Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

This article was first published in The Malay Mail Online.

The dry curry noodles with a hefty ladle of gravy cooked without coconut milk; a supposedly healthier option but tastes delicious all the same

Every once in a while, we stumble upon some hidden gems, those unassuming kopitiams just around the corner with unimaginative names but that are perpetually packed with people. In Ipoh, it is hard to keep track of the number of proliferating kopitiams, cafes, restaurants and everything in between, what more with a barrage of new commercial centres taking over several spots in the city. But the fact remains: this category of traditional, no-frills (read: no menu, no air-conditioning and no GST… well, at least not in a direct manner) outlets are still a hit with the local folks seeking a quick yet satisfying meal, usually served within minutes and costs less than RM10 per person. The variety, for one, is an alluring factor at places like these; you usually see stalls selling noodles, rice, snacks, sweets and savouries being dished out on the spot by locals (in Ipoh, hiring of foreign workers to cook hawker food is still fairly rare), so there really could be something for everyone. Read the rest of this entry »

This article was originally published in the Malay Mail Online HERE.

More than just a meal for those feeling under the weather, a Teochew porridge feast can be a comforting affair especially after a series of guilt-ridden feasts (i.e. food excursions and post-travel blues anyone?).

I usually avoid eating hot, soupy food unless ­I feel under the weather. Call me impatient, weird or just plain picky, but eating porridge cooked with softened (almost to a pulp) carrots or noodles cooked in a light, anchovy-flavoured broth will never evoke spectacular memories for me. Instead, these “comfort foods” only serve to remind me of the painful ordeal of recovering from chicken pox when I was still a toddler. That could be the reason why I have stayed away from porridge or even anything remotely soupy (even curry noodles; which explains why I prefer dry curry noodles instead) most of my life.

But how times have changed. I guess one’s tastebuds change with age; and gradually I learned to be receptive towards foods that I could never be bothered to eat, let alone crave. Brinjals, bitter gourds, offal and yes… rice porridge. Although Teochew porridge stalls can never match the number of economy/mixed rice stalls all over Malaysia, if you search hard enough you will find a handful in most neighbourhoods in the Klang Valley, especially the older residential or commercial areas.

The affable proprietor of the Teochew porridge stall has a smile and greeting for every customer.

My favourite stall thus far has been this nameless one located within Sun Fatt Kee Restaurant in Seapark, Petaling Jaya. The name might sound unfamiliar to you, but most locals know this shop for the Bumbung Nasi Lemak (or more fondly referred to as the Seapark Nasi Lemak and their crispy fried chicken) that operates only in the evenings. By day, the Teochew porridge stall shares the crowd with a pan mee stall, a pork noodles soup stall and an equally noteworthy curry noodles stall as well. The elderly duo running the porridge stall put out a delectable Teochew spread that is usually consistent in terms of selection and taste, yet reasonably-priced for the masses. You will need to arrive after 9am to treat yourself to a splendid and complete feast of Teochew delights, but avoid the lunch crowd if possible to mitigate the risk of having your favourite dish run out. And trust me; the lunch crowd can be a little bit intimidating during the peak hours given the density of residences and offices around the vicinity. Read the rest of this entry »

This article was first published in the Malay Mail Online

Despite being chopped into smaller bite-sized pieces, the har cheong gai (belacan or shrimp paste chicken) at Kok Sen deserves two thumbs up; you can almost smell the infused paste from tables away.

Still in the spirit of scouting for noteworthy cze char restaurants (eateries serving different Chinese-style dishes with rice or noodles) in Singapore, a few sources led me to two well-established places along Keong Saik Road: Kok Sen and Tong Ah. Keong Saik Road, named after a renowned businessman who contributed significantly to the Chinese community in the earlier part of last century, used to be a notorious red light district before it was transformed into a modern commercial hub with popular restaurants, art galleries and retail stores. As the area lies within an urban conservation area, the façades of the two- to three-storey shoplots along Keong Saik Road are still maintained with primarily heritage elements, a sight to behold if you are here prior to sundown and taking a stroll along the relatively short street.

Both of the restaurants I mentioned earlier had strong followings of their own; Tong Ah has been around for more than 70 years (!) but has since moved from its original iconic space at the junction of Teck Lim Road and Keong Saik Road to a smaller, one shoplot space diagonally opposite of Kok Sen which occupies two lots to cater to the frenzied crowd over lunch and dinner.

While Tong Ah is renowned more for its kaya and butter toast with coffee served (optionally) with a dollop of butter than their cze char dishes, Kok Sen focuses solely on the strengths of its cze char items. I am not sure though if Tong Ah was there first or Kok Sen.

Nevertheless, we decided to hop over to Kok Sen on a Sunday evening at the prime dining time of 7pm just to push our luck despite warnings from various quarters to either be there super early (they open for dinner from 5pm onwards) or make a reservation (which may not work to secure you a seat sometimes). Read the rest of this entry »

This article was first published HERE on The Malay Mail Online.

Wondering what’s the hype about har cheong gai or belacan fried chicken in Singapore? Try them at Bgain 22 Old Street Coffee House on Havelock Road

Most of us Malaysians who have grown up savouring delectable hawker eats under the open sky — sometimes shaded by leafy trees, at times within the compound of someone’s home, or even at some random back alley — would raise an eyebrow when talking about “hawker food” in Singapore. For one, the atmosphere is totally different; the stalls have partitions and are numbered systematically in a food court. They of course come across as relatively sterile. Not that these are bad necessarily bad; in fact a clean and comfortable environment should be applauded. But it might be the strange feeling of déjà vu one gets from eating at the various food courts… they somehow feel the same, lacking the authentic oomph of having a bowl of noodles on the street (hence the term “street food” perhaps?) and at times they resemble one another; especially the newer stalls in refurbished food courts.

A childhood favourite of mine; sweet and sour pork is one of the highlights in every cze char meal even in Singapore

Secondly, and this is also a problem plaguing the Malaysian hawker food scene, the stalls manned by the original owners are gradually losing steam. The younger generation (let’s call them the i-generation) is shying away from continuing the legacy, understandable as sweating it out behind a pot or a wok for hours may not even earn you as much as a day sitting in a fully air-conditioned office typing away in front of a PC. Plus, there’s a certain lack of “glamour” being associated with frying char kuey teow, wrapping wanton dumplings or brewing a cup of kopi O, I presume.

Anyhow, I have learned that if one travels slightly further away from the city centre or tourist-centric establishments, and head towards the most unassuming corners of Singapore one will find culinary gems. These are usually on the ground floor of HDB flats; certain cze char places or what we call dai chow in Cantonese that are usually open for lunch and dinner, catering to the hungry needs of residents around the area. These stalls are usually still run by the locals, or at least Chinese from either Malaysia or sometimes from mainland China. In summary, the quality of the cooking is still well-maintained, unlike some places run by foreign workers (yes, I am talking about places in Kuala Lumpur, more or less). Read the rest of this entry »

This article was originally published in the Malay Mail.

A platter of freshly fried sar kok liew that you can already pick and eat on the spot, should you choose not to wait for the noodles

By now, if you are a self-proclaimed foodie in Malaysia, you must have at least heard or eaten at one of Ipoh’s most hyped hawker stalls — a stall aptly named Big Tree Foot or Dai Shu Geok located in the rambunctious neighbourhood of Pasir Pinji. The stall was rightly named due to the over-arching structure above the zinc roof shaded eating area; a few large trees providing shelter and some desperately-needed breeze in the typically warm afternoon.

Most of the items sold at Big Tree Foot are deep fried ingredients stuffed with homemade fish paste (otherwise known as yong tau foo more commonly, but we Ipoh folks call them yong liew), served as they are — piping fresh batches steaming hot from the wok right in front of you. The variety is astounding, and if this is your first time paying a visit, you will tend to get lost in the mix and end up piling dozens of greasy, delicious and extremely addictive pieces of yong liew in your bowl.

But should you come to a breaking point where the only thing standing between you and a piece of everything in your restrictive diet plan, then no fear. Choose the piece that represents Ipoh most — sar kok liew otherwise known as jicama or yambean fritters.

Outside of Ipoh, sar kok liew may not ring a bell with most yong tau foo lovers who are more familiar with the usual repertoire of fish balls, stuffed beancurd, stuffed chillies and deep fried beancurd sheets or foo pei. However, any self-appreciating food lover from Ipoh would highly regard sar kok liew as one of the most delicious, yet basic item that every single fish ball noodle stall should have. Read the rest of this entry »

This article was originally published in the Malay Mail Online. Click HERE to read the article.

Breakfast of Teh Tarik with cucur bawang and roti canai at Restoran Sabar Menanti next to the public swimming pool in Ipoh

The restaurant is called Restoran Sabar Menanti which literally means “waiting patiently” in Malay. You can imagine the gleeful reactions to the somewhat weird choice of restaurant name, right? Well, this place focuses on the concept of “slow food”; every single dish and every piece of roti (Indian flatbread) is cooked on the spot upon every order. Be prepared for a long meal as the food comes (slowly) to your table piping hot and bursting with fresh flavours. But of course, they do serve an admirable spread of ready-cooked dishes for breakfast and lunch as well, in the tradition of nasi campur but this is a minor extension of their kitchen’s strength. The restaurant also has a battalion of staff hurriedly taking your orders and serving platefuls of delectable Malay food. Sabar Menanti can easily pass off as just another Malay eatery within the serene Ipoh city; nestled away from clear view within an oasis-like garden environment next to the public swimming pool. Read the rest of this entry »

Read the original article published in The Malay Mail Online HERE.

Still the same Hoong Tho that we grew up with in the 80’s …

There are but a few eateries left in Ipoh that I personally feel are still able to evoke a strong sense of nostalgia upon setting foot into their premises and tasting the same old flavours from yesteryear. I highlighted a sterling example last week on Wong Koh Kee restaurant situated along Concubine Lane in Old Town with more than eight decades of legacy. That was a really classic example of “lau zhi hau” (literally translated to old trademark brand) — signature dishes unchanged since decades back, maintaining the no-menu policy, ageing staff staying with the establishment through thick and thin and a no-frills, subdued set up featuring round marble top tables, rickety wooden chairs, steel stools and mosaic-tiled flooring.

Now, Koh Kee is not the only restaurant in Old Town with such a rich history and fan base spanning a few generations. Hoong Tho, located along the same road of Jalan Bandar Timah (Leech Street) but on the other side (note that coming from Hugh Low Street, the junction branches to opposite ways of Jalan Bandar Timah; the right side leads to Wong Koh Kee, Kong Heng kopitiam and Nam Chau curry noodles, while the left turn will take you to the stretch of white coffee stalwarts; Sin Yoon Loong and Nam Heong, as well as Hoong Tho which is located a few doors away from Nam Heong.)

This plate of intense wok-hei laden fried rice was utterly delicious and whipped up with such flair by the cooks at Hoong Tho in old town

I remember eating at Hoong Tho with my late grandfather and a bunch of older relatives, whereby this was also one of the famous places in Ipoh back in those days for wedding banquets. The menu has stayed relatively flat throughout the years, which may not be a bad thing at all. You see, most of these popular establishments are known for their trademark items — dishes that they do particularly well and embedded in the minds of followers who come back repeatedly for the same, comforting familiar taste. Read the rest of this entry »