Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

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 »

If this meal cost less than RM20/USD6.50, would you have rubbed your eyes in disbelief?

Let’s talk about good Malay food for a second. Or, seemingly, the lack of it here in Ipoh? Pardon the ignorance, but save for a few worthy choices (the tried and tested outlets, as well as some highly-acclaimed stalls like the famous Nasi RM2 over at Stadium Ipoh), it has never occurred to me to do a complete Halal food run here in Ipoh.

Don’t get me wrong, for I love nasi padang, nasi kerabu, nasi dagang and of course, nasi lemak just as much as I like Char Kuey Teow, Popiah, banana leaf curry rice and Roti Canai. For me, there are way too many lacklustre Malay warung (food stalls) out there in Ipoh; serving the ever-so-generic Malay-Thai style Tom Yam, nasi daging merah, telur dadar and such.

So here we arrive at this stall parked within a small, inconspicuously-quaint kopitiam on Clare Street (Jalan Mustapha al Bakri), masquerading itself as just another coffee shop from the pre-colonial days, yet promising so much more during lunch hour. Hai How‘s the name of the shop, and this stall selling Nasi Berlauk (Malay curry rice with dishes, almost like Nasi Padang) commits itself to serving authentic Malay cuisine to the lunch crowd ….. Read the rest of this entry »

Good food don’t come easy. For instance, in search of the BEST curry fish head in Ipoh, one may have to bear the brunt of relentless traffic on Jalan Yang Kalsom, the Malaysian weather in her most glorious episodes of mood swing (scorching one second, chilly the very next), and even have to (SHOCK!HORROR!) walk up a seemingly endless flights of stairs to reach the restaurant situated on the third floor of Wisma Kinta, named Up & Up Restaurant, aptly.

A pleasantly hearty meal in the most unassuming of location – Up & Up Restaurant @ Jalan Yang Kalsom

Even the lady boss herself, named Anne, admitted that the location of the restaurant is by far, not the most strategic one. With no obvious signboards nor directions, Up & Up Restaurant is huddled up on the top-most floor in a rather deserted building named Wisma Kinta, which no doubt has seen better days.

Passing by the now jaded structure on Jalan Yang Kalsom, a pale shadow of its former self (Philippe Sum, the famous hair stylist had an outlet there back in the glory days), you would be squinting for any signs of life left in Wisma Kinta. And probably wondering aloud whether J2Kfm played a trick by directing you to a secluded spot with a somewhat haunting ambience.

The Undisputed King of Curry Fish Head in Ipoh …… 30 years of history speaks volume of its popularity, does it not?

Read the rest of this entry »

I have a confession to make. I’m addicted, wait … obsessed would be a better term here, with the southern Indian specialty, banana leaf rice. Those fluffy white grains drenched with the reddish/orange-coloured elixir that promises a spicy, pungent yet most-revered kick, paired with unlimited supplies of pickles, curried vegetables, and crispy papadom crackers. Served on an over-sized cut of banana leaf which is believed to impart whiffs of fragrance to the overall ensemble, one is even required to adhere to the several customs/guidelines, ie : To fold the banana leaf towards oneself after the satisfactory meal (or fold it up away from you if the food’s darn horrendous), and to eat with your hands whenever possible, to fully savour the delicious combination of curries, meats, assortment of vegetables and rice.

Read the rest of this entry »