Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

Italia Mia @ Sunway City, Tambun – A refreshed coat of paint; complete with an artistic touch on the mural of the Grand Canal to create that mood …..

Italia Mia has graced the dining scene in Ipoh since more than half a decade ago. In this last review of the restaurant located in Sunway City of Ipoh, close to two years ago, the owners did mention about their intention to sell the restaurant off and move back to Europe to be with their children, but little was heard about Italia Mia again … especially since I myself left Ipoh at the end of 2010.

And come 2012, they finally did it. Italia Mia has now changed hands; sold off to a bubbly Chef Kenny and his partner. Wondering what has changed aside from the ownership and kitchen crew? Read on to find out. Read the rest of this entry »

If you think that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, think again.

For 15 years, Regalodge Hotel has been enduring the many stalwarts of hoteliers with impressive tenacity; albeit the emergence of one VERY strong contender by the name of Tower Regency situated at … erm, almost next door.

Then, sometime last year, the 3-star hotel underwent a major refurbishment ordeal; painted with a fresh coat of beige and purple paint and the addition of a foot reflexology centre. But what’s most enticing is this 4 months-old fine dining restaurant named The Limestone’s.

Seafood Paella (RM68.50 for a portion to be shared; Dinner Menu, or RM28.50 for an individual portion; Lunch Menu)

I admit that I was well surprised by the choice of location; a fine dining restaurant not within its own compound or in a refurbished mansion, or even nestled within some glittering high class resorts by the hills or in the midst of any of the business centres.

Here’s a story on the latest fine dining establishment in town; helmed by Chef Erwin from Europe with an interesting penchant for firing up a culinary storm not only in Malaysia; but in Ipoh of all the other towns …..  Read the rest of this entry »

Continued from Part 1 of The Indulgence Experience – Indulgence Living; More Than A Boutique Hotel

At Indulgence, you’d feel as though you’re being transported to another dimension, away from the hustle and bustle of city life, albeit being smack in the heart of the city. Minutes turn to hours without you even realizing it. Just Good food, Good company, and a jolly Good time.

Indulgence Restaurant is an award winning dining establishment, having won several Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards for Excellence. To imagine that this stellar restaurant’s roots stemmed from the charming, inconspicuous and quaint half-shoplot cafe in Canning Garden way back in 1996.

Julie Song; the brains behind the concept, injects so much passion, energy and time into the setting up, running and maintenance of Indulgence. This is reflected by the sheer number of loyal customers (come on a weekend, and you’d better reserve your table!) perpetually on the lookout for her Specials written with chalk on the blackboards, and drooling over her dynamically-evolving menu. She assured me that nothing on the menu is permanent, and she changes the ingredients (mostly imported) from time to time based on the freshest produce of the season.

The Specials Menu with special creations written on the blackboard. You will see the waiting staff carrying the board to your table while taking your order, so you don’t have to squint at the board on the wall.

Wanna know what we were served that evening? Keep reading for a gastronomic journey in a most Indulgent manner  ….. Read the rest of this entry »

Giulianna @ Indulgence Living, Ipoh – Timeless Italian Influences

“Whimsical cabinetry is faux painted and small mirrors are flushed into the mantle piece. Above the king bed hangs the proud silver framed mirror of Toi. It is an art nouveau piece ….” (snippets from Indulgence Restaurant & Living)

Thanks to a kind (and timely) invitation from Julie Song, the proprietress of Indulgence Restaurant & Living, I was treated to a fabulous stay at one her passionately designed room; Giulianna.

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Secret Garden Bistro – The open air dining concept (al fresco) taken to different heights; Sipping on your wine while being caressed by the soothing splatters of water from the fountain, and hopefully …. some lush greenery in the near future.

I would be lying if I say I am not intrigued by the sheer pleasure of introducing yet another new eatery in Ipoh, although this one being relatively new. The official launch of Secret Garden was sometime during the first week of August 2010. The bistro started operating way back in June or July, but the boutique hotel on the first floor (only three premium rooms, as far as I know) designed to exude a certain heritage aura will only be opened for reservations in the near future.

The rustic charm in the carefully executed planning and designing of the facade and interior of Secret Garden deserves a mention; especially those supposedly-REAL barrels used to prop up a glass table top at the bar area.

Many are still kept in the dark about the exact location of Secret Garden, or what type of cuisine one can expect to indulge themselves in. Heck, even if you zoom by this lane leading to Secret Garden, all lined with a tall foliage of trees, you might just miss the place as there is NO huge signboard lighted up with neon spotlights, nor engraved walls/tiles with the company’s name emblazoned on them.

To clear the air of mystique surrounding Secret Garden, read on to discover what could have been Ipoh’s best kept secret …… until NOW. 🙂

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Panfried Cod Fillet Mango (RM24/USD7.30) – A slab of thick, succulent and sweet cod fillet served atop the bed of irresistibly yummy mashed potatoes, garden vegetables and a refreshingly fruity coulis of mango.

The premise previously occupied by Rendezvous Cafe at the corner of Brewster Road (Jalan Sultan Idris Shah) and Cockman Street (Jalan Dato Onn Jaafar) has been given a new shot of life recently. Eastern’s Brasserie is owned by the same management team of Eastern Hotel (soon to be opened in November 2010 tentatively; a projected spanking new boutique hotel as opposed to the previously disdain, dilapidated outlook).

A relaxed, spacious and classy ambience defines Eastern’s Brasserie; with a surprisingly satisfactory level of customer service.

I came to know about Eastern’s Brasserie from the All About Ipoh Facebook page, whereby one of the admin posted the pictures of aesthetically pleasant dishes resembling European cuisine, and subsequently generated a positive vibe circulating around this new addition to the upmarket dining scene in Ipoh. Read on for the insights into the dishes, prices and location …. Read the rest of this entry »

Who Needs Fork & Knife? Basted with a finger-licking droolworthy BBQ sauce, the Pork Ribs Special @ Berlin’s Bier Houz just begged to be devoured using hands and all.

A new watering hole opened in Greentown Business Centre recently, named Berlin’s Bier Houz (www). Specializing in imported German beers, and a mish-mash of German-European cuisine, I came to know about this place recently from a colleague, and decided to venture over for lunch.

This place reminded me of Bavarian Bier Haus @ The Curve, with almost the same setting, cuisine, and imported German beers.

The front facade of the restaurant/bistro, located at the new premises in Greentown Business Centre. Berlin’s Bier Houz faces the row of shops housing Movenpeak and Assam House.

The menu covers mostly liquors in all manners, served in half-a-pint sizes, full pints, in bottles, and even cocktails/mocktails. Indeed, a haven for those who appreciate the finer forms of German beers, with names such as Erdinger, Stella Artois, Blackthorn, Tetley’s and Connor’s. Pardon me for being ignorant, for I’m not an avid drinker myself.

So let’s see what type of cuisines Berlin’s Bier Houz has to offer …. Read the rest of this entry »