Motormouth From Ipoh – Malaysian Food & Travel

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1. Journey to the West Side of the Island – Balik Pulau

Usually sidelined in favour of delicious street food, heritage sites and bustling tourist spots in Georgetown, Balik Pulau has more than a few aces up its sleeves. The Balik Pulau asam laksa (Nan Guang) for example, deserves more than mere compliments (and a few grumbles along the half hour-odd journey there). Wash everything down with a glass of fresh nutmeg juice, plus some durians on the side as desserts. Better yet? Venture over to the Tropical Fruit Farm for a feast of fresh fruits or juices, Bao Sheng Durian Farm for a durian buffet, or even Ghee Hup Nutmeg Factory for an educational (and shopping) tour of fresh nutmeg produce.

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You see, beyond the glitzy fame and glittering fortune of Georgetown and the multitude of land reclamation, premium condos and commercial development along the shores of Penang, lies a dormant town named Balik Pulau. A countryside landscape so breathtaking, this could be the last green lung left before this small island becomes a 100% concrete jungle.

This is the first chapter in the Penang travel series that I hope to conclude before the year ends. Stay with me, and let’s start by wandering into the charming world of Balik Pulau …

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You see, in spite of the many sterling (peppered with some misses here and there) reviews of hawker food in Ipoh, I have rarely sung praises for quintessentially-Penang street fares; like Char Koay Teow, Hokkien Mee (we call this Prawn Mee in Ipoh though) and Asam Laksa.

Yes, there were the occasional surprises that managed to make me sat up and took notice. And a few photographs complemented by positive reviews.

Yet, none of the CKT (char koay teow for short), asam laksa or Hokkien mee stalls in Ipoh come close to the real deal up north. I guess the same could be said about Ipoh chicken rice and old town white coffee wannabes elsewhere.

And then I read about Spices of Penang in Ipoh. Probably the first restaurant in Ipoh that stood up to the challenge and proudly proclaiming authenticity and representing the original taste of Penang.

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#1 – The almost legendary (nomadic?) Beach Street’s aunty selling banana pancakes with raisin and lots of toasted sesame seeds. One of a kind, no doubt.

#2 – The Hokkien Mee (Prawn Mee to you and me) with mantis prawns. Just like how Ah Leng Char Kuey Teow upped the ante with the addition of the ‘premium’ crustaceans.

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Golden hues of yellow; wobbly and velvety smooth egg custard baked within a layer of crisp pastry. Looks like the average egg tarts sold by the streets. But this was definitely a cut above the rest. Egg Tart @ Tai Tong Dim Sum Restaurant.

Let’s take a break from the monotony of the posts. Let’s travel way up north to Penang; a delightful city where this Motormouth learned the curve in differentiating good food from GREAT food, and street fares extending beyond the “Kai See Hor Fun“, “Hor Hee” and white coffee of Ipoh. (if you can’t wait, then browse through THIS Penang Food List for more droolworthy delights from up north).

Tai Tong Dim Sum was one of my most favourite place to eat during dinner hours when we were around town. A short walk away from Prangin Mall/Komtar, this might be one of the very few places that serve dim sum not only for breakfast, but for dinner as well.

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Penang Street Food Series :

Chapter 1/5 – Batu Lanchang Market Food Complex
Chapter 2/5 – Eng Loh Coffee Shop’s Breakfast Galore @ Church Street

Preparation of bowls after bowls of Koay Teow Th’ng, or Rice Noodles Soup with strips of chicken, fried garlic, and chopped scallions, then subsequently poured upon with a light soup boiled from a combination of pig’s, chicken’s and duck’s bones.

Koay Teow Th’ng (KTT). Or rice noodles soup to those uninitiated, is a classic Penang hawker food not found anywhere else. Maybe there is a dish that resembles this closely, for instance we have Ipoh’s famous “Kai See Hor Fun” (aka Shredded Chicken Koay Teow Soup), or “Hor Hee” (here’s one of my favourite from Li Heng Fatt in old town). But of course, you can also find fish ball noodles soup, or soup noodles with chicken, pork or duck meat, and known by another name in the other states of Malaysia.

Only in Penang was I introduced to this Koay Teow Th’ng (literally means Koay Teow Soup), a perennial favourite amongst the Penangites when it comes to breakfast or in some instances, supper. Still, memories of eating a hearty, tummy-warming bowl of KTT during those dire times (those dastardly examinations, struck with illness, no appetite, etc) came flooding over me whenever I saw any KTT stall in Penang.

For a version that has been proudly proclaimed as one of the best on the island, Soon Yuen Coffee Shop was all but lost on me throughout the four years I spent on the islands. Somehow, we were not as adventurous back then. Excursions to town on the weekends were all precious escapades (sometimes by bus; and you still remember those devils-on-the-road aka green mini buses of Penang back then?), thus we usually opted for the popular laksa, hokkien mee, cendol and char kuey teow stalls, instead of something as mundane as a bowl of chicken rice noodles soup.

Read the full story on Soon Yuen, and how the Chee Cheong Fun here can give Seow Fong Lye a run for their money …… Read the rest of this entry »

Continued from the first chapter in the series ….

Penang Street Food Series (1/5) – Batu Lanchang Market Food Complex

Toast & Tea - On those mornings when you crave for nothing more than a light yet ample and delicious breakfast. Hop over to Eng Loh Coffee Shop at a corner of Church Street in Penang

Thanks to this post from CK Lam, I found myself a ‘new’ favourite spot for breakfast in Georgetown in Penang. Eng Loh Cafeteria & Hotel (a loosely-used term here, no doubt) at the junction of Lebuh Gereja (Church Street) and Lebuh Penang (Penang Street) is a beautiful structure painted with a light green shade; a three-floors coffee shop-cum-motel that blends in well with the heritage surroundings.

Read on to discover what Eng Loh has to offer that sets the quaint coffee shop a notch above the rest, and will make you return for subsequent session(s) of breakfast ….. Read the rest of this entry »