Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

This article was originally published in the Malay Mail Online HERE.

More than just a meal for those feeling under the weather, a Teochew porridge feast can be a comforting affair especially after a series of guilt-ridden feasts (i.e. food excursions and post-travel blues anyone?).

I usually avoid eating hot, soupy food unless ­I feel under the weather. Call me impatient, weird or just plain picky, but eating porridge cooked with softened (almost to a pulp) carrots or noodles cooked in a light, anchovy-flavoured broth will never evoke spectacular memories for me. Instead, these “comfort foods” only serve to remind me of the painful ordeal of recovering from chicken pox when I was still a toddler. That could be the reason why I have stayed away from porridge or even anything remotely soupy (even curry noodles; which explains why I prefer dry curry noodles instead) most of my life.

But how times have changed. I guess one’s tastebuds change with age; and gradually I learned to be receptive towards foods that I could never be bothered to eat, let alone crave. Brinjals, bitter gourds, offal and yes… rice porridge. Although Teochew porridge stalls can never match the number of economy/mixed rice stalls all over Malaysia, if you search hard enough you will find a handful in most neighbourhoods in the Klang Valley, especially the older residential or commercial areas.

The affable proprietor of the Teochew porridge stall has a smile and greeting for every customer.

My favourite stall thus far has been this nameless one located within Sun Fatt Kee Restaurant in Seapark, Petaling Jaya. The name might sound unfamiliar to you, but most locals know this shop for the Bumbung Nasi Lemak (or more fondly referred to as the Seapark Nasi Lemak and their crispy fried chicken) that operates only in the evenings. By day, the Teochew porridge stall shares the crowd with a pan mee stall, a pork noodles soup stall and an equally noteworthy curry noodles stall as well. The elderly duo running the porridge stall put out a delectable Teochew spread that is usually consistent in terms of selection and taste, yet reasonably-priced for the masses. You will need to arrive after 9am to treat yourself to a splendid and complete feast of Teochew delights, but avoid the lunch crowd if possible to mitigate the risk of having your favourite dish run out. And trust me; the lunch crowd can be a little bit intimidating during the peak hours given the density of residences and offices around the vicinity. Read the rest of this entry »

This article was originally published in The Malay Mail on 21 September 2014. Click HERE to read it.

The headline might sound odd or even a little bit too sentimental, but that was all I remembered about Hung Wang Eating Shop in Ipoh.

Occupying a double lot along Leong Sin Nam street, at the other end of the famed dim sum haven (thankfully it’s a distance away or else you won’t be able to get a parking spot!), Hung Wang Eating Shop has been around for almost half a century now. Obviously back when we were kids, the idea of visiting an old establishment for bland, rice porridge accompanied by salted egg, deep fried fish, braised pig’s offal and even blocks of coagulated pig’s blood sounded like a nightmare. Almost akin to a visit to the dentist. Thus, the visits with our late grandpa to places like Hung Wang stopped as the years went by.

Fast forward two decades later, and after years of searching for exotic culinary experiences, I guess my tastebuds did mature over time.

For the past few years I have been experimenting with new cuisines, embarking on gastronomic tours locally and overseas only to discover I have this undeniable preference for fuss-free, old-school style of cooking; a tradition proudly maintained or carried through generations by outlets like Hoong Tho, Wong Koh Kee or even Hung Wang.

For first-timers to Ipoh, these outlets appear to be nothing fancy and most people would just brush them off as old restaurants looking to survive in these modern times, while trying to combat the next wave in the F&B scene: the café invasion. However, for the locals, these are eateries that have retained their charm these past few decades; proudly guarding age-old family recipes handed down from at least two generations back. Read the rest of this entry »

The beauty of going Teochew once in a while is the almost always predictable side dishes, yet every outlet seems to have that extra edge in some of their rendition of familiar dishes, plus the warm feeling of indulging in home cooked fares.

The misleading title was never a question of impostor or generic wannabes taking over the Teochew porridge brand that has stood strong for a good 40 odd years now. Almost two years ago, I made a blunder by naming this post Jack Fah Nyonya Kuih and Lok-Lok Stall. While partially true, since both stalls are parked within the Teochew porridge premise itself, the name Jack Fah actually refers to the porridge stall backed by four decades of legacy and the family behind the establishment.

It was almost embarrassing to be reprimanded by the second generation of the Jack Fah empire; a lady in her late 40’s/early 50’s bashing ‘this particular website’ for being unprofessional and possibly creating quite a ruckus by ‘transforming’ Jack Fah into a Nyonya kuih stall rather than being this renowned Teochew porridge specialist in Ipoh.

Must have stunned quite a number of fans whom have been loyalists for years. To that, Motormouth apologises sincerely.

Let’s move on, shall we? If it’s authentic and delicious Teochew porridge you’re gunning for, then Jack Fah’s a place you should include in your food itinerary.  Read the rest of this entry »

If you haven’t ‘suffered’ through my Malacca 2012 travel chapter, then you ought to do so. At least, ‘give face’ lah … 😉

 More than 80 Years of Legacy – A spread of traditional Teochew dishes served with rice porridge at Long Fatt; a corner shop along Jalan Kampung Pantai, Melaka; next to a Buddhist temple

Always a pleasure to return to Malacca (spelled as Melaka in the local language); the historical capital of Malaysia, that we embarked on a half-baked plan of a food trip last weekend. Well, being one of the most visited tourist spot in the country, you don’t need to search high and low for information on Malacca anyway.

However, that being said, the previous Malacca travel chapters (2012 Food & Travel Guide & 2011 History. Diversity.Gastronomy Series) have all but centred upon the famous names; the establishments featured in media, guide books and come out tops in Google search and blog reviews.

 Still fueled by the passion to dish out that certain kind of warmth in his cooking; there’s just no stopping this man.

And thus, this excursion revolved around a handful of hidden gems; and places we have not thought of frequenting before. Let’s start with Long Fatt; an almost a century’s old outlet on the banks of Malacca river, serving traditional Teochew porridge for breakfast and lunch daily. Read the rest of this entry »