Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

This article was first published in the Malay Mail dated 12 Oct 2014. Read it HERE.

People come from all over the country and even from abroad to enjoy the food haven that is Ipoh. Partly owing to its strategic and accessible location along the North-South Expressway between Kuala Lumpur and Penang, frequent public transportation schedule (you can take a train or a bus from Kuala Lumpur) as well as a twice a day direct flight from Singapore.

The surge in visitors during the past few years, compounded by the advent and proliferation of social media, has paved the way for the discovery of hidden gems. From the what-appears-to-be-blatantly-overhyped Ipoh bean sprouts chicken (fondly known as nga choy gai) to Ipoh’s best kept secret (no more) of a kaya puff maker at Sin Eng Heong, and commercialized entities such as Old Town White Coffee and Foh San Dim Sum… the crowds are everywhere. However, despite the extensive coverage of Ipoh street food by various media, I still constantly receive queries about halal food options in Ipoh. This is somewhat understandable as the hard fact remains that Chinese hawker stalls and food establishments are more in focus when it comes to food hunting in Ipoh. Comparing the options of halal cuisine to other towns, Ipoh has a distinctive lack of memorable choices e.g. Nasi Dagang/Kerabu in Kota Baru, Nasi Kandar in Penang or even Nasi Lemak in the Klang Valley. Read the rest of this entry »

Grilled Stingray with Signature Sambal Sauce & Grilled Squid with Mixed Vegetables

I went back to Ipoh for a grand total of THREE times last October. All of them for work, nonetheless. The glaringly-obvious observation was that; new eateries are opening up left and right. Yet, at a slower rate compared to last year. Maybe restaurateurs realized that fusion cafes/kopitiams do not work as charmingly as street food vendors.

Or the undeniable fact that Ipohans DO have very picky tastebuds. Read : Damn hard to please. With expectations set sky high for promising new restaurants, the stake is no doubt equally as high for the owners. New ventures cashing in only on the festive crowd (come CNY, and you’ll see why) usually do not last for more than half a year. Good examples? De Garden‘s F&B ventures.

At the end of the day, the sturdy old-timers still survive the intensive scramble for food lovers in Ipoh. Case in point? The hawker stalls at Gourmet Square (now known as Kam Wan Restaurant). Read on for insights on what to eat at this oldest food court in Ipoh. Read the rest of this entry »