Motormouth From Ipoh – Malaysian Food & Travel

* This article was originally posted on FoodStreet, and this review was an extended invitation courtesy of FoodStreet.

Pad Pong Kary ( Yellow Curry Boneless Chicken )

We Malaysians are blessed with a myriad of good food; from street fares plying the sidewalks and backlanes, to cafes and bistros catering to the younger generations, as well as restaurants catering to gatherings, reunions and family dinners. Not only that, the fusion of flavours easily available around the corner; from Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisines, to Japanese, Western and of course, Thai food.

A resplendent ambience befitting the Royal Thai fare that awaits ….

Nowadays, you can find restaurants specializing in Thai cuisine almost a dime a dozen. Back then, Thai food used to be so niche, you could only go back to the same old outlet for your fix of Tom Yum Gung, Pineapple Fried Rice or Pandan Chicken.

Read the rest of this entry »

Epitome of Sins – Peaches, Strawberries, Whipped Cream, Strawberry Ice-Cream and Chocolate Sauce. Oh, did I mention that there was a waffle underneath?

If you had shunned Cineleisure, or now known awkwardly as e@Curve (kinda missing the point, since I was about to name this as Gelare @e@ Curve, but that looks like something else ….) for food or some retail therapy, I don’t blame you.

Thankful for the existence of Cathay Cineplex at the top floor of the shopping centre, which by far is still one of the better ones in Klang Valley (IMHO, of course), but the rest of the retail outlets just scream ….. boredom. Or lacklustre.

I mean, yeah there is this McDonald’s, a Senjyu Sushi outlet that was sadly not as attention-grabbing as it should be, and that Funky Villa place that I have no intention to visit in the near future. Authentic Thai cuisine in a modernized setting, the place serves rather irresistible/value for money lunch sets, yet the ambience was anything but subtle.

Since it’s TUESDAY in a few hours, let me share this sweet deal at Gelare Cafe. Been wanting to share this place since weeks ago, but somehow weekdays and Mutiara Damansara after office hours just don’t go so well together huh? Read on to know more about this 50% off all their waffles deal …… Read the rest of this entry »

Unlike the OTHER more famous and commercialized BIG Breakfast from McD, the ones at Departure Lounge are REALLY satisfying and customizable; from 3 to 5 to 7 items (RM8.90, RM11.90, RM13.90) though do NOT come with a complimentary cup of coffee.

SUNDAY~!!!! In a flash. Yet I am revelling in Every. Single. Second of It. Can’t blame me for trying to squeeze every moment since this weekend’s been LOOOOOOONNNNGGG overdue.

Thus, what better way to kickstart a lovely Sunday with a hearty breakfast (or brunch, as I know most of you prefer to stay in bed and wake up much later than usual …), than at Departure Lounge; a place that serves all day breakfasts in Damansara Uptown. They first started in Solaris Mont Kiara, but that’s way off for me so Uptown’s the way to go.

Read the rest of this entry »

Stir fried ‘kampung’ chicken in black bean sauce with bitter gourd (RM21/USD7) - A mess of a presentation, but you’ll love this to bits. We did.

Let’s talk about the finer things in life. Or rather, the bitter things in life. When weeks flew by without you even noticing, when the heart pumps adrenaline-fuelled blood into the stream ever so continuous; so perpetual to sustain the intense stress, and in a flash, March was all but gone.

Still remember how I started this month vowing to finish up all the older posts stashed to oblivion, for I knew I can’t just go on like this. This blog will die a slow, painful death.

But when things started going the downward spiral route, hence the ‘bitter’ side of life ….. sunshine comes in the most unexpected shade. A ‘sweeter’ nudge from knowing that there ARE still people passionate about eating, reading about good food and searching high and low for potentially boundaries-shattering stuff. The people I met over dinner a few hours ago were all that. And more.

Read the rest of this entry »

An arranged chaos. You can literally dive in with manners out the windows (or in this case, the lack thereof), OR you can utilize the shiny cutlery and scoop mouthfuls of rice showered in the golden mahogany curries, with interesting clash of textures of being crispy (papadom crackers), crunchy (pickled cucumber) and chewy (mutton varuval – dry curry mutton)

Tell me about banana leaf curry rice, and I’ll sit up and pay attention. Not sure where the allure actually lies; maybe the fragrance from the leaf where your food is served? The sheer appeasing of your innermost glutton by topping up excessive portions of rice and vegetables (of course, the curry too)? Or the desire to dig in in your most barbaric manner; sans any fork or spoon, and create a mess out of the culinary experience?

Raju, off Jalan Gasing in PJ is probably legendary; a name renowned … almost synonymous with good (yet pricey) roti canai (Indian flatbread). But this was my FIRST visit after many trials and tribulations. Why? Read on for the revelation …. Read the rest of this entry »

*Read the original article in its printed form published in the March edition of the lifestyle magazine; I.M. – Only RM3.50 at your favourite bookstore. Go grab a copy now, for punchy articles like no other. Seriously.

If you’re screaming and running away in agony from the sight of fresh, healthy greens, then SHAME on you!

The dust has settled, after some serious bouts of bingeing. First it was Christmas, then the New Year beckoned with more merry-making, then Chinese New Year came and left a trail of devastation …. piling on the unsightly pounds where the sun doesn’t shine. No thanks to the endless supplies of new year cookies, rounds of ‘Lou Sang’ and then there would be the senseless nights of mahjong + groundnuts + beer.

Intoxicating ensemble of sins and gluttony.

Spicy Salad – Look at the abundance of sunflower seeds!

But then again, salvation comes at the right moment. Salad Bar in Damansara Uptown has actually been around for one year; almost exactly. This charming, no-frills outlet prides on their creation of colourful and tasty salads without compromising on the flavours and of course, nutrition. So much so that we found our way back again and again after the initial visit ….. Read the rest of this entry »

What? No fancy titles, witty one liners, or trashy introduction? You know, sometimes when I’m completely high on cracks caffeine, I can write post spanning 1001 and words; endless ramblings that just drag on and on and on … that you wish Motormouth would just shut the hell up and get on with the food review.

Much like now.

Anyway, sorry lah, people. Just not in the groove today. Lately I have not been even writing that frequent. (Okay okay, of course I am setting myself standards against the past 2yrs + when you can read a new post almost every day, or every other day …. though I STILL get comments that how come I have all the time in the world to write at this pace; even now)

In 2 more days, Motormouth From Ipoh will be celebrating its 3rd year on the web. Amazing feat? Surprised even myself, for I had initial intention to write for 2 years at most, then the passion to write must have fizzled to sustain another year or so.

But then again, once you start on a project so close to one’s heart; pouring and squeezing every bit of your creative juices/imagination/passion into words and shots (okay, so they’re ugly …. and I don’t get funding for a DSLR, so don’t compare) … it’s just NOT easy to let go.

Honey Sotong – Crunchy, addictive pieces of deep fried batter-coated squids with sesame seeds in a sweet honey sauce. Trust me, your kids will fall head over heels for this …

I’ll probably sit down, lean back on my chair and put my thoughts into words come the 3rd year anniversary. Maybe, just maybe there is some truth behind the saying; that “Nothing in this world lasts forever … but cherish what you are doing/having now, for today’s a gift.”

Read on for the REAL food review; a restaurant serving commendable Nyonya fares in Taman Sea (and it’s not Seapark, go figure) in Petaling Jaya ….. Read the rest of this entry »