Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

A cup of pick-me-up latte from The Mugshot Cafe with brown sugar and plant in a jar, set on an ageing wooden table for a completely rustic effect

In an aggressive bout of makan-rage in Penang, you probably can’t avoid the lapses in continual street food run. There will be times, especially those odd hours in-between meals that you wished you could stomach another spoonful of laksa or cendol, but all you could think of was a secluded spot away from the maddening crowd, shelter from the sweltering heat and a cup of lusciously-brewed coffee to pick you up while you’re stifling another yawn.

Our acquaintance with The Mugshot Café was slightly different.

The elusive (still is, sadly) Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Koay is a wholesaler of traditional Nyonya kueh; various morsels of sweet or savoury snacks meticulously made for tea breaks. But they chose to be either closed or not operational on the last two visits.

The initial plan was to drive over to Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Kueh outlet, situated at a blink-and-you-will-miss alley off Chulia Street, where you turn in from the famous char siew rice shop named Sky Hotel. Since the Nyonya kueh seller is closed on Mondays, we briskly waltzed in with pride and full of confidence that finally we will be able to have our Kueh Talam, Kueh Bingka Ubi and curry puffs.

Lo and behold, the solitary Indian man seated by the doors promptly and nonchalantly told us that they are NOT selling any that Thursday morning. You can almost see the beads of sweat forming on my forehead. From the walk on that sunny morning along Chulia Street and the utter sense of disappointment.

But when life gives you lemons…..  Read the rest of this entry »

*Read the original article in its printed form published in the March edition of the lifestyle magazine; I.M. – Only RM3.50 at your favourite bookstore. Go grab a copy now, for punchy articles like no other. Seriously.

If you’re screaming and running away in agony from the sight of fresh, healthy greens, then SHAME on you!

The dust has settled, after some serious bouts of bingeing. First it was Christmas, then the New Year beckoned with more merry-making, then Chinese New Year came and left a trail of devastation …. piling on the unsightly pounds where the sun doesn’t shine. No thanks to the endless supplies of new year cookies, rounds of ‘Lou Sang’ and then there would be the senseless nights of mahjong + groundnuts + beer.

Intoxicating ensemble of sins and gluttony.

Spicy Salad – Look at the abundance of sunflower seeds!

But then again, salvation comes at the right moment. Salad Bar in Damansara Uptown has actually been around for one year; almost exactly. This charming, no-frills outlet prides on their creation of colourful and tasty salads without compromising on the flavours and of course, nutrition. So much so that we found our way back again and again after the initial visit ….. Read the rest of this entry »