ 5, Persiaran Greenhill, 30450 Ipoh. Tel : 605- 253 7686. Got MAP !!!
Still, HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR …. !!! We’re merely at the halfway mark now, so there’s no reason to let up and not celebrate away !!! ^_^
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From An Ugly Duckling, to A Beautiful Swan? (Soon Fatt Restaurant @ Ipoh)

January 13, 2009 | 1,798 views
Lest one thinks that Motormouth’s migrated to KL, given the number of food posts from the southern part lately, let me re-clarify this; I’m still staying, working & eating my way in and around Ipoh. Therefore, for today, here’s something from my hometown …..

Soon Fatt advanced from a simple ‘Dai Chow’ restaurant to a full-fledged Chinese dining restaurant over in Greentown

When I was working near Greentown aeons ago, we used to have lunch over at Soon Fatt, back then a simple ‘Dai Chow’ restaurant on the same road as Oversea Restaurant near Hotel Excelsior. The price was cheap, the food was good, though the place was noisy, usually congested, and definitely NOT for long conversations.

I was impressed at the transformation ….
Then sometime last year, Soon Fatt relocated to another premise on the same road, nearer to Overseas Restaurant, which occupies a good 2 shoplots. Very spacious, with modern ambience, almost Zen-like, and a certainly more comfortable seating area. Of course, the pricing ‘improves’ as well. But that’s an understatement.
Stir-fried Asparagus with Prawns in Sambal Belacan
The wait can be a little … relentless comes weekends or peak hours. Do not expect to be served ASAP, and don’t go when starving. The asparagus stir-fried with medium-sized prawns, in sambal belacan sauce was delicious. Crunchy, fresh asparagus rates rather high in my book of All-Things-Greens. And the slighly spicy sauce, with a subtle sweetness (owing to the onions and succulent prawns) made this dish a stellar one, a step above from the average/mundane/compulsory greens.
Pork Knuckle with ‘Kai Choy’ in spicy & sour gravy
The right combination of ingredients in the next dish was spot-on. Piquant, tangy, yet not overpowering, the ‘Kai Choy’ (mustard greens?) is a popular dish commonly served by chicken rice stalls, as the usual concoction involves left-over bones, meats, and such. Not entirely appetizing on paper, but the spicy and sour gravy will definitely tingle your tastebuds!
Here at Soon Fatt, they upped the ante, pairing a whole pork knuckle (can feed 4, really!) with the ‘Kai Choy’ in gravy, an awkward combination, yet worked wonders. One minor gripe would be the meat was a bit over-cooked, requiring more chewing than the desired melt-in-mouth texture. But still, try this for its authenticity.
Steamed Tilapia in Taucu Sauce
The fish was fresh, flesh was firm and sweet, completely lacking in unpleasant muddy taste usually feared when it comes to fresh water fish. The thick, spicy and savoury sauce complemented the fish to a tee. But wanna know what’s THE secret ingredient? :)

Yeah Baby! A handful of these, and come running to a pharmacy …. Want some Statins? :)

Lots and lots of crunchy, sinfully addictive pork lards!!! Seldom do restaurants nowadays incorporate these babies in their dishes. Unhealthy? Yes. But once in a blue moon, who cares?! The meal costed the four of us RM74.50, including rice and drinks. No service charge/gov tax.

Location : SOON FATT RESTAURANT @ 42,. Jalan Seenivasagam, 30450 Ipoh, Perak. Tel No : 605-243 6864. Got MAP !!!

P/S : They’re having CNY dinner sets as well. Do call for enquiries. And no, I’m NOT paid for this, LOL.

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Truely American Food @ David’s Diner, Greentown, Ipoh

November 25, 2008 | 3,840 views
You know sometimes, when you least expect a place to be special, the food to be marvelous, and the service to be impeccable, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to discover a hidden gem, unearthed for all to savour and share its glory?

Freshly-opened for business a day before … David’s Diner, a restaurant serving “TRUELY AMERICAN FOOD”…. or so they claim.
But inevitably, or in reciprocal, when you put too much hope in an eatery, brimming with fresh concept and spanking menu, you’re bound to be slightly, or sorely disappointed. One time or the other. Sigh …..

The ambience sets the mood for a no-frills, American fare commonly seen in diners in the movies, complete with mirrors and artificial bricks on the wall. But of course, Kimball sauces instead of Heinz or a good ol smoky BBQ sauce was a thorn in the flesh …?

Recently opened … in fact, they started business yesterday, David’s Diner managed to grab our attention with its cool signboard, proudly proclaiming their brand of “True American food.” And when we went for another round of Nasi Vanggey yesterday for lunch, we realised David’s Diner was opened for business, and offering FREE breakfast on opening day. Shucks … we missed. But pledging to come one day, we succeeded in doing so today.


Garden Salad

The place was rather packed during lunch, a positive sign of good things to come? The owner is an Indian guy,married to an American lady, and both returned to Malaysia to open this outlet. With so much American influence, one can’t help but anticipate in glee for some good ol’ American fare.
But sadly, that was not the case. First off, the service was horrendous. Only 2 waiters managing the lunch crowd, plus the countless amateurish mistakes made by those newcomers had some other patrons raging in their seats. And the half hour wait for our food was somewhat distressing, as one of us is strictly bound to the hospital’s one hour break ruling.


Italian Chicken Burger Set (RM9.90)

But poor service can be easily forgiven, as staff training takes time, and customer service needs experience. We were not daunted by the many ‘black faces’ occupying the tables all around us, as I hoped (and prayed) that the food would somehow excelled in response to the shortcomings, proportionate to the longer-than-average wait.
But reality bit me in the a$$ … HARD. Pricing-wise, all the items are reasonably-priced, with most burger sets below RM10, and the pasta, chops, Mexican Tacos and Burritos, etc will not burn a hole in the pocket. Most mains come with either a soup or a salad, and 2 side dishes of your choice. And credits must be given where they’re due, the side dishes list is an honorable 15 items, at least. From the potatoes (mashed, fries, roasted and baked!) to the salads and soups, and mac+cheese and beans+franks, you’ll have fun picking 2 of your preference.

Meatball Spaghetti (RM13.90) with Salad and Garlic Bread

Nan’s Italian Burger was a miniature version of TGIF’s, or Chili’s grander version. Even smaller than your average Big Mac or Whopper. OK, EVEN smaller than a McD’s Chicken Burger. Seriously. But size does not matter, does it?
The meat patty (chicken or beef) was marinated well, fortunately, with hints of herbs and whatnots (I got a mere small sliver for sampling) and not too dry. But the accompanying buns were measly, generic burger buns WITHOUT toasted sesame that you can easily purchase in bulk from your favourite hypermarket. In short, a Ramlee burger type of buns. The crinkle-cut fries were NOT crispy, and slighty soft.
The spaghetti was far from al dente, soggy and drenched with tomato puree. The flavoursome meatballs and melted cheese saved the dish somewhat, yet the tough garlic bread was nothing amazing. (TallGal’s comments, not mine as I sampled few strands of the pasta and sulked).

Popcorn Shrimps (RM15.90)

Dipping the shrimp into the sour salad dressing for some taste …. Notice how small the shrimp is?

My Popcorn Shrimp (12 pcs of S-sized shrimps) came on a big platter. Mostly occupied by the baked potato and the salad. The 12 pcs of shrimps were sitting in one corner, battered and deep-fried. Yup, they were fresh and succulent, but this is NOT a good choice for big eaters, as you can basically finish all the shrimps in two spoonfuls.

Baked Potato

Fortunately, for some carbo-boost, they have potatoes cooked in every way imaginable. I chose a baked one, and some roasted ones. Since their Macaroni and cheese was out-of-stock. Yup, heard that right. Only knew bout this AFTER I’ve finished my main.
The baked potato was served with very little sour cream, and the potato tasted mysteriously like sweet potato. The four of us could not intepret the REAL nature of the potato. Was it a sweet one? Or the usual one? Hmmm ….

Italian Roasted Potatoes

As replacement for my initial order of Mac+Cheese, I picked the Italian roasted potatoes, as even the Mexican Rice was not served this afternoon. The roasted potatoes, lightly seasoned, were good. Though a bit over-carbo for lunch, I just munched my way through it all.
And ended up feeling darn sleepy for the remaining 3 hours until the magical 5pm.
Will I return for another round of TRUELY AMERICAN FOOD? Hmmm …. Maybe sometime down the line. But not so soon, not before they sort out their teething problems, less-than-stellar service and quality of the food. And service charge’s at 10%. Go on and have a try, I’d like to hear some comments from you guys.
Location : DAVID’S DINER @ B-G-1, Ground Floor, Greentown Square, Ipoh.
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Greentown Noodle House in Ipoh – Years of Legacy?

November 12, 2008 | 1,014 views
Am not in a particularly bright and cheery mood to write. Down with flu, then fever, then sore throat, then the whole package re-visited. Like a combo meal. Tormenting moments …. Sigh ….
Greentown Noodle House
Short post then, on a Chinese restaurant in Greentown, Ipoh. Situated at the roundabout near Excelsior Hotel, this outlet has been around for quite some time, my late grandfather used to dine with us here. And he’s gone for 15 years. Imagine the longevity ….
Retaining most of the interior, as well as the items on the menu
Funny dining in a “Noodle House”, yet we all opted for their rice and dishes. Yup, not even ONE strand of noodle was slurped. Hehehe …. But all in all, their selection of rice and noodles is rather extensive, covering possibly every method of preparation known to man. OK, I exaggerated. =P
Pickled green chillies and sambal for that fiery kick
Thai style Fried Rice (RM4.20)
Reasonably-priced, the individual portions cater to most tastebuds, however discerning they may be. From sweet & sour to spicy, from rice to noodles and porridge, you can be assured of a satisfying lunch at less than RM5 even.
Mum’s Thai Fried Rice came with fried chicken breast meat and not too spicy (which suits the young ones and elderly well, but rather dull to me). Would’ve preferred a spicier, and stronger in flavour version though.
Mongolian Fried Rice (RM5.00)
That huge serving for a mere RM5, with chopped bits of mutton (or lamb, I can’t be sure), underneath a ‘canopy’ of perfectly fried egg. A sucker for everything Mongolian, I’m digging the fragrant and fluffy rice fried with turmeric and spices. Not too bad, this one.

Egg+Prawn Rice (or something like that …) RM4.20

Dad’s omelette with prawns and white rice was misleading. He initially thought the dish would be drenched with gravy (in the menu, only stated Egg+Prawn), but amused (or rather, infuriated) by the plain, and dry presentation of simple omelette and rice. Hmmm … give this a miss.

Double-Boiled Black Chicken with Herbs (RM6.30)
For a piping hot bowl of nourishing soup, give their selection a try. Our double-boiled black chicken with herbs was brimming with herbs, supposed to rejuvenate and re-energize the body and mind. Don’t ask me how true is that, as I’m not one who’s fond of herbal stuff. Hehe … Unless it’s herbal chicken. Or salted chicken. That’s another different story though.
Chicken Chop with Black Pepper Sauce (RM7.50)
Feel like going Western? They have chicken chops and fish & chips, as well as some other options under their Western banner. The presentation may be lacking, reminded me of Hainanese Chicken Chop, at best. But Bro gave positive feedback, unsuspectedly. The fried egg was an awkward companion though.
Roasted Chicken and Char Siew (BBQ Pork) (RM15)
Coming from the front door, one can’t miss the sight of roasted chickens and ducks hanging at the glass display counter. The chicken was forgettable, but the Char Siew (honey-roasted pork) was quite delicious. Quite, as it’s nowhere comparable to the FSF’s version, but marginally better than most out there.
The simple yet filling lunch costed RM48 for 5 of us. Considered cheap at times like this. When a set of McD’s so-called VALUE MEAL comes to roughly RM10 each.
Location : GREENTOWN NOODLE HOUSE @ 58, Persiaran Greenhill, 30450 Ipoh, Perak. Tel No : 605-2415145. For map, click HERE.
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