Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

Pun Chun’s signature Duck Drumstick Mee (dry/soup) @ RM7.30/USD2.40 for Small, RM8.30/USD2.80 for Big – With the tender flesh almost falling off the bones; the duck drumstick was infused with an aromatic herbal scent from the soup; and served in the similar traditional manner of an aluminium container

Not AGAIN?! This my friend, is not the first time I am writing about Pun Chun; the name behind the ridiculously iconic drum drumstick noodles originating from the town of Bidor to the south of Perak.

However, the old Pun Chun has taken the liberty to expand beyond the silver state; first with an acid test of a Pun Chun Noodle House outlet in Kota Kemuning in 2008, then this second one in Ara Damansara, followed closely by a third in Bandar Puteri Puchong.

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Pardon the hiatus, people. Happy New Year, no matter how belated this greeting may sound. But of course, it’s Happy New YEAR, not Happy 1st of January, so anytime’s fine I assume. I was down to Malacca/Kuala Lumpur for the past week, a much needed and deserved 2 weeks break from the office. Which is still undergoing renovation and smelling like glue+chemicals. But I have to admit …. the combination of stench was rather intoxicating. Wait, I am NOT being myself here …… Let’s do a short post on the Malacca getaway now, okay?

The Journey to the South started on the 30th of December 2009 – A most auspicious day. Don’t ask why.

And thus, we embarked on our road trip down south, preparing for the worst possible jam (remember that dastardly 7 hours jam from Penang to Ipoh back in November last year?) but pleasantly surprised by the smooth traffic all the way til Malacca from Ipoh. We did make a few stops here and there, to cater to those bursting bladders and incessant needs to satisfy the hunger pangs. NOT mine, definitely. For I was still in a state of unrest, bordering on turmoil if you will. That lingering effect of a stale prawn lasted me for TWO years, literally. Few days, spanning from the end of December until the start of the brand new year of 2010.

So you can imagine how my year started off with a BANG! (Not the most pleasant kind, for sure). Unlike 2009’s Tenji experience. Wait …. come to think about it, that was NOT much of a satisfactory start either. Oh well ….. deja vu then.

Pun Chun @ Bidor – Duck Noodles (RM6.60)

We stopped over at Bidor in Perak, at the most famous restaurant in the small town populated with a majority of Chinese eateries. You can read about my previous lacklustre experience back in 2008, when I felt disappointed with the quality of the duck thigh noodles back then. And equally dismayed at the shrinking in size, and increasingly pricey ‘Wu Kok’ (Yam puff).

But this visit proved otherwise, for we felt that the noodles (their own, QQ-texture/springy egg noodles aka wantan mee) tossed lightly in a mix of soy sauce, dark soy sauce and a dash of compulsory sesame oil scored brilliant, brownie points with us. Yup, in comparison to some other ‘over-rated’ versions of the same noodles (no prize for guessing which, you can dig for them in my archive), Pun Chun’s version was really good. My expectations was low, but surpassed indefinitely. And the upper thigh of the duck, cooked in a most wholesome and flavourful herbal concoction (you can slurp them all down without feeling the thirst, a sign of omission of MSG/flavour-enhancer) was tender, fork tender (or in this case, chopstick-tender?) with a slight tinge of gamey taste, exactly how I like my duck.

The yam puff was still …. erm, pathetically small and dry. And it’s RM1.60 per piece now. No idea what’s the fuss about them, as you can get other superior versions in dim sum outlets in Ipoh, and even some random stalls at the market. There’s a FANTASTIC variety sold at the Bercham morning market, though I have no idea which stall specifically.

Address : Pun Chun Restaurant – Duck Noodles, Wantan Mee, Yam Puff
38-40, Jalan Besar,
35500 Bidor, Perak, Malaysia
Telephone : 605-434 1554,605-434 1562

Okay, so what’s next? Off to the south we go ….. for some Seremban Siew Pow by the expressway !!!

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