Motormouth From Ipoh – A Malaysian Food Blog

Gorgeously-glistening & crispy skin of the marinated roast duck @ Tai Sai Hee in Jelapang, Ipoh

Mention Char Siew, or Siew Yoke for lunch or dinner (or breakfast also can lah …) and you’ll see me flooding the entire street with my drool. Especially those proportionately cut pieces of lean-fat meat with a 50-50 ratio preferably, or in some instances, 60-40 also can, with the higher percentage of melt-in-mouth fat more than the tougher lean portion. Better yet, pair them with white rice, oil rice, noodles, or porridge, and you’ll have a balanced feast of porky haven.

Squint if you have to, but the ducks at Tai Sai Hee are priced from RM14/USD4.40 (half a duck) to RM28/USD8.80 (one whole duck). Except for the special XO Duck which is priced higher, and piqued our interest indefinitely.

There are several restaurants/food stalls that are famous for roast ducks, and various other roasted meats in Ipoh. One being the famous Sun Yeong Wai in Ipoh Jaya, somewhere within the vicinity of Gunung Rapat of Ipoh. Another old classic in Tasek is Kedai Makanan Hong Kong, that prides on their oil chicken (crispy chicken bathed in oil), roast ducks, and my personal favourite; the Fried Crispy Nam Yue Pork. Not forgetting the recent find at Falim’s Sri Taman Mas that has gained an admirable following nonetheless.

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What makes a good slab of roast pork? Is it the crunchy skin, the perfectly tender and moist marinated meat? The layer of gelatinous fat underneath that crackly skin? Or even the accompanying piquant, and garlicky chili sauce?

Truth be told, back when I was a small kid, roast pork was never a favourite of mine. Nor even something that I would gladly choose when it  came to take away lunch at the chicken rice stall. I’d pick the Char Siew (BBQ marinated pork), the Siew Cheong (Pork/Offals Sausages), and even the roast chicken/duck, in that particular order. Probably more of an adult’s piece of meat, Siew Yoke (that’s roast pork in Cantonese) caters to the matured and possibly, jaded tastebuds more often than not.

On a whole different level, if you will.

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Back from a weekend getaway to KL. I’m in dire need of a vacation, to prepare myself for the impending bouts of travelling that’s beckoning in the near future. Wait, that did not sound right huh?

The orange signboard is attracting curious stares, and hungry souls …..

A short, short post on one of my favourite food, the Roasted Duck. You see, to find a restaurant or stall serving roasted duck (and other roasted meats) may not seem that hard at all. Lurking in every corner, in most coffee shops and food courts, you’re bound to discover a stall chopping away at their most-prized meats, though most of the time only chicken and pork are commonly dished out. Duck is a rarity, more so for goose. Which explains why I went all the way to KL for my fix sometime ago. (Curious? Click HERE for Pudu’s Famous Roasted Goose)

Crackly & glistening skins, sweet & sticky gravy. If only the portion’s slightly larger, for a change. Roasted Duck Rice @ RM4 per serving CONTINUE READING THE REST OF THIS ENTRY »

Wong Fee Kee @ Bercham Main Road/Lorong Bercham 5 corner

Porridge aka Congee aka Bubur aka Kanji.

KYT was the one raving about this porridge stall at this restaurant in Bercham. Directions to come at the end of the post. Pretty easy to locate, but parking your vehicles may be a chore. Most drivers park theirs haphazardly by the roadside. And guess what? The authority just couldn’t care less.

Zhu Zhap Chuk (Mixed Pig’s Innards Porridge) @ RM3.00

The man sells a variety of porridge, from the average pork meat and innards, to fish and eels, and even shark’s meat. Yup, anything and everything goes. Sometimes having some plain and smooth, good ol’ porridge’s perfect for detoxification purposes, and “clearing the bowels”, or so they say. But with so much temptations around us, plain porridge ain’t cutting it, no?

Coagulated blood, intestines, liver, and what-nots from the swine, cooked in the smooth and tasteful porridge base

Finding good porridge nowadays is tough. Finding a good pig’s innards porridge is even tougher. And this one did not disappoint. The deep-fried parts stole the limelight, providing some crunch and texture in contrast to the smooth and piping hot porridge, while the jelly-like coagulated pig’s blood was fortunately lacking in unpleasant aroma. The pig’s liver cuts were generous, though may evoke paranoia and havoc in a health freak’s diet.

Crispy, sinful Siew Yoke (Crispy Roasted Pork) RM5 and ….

…. sweet, caramelized Char Siew (BBQ marinated pork) RM5

If you consider porridge to be somewhat lacking as a meal on its own, do not fret. “Help” is on the way. Or rather, a few stalls away. The aunty selling roast pork and BBQ pork was doing brisk business, and I’ve full faith in her products, as my family’s been loyal customers since aeons ago. Mostly during festivities.

The crispy roasted pork was delicious, the meat not too salty and the accompanying chilli sauce not too overpowering. Some serve theirs with too much garlicky taste, drowning the meat’s flavour. Surprisingly, the Char Siew won me over with its sweet, sticky, and slightly charred, caramelized ends, drizzled liberately with the luscious sweet and savoury sauce. No chilli sauce needed for the scrumptious cuts of meat. (Btw, she doesn’t sell chicken, or rice for that matter). Perfect accompaniments for your noodles, or porridge.

Still craving for more?

Deep-fried Popiah (Spring Rolls) RM1.50

Egg Skin Popiah RM2.60

Right beside the Siew Yoke aunty, was this stall selling Popiah. Tried their deep-fried popiah before, and was pleasantly surprised she’s selling egg-skin popiah as well. Something Jason might wanna take notice.

Whoops. Our plan to eat a “Healthy & Simple” meal was thwarted by my glutton instincts. But I’m sure the others wont mind, right? RIGHT? =P

Location : WONG FEE KEE @ Jln Bercham/Lorong Bercham 5. Exiting from PLUS highway Ipoh Selatan toll, you’ll reach a traffic lights, then turn RIGHT. The sign should say Bercham. Then at the next traffic lights at a slope, turn right again, and you’ll see Tesco Extra on your left. Go straight for a while, passing by rows and rows of shops on your left and right, and 3 consecutive traffic lights. Then the road will get narrower, and you’ll be able to see Lorong Bercham 1, 2, 3 and so on. Wong Fee Kee is on your left, at Lorong bercham 5′s junction. Daytime only.

Trivia : What’s in THOSE buckets?