Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

Shoyu Ramen (Regular for RM25/USD8), Kara Miso Ramen (Regular for RM27/USD9) and the freebies thanks to Worthy Book‘s vouchers –  Gyoza with Pork Filling and Cha Shu (Roasted Pork Slices)

In a blink of an eye, Hokkaido Santouka Ramen has braced (more like breezed) through a tumultuous year filled with challenges from various ramen stalwarts mushrooming all over Klang Valley. The recent additions of Menya Musashi and Gantetsu at Eat Paradise @ Isetan, One Utama further entrenched this ramen frenzy all the way from the land of the rising sun.

But of course, our good neighbour down south (Singapore) has already been severely affected by the ramen wars (Read my review on Ippudo if you will). Since Santouka’s grand opening on 29th July 2011, the outlet has remained unfazed by the adjacent Japanese food joints (Suki-Ya’s still booming!) in Tokyo Street @ Pavilion, and clearly Marutama‘s not a strong contender either.

Read the rest of this entry »

Strands of springy fresh noodles dunked in the flavoursome broth brewed from chicken and various nuts, served with ample portion of chopped fresh ‘negi’ (Japanese leek), slices of perfectly browned ‘cha shu’ (roast pork belly), and an egg that’s wonderful.

I was never a fan of soupy noodles. To me, the sheer thought of slurping Penang koay teow th’ng, Ipoh famous Kai See Hor Fun, or even Maggi noodle soup can evoke a sense of malaise. Yes, so much so that I only go for these when:

a) No dry options available (Eg. dry curry mee, dry ‘Kai See Hor Fun’, Mee Sedap),
b) I fall sick and wish to down copious amount of soup with my food, OR
c) The soupy option is too good to resist.

At Marutama Ramen; this famous chain of ramen specialist from Singapore, I stumbled upon a gem. Almost a nirvana.

Read the rest of this entry »

Burst of colours filling every nook and corner of Umami Cafe. The bean bags, the plush couches, the knee level tables, the ornaments and paintings adorning the bright walls, and the free WiFi service. Almost too cozy to be of commercial value.

Kepong’s a territory uncharted. At least to this clueless soul writing his thoughts down now. I was having this impression that Kepong’s somewhere near to Puchong (probably because they rhyme?). Yeah, that’s not very clever of me, I know.

I once visited Kepong; or rather, blindly trudged along the streets of Kepong when work took me to Taman Bukit Maluri. And I ended up at Tuck Kee.

Pan Fried Gyoza; dumplings freshly wrapped with fillings of minced pork and julienned vegetables. (RM7.90/USD2.60 for 5 pieces)

Fast forward almost 3 years later, and a return to this stranger of a town was imminent. Umami Cafe‘s a relatively spanking new cafe in the heart of Kepong town; in Bandar Menjalara to be exact. I did not expect such a structure of architectural brilliance (comparatively speaking, when you’re accustomed to the older structures around Kepong) to be built surrounded by not one, not two, but THREE petrol stations. K Gallery’s the name of the commercial unit, and Umami Cafe’s situated on the first floor above Old Town White Coffee, Moe de Cafe (an anime-themed fancy cafe with waitresses dressed in the most absurd pieces) and this German watering hole named Deustche Gasthaus.

Read the rest of this entry »

Fresh Oyster baked in Cheese – RM13.80/USD4.20

Now let me share my current favourite Japanese restaurant in Ipoh with you readers. Previously I was an ardent fan of Akamomiji‘s, until the last few visits that revealed some rather poorly executed cooked dishes, and mediocre service. Waraku became our favourite then, with their cheap RM15 lunch sets available on weekdays, with close to 20 choices. And they STILL grill some of the best kushi yaki in town (grilled meats and vegetables on skewers, like our satay without accompanying dipping sauce), bar none.

Of course there’s the Kizuna which I have neglected since the first review, A Lai I that cooks up a variety of mean teppan yaki dishes, and Sushi East that well, best left unsaid.

Still remains a mystery as to why I have not written about Kampai yet, possibly the first and definitely longest running Japanese restaurant in Ipoh. Kampai serves what could be the most value-for-money set lunch (around RM15 each) with sizeable portions, and lots of varieties.

Resembling an “Izakaya” (a type of Japanese drinking establishment) more than a full-fledged restaurant, Tengood serves a myriad of light snacks, finger foods aside from salads, sushi and sashimi, and they serve PORK as well. 🙂

And so there we were on a fine evening, seeking for a bite (or slurp?) of supposedly fresh and plump oysters. (*Pardon the incompetence, I failed to inquire about on which days they got their freshest supplies of seafood, but give them a ring and the lady will be glad to inform you). I visited Tengood a few times before this, for lunch usually since the place is located right smack in the midst of a bustling Greentown Business Centre which is close to my previous working place.

Wanna know why this particular Japanese restaurant impressed me so much that evening? Read on to find out ….. Read the rest of this entry »