Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

Nasi Lemak CT Garden – A tray loaded with goodies? Nasi lemak, otak-otak, rendang daging, ayam goreng, sambal tempe and more.

It’s always fascinating to bump into places hidden within the nooks and crannies of the metropolitan that is Kuala Lumpur. Especially when you least expect a wondrous eatery in the midst of the skyscrapers almost overflowing with customers with a perpetual grin on their face and overwhelming appetite overruling their sense of judgment.

Like us. Our tray got too heavy from the food and started to bend inwards towards the bottom; although from the looks of it, the food that we took was not exactly of gargantuan proportion either.

Halved hard-boiled eggs and killer sambal with onions ready to be loaded upon the waiting packets of “nasi lemak”

Which of course led us to one last deduction; this tray must have been overloaded by the previous ‘owners’ …. how not so when everyone had at least two packets of nasi lemak each (we saw some having more than 5!!!)? Read the rest of this entry »

Mix Appetizer M.S (Malika Saba) (RM25/USD8) – A platter of various appetizers to start off with, in case you’re intimidated by the awkward names like I was. I could only identified hummus and tabbouleh from my limited vocab/experience with Middle East fares.

Now, Malika Saba arrived on the scene at the right time, I’d reckon. Just when the food & beverage scene has slowed down to a snail pace in Ipoh (new eateries concentrated in the NEW AEON IPoh Station 18, but being mere mimics of their counterparts in malls all over Klang Valley), with nary an outlet that excites the senses anymore, this Middle Eastern restaurant with an outlet in Wangsa Maju, KL took a gigantic leap of faith … and opened another in Greentown of Ipoh.

Mullawah – A humongous in size traditional Arabic bread that came crispy on the sides and yet retaining that distinct aroma from the charred bits (possibly from the torched peripherals of the clay oven), and went well with almost any dips or salads that you may want to have.

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Kelantan Delights – Almost religiously, we stopped talking; stopped yapping about the previous meals each of us had, the new places in town, and the misfortune of dining in peculiar eateries sprouting up all over Klang Valley. The attention was shifted indefinitely; channeled towards the aesthetically-plated servings of Kelantanese/Malay delights.

Slightly more than two years ago, I left my tracks on Kelantan’s soils. It was more than a working trip. It was …. a holiday well-deserved. Yes, that terrifying thought of waking up every weekend in different states of Malaysia. But back then, nothing was overwhelming like it is now.

Every single opportunity to get out of the office was much appreciated. A battalion of us marching (or rather, driving) to the east coast for a good 4 days or so. The excursion took our breath away …. more so because of the hectic schedule and hours on the road, than the scenery that embraced the city child in us.

But, we were not complaining. On the contrary, I started missing Kota Bharu almost immediately after the trip. When things set in and there I was anticipating for the next runaway to the east coast for work, a course or joint activities with our counterparts over in the eastern states of peninsular Malaysia.

But my wish never materialized.

It would be a sin to forgo the opportunity for a Kodak moment here; with interior designing worthy of an accolade and then some. This could be THE place to hold a function that calls for Halal cuisine.

Thus, I started craving for another bite of ‘akok‘, that famous Kelantanese dessert/snack that looked nothing like an elegant piece of a signature ‘kueh’. YET, the proof is in the pudding as they said. And this piece of wrinkled block of sweet delight made from an overdose of eggs captured my heart almost instantly. But …. aside from the ones I found at Pasar Siti Khadijah in Kelantan, where can I savour the same sensation here in the city?

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BBQ Chicken Pau (RM3.60/USD1.20 for two freshly-steamed buns) – Char Siew Bao without the CHAR SIEW?! Atrocious?!!! Ridiculous??!!!!!! Not really.

Friday. I’d better limit my words for this post, else I’ll be getting all the rotten tomatoes splattered over this ogre-like mug. And a stretch of 3-days long, extended weekend for everyone!

Instead of the usual un-Halal, pork-infested reviews on this blog, let me embrace the milder, pork-free side of myself. And if you’re a Muslim reader, or have a bunch of Muslim foodie friends dying to try some Chinese dim sum, then this post is definitely for you.

Wait, even if you are one PORK-adoring fanatic, who can’t stay away from the char siew, gu lou yuk, crispy siew yoke, vinegar pig’s trotters, German pork knuckle …… you might still find this recommendation worthy of a try. I was skeptical, but the first visit proved my doubts were unfounded. Read on, and discover why …. Read the rest of this entry »

Pineapple Fried Rice (RM9.90/USD3.30) – An aesthetically-captivating presentation in a hollowed half of a pineapple. Fluffy grains with a distinctive fragrance, fried with cubed fresh pineapple, chopped long beans, raisins and roasted cashew nuts.

And I proclaim this my current favourite haunt for no-frills, affordable Thai fares in KL/PJ. Not until after the third visit though. Second one did not count since this reckless soul forgot to take note of Phad Thai Restaurant‘s off-day and went home sorely disappointed on a Monday evening.

Actually no, we went off to Daorae which is about 100 metres away, but you get my drift. The sheer lacking in enthusiasm after preparing this glutton of a bowel to a mind-numbing, fiery Thai fest. Only to experience a gastronomic experience on a whole different spectrum; grilled meats over charcoal, kimchi, bulgogi and all.

That being said, this adamant little brat was not about to give up. Still fresh from the first eye-opening experience of a dinner consisting of a reasonably-good rendition of “Pad Thai” (Thai fried rice noodles with shrimp, egg and bean sprouts), and you know it’s fairly impossible to find one that’s just as good as Bangkok’s, we went again.

Read on for the full insight, and delicious shots you’d be forgiven for licking the screen …. Read the rest of this entry »

The signature “Ikan Bakar” (Grilled Fish) section where you can pick your fish from a choice of tilapia, kembung (mackerel) or keli (catfish)

It’s that time of the year again, when smokers don’t smoke, sinners don’t sin, and angels reign supreme. Yup, soon to be the holy month of Ramadan and much akin to how you should never cross Santa prior to Christmas, the fasting season begins. Bear in mind that when Muslims fast, not only do they need to stay away from eating/drinking for >12 hours a day, but their thoughts must be pure, sincere and without the slightest hint of malice in their intentions.

However, most urbanites look forward to the time for breaking fast nowadays ….

Where traditionally, people cook at home in anticipation of ‘buka sahur’ sessions (breaking fast), time, technology and rapid development has evolved the city dwellers especially the working class professionals into different characters all together.

It’s not uncommon to see immense crowd at Ramadan bazaars (Pasar Ramadan) in the evenings buying truckloads (more or less) of food for dinner. And tradition takes a giant backflip when major hotels in the city cash in on the festive season by offering array of mouthwatering temptations in their respective buffet spread.

Time for a family portrait? The mother and son duo of Mak Deli & Irwan dishing up a storm at Melting Pot Cafe @ Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur this coming month of Ramadan.

Whilst most establishments settle for the safer routes of traditional Malay cuisine (lemang, ketupat, satay, rendang, etc) combined with a touch of international influences (sashimi, sushi, Western pies, lasagne etc), the management of Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur took matters into their own hands and diverted the attention back to good old Padang delights from Pariaman; a coastal city to the west of Sumatera.

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A classic plate of Penang style Char Kuey Teow; with prawns, cockles, bean sprouts and ku chai (Chinese chives). But bear in mind that this is a ‘halal’ (more to pork-free, but this stall’s parked in a HALAL premise), hence no lard, no waxed sausages (lap cheong).

And if you can recall this recent post on Robert’s Char Kuey Teow in Section 17, you would have known that I can be really, really determined when I am on the prowl for good street food. Blame it on the Ipoh genes or the strong attachment to quality hawker fares from Ipoh/Penang maybe?

Especially when expectations are met with disappointment, over-rated eateries taking precedence due to the overwhelming crowd, stories inflated by media coverage, and people jumping on the bandwagon.

Well, not ALL of Ipoh’s hawker food are of exceptional quality, mind you. But owing to more than two decades of life spent in the tranquil town (some say sleepy, but I beg to differ ….), I just knew where to seek for the above average ones.

Unlike current times; when I’m just like a lost sheep in this juggernaut of a metropolitan; sporting eateries of unfamiliar genres and origins. Let’s cut to the chase; and see how Aunty Gemuk’s (literally translated to Fat Aunt, but that’s not too courteous now, are we?) Char Kuey Teow fares against the likes of Robert’s etc …. Read the rest of this entry »