Motormouth From Ipoh – Malaysian Food & Travel

“Here Comes the Kacang Putih Man!” A very generic; instantly recognizable tray of Indian snacks displayed on the green-painted compartments on the back of his motorcycle.

MotorWHAT?! Don’t throw rotten tomatoes, brickbats, durians or slippers please … Just a very random phrase that sprang to mind when I was contemplating on a catchy title. Plus, aren’t you curious on what ‘kacang putih’ really is?

If you’re a Malaysian baby, then guaran-damn-teed you would have heard of, tasted, loved or abhorred (why should you?!) the classic Indian snacks usually sold by the roadside, or in school canteens.

But any idea WHY they’re named as such? Read the rest of this entry »

Trays of freshly baked, flaky golden brown puffs filled with delightful ‘kaya’ (sweet coconut jam) from Sin Eng Heong on Clare Street (Jalan Mustapha al-Bakri) in Ipoh.

In a matter of days, Sin Eng Heong would be celebrating its 50 years in business. Yup, you’re not dreaming. It’s not 5, 10, 15 or 30 years anniversary. Half a century on, and the brand’s stronger than ever.

Not only that, they’re even expanding to the adjacent shoplot. If you’ve been there before, joining the snaking queue come weekends/public holidays (sometimes only to be turned away regrettably because the not-so-selfless one in front of you bought the last 50 pieces!), and survived to tell the tale, then you would have borne witness to their unparalleled popularity.

Modern technology? What technology?

Read on for more revealing shots of the stripped-down-to-its-finest-core manner of manufacturing/baking, and a revelation of this Ipoh’s legacy in the making.

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I have to admit that I have never been a fan of ‘halal’ cafes in Ipoh. Not that there are many to start with. Wait, when you think about it, there is probably none. Aside from the overpriced, over-hyped and over-rated Laksamana Cheng Ho, serving a myriad of Thai, Chinese-Muslim and whatnots cuisine in Greentown. If you’re a fan, then pardon this outright criticism.

I have eaten at the outlet in Greentown Business Centre (the corner lot, which I think have since ceased operations) once, and the larger premise painted stark red along the same road just a short distance away from Brewster’s and almost directly facing MP Steamboat. All the visits came out pretty lacklustre, leaving me puzzled as to why we kept going back although the dining experiences were far from stellar.

Seafood Vol-au-vent (RM4.50/USD1.50) – A mini flaky pastry punctured with a hole from the top; then filled with a creamy filling of mixed seafood and mixed vegetables.

Then lo and behold. It dawned on me, a revelation much akin to a dumb blonde finally realizing why she’s branded as such in the first place.

Ipoh’s been suffering from a serious dearth of good ‘halal’ eateries; especially one that serves decent Western cuisine. To cut the story short, your perpetually fruitless search might end here. Today. This instant. Since Dubliners Cafe was more than I initially thought it was, or ever will be. Read the rest of this entry »

Turkey Ham Quiche (RM12.90/USD4.30) - One of her signature creations; previously available only on weekends, not on a daily basis as per request. Tammy bakes hers with a heart.

Okay, so greed is but one of the 7 deadly sins known to men. Oh dang, gluttony too. Infused with  unenviable two deadly sins got this Motormouth hesitant at first, to share what could be my current favourite cafe in Ipoh.

Don’t flinch. Yeah yeah … so it’s true that I rarely go back now. Much akin to being branded as someone who turns his back on his hometown. But not too worried. I promise that you will see a post or two every now and then on food from Ipoh, for I have sworn allegiance; to some extent; to cover most, if not ALL of the eateries worthy of the limelight in Ipoh.

Right now? I am barely halfway there.

For today? Let’s see what this 9 months’ old cafe has to offer …. Read the rest of this entry »

Crispy Roast Duck @ Hong Kong Restaurant, Canning Garden – Briefly bathed with boiling oil before being served (by request), this was simply a cut above the other roast duck specialists in Ipoh.

Madam Heng was a persistent lady, oh yeah. Can’t deny that. It has been a year since the initial contact made between herself and her brother-in-law with myself, an acknowledgment and gratitude nods for the post published in June last year. (Read “That Famous Canning Garden Roast Duck”).

As fate would have it, a full 12 months have passed before I managed to seek out the time for a revisit. 12 months of changes; seeing me moving from Ipoh to Selangor, changing my job (almost a 360 degrees paradigm shift, if you get my drift … hey that rhymes!), and settling in comfortably at that. Well, still adapting to the upbeat pace here, in comparison to the so-named (and rightly so) ‘honeymoon years‘.

Read on for the full story on this “Spunky Madam” (to quote someone I know) with a penchant for quality roast ‘halal’ ducks, and making an impact in a stranger’s life …..  Read the rest of this entry »

“Sar Kok Liew” aka Stuffed Yambean/Jicama is but one of many Ipoh’s signature street fares. Diced, or cubed yambean with beancurd sheet deep fried to a crispy finish, but most importantly; the moisture within must be retained for that juicy crunch.

If you had taken Motormouth’s words for it, you would have remembered how I had paltry affairs with both the K10 claypot chicken rice outlets in Ipoh. First the one in Ipoh Garden East, and the original one in Bercham.

And you wonder why was this post is named as such? (ie : Redemption) And what’s a claypot chicken rice specialist doing serving “Sar Kok Liew”?!! Read on for the revelation.

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Nasi Lemak with Sambal Sotong (RM3.50/USD1.20) – From Wak Nasi Lemak, stall no 51 @ Medan Selera Stadium Ipoh

Medan Selera Stadium; that row of stalls beside Stadium Ipoh houses an impressive range of hawker fares; from the fan favourites of wanton mee stalls (one in the morning, and one at night) to freshly steamed rice rolls; aptly named Hong Kong Chee Cheong Fun, and a bean sprouts chicken stall that proves to have a stellar following (Michelle Yeoh’s preference, supposedly) as well as the banana leaf rice stall(s) in the afternoon.

Fuad Roti Canai (Stall no 54) has been on my list of to-eat since I was still THE Motormouth in Ipoh. Now I am this immigrant in the lost city of skyscrapers and bumper-to-bumper vehicles.

But what I have missed in the previous reviews are the last row (from the roundabout, towards the public swimming pool’s direction) of gems featuring various Malay food stalls. Most glaring omission? Fuad Roti Canai (Stall No 54) and Wak Nasi Lemak (Stall No 51).

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