Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

This article was first published in the Malay Mail. Click HERE to read the original article.

Steamed “Sang Yue” (snakehead fish/ikan haruan) with “Choy Pou” (preserved radish) is one dish you cannot miss if you visit Khiong Kee Restaurant in Tapah in Perak

Breathe in. Hold it. Now breathe out.
If you find yourself stuck in the middle of a Christmas-shopping crowd and desperately gasping for a breath of fresh air, then you are not alone.

I sometimes suffer from this never-ending, vicious cycle as well when the festive season draws near and all I can think of is… which shopping mall to raid next. As the novelty wears thin (more like the wallet running dry), don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, break free and embark on a road trip.

Nowadays, the notion of travelling almost always conjures images of flying (after all, everyone can fly now, to steal a quote from a local budget airline), a privilege back in the old days but more common now with a few clicks on the web, a credit card for payment and a passport. However, flying may not always be the best option. Some people are just not born to handle the stress of commuting to and from the airport, the packing and the check-in process.

And thus, let’s come to my story for the day – road trips.
What we Malaysians are blessed with is good sunny weather all year round (save for some heavier downpour on certain months, but still within sanity range), relatively good expressways and roads to drive on, and the most irresistible element of all?

Exceptional food from street peddlers, food courts, a few established restaurants and everything else in between.

I once wrote about Choy Kee in Sungkai, a restaurant that I grew up eating at whenever we gathered for family reunions and festivals in the small town wedged between Bidor and Slim River to the south of Ipoh. But Sungkai is not the only stopover that you can consider while travelling along the North South Expressway between Ipoh and Kuala Lumpur.

In fact, throughout the two hours-odd journey, there are similar small towns like Kampar, Bidor, Tapah, Slim River, Kuala Kubu Baru and Tanjung Malim, with notable eateries here and there.
One of the more under-rated towns in terms of food is Tapah, located slightly more than 50 kilometres to the south of Ipoh and accessible from the PLUS expressway.  Read the rest of this entry »

This article was originaly published in the print edition of The Malay Mail. You can read it HERE.

“Moo Ping” – grilled marinated pork or Thai pork satay (usually around 20 baht each) is one of the most popular street snacks in Bangkok. This was taken at a random stall near Victory Monument while we were waiting for our van transportation to Pattaya (read my Pattaya Food & Travel Guide)

Staying true to the spirit of travel and short getaways, I headed to Bangkok to experience a mixed bag of everything; from shopping to eating, brilliant sunshine all year round, pleasant smiles and warm hospitality, as well as enough entertainment for both the young and old.

The Thais take eating on the street very seriously; even in the middle of the busiest commercial district in the heart of the city, you will find dozens of pushcarts and food stands early in the morning along sidewalks, back alleys and even by the entrances of office buildings. The morning rush hour crowd comprising office workers, cab drivers, students and even housewives can be seen eagerly picking their breakfast choices here. Walking past these make-shift food stalls is an assault on the senses, albeit a pleasant one.

First of all, there is the smoky aroma of skewered marinated pork being barbecued on the customized grill at the back of a motorbike or boiling cauldrons of porridge or broth for the quintessential Thai rice noodle soup with bites of pork or chicken. Then there is the medley of colourful fruit shakes or freshly-squeezed juices (the bright orange tangerine or blood red pomegranate are my favourites), and dainty morsels of delicate and pretty desserts. Read the rest of this entry »

This article was first published in The Malay Mail. Click HERE to read it.

Fried spring chicken and prawn fritters in crispy popiah skin are two of Ong Cheng Huat’s most popular dishes

No doubt when one mentions Penang, that haven of gastronomic delights, the first thing that comes to mind is the food found on the island and not on the mainland. Not many visitors would consider taking time out from their eat and shop on the island itinerary to explore the less flashy side of Penang: the mainland.

I remember a couple of years back we were introduced to Khunthai Restaurant that serves delectable Thai cuisine in Butterworth; a semi al fresco dining establishment occupying a relatively large plot of land (not as costly over on the mainland compared to the “diamond-encrusted” tiny island) and on weekends and public holidays the restaurant attracts bus-loads of people.

Although one could argue that Khunthai has three other branches in the country; one on Penang island, and two more in the Klang Valley, the authenticity, taste and experience simply cannot match the original outlet in Butterworth. But wait, we are not talking about Khunthai, or Thai cuisine for that matter. Instead, we scouted the vicinity for an equally impressive (if not more) hidden gem by the name of Ong Cheng Huat Seafood Restaurant. Read the rest of this entry »

This article was first published in The Malay Mail. Read it HERE.

As soon as we walked into Ang Hoay Lor, this half a century old restaurant situated along Jalan Gurdwara in George Town, we were hit by this overwhelming sense of nostalgia. Although we had never been there before, it felt like we were revisiting an old friend after an extended hiatus. The ambience was an unmistakably retro one; not manufactured like the many retro-fitted boutique cafes in town but the real deal.

In this laid-back setting, you will find dining tables in different shapes and sizes, somewhat dim fluorescent lighting and a whole lot of warmth. The restaurant is now run by the third generation of the Ang family, and there is another branch on Jalan Perak that opens only for lunch. Thankfully, this outlet on Jalan Gurdwara is equipped with air-conditioning and opens for lunch and dinner. Read the rest of this entry »

This article was first published in Crave section in The Malay Mail Sunday edition. Read it HERE.

The pulut kaya at Keng Nam Coffee Shop is to die for; a very traditional, Hainanese style of kaya that will leave you wanting seconds

One of the perks, if you can call it that, of living in Ipoh is the abundance of great spots for breakfast on Sunday mornings.

It’s true.

Aside from the usual suspects ie. dim sum restaurants, white coffee specialists in Old Town and the super-crowded curry mee (Xin Quan Fang) and hakka mee (Paris Restaurant; formerly Yin Yau Kui) stalls situated a few shops apart on Hugh Low Street in town, there are a few lesser-known names tucked away within the neighbourhood. The kopitiam that introduced me to, and subsequently left me in awe and completely head over heels in love with, pulut kaya is this resilient humble coffee shop named Keng Nam at the end of Cowan Street.

Pulut kaya or steamed glutinous rice served with coconut jam (or kaya, the quintessential Asian jam) was a crowd puller at Keng Nam back in the late 80s up to the early 90s, and still is enticing new fans and loyalists after all these years. I mean, it’s not hard to see why.

The ability to steam the glutinous rice to a perfect texture; neither too hard or soft and sticky is a tricky skill to master but the old lady has never faltered when it comes to sustaining the quality.

Sit back, relax and soak in the Sunday morning atmosphere with a cup of brewed milk tea

And the spoonful of golden, creamy kaya on top of every serving is the icing on the cake. The coconut and egg jam has quite an intense fragrance from the screw pine leaves (pandan) and just the right level of sweetness that leaves one craving for seconds after mopping up a plate in record time. But really, the portion is meant for a light snack than actual breakfast, so feel free to ask for a second helping. Or a third.

No one will judge you.

And it is not particularly hard to imagine why I was so enamoured by the taste when I was a kid back then. Sweet, creamy kaya paired with chewy bits of sweetened glutinous rice. A dream come true for the sweet-toothed, no doubt.

But that’s not their trump card, seriously. At least, not the only one. Read the rest of this entry »

This article was first published in The Malay Mail. Read it HERE.

Loke Wooi Kee serves one of the oldest and most popular versions of Hor Hee in Ipoh

Nestled within the centre of what has increasingly been acknowledged as the tourist hub of the city where you can literally walk to famous food outlets like Lou Wong Bean Sprouts Chicken, Sin Eng Heong kaya puffs, Aun Kheng Lim salted chicken and Funny Mountain Soya Bean, is this decades-old coffee shop named Loke Wooi Kee (LWK).

The name might sound unfamiliar to those not born and bred in Ipoh; the looks of the unassuming corner lot may not seem appealing at first glance, but this establishment has definitely stood the test of time and outshines so many other newer kopitiams or food courts that came up in recent years.

I still remember how our family used to visit LWK back in the early 90s for the Hor Hee stall. I was brought up tasting my first bowl of the comfort food at this shop, before gradually learning about the existence of other outlets serving the same, e.g: See See Heng at Embassy Restaurant and Hotel along Chamberlain Road, Li Heng Fatt in Old Town etc.

What’s a bowl of Hor Hee you ask? Read the rest of this entry »

This article was first published in the Malay Mail dated 12 Oct 2014. Read it HERE.

People come from all over the country and even from abroad to enjoy the food haven that is Ipoh. Partly owing to its strategic and accessible location along the North-South Expressway between Kuala Lumpur and Penang, frequent public transportation schedule (you can take a train or a bus from Kuala Lumpur) as well as a twice a day direct flight from Singapore.

The surge in visitors during the past few years, compounded by the advent and proliferation of social media, has paved the way for the discovery of hidden gems. From the what-appears-to-be-blatantly-overhyped Ipoh bean sprouts chicken (fondly known as nga choy gai) to Ipoh’s best kept secret (no more) of a kaya puff maker at Sin Eng Heong, and commercialized entities such as Old Town White Coffee and Foh San Dim Sum… the crowds are everywhere. However, despite the extensive coverage of Ipoh street food by various media, I still constantly receive queries about halal food options in Ipoh. This is somewhat understandable as the hard fact remains that Chinese hawker stalls and food establishments are more in focus when it comes to food hunting in Ipoh. Comparing the options of halal cuisine to other towns, Ipoh has a distinctive lack of memorable choices e.g. Nasi Dagang/Kerabu in Kota Baru, Nasi Kandar in Penang or even Nasi Lemak in the Klang Valley. Read the rest of this entry »