Motormouth From Ipoh – Malaysian Food & Travel

Satay Dataran - An unmistakably Malaysian delight of marinated chicken and lamb skewered and grilled over charcoal fire, served with raw onions, cucumber and ‘ketupat’ (boiled packed rice dumplings), and a slurry of thick, spicy peanut sauce (RM1.00 for chicken, RM1.20 for lamb)

A decade ago, had you told me that hawker food (or street food) is supposed to be eaten in an air-conditioned environment, with free Wifi and tagged on with 6% government tax and 10% service charge, I would have gladly gotten you a doctor. Or a shrink.

Lil Ipoh – Occupying half of the old premise of Antap Cafe (the other part is still a stronghold of Citrus Wine & Dine‘s); this restaurant was crowded during dinner on a Saturday.

But then again, time has changed. It is not unusual to see people paying close to RM10 (USD3+) for a plate of Char Kuey Teow or Nasi Lemak in kopitiams (Old Town and Pappa Rich being good examples), close to what we were paying for in hotels a decade ago.

The convenience factor comes into play, coupled with the fact that the younger generation nowadays simply can’t fathom the thought of crouching by roadside or back alley while digging into a piping hot bowl of noodles, or having to endure the heat of dining in a coffee shop cooled by creaking antique fans.

So, what’s that got to do with this new place aptly named Lil Ipoh in Ipoh Garden East? Read the rest of this entry »