Motormouth From Ipoh – A Malaysian Food Blog

Sambal Petai with Squids – If you ain’t drooling yet, then you’re cold. Stone cold, emotionless without a healthy appetite.

I always have friends and readers asking for more Halal food recommendations in Ipoh. I plead guilty. I concur that I ranted excessively/uncontrollably on NON-halal fares more often that not, no thanks to the inner cravings for anything porky …… (blame it on the upbringing? Or an early acquaintance to Gu Lou Yuk?)

But I can’t deny the fact that the average Thai-Malay ‘warung’ (food stalls) do not appeal to me much. Aside from Waritha on Gopeng Road which I had an unforgettable experience late last year (in a not so positive manner), I have never written about the many “Ikan Bakar-Thai Tom Yam-Nasi Berlauk” outlets in Ipoh.

Curry Assam Fish Head – A favourite across the racial horizons; Chinese cook it the Nyonya way, Indians with a more pungent and robust curry flavour, and Malays have their Salim outlets.

But then again, do you know that there are WAY more halal (and for most outlets; pork-free) solutions than the generic fares from the many ‘warung’? How about C U Village nyonya food (Halal), Koh Samui Thai food (Halal), Laksamana Cheng Ho (Muslim-Chinese food – Halal), Pakeeza North Indian Cuisine, Yum Yum, Kim Bali, 1919 Restaurant & Gallery (Pork-free), and many more.

But one restaurant that stood the test of time; with two outlets in Ipoh now – Assam House Restaurant has to be the most well-known name amongst the Malay community for an eatery operated by a Chinese proprietor …… CONTINUE READING THE REST OF THIS ENTRY »

You know there are days when you just do NOT feel like doing anything at all? When you’re too stressed out, lethargic, and absolutely abhor the sight/sounds of pests circling around you, the blank screen of the computer staring at your face, and writer’s block on a most discouraging strike?

Yeah, I’m having one of those days. And this has been dragging on for far too long. So pardon the lack of posts, and almost all of them being lack-lustre and devoid of life, wit, or sarcasm. The festive season came and gone (at the halfway mark now, but yet to really, really relish in the joy and camaraderie …) without much fanfare, for misfortunes rained down on the family, pelting us incessantly. Life is tough.

A Halal Nyonya-Chinese Restaurant in Greentown Business Centre, which has been operating for a good 5 years or so now …

So what better way to overcome the blues than to indulge oneself in some delicious, cheap yet satisfying (AND Halal to boot!) Nyonya cuisine, right in the heart of the city. In Greentown Business Centre, seated somewhat strategically amongst a row of restaurants, Astro service centre, bakery (Gold Vision), etc, is this restaurant simply named C U Village, which has been catering to the lunch crowd for years now, with valued individual meals from RM5 onwards.

And makes you wonder why the MONGOLIAN moniker, when I doubt the creamy, peppery gravy originates from the country with yaks, warriors and such.

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Continuation from previous chapter of Motormouth in Malacca Again (Part One) ….

That Portuguese seafood feast was somewhat disastrous, but given the dire state of my gut at that very moment, I would be balking at the sight of, say ….  Lobsters, Alaskan King Crabs, or even Bluefin Tuna.

The very next morning, after some serious deliberation, I agreed to a ‘light’ breakfast at our guesthouse – Tang House. Breakfast is provided FOC for your information, to guests only. Though we saw many outsiders, even construction workers from a nearby area having their leisurely-paced breakfast at the cafe, for the pricing is rather reasonable. Even comparable to the average coffee shops, with drinks priced at below RM2.

I had an Egg Burger, which was an omelette sandwiched between an Apollo bun, that most nostalgic wave washing over me all of a sudden. I could imagine the ancestor seated on the very same stool, biting into his Apollo bun with kaya and butter decades ago. Morbid thought?

The day started with a second breakfast (yeah, THAT fast although I was already half-repulsive at that thought) at Donald & Lily’s, a small charming outlet situated at the back of Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, within walking distance from the centre of Melaka town, the Jonker Walk area.

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Btw, it’s another public holiday in Perak today. Envious? =P

The myriad of colours, shape and sizes look appealing …. but WHERE’S DA FISH?!!!

Crazy tossin’ a plenty, swearing’s a no-no, but “flowery” words are compulsory ….

Yum Yum Fried Chicken

Assam Golden Pomfret

Sambal Prawns

The Greens? …. Choy Tam.

I can’t sing praises for the greens, can’t I? But the portion’s definitely scary. HUGE pile of greens sufficient to feed a cow. Or ox, being the auspicious animal of the NIU year!

Brocolli, Mushrooms, Button Mushrooms and Beancurd sheets

Nyonya Pineapple Squids

Bee Gaik Dining Place – Serving authentic nyonya and chinese food in Ipoh

Two floors of dining, in a comfortable air-conditioned seating area, albeit lacking in terms of tables and space

Kapitan Chicken (RM13)

Bean Sprouts with Salted Fish (RM6)

Curry Asam Fish Head (RM24)

Tung Po Yuk (Braised FAT! Pork Belly with Sauce) (RM12)

If you’re thinking, how can a Nyonya restaurant serves good Chinese dishes, you’re wrong. Their Tung Po Yuk is marvellous. Two thumbs up to the unassuming, simple yet brimming with flavour dish. The pork was not as scaringly FAT as I may prefer, with lean meat dominating the portion, but the melt-in-mouth texture of the upper layer of pork skin was very addictive. And even the leaner part was tender enough to require lesser-chewing.

Soak them up with the ‘mantou’ served with the dish