Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

“3.3.13.” 5 Years in the Making.

Today is a milestone for Motormouth From Ipoh, no doubt. Tell me back then when I first penned my lunatic thoughts in 2008 that I will still be writing in 2013, I would have laughed it off.

My attention span usually does not permit me to stay in focus for that long. But miraculously, I did. Partly thanks to YOU who’s reading this. You have my gratitude for keeping the passion to eat and share alive.

While I collect my thoughts on life and ponder over the future directions of this space, I’ll leave you with a podcast aired on Business FM 89.9 back in Jan 2013.

The subject was “Is Blogging the New Standard for Food Reviews?” and that most annoying voice on air was of yours truly; Motormouth From Ipoh. Sorry for the delay in publishing this but I missed that when it was aired and did not bother to listen to myself actually. Click HERE for the link to the website where you can listen online or download the podcast.

For the other stories published on 3rd March of previous years;

2009 – The Hanoi Travel Chapter
2010 – The Old Town Kopitiam Saga
2011 – A Simple Soy Sauce Braised Chicken Story
2012 – Or Tor Kor Market, Bangkok

Or Tor Kor Market @ Bangkok, Thailand

You know sometimes, the mere thought of walking into a wet market will irk the most conventional of tourists. Imagine the moss-covered walls, damp and humid air trapped within a close vicinity; the stench from live stocks gathered in extremely packed proximity, butchers having the time of their lives with machetes drenched in red liquid, and a hawker centre that caters more to the workers and locals, rather than the unsuspecting walk-in customers without a clue.

That could have been Nang Loeng Market (full story by clicking HERE), oozing with rustic charm and an incomparable environment; coupled with delicious finds possibly unrivalled elsewhere. Certainly not at the commercialized Chatuchak.

 But what if you’re trying to settle for the best of both worlds? Where the locals and foreigners still mingle within arm’s length, and you won’t end up waltzing through the premise and coming out on the other side drenched with sweat and smelling unpleasant?

Everything’s well-spaced out, with good ventilation from the high ceiling, and cooling system in place.

Or Tor Kor Market; within walkable distance from the famous Chatuchak Weekend Market will please you both ways; either you’re a “Tai Tai” (rich lady) born in Thailand, or from another country, you’re bound to find something you fancy here. Read on to see where this place is, and the many shots of the extremely tourist-friendly environment ….. Read the rest of this entry »

Trays of freshly baked, flaky golden brown puffs filled with delightful ‘kaya’ (sweet coconut jam) from Sin Eng Heong on Clare Street (Jalan Mustapha al-Bakri) in Ipoh.

In a matter of days, Sin Eng Heong would be celebrating its 50 years in business. Yup, you’re not dreaming. It’s not 5, 10, 15 or 30 years anniversary. Half a century on, and the brand’s stronger than ever.

Not only that, they’re even expanding to the adjacent shoplot. If you’ve been there before, joining the snaking queue come weekends/public holidays (sometimes only to be turned away regrettably because the not-so-selfless one in front of you bought the last 50 pieces!), and survived to tell the tale, then you would have borne witness to their unparalleled popularity.

Modern technology? What technology?

Read on for more revealing shots of the stripped-down-to-its-finest-core manner of manufacturing/baking, and a revelation of this Ipoh’s legacy in the making.

Read the rest of this entry »

And I am back in Ipoh (hurray?!) for this weekend. A relatively short homecoming, for work purpose more than play. But every minute spent at home would be treasured immensely. I mean, as much as I would like to commit myself for food hunts and reviews in the metropolitan on steroids, somehow the presence of heavy traffic, time constraint, and lack of directions (in every sense of the word) barred me from the real intention.

A pot of braised goodness; Blocks of beancurd, whole eggs, slices of pork belly and pigs’ offal swimming in the dark elixir with a distinctively concentrated flavour. Heavenly when paired with the oil rice.

Thus, the short 2 days will be spent in an intelligent manner; good time management is essential and strategic planning is deemed to be of utmost importance. After all, I can only squeeze in 6 meals a day.

Or more. Depends on my appetite. And till now, you know Motormouth can really wallop everything in sight, and then some.

Let’s start with lunch (after a serious bingeing session on Simee Market’s delicious fares earlier!), at this inconspicuously low profile eatery named Sun Kam Wan in Ipoh Garden; yet this particular stall serves possibly one of the BEST version when it comes to braised chicken in soy sauce, and various other braised dishes. Get your napkin ready, and here we go ….. Read the rest of this entry »