Motormouth From Ipoh – Malaysian Food & Travel

Once upon a time, when this Motormouth was just starting to pen (or rather, type) his thoughts permanently etched into time, this post was born. A short writeup on one of my parents’ favourite hang out spot back when I was still … erm, some random seeds; named Loong Seng dim sum in SS2. And it’s still there. Then I mentioned slightly on this famous dessert house named KTZ (Kei Tuck Sek – loosely translated to “Remember to Eat”?) also situated within the vicinity of SS2.

And the lineup of perennial superstars that started this trend of Snowflakes, My Honeymoon, etc.

KTZ probably holds the honour of kickstarting this trendy dessert houses fiasco. Until this very day, we see Snowflakes outlets crowded to the max, Tim Pun Gor Gor following suit with their legion of fans, and the slightly upmarket My Honeymoon gathering steam too.

But maybe a case of the disciple overwhelming the ‘sifu’ (master), when KTZ slowed down considerably after some serious expansion. The outlet in One Utama has since closed, and there’s one other that has ceased operations. Seems that the SS2 outlet is thankfully, still there.

And of course, there is still the ROOT of this now-legendary dessert chain; still projecting the same old, nostalgic street ambience in Kepong …..  Read the rest of this entry »

The (in)famous one-of-a-kind Buntong’s Cantonese style Wat Tan Hor from Sun Seng Fatt; notorious for the 45 minutes ++ waiting time back then!!!! (RM8.50/USD2.80 per portion with pork and shrimps)

Remember this post on good pan mee in Ipoh? Yeah, Sun Seng Fatt on Leong Sin Nam Road is not only famous for the relatively new pan mee stall; but come night time; after 9pm until late night, you’ll be treated to an unbelievably tiresome waiting period for a serving of Buntong famous Wat Tan Hor.

So much so that we have heard of people waiting for more than 2 hours (!!) for their food, and some even ordered the moment the uncle set foot upon his stall, and returned an hour or so later after shopping at Ipoh Parade.

Talk about patience, and the lengths one would go for GOOD food in Ipoh. Or are we that obsessed with our hawker fares that we don’t mind the time spent idling around and watching helplessly at how they perform their nightly routine in slow-mo (almost)?!

Creme Brulee (RM6/USD2) - Yes, a remixed version of the classic dessert; this one using caramel egg custard (like the ones from Thean Chun/Hall of Mirrors in old town), with a layer of burnt sugar on top. And of course, to justify the almost triple in pricing; a strawberry sliced into quarters for aesthetic purposes.

But if you’re thinking all is lost …. since your patience runs thin (like yours truly here), and waiting for food for any period longer than 15 minutes will render you incapable of rational thoughts and making a fuss at the scene is your norm, then you’re in luck.

More or less. Read about where this legendary stall has moved to …. and how we got our Wat Tan Hor in record time – mere minutes !!!  Read the rest of this entry »

Shanghainese Minced Meat Dumplings aka Xiao Long Bao (RM4.70/USD1.60 for 3 pcs) – Not many places in Ipoh serve XLB, and Qi Yuan does a passable version; with a proportionately filled dumpling with moist and firm minced meat and savoury soup that’s not scalding hot.

And ladies & gentlemen …. I AM BACK !!!

To imagine the longing for good old Ipoh food; to experience the slower-paced lifestyle … where cars travel at 30km/hour and yet don’t get honked at. No double parking even in the most congested of business centres (else risk being awarded with a piece of beef jerky aka “Ngau Yoke Kon”). No rushing to anywhere and everywhere as rarely roads got flooded, and travelling in the car for more than an hour seems almost unheard of.

Unless you’re going all out to Tanjung Tualang for some freshwater prawns, or Sitiawan for good old toddy + cheap seafood combination, then that ONE hour is well worth the travelling time.

And no, one hour spent on Federal Highway to get from PJ to Cheras is NOT a conducive move, in comparison!!!

Szechuan Famous Dan Dan Meen (RM5.00/USD1.60) – Slightly spicy from the addition of chili oil, the savoury mix of minced pork and finely-chopped wood ear fungus added much dimension to their own-produced noodles. Probably not enough to be shared amongst two, I reckon you should order the various noodle dishes to accompany the many dim sum fares.

Now let’s neglect that crash diet for one week. Let’s indulge in some of the BEST street food Ipoh has to offer. And not forgetting the abundance of newer eateries sprouting up here and there; rendering this Motormouth restless (helpless?) in seeking for them.

But no fear, for today …. let’s read about a new dim sum restaurant in Greentown Business Centre (next to Yeong Wai Greentown, same row with Maria’s Cafe and Laksamana Cheng Ho) …….. Read the rest of this entry »

Meticulously arranged cutlery to please the senses, well before the feast was laid out in front of your eyes. Sometimes in life, when you’ve lost the zest, go for some Zing instead!

This here being the SECOND restaurant to be featured from the list of 8, Zing @ Grand Millennium Hotel situated next to Pavilion Shopping Centre in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur offers 8 dishes for 8 pax per table, at RM888+ for the same period of time (20th January 2011 – 17th February 2011). Read the post on Shanghai @ JW Marriott Hotel for a better idea on how this offer works.

Elegant. Majestic. Opulent. Stylish. Classic and Contemporary. Pampered.

I was a klutz. I never noticed that this hotel next to Pavilion, opposite of Fahrenheit 88 is named Grand Millennium, albeit the many times I have walked past and choked on the smogs from the traffic. The omnipresent barrage of vehicles zooming along Jalan Bukit Bintang; and though I was not stuck in the traffic prior to the dinner, I was caught up in the congestion AFTER the meal. So be warned.

Anyway, the Standard Chartered Extravagant 8 Menu extends to all Standard Chartered Bank’s credit card holders; a rather irresistible offer of approximately RM111+ per pax since the 8 restaurants featured are by no means pushovers; but amongst the BEST dining establishments in KL.

Let’s see what Zing has to offer, and should this be on your list for a wondrous “Lou Hei” session come Chinese New Year …… Read the rest of this entry »

Are you seeing Yellow? Somehow, the place brought to mind Hui Lau Shan, that famous chain of dessert outlets in Hong Kong. But not quite …. read on to find out why.

Before any of you starts to bend over and pick up brickbats and stones, and ready in position to hurl at Motormouth for neglecting his roots, let me share this piece of (not-so)new discovery back in Ipoh. At De Garden to be exact, and if you’re scratching your head wondering why has Midvalley’s The Gardens been fancily-spelled as DE Garden instead …. I rest my case. =_=

Anyway, Tong Yan Gai (loosely translated as “Chinese Street”), or better known as Hong Kong Desserts is one of the newest addition to De Garden’s repertoire of cafes and restaurants. Lost count now …. I think there might be at least 20 of them congregated into one centralized hub for your food and retail needs.

Aside from Strawberry Moment Dessert Cafe and Tutti Frutti, this has to be the next designated dessert cafe here, though there’s another Fruity Land (or something) that also serves various savoury items.

A set up not unlike the usual char chan teng (Wong Kok comes to mind, naturally), the seating area inside of Hong Kong Desserts isn’t your best bet if you’re in a large group.

Read on to find out their ambitious venture into the Hong Kong desserts scene; possibly the first in Ipoh. And why they still have a long way to go …. Read the rest of this entry »

Continued from Part 1 of The Indulgence Experience – Indulgence Living; More Than A Boutique Hotel

At Indulgence, you’d feel as though you’re being transported to another dimension, away from the hustle and bustle of city life, albeit being smack in the heart of the city. Minutes turn to hours without you even realizing it. Just Good food, Good company, and a jolly Good time.

Indulgence Restaurant is an award winning dining establishment, having won several Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards for Excellence. To imagine that this stellar restaurant’s roots stemmed from the charming, inconspicuous and quaint half-shoplot cafe in Canning Garden way back in 1996.

Julie Song; the brains behind the concept, injects so much passion, energy and time into the setting up, running and maintenance of Indulgence. This is reflected by the sheer number of loyal customers (come on a weekend, and you’d better reserve your table!) perpetually on the lookout for her Specials written with chalk on the blackboards, and drooling over her dynamically-evolving menu. She assured me that nothing on the menu is permanent, and she changes the ingredients (mostly imported) from time to time based on the freshest produce of the season.

The Specials Menu with special creations written on the blackboard. You will see the waiting staff carrying the board to your table while taking your order, so you don’t have to squint at the board on the wall.

Wanna know what we were served that evening? Keep reading for a gastronomic journey in a most Indulgent manner  ….. Read the rest of this entry »

Tai Woo Hong Kong Dim Sum @ Ipoh Garden South – A dim sum restaurant with a twist.

Tai Woo Hong Kong Dim Sum has been operating since 2008 in Ipoh, but has gone under the radar for much of the duration. Previously they opened for a short 3 months stint in Sunway of Tambun, then proceeded to relocate to the current premise, right smack in the middle of Ipoh Garden South.

Xiao Long Bao aka Shanghai Soup Dumplings (RM4.50/USD1.40)

I previously wrote about the Xiao Long Bao’s from Dragon-i and Din Tai Fung, and a reader recommended this place for XLB (xiao long bao) in Ipoh. Truth be told, not many place serve XLB for dim sum, or Shanghai cuisine here in good old Ipoh. Hence my interest was piqued, and we found ourselves there for breakfast on a Sunday morning …. Read the rest of this entry »