Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

Turkey Ham Aglio Olio (MYR20.90/USD7) – Strips of pan fried turkey ham served with al dente spaghetti tossed with olive oil and weird enough; spring onion as garnish. Oh well.

Back in October 2008, I wrote a review on SSTC (short for Spaghetti Sweet Tea Cafe); an above average dining experience yet I could not help but wondered aloud;

“How can an outlet serving pasta and risotto priced at above MYR20 per portion, plus tiramisu at MYR15 and coffee at almost MYR10 survive among the giants of Ipoh; hawker delights at a fraction of the price?”

Mind you, aside from Indulgence, Citrus and Brewster’s (back then was operating in old town, then moved to Greentown and now closed), not many cafes could survive 6 years ago with prices like that. And after a deluge of new yet lacklustre cafes in Ipoh recently, I have almost given up hope on dining in boutique cafes until I stumbled upon SSTC again.

Like a rendezvous with an old friend, the revisit after 5 and a half years came up to be a bittersweet experience. Read on to find out why.  Read the rest of this entry »

 Seafood Pizza (RM18/USD6 for Regular) – A handful of mussels and shrimps on a very lightly-glazed base of tomato puree and cheese.

Seven days of silence. Not uncommon given the patchy track record of one post every week, or fortnightly during the past quarter. The reason behind the hiatus this past week however … was more than mere work.

I spent a rejuvenating three nights at Golden Palm Tree Iconic Resort & Spa. Actually it was part of the job, but still …. how could I not be swayed by the thoughts of waddling in the infinity pool, kicking back and sip on the refreshing water from a young coconut and roll around in bed all morning?

Then the week took a sharp 180 degrees turn and led me to an intense, adrenaline-charged finale of a Saturday at Le Meridien.

 42 Foodies took a somewhat calculated risk and started their business at a relatively secluded location; at least obscure from the view of a motorist zooming along Jalan Stadium @ Fair Park 

A few months ago, a new fusion-Italian restaurant commenced operations in Fair Park of Ipoh; generating interest almost in the league of fanfare that STG Tea House, Oz Aussie Restaurant and of course, Plan b received in the social media community.

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The Bistro @ Impiana Hotel Ipoh – The all-day dining alternative to The Coffee House; currently running an Italian cuisine promotion

Impiana Hotel Ipoh (formerly known as Casuarina Hotel; the unmistakable landmark hotel of Ipoh back in its heydays) has successfully undergone transformation; coupling refurbishment and renovation works to its rooms and F&B establishments.

Still, the only four-star hotel in Ipoh that actually feels like one, the Impiana group has injected life back to the decades old premise; and still drawing in tourists from all walks of life; including the royal families and ministers.

Fresh breads from the kitchen of The Bistro to perk up the appetite

Throughout the years, I have only grown accustomed to The Coffee House; the designated Halal dining option of the hotel serving daily buffets and various local and international delights. That being said, Impiana has added another feather (or two) to its cap by resurrecting the flagging interest (of yours truly, at least) of dining in hotels in Ipoh; with the welcome of two new outlets; The Bistro & The Deli.

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*Travel Blitz will be a new series of posts on Motormouth From Ipoh; highlighting interesting food and travel bits from all over Malaysia. This coincides with the surge of travelling lately, and serves as a platform to channel Motormouth’s scattered thoughts and ramblings.

#1 – This shot was taken from the Signal Hill Observatory Tower in the centre of Kota Kinabalu; on Jalan Bukit Bendera. Nearby landmarks include Suria Sabah and Gaya Street.

When it’s time to purge the blues away, best way is to dig deep into the archives and scour for one travel post to return one reassuring smile over this jaded face. Although this time around I don’t have to, with backlogs piling up all over the place.

Kota Kinabalu; the capital of Sabah has never failed to fascinate me. This being my third visit to the town, and yet I’m still discovering something share-worthy every time. My last visit to KK was around June last year, and this time around I was introduced to one very famous Italian restaurant in town, a Chinese curry laksa on Jalan Gaya that’s crowded during breakfast hours, and the magnificent sunset painting the skies with a brilliant hue of gold ….. Read the rest of this entry »

Italia Mia @ Sunway City, Tambun – A refreshed coat of paint; complete with an artistic touch on the mural of the Grand Canal to create that mood …..

Italia Mia has graced the dining scene in Ipoh since more than half a decade ago. In this last review of the restaurant located in Sunway City of Ipoh, close to two years ago, the owners did mention about their intention to sell the restaurant off and move back to Europe to be with their children, but little was heard about Italia Mia again … especially since I myself left Ipoh at the end of 2010.

And come 2012, they finally did it. Italia Mia has now changed hands; sold off to a bubbly Chef Kenny and his partner. Wondering what has changed aside from the ownership and kitchen crew? Read on to find out. Read the rest of this entry »

In his mixing elements @ Baci; a new Italian-inspired cafe in Citta Mall, Ara Damansara.

Lest you misunderstood that Motormouth has gone back to Ipoh, let me affirm you that I have not, with this post. So happened that over the weekend before last, I went home for a very short stint (2 days in its entirety) and came back with a few good finds to be shared. Not entirely new restaurants or cafes in Ipoh though, sorry to burst your bubble.

But aside from the spanking new Hokkaido Japanese Restaurant (the next post, I promise), I revisited the good old food stalls in Ipoh that I have grown up with, and partly responsible for developing this discerning palate.

A spacious, well-aerated and lit by natural sunlight al fresco area of Baci; recreating the laid-back European style of cafe ambience. A perfect atmosphere for a casual breakfast-brunch on a lazy Sunday.

Now, let me shake off this Monday blues (or the last half hour of it) by sharing this new cafe named Baci; located on the ground floor of a relatively new shopping mall in Ara Damansara named Citta Mall.

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Antipasto means ‘before the meal’ in Italian. Antipasti is the plural form of the same word. And these are generally served as the first course; starters if you will, to the Italian feast lying thereafter. And here at Spasso Milano, they took the initiative to place antipasti under the spotlight ….

-An Antipasti Buffet for RM18++, and additional RM3++ for a main of your choice-

Array of desserts; tangy lemon tarts sliced in quarters, Panna cotta (that I tragically missed because I was too obsessed with the savouries) and the chocolate cake that was partly tiramisu?

Witch was the one setting us up. In a good way, of course. Was supposed to adjourn to some other place for brunch … The Deli @ Micasa, but changed plan almost at the last minute. Good alternative though, for RM18++ is a darn value-for-money strategy to sample various appetizers laid out on the buffet table.

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