Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

486 Baba Low‘s popularity soared after the son started a business of the same name in Bangsar, KL (read the story HERE); effectively bridging the gap for Peranakan cravings here in the Klang Valley by bringing in authentic flavours of simpler Nyonya fares to the masses.

The annual pilgrimage to Melaka (I mean the times when I travel for leisure, not for work) has always led me to new dining discoveries worth sharing; from the traditional Teo Chew porridge stall that has stayed out of the radar for decades, a Hakka restaurant worth giving up that dinner of Satay Celup (again?!), a Teo Chew seafood restaurant serving to-die-for Or-Nee  and even an entire food and travel guide that included a dozen food stops and even sightseeing recommendations in between; just so you can burn off the calories and well, eat again.

This year’s first journey down south Melaka happened over the weekend, and accounted for a few firsts for me. This breakfast spot at 486 Baba Low in Tengkera for one; is one of those gems worth waking up early for.  Read the rest of this entry »

…. That could still be shying away  from the radar of curious food hunters; especially the rampaging kind (read : hungry tourists lining up for ‘tau fu fah’ and dim sum every weekend). And truth be told, deep inside, I really wish for hawker stalls that line the battered/littered streets, back alleys and neighbourhood to remain as such; instead of falling prey to peer pressure of development, mass marketing and hence dilution of authenticity of the street food itself … and ultimately stripping off the burning passion that once carved the aged scars and wrinkles on the faces of the traders our grandparents once knew.

And in Bercham, this couple still brace the blazing hot sun, windy skies and torrential rain to serve up the same “popiah” for years (Popiah = fresh spring rolls loaded with boiled yambean, chopped French bean lightly boiled with egg omelette, bean sprouts, crispy fritters and lightly brushed with optional chili and sweet sauce on top)

And for today, let’s revisit one of the stories lesser told in blogs, guide books and TV shows. The hawker food stalls on Bercham’s Food Street. Read the rest of this entry »

Craving for NON-Halal Satay? – Succulent bites of marinated pork and flavourful mutton on skewers (those sticks named ‘lidi’), served with sliced cucumber and pungent raw onions. Not forgetting, the spicier than average chunky peanut gravy.

And here comes Monday. The very last one for September. Time flies, it’s been a good 10 months since I moved to KL, and the urge to hunt for good (street) food has dwindled slightly.

Could be the weather, the traffic, the workload, or the sheer incoherence of them all. But one thing’s for sure, I’ll be damned if I decide to shut this blog up before reaching its prime.

Wait, or has it? ….

Anyway, here’s a short post on this very old school food court in PJ old town serving a delightful myriad of hawker food; a startling resemblance to Ipoh’s stadium food court, or Medan Selera Dato Sagor in old town. Read the rest of this entry »

Ipoh Kong Heng Restaurant – Upgraded from a coffee shop (kedai kopi) status recently, yet still fondly recognized as a downright kopitiam in the heart of Ipoh’s old town.

I still remember my first visit to Kong Heng back in the 80’s. With late grandfather in tow; we would scrambled for a seat amongst the sea of people for breakfast on a Sunday morning. If you’re curious as to whether Kong Heng has changed from then and now?

A resounding NO would be an affirming answer.

Although not as aggressive/pushy like the days of yore, some of the hawkers still swarm your table once you’re seated comfortably and recommending food items from their respective stalls before you can even give the charming kopitiam a quick 360 degrees glance.

Let me take you for a stroll down memory lane, and rejoice in the fact that Ipoh is still blessed with priceless gems like this. But for how long more? Read the rest of this entry »

It pains me to put today’s post into words. To recount the sheer determination, passion and tenacity that drove and still drives this 74 years-old uncle for more than half a century. To witness with a heavy heart how his hands shook while daintily spreading the mélange of julienned ingredients and sauces on the precariously laid out, freshly steamed popiah* skin on the RM200 slab of wooden board.

(*Popiah is a popular Chinese snack of fresh spring rolls with julienned vegetables and fritters, sometimes with strands of egg omelette and/or crabmeat/dried shrimps, then lightly brushed with chili sauce and sweet sauce)

No words can actually describe this utter admiration that develops into pure respect for what he does best for 54 years (since 1957; coincidentally that was the year we were declared independent from external colonization), and still counting. The laborious hours he spent standing under the scorching hot sun, merely shaded by the canopy that covers barely more than his bike that he has been relying upon for more than a decade now.

Yes, dear Ipoh folks, and the interested readers from wherever you are. Let me share this story on what could possibly be the most legendary popiah seller in all of Ipoh … Read the rest of this entry »

Taiping Signature Popiah Stall @ Restoran Air Kacang Taiping – Over 40 years of history, and the locals still swear by the fresh popiah he makes.

Since we started on Aulong Heo Pia (flaky and crispy fragrant biscuits) in the last post, let’s see what other delectable hawker fares Taiping has to offer. Taiping for the uninitiated, is a town to the north of Perak (about 70 kilometres away, and accessible using the North-South Expressway) and famous for the Lake Gardens, Taiping Zoo (both daytime, and the Night Safari), Bukit Larut aka Maxwell Hill and the heaviest annual rainfall in Malaysia; hence the Wettest Town in Malaysia moniker.

A roll of fresh popiah at RM1.40/USD0.40; the rolls are comparably smaller, but wetter than Ipoh’s version.

Being the second biggest town in Perak, Taiping is populated by good eats lefts and rights. The sizeable Chinese community (conversing in a smattering mix of Mandarin-Hokkien and some Cantonese) and the generally well-preserved quaint environment (pre-colonial buildings still reign supreme, and no skyliners … yet?) make Taiping an ideal place for street food hunt and shutterbugs to gather for some shooting sessions. The tranquil scene at the Lake Gardens for instance, is a sight to behold. Century old rainforest trees hovering over the pristine waters, tipping the surface with their branches and forming a canopy-like foliage of greens. A haven for the joggers, walkers, and tourists.

Read on to discover some of Taiping’s signature hawker fares …… Read the rest of this entry »

Seng Loong = Jackie Chan ?!! You mean he’s doing Char Koay Teow business now? *_*

Ipoh is famous for its street food (or hawker food) more than the restaurants, cafes or bistros. Have your doubts? Stop casting them, and kindly allow me to bring you for a ride around town, for some of the most delicious and cheap street food in Ipoh.

A plate of the most smoky-flavoured, charred and delectably hazardous Char Koay Teow

For one to seek hidden gems in the nooks and corners of Ipoh may take perseverance, guidance, and of course, a belly that’s most vacuumed. Though most of the signature Ipoh delicacies are few and far apart, some even requiring one to travel from one end to another (but rest assured the experience is way, WAY less stressful than food-hunting amidst the traffic in Klang Valley!), there are a few places that serve an amazing array of hawker food, and some commendable ones to boot.

Read the rest of this entry »