Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

This article was first published in the Malay Mail Online.

Patisserie BoutiQue @ Ipoh old town – Come here for a revitalizing, Paris-inspired cafe experience during the mid day blues 

With dozens of new cafes popping up all over Ipoh in the last couple of years, one might feel slightly overwhelmed when making a choice for a Saturday afternoon tea break session. Now that I am based miles away from home, the routine homecoming trips to Ipoh have been nothing short of exhilarating (and to some extent, exhausting).

Almost every single trip home I would be greeted by new establishments out to make a name in the competitive cafe scene, despite the relatively lower crowd volume on weekdays compared to say, in the Klang Valley with its perpetual supply of teenagers and youngsters looking for the equivalent of a “library” or an Instagram-worthy spot after class.

But this does not seem to impede the young entrepreneurs from their start-ups in Ipoh, some even making a detour from bigger cities like Kuala Lumpur to explore the untapped (note that I use this word loosely though) opportunities in Ipoh; possibly capitalizing on the locals’ inherent fondness for coffee.

Soufflé pancake may not be an everyday item at Pâtisserie BoutiQue (you will need to check with them or look out for this at the display counter), but should you see this, don’t give it a miss 

One cafe that has bowled me over sits at the corner of the row of refurbished old shophouses in Old Town: Pâtisserie BoutiQue. At the other end of the row is Burps & Giggles; possibly the pioneer of this modern batch of vintage looking cafes.

Unlike a few unfortunately flagging ventures in town, Pâtisserie BoutiQue has amassed quite an unwavering support from the locals despite their slightly inconvenient 10.30am to 6pm opening hours.  Read the rest of this entry »

Sipping or rather, hastily downing a cup of freshly brewed cup of white coffee in old town in the midst of the long Lunar New Year break two months back

Ahhhh. Heaving a sigh of deep, deep relief with the weekend crawling from the horizon and the (imagined) sea breeze caressing my lethargic cheeks (from all the talking, eating and well, sulking to some extent). There will never be a better time to travel than in the midst of spring, although the destination that I will be traveling to has no four seasons nor a reason to even bring anything thicker than cotton.

Anyhow, after a prolonged dry spell of writing on anything remotely close to home, let me dig out a story with shots captured two months back during the Chinese New Year in Ipoh. The reason for the delay being ….well, conventional Motormouth procrastination I guess. And the fact that Heng Fatt coffee shop; this bright yellow-painted three storey shoplot at the junction of Market street and Jalan Bandar Timah in old town is probably one of the lesser known coffee shops among the sea of giants from Kong Heng to Thean Chun, Sin Lean Lee to Nam Chau and Sun Seng Fatt.

But what does Heng Fatt has to offer and stood the endurance sprint against the almighty competitors listed above? Read the rest of this entry »

French Duck Confit (MYR 28) @ STG Boutique Café, Ipoh Old Town

It stemmed from utter devastation and desperation no thanks to the closure of most Chinese hawker stalls in old town during the recent Chinese New Year season, that led us to STG Boutique Café. Crude as this might have sounded, this was not initially on my radar of “to-try places” despite the almost too strategic location on the outskirts of Ipoh old town. I should have known better, as this was a stone’s throw away from our old office (we could have literally rolled to the entrance of STG from our old office) in Ipoh old town, near to the Maybank building.

The interior of STG reeks of opulence and an almost too idyllic setting for a casual lunch (the business lunch crowd can be overwhelming with all the banks, lawyer firms and all), but STG manages to tone down the exclusivity with large glass panels letting the natural rays of sun in, and the diners not oblivious to the passing traffic and vice versa. 

If the name sounded familiar to you, then you are right. STG Tea House Café started sometime in 2013 (read my review) within the serene neighbourhood of Chateau Garden and has since taken off well with an all-day dining concept amidst the mansion setting with a large compound to boot. STG Boutique Café meanwhile is the group’s second venture in Ipoh (and a third to come in northern Perak really soon) catering to mostly the working crowd of old town because let’s admit this …. if you are not working around here, or coming to do your banking, why on earth would you get yourself stuck in jam and going around in circles trying to find a parking space?

But, and that’s a big BUT …. since STG opens until 11 pm daily, this may seem like a good choice for dinner or supper as well, especially when you have run out of idea on where to dine with ample parking spaces (come sun down, the area is deserted).

And so, what attracted me to a second visit within a few days apart? Read the rest of this entry »

Read the original article published in The Malay Mail Online HERE.

Still the same Hoong Tho that we grew up with in the 80’s …

There are but a few eateries left in Ipoh that I personally feel are still able to evoke a strong sense of nostalgia upon setting foot into their premises and tasting the same old flavours from yesteryear. I highlighted a sterling example last week on Wong Koh Kee restaurant situated along Concubine Lane in Old Town with more than eight decades of legacy. That was a really classic example of “lau zhi hau” (literally translated to old trademark brand) — signature dishes unchanged since decades back, maintaining the no-menu policy, ageing staff staying with the establishment through thick and thin and a no-frills, subdued set up featuring round marble top tables, rickety wooden chairs, steel stools and mosaic-tiled flooring.

Now, Koh Kee is not the only restaurant in Old Town with such a rich history and fan base spanning a few generations. Hoong Tho, located along the same road of Jalan Bandar Timah (Leech Street) but on the other side (note that coming from Hugh Low Street, the junction branches to opposite ways of Jalan Bandar Timah; the right side leads to Wong Koh Kee, Kong Heng kopitiam and Nam Chau curry noodles, while the left turn will take you to the stretch of white coffee stalwarts; Sin Yoon Loong and Nam Heong, as well as Hoong Tho which is located a few doors away from Nam Heong.)

This plate of intense wok-hei laden fried rice was utterly delicious and whipped up with such flair by the cooks at Hoong Tho in old town

I remember eating at Hoong Tho with my late grandfather and a bunch of older relatives, whereby this was also one of the famous places in Ipoh back in those days for wedding banquets. The menu has stayed relatively flat throughout the years, which may not be a bad thing at all. You see, most of these popular establishments are known for their trademark items — dishes that they do particularly well and embedded in the minds of followers who come back repeatedly for the same, comforting familiar taste. Read the rest of this entry »

This article was first published on The Malay Mail Online HERE.

A hearty lunch at Wong Koh Kee at Concubine Lane, Ipoh old town will surely bring back memories from the yesteryears

The Old Town is well known for its diverse range of hawker eats and fair share of vintage cafes; the latter which have gradually been injecting life back to the otherwise sleepy side of town past noon. The sudden rise of coffee culture in Ipoh, coupled with murals painted on walls within the Old Town enclave and the opening of the Sekeping Kong Heng retreat above the legendary kopitiam of the same name have drawn visitors from near and far.

Lou Wong Ipoh Bean Sprouts Chicken opened a second outlet in old town; same row as Thean Chun and Kong Heng

I still remember that during my childhood having breakfast in Old Town meant having to wake up really early, struggling to find a parking space and sharing a table with strangers at the stretch of white coffee specialists (e.g.. Sin Yoon Loong and the likes). Needless to say, the memories were not pleasant especially when we were not really die hard fans of white coffee in the first place. Aside from breakfast options (and trust me, there are MANY; from Ipoh style dry curry mee to soupy pork noodles cooked individually, caramel egg custard to a bowl of chicken kuey teow soup laden with umami goodness from the stock infused with essence from the prawns), nestled hidden from clear view is this more than eight decades old Chinese eatery named Wong Koh Kee on Concubine Lane. Read the rest of this entry »

The Street Arts Craze Hits Ipoh! This harmless-looking, almost inconspicuous packet of ‘kopi-o’ started it all. Though one might be pondering upon this million dollar question; “When has Ipoh white coffee ever been black?”

In a matter of months, it surprises me on how things have shaped and shaken up over in Ipoh old town. The surge of boutique cafes brought a younger crowd to this older part of town in this recent year or two. Even then, thankfully, the many staunch Ipoh street food champions have not stepped down nor bow to the overwhelming wave of commercialisation.

Lucky for us to catch the artist in action; Ernest Zacharevic‘s the man responsible for single-handedly transformed the heritage facade of Georgetown into a canvas for his brand of murals; subtle and muted with strong elements of local culture

And so, if you are planning to spend your precious last weekend of the school holidays in Ipoh with your kids, then brace the heat and the lack of road signs (yes, still a nuisance if you ask me) and embark on a street arts adventure. There are only a handful of the paintings now around old town, so this should be a cinch.

Especially after a sinful bowl of curry mee, chicken kuey teow soup and the umpteenth cup of white coffee, it’s also wise to take a stroll and create that desired vacuum in your gut again; for further gastronomic pleasures.  Read the rest of this entry »

The Roquette Cafe – And you thought coffee, cakes and politics don’t mix?

In a blink of an eye, it’s the 8th day of the Lunar New Year. Some of us; especially the Hokkiens should be really busy preparing for the BIG celebration later tonight; better known as “Bai Tin Kung” or praying to the Heavenly God. After a serial bout of indulging since reunion dinner until 3-4th day of CNY, followed by a dripping sense of guilt; you decided to eat healthier for a few days. And thus, you reach the checkpoint/milestone after a week on the 8th day and decided to let loose and chomp on some pretty mean roast pork (usually the entire swine is presented whole and offered as prayers), and various delicious foodstuff.

If you ain’t a Hokkien and not celebrating the eve of 9th day, then you’re not alone. Motormouth does not either. And here I am recollecting my thoughts after almost a full week of slouching in front of the laptop in the office. Post CNY blues is very depressing, mind you.

Continuing the cafe series, and almost done now (phew, can you heave a sigh of relief now?), let’s look at this opportunistic visit to The Roquette Cafe in old town. Why opportunistic? Read on.  Read the rest of this entry »