Motormouth From Ipoh – A Malaysian Food Blog

Fresh produce @ Pasar Besar Siti Khadijah – The sisterhood of Kota Bharu, Kelantan doing their thang!!

Now wait a minute there, Motormouth. Didn’t this visit to the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia take place back in June of (wait for it) … 2009?!!!!

Yeah, a little later than usual; I knew I just had to put into words this amazing escape to Kelantan; that happened slightly more than a year ago. Before this poor old man’s memory fails him, allow me to share some of the shots taken in and around Kota Bharu; the capital of the state Kelantan.

After the jump, be mesmerized by the sheer vibrancy and burst of colours streaking the iconic market of Kelantan; Pasar Besar Siti Khadijah, as well as the availability of various sweet snacks sold at the market …… CONTINUE READING THE REST OF THIS ENTRY »

Talk about Satay, those sticks of timeless grilled marinated and skewered meats (epitome of Malaysian Street Food?) and almost instantaneously the term Kajang Satay pops up in the conversation. It’s inevitable. You can argue about how famous your favourite ‘warung sate‘ (satay stall) in your neighbourhood might be, crowded from day ’til night or round the clock, but the appeal of Kajang Satay has never waned amidst the many emulators, imitators and wannabes.

The many varieties of Satay served on a plate, @ Nyok Lan Kajang Satay in Restoran Malaysia, Kajang.

First up, where in the world is Kajang you are wondering? (If let’s say, you’re not a local or plain ignorant or simply detested Geography lessons back in your school days) Kajang is a city in the eastern part of Selangor, about 20km or so from the capital of Malaysia; Kuala Lumpur. And unabashedly, I have to admit that this was my FIRST excursion down to this city slightly away from the tourist trail. Nearby towns include Semenyih and Bangi. If those sound even more foreign to you, I don’t blame you.

Anyway, Haji Samuri is THE undisputed brand of Kajang Satay; with close to 20 outlets all over Malaysia now. The number is constantly on the rise, with new chains opening up in the other states.

My experience with Sate Kajang Haji Samuri ranged from absolutely delicious (the R&R Kinrara outlet back in 2006 or so) to downright abysmal (the one in Bukit Tinggi, Klang). Commercialization breeds success and fame, but when the quality of the satay is compromised in a way that affects a customer’s satisfaction, it’s hard to restore my faith in their food again.

So why oh why am I still raving, salivating and recommending Kajang Satay again? For I believe, this outlet named Nyok Lan Kajang Satay @ Restoran Malaysia is definitely worth a try; no matter you’re a satay lover or not. Read on to find out why ….. CONTINUE READING THE REST OF THIS ENTRY »

In search of the BEST Nasi Lemak in Ipoh (bear with me people, for I am rather slow in getting to them all!), I started the ball running with a visit to Allongs Restaurant in Ipoh Garden, within walking distance to Woolley Food City and directly behind of Medan Aneka Selera (aptly named Tung Koo Thing aka Mushroom Stand?).

And no, this is NOT a piece of chicken feet, or a duck’s webbed feet. But instead, a chewy and utterly addictive piece of dried cuttlefish cooked in a spicy chili paste, aka Sambal Sotong Kering.

Allongs Restaurant is famous for their Nasi Lemak, hands down THE epitome of great Malaysian breakfast. You can opt to have your coconut milk-laden fragrant rice to be served with any of the condiments, or side dishes available at the counter, or just trust them on their best bet; aka their signature – Nasi Lemak Sotong Kering.

Aside from Nasi Lemak, the crowd goes for Allongs’ equally delicious Lontong, which is a typical Malay dish consisting of boiled compressed rice (ala ‘ketupat‘), served in a watery yet decadent broth that tasted redolent of ‘santan’ (coconut milk), turmeric, chili paste and various spices.

So does Allongs’ Nasi Lemak deserves to be in the Best Nasi Lemak in Ipoh list? Read on to find out …. CONTINUE READING THE REST OF THIS ENTRY »

If you have been driving around Ipoh city lately, you must have noticed the many buntings hanging from the lamp posts along the road promoting a certain “Pondok Padang” restaurant situated at the new business centre named 1Casuarina beside Impiana Hotel on Jalan Gopeng (Jalan Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah).

Sate Ayam (10 skewers at RM9.00/USD2.70) – Notice the difference between these and the usual Satay? No side serving of peanut gravy, but instead the black “Special” sauce was drizzled over the grilled meat on skewers.

Pondok Padang is new to the Ipoh’s food and beverage scene, being the second high-profile “Hidangan Nasi Padang” restaurant after the booming Restoran Simpang Tiga over in Greentown.They claim to serve the most authentic form of “Hidangan Padang“, or “masakan Minangkabau“, originating from our neighbouring country, Indonesia.

A genuinely rustic, ‘kampung’ ambience was relived in the decor of the restaurant. Aside from utilizing the skillful hands of Indonesian chefs, Pondok Padang also imported the handmade bamboo furnitures! Talk about committed to the true essence of enjoying a Minangkabau feast.

The restaurant operates 24 hours, supposedly. But as of now, they’re only opened from 10am until 3am (yes, more than 12 straight hours!) to test the waters, so to speak. So, wondering how did Pondok Padang fare against Simpang Tiga? Read on to find out ….. CONTINUE READING THE REST OF THIS ENTRY »

Mee Hailam Parit – Is this YOUR worst nightmare? Or potentially enticing you into a drooling overdrive?

With a name like Mee Hailam Parit, it does get you wondering about a few issues. Firstly, where in the world is Parit?!! (Parit means drain in Malay language) Parit is a small town within the Perak Tengah district; near to towns like Seri Iskandar, Batu Gajah, Bota, Tronoh and Pusing. To get to Parit, you can use the Lumut Highway connection Ipoh-Lumut and turn off to Parit about 20 minutes after departing from Ipoh. The second query is; what is “Mee Hailam”? … CONTINUE READING THE REST OF THIS ENTRY »

Finally it’s the weekend again, eh? If you’re heaving a sigh of relief, rest assured you’re NOT alone on this. Yesterday, we went for a short excursion to Kuala Kangsar, the Royal Town of Perak situated about half an hour away from Ipoh. You can reach this town using the North-South highway, exiting at Kuala Kangsar/Gerik (Timur) toll exit, OR you can opt to use the trunk road that connects Chemor-Sungai Siput-Salak-Enggor-Kuala Kangsar. Scenic, yet a little mundane ……

The famous Laksa Pak Ngah of Kuala Kangsar; since 1955. That’s a couple of years BEFORE independence, people!

Earlier we had our lunch at Sudut Nyonya Restaurant; possibly the only Nyonya restaurant in town. Or anywhere outside of Ipoh in the state of Perak, for that matter. A satisfying meal nonetheless, we were still craving for more. I had the urge to try the popular Pak Ngah Laksa behind of Tsung Wah secondary school. Just ask anyone (especially your Malay friends) from Kuala Kangsar or beyond, and I’m sure most would agree that a visit to this royal town is never complete without a packet or two (or dozens of them, from what we saw) of Pak Ngah laksa back home …. CONTINUE READING THE REST OF THIS ENTRY »