Motormouth From Ipoh – A Malaysian Food Blog

Just the other day I read with much interest, a comment on All About Ipoh about some of the older dining establishments in Ipoh. If you have been a true-blue Ipohan all along (a baby of the 80′s, at the very least) then you might have heard of names like Kok Kee and Kwong Chow Dim Sum, Tho Yuen, and the very famous Chee Seng on Jalan Theatre.

Still standing strong amidst the slew of NEW dim sum outlets; Ying Fa is a hidden gem the youngsters of today have probably never heard of, let alone aware of the existence at one corner of Belfied Street.

Of course, all of the names above are but long gone. For me, I had the fondest memories at Kok Kee; a dim sum restaurant that opens until late at night. The aforementioned restaurant occupied a spacious lot on Hugh Low Street (next to the current Hee Lai Ton Restaurant), and was one of the pioneers among dim sum eateries in Ipoh during the 80′s, aside from the very famous Foh San on Osborne Street, and maybe Ming Court/Yoke Fook Moon …. but I was too young back then to be sure of the facts.

Glad to see the locals (mostly families, or extended families) still patronizing Ying Fa, and not succumbing to the allure of the now legendary Dim Sum Street of Ipoh ….

However, let’s not count the immensely valiant Ying Fa out from this equation. Yes, about four decades of legacy, and amazingly still soldiering on albeit the dwindling of customers due to the other more commercialized and comfortable settings, and the sheer amount of publicity that has been pumped into strengthening the “BIG 3″ amongst Dim Sum Restaurants in Ipoh.

Read on to find out why was I enticed by Ying Fa, and what they offer aside from the generic array of dim sum ……..  CONTINUE READING THE REST OF THIS ENTRY »

Secret Garden Bistro – The open air dining concept (al fresco) taken to different heights; Sipping on your wine while being caressed by the soothing splatters of water from the fountain, and hopefully …. some lush greenery in the near future.

I would be lying if I say I am not intrigued by the sheer pleasure of introducing yet another new eatery in Ipoh, although this one being relatively new. The official launch of Secret Garden was sometime during the first week of August 2010. The bistro started operating way back in June or July, but the boutique hotel on the first floor (only three premium rooms, as far as I know) designed to exude a certain heritage aura will only be opened for reservations in the near future.

The rustic charm in the carefully executed planning and designing of the facade and interior of Secret Garden deserves a mention; especially those supposedly-REAL barrels used to prop up a glass table top at the bar area.

Many are still kept in the dark about the exact location of Secret Garden, or what type of cuisine one can expect to indulge themselves in. Heck, even if you zoom by this lane leading to Secret Garden, all lined with a tall foliage of trees, you might just miss the place as there is NO huge signboard lighted up with neon spotlights, nor engraved walls/tiles with the company’s name emblazoned on them.

To clear the air of mystique surrounding Secret Garden, read on to discover what could have been Ipoh’s best kept secret …… until NOW.

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Purple Cane Tea House @ Ipoh – Their maiden branch in Ipoh; a solely Tea House concept unlike the other Purple Cane restaurants that emphasize on tea-infused dishes instead.

So you might have heard about what that legendary premise on Osborne Street (Jalan Dato Tahwil Azar) previously occupied by Foh San Dim Sum has been renovated, and transformed into. If you have not, then it’s fine time you revisit that charming, beloved structure now with a fresh coat of white paint, yet nary a demolishing thought put into action; maintaining the iconic facade we have all grown up with.

The people at Purple Cane must be commended for putting deep thoughts into turning this Tea House into something fresh and chic yet retaining that old school charm of the beautiful interior.

The publicity has been minimal until now, with no brochures reaching my hands, nor large advertisements splashed out in the papers. (Maybe there WERE, but I don’t read the Chinese dailies) Heck, if not for the photos posted by fans of the All About Ipoh page, a post from Simple Girl, and a mail from a reader, I would not have known about this quaint gem (ironically, this term was used sparingly by a restaurant down south).

Read on to find out about the cuisine they serve, the products they sell (the tea house is adjacent to a retail area), their location and business hours, as well as how you can get a membership card by dining at the eatery …… CONTINUE READING THE REST OF THIS ENTRY »

In the spirit of writing stuff as soon as I remember to, I am penning this article down for the benefit of claypot chicken rice lovers here in Ipoh. Now if that sounds noble enough … then good. For I am not exactly a fan of the aforementioned classic Chinese rice dish where the rice would be cooked in a claypot (usually with enough layers of hardened crust left on purpose – for the charred aroma, of course) over charcoal-fuelled fire fanned by persistent cooks. Then the necessary ingredients like marinated chicken, waxed sausages and bits of salted fish to be added just before the cooking process is complete.

This ‘SMALL’ portion for only RM5.50/USD1.70. No, never a typo. And you’re not hallucinating either.

I do admit that GOOD claypot chicken rice is hard to come by nowadays. More often than not we get either mediocre quality of marinated (or lack thereof) chicken, the omission of salted fish, or worst of all ….. the rice being cooked to the wrong consistency. Nobody likes mushy/overcooked rice, or hardened uncooked grains fit for pecking by a bird or ironically in this case; a chicken.

So where exactly did K10; possibly Ipoh’s most famous brand of claypot chicken rice gone wrong?

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DRY Bak Kut Teh @ Tan Kee Klang BKT – Chunks of pork cooked in a dark, thick and slightly starchy sauce with dried chillies, bird’s eye chillies (cili padi), lots of garlic and some halved button mushrooms. (A portion for one at RM8.00/USD2.40)

This supposedly “Klang-style Bak Kut Teh” on Gopeng Road (actually Jalan Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, though I seriously doubt one can identify the roads with their new names nowadays) has caught my attention since late last year when I went for a meal at Restoran Waritha. The restaurant was packed; almost overflowing with customers that evening, which surprised me because I never even knew about such a place before that.

Fast forward a good 8 months later (hehe, talk about being a slow poke … ), and we finally embarked on a maiden journey to Tan Kee Klang Bak Kut Teh; which is located a short distance away from the Ipoh’s famous Sam Poh Tong caves. Their specialties? Wet (Soup-based) & Dry Bak Kut Teh, Steamed Fish Head, Vinegar Pork’s Trotter and Thai-style Beancurd. Ready with the napkins? Here we go …… CONTINUE READING THE REST OF THIS ENTRY »

Sashimi Moriawase Hanzo (RM56.00/USD17) – An enticing platter of fresh and thick cuts of raw fishes and boiled shrimps presented on a bed of shaved ice, with a cube of grated wasabi

I have to confess. The sudden onslaught of new eateries sprouting up in Ipoh surprised me, and my apologies for the delayed reviews of such places. For a variety of reasons (excuses?) of course.

One being the bane of spanking new outlets; pathetic level of service & mediocre/inconsistent quality of food. Not to mention the unacceptably long waiting time for your food to be presented on your table.

Another reason being of course; the procrastinating factor. Dear readers; I am but a mere mortal without a designated gang of ‘makan kaki’ (wanna sign up?) ….. and I do not own a gold mine, or one blessed with a silver gold platinum spoon in my (motor) mouth. All the food reviews on this blog are paid for with cold hard cash dripping with blood, sweat and tears.

Oh Sushi - A very pleasant dining environment amidst the team of affable staff, soft hums of classic Japanese tunes emitting from the speakers, and endless colourful plates of fresh sushi on the kaiten belt.

Cut the crap and let’s move on to the review of the day. One for the weekend, so to speak.

Oh Sushi Japanese Restaurant launched their maiden outlet in Ipoh recently, at De Garden; a hub of retail outlets largely populated with chain eateries (you can read my reviews of Pappa Rich, Ayam Penyet, Wong Kok Char Chan Teng, Tutti Frutti Frozen Yoghurt and TOS Coffee Bistro by clicking THIS LINK) situated next to Jusco Kinta City.

The name sounds familiar? Because this is the SAME Oh Sushi @ Midvalley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur, another pet project of the Kubota Japanese Restaurant group. Read on to find out how Oh Sushi stacked up against their adversaries; the other independent and chain Japanese restaurants in Ipoh …… CONTINUE READING THE REST OF THIS ENTRY »