Motormouth From Ipoh – Asian Food & Travel Blog

OLIVENZ Cafe

Another outlet that was recently opened for business, AND a pretty brisk one at that, is Olivenz Cafe, situated behind Yeolde English in Ipoh Garden East, at the shoplot formerly belonging to Question Mark Cafe. Why they’re closed after so many years? Well, the name befits the riddle. I’ve only got ????? … nothing more.

Jumbo Plated Sausage with Black Pepper Sauce and French Fries (RM11.90)

Ms V, my dining companion for the evening, was throwing compliments for this cafe, even while we were seated in the dreadful Sky Corner, all the while “swallowing” our sushi without much gusto. I mean, how joyful can it be, to be ushered from table to table, and served by un-appreciative and un-trained staff? *_*

As the meal was nothing but fillers for after dinner-cum-supper, we decided against going crazy with the orders. Hence, we picked the Jumbo Plated Sausages, as we firmly believed that sausages are still snacks, not mains. But were we wrong.

The JUMBO in the name probably dropped major hints, but we stood by our decisions. Two long, thick and delicious sausages (don’t let your mind stray now …) served with black pepper sauce on the side, with a choice of french fries, mashed potatoes, or potato wedges, and on a bed of vegetables underneath, balancing the calories with some fibres.

Desserts @ RM6.90

To appease the sweet tooth (or teeth), we went for some desserts. A few options only, mostly (if not all) incorporate ice-cream. Not to lament, as our choice (sorry, it’s the second one on the list, I forgot the name) came with 2 large scoops of ice-cream, vanilla and chocolate flavours, and garnished with chopped nuts, raisins, and drizzled liberately with raspberry sauce and chocolate sauce. The sides of crispy waffle biscuits and chocolate cakes further enhanced the delightful experience, all the while had us gleaming with joy like small kids. =)

As if in a trance, the very next evening, I brought my family to Olivenz Cafe AGAIN, to try some of the other items in the menu I’ve been eyeing. Yeah … probably should have asked for a discount card, but nvm ….

Iced Lemon Tea @ RM3.90

One thing I noticed about Olivenz is that, not only are their dishes served in BIG plates with LARGE portions, but their drinks came in awkwardly-shaped glasses and jars, and in generous servings as well. At a minimal price, nonetheless.

Japanese Fried Rice @ RM8.80

Mum ordered the fried rice, Japanese style, not knowing what’s in store. The plate of rice arrived piping hot, each grain of rice glistening with oil (or it could be the lighting), beckoning us to scoop a spoonful and relish the LDL-raising culprit. Served with chunks of boneless chicken meat, marinated in a Japanese sauce (sorry, I only had a spoonful or two, couldn’t taste the flavour much), and the fluffy grains of rice were fried to perfection. Yup, simple in presentation yet brimming with flavours, even my grandma gave her thumbs up. LOL.

German Sausages @ RM12.90

Dad picked the German Sausages, which arrived in a pair, served with mushroom sauce on the side. He picked mashed potatoes as accompaniment, and glad to say, the mashed potatoes are not the generic, canned-variety. And the brown sauce was awesome, really. The German sausage is different in terms of flavour, compared to the Jumbo Sausages I’ve had the night before. The heavier scent of herbs complemented the meat very well.

Ocean’s Catch @ RM11.90

Grandma “A” chose the Ocean’s Catch, pan-fried dory fillets with creamy sauce. To her surprise, the fillets of dory fish were piled up on a huge plate, on a bed of greens, and served with her choice of mashed potatoes. Gee, she can REALLY eat, as she managed to finish everything on her plate, except the potatoes. Guess it shows how good the fish was? I did not try, therefore I dare not pass judgment.

Fish & Chips @ RM11.90

Grandma “B” on the other hand, prefers her fish deep-fried with batter, thus ordered the fish & chips, a perennial favourite of hers and mum’s. Two blocks of dory coated with a thin batter, deep-fried, and served with a wedge of lemon, mayonaise, and her ultimate favourite, FRENCH FRIES (yeah!) on the side. Or rather, underneath. Not to mention the salad of lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. This one I personally burgled as I’m a huge fan of Fish & Chips as well. Crisp on the outside, and juicy yet fresh on the inside. What’s important is the fillets were void of annoying muddy smell commonly associated with dory fish, or freshwater species.

A look at the BIG bowl of mashed potatoes

Red Wine Lamb @ RM12.90

What did I have? Hmm, the choices are aplenty, but not irritatingly confusing with endless options like many other outlets. There are chicken chops, steaks, lamb chops and cutlets, fish, sandwiches and burgers, pastas, snacks, and salads/soups.

The Red Wine Lamb sounded fantastic, a combination that MAY work wonders, hence it was my choice. And it was a choice I did not have to live regretting it. Chunks of lamb cuts with a subtle brown sauce, served on top of some greens, and my option of potato wedges. Lots of them, a heaven-sent for carbo-lovers. But the main attraction here is the side serving of brown sauce with red wine. Yes, you can really TASTE the liquor in the gravy. May be a put-off factor to some, but a different and novel way to complement the lamb chops. Delicious.

Total damage for 5 = RM70. No taxes, no surcharges. And free flow of iced or warm water, the instant you park yourself on the seats. The service was impeccable, the staff very friendly and patient, topping up your glass of water periodically, while refraining themselves from averting your attention or conversation with over-attentive service. Sky Corner, L-E-A-R-N !!!

Location : OLIVENZ Cafe @ 65, Jln Medan Ipoh 3, Bandar Baru Medan Ipoh, 31400 Ipoh, Perak.

Izzi Restaurant – The building’s architecture and design definitely stood out among the shops along Jln Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur

Bruschetta – Baked Pizza Dough with Fresh Tomato Red Onion, Basil and Pesto Sauce ( RM10.80, >>> RM3.78)

I myself am not a Citibank credit card holder, therefore I dragged a pitiful (and willing) soul along. Yup, somebody with the aforementioned card, and willing to stuff oneself crazy (orders up to RM100+) and not lament about it. Muahaha …..

Ordering was a breeze, as in contrast to most outings, this time, we HAVE TO order the most expensive dishes, throwing caution to the wind, all the while calculating the amount ordered so that the total exceeds RM100. How cool is that? =)

The Bruschetta I had in mind was the one with baguette type of bread, toasted well and served with some salsa toppings, or cheese, or bacon and whatnots. But the one served here utilises pizza dough, with toppings of sour and tangy relish comprising of tomato/basil/pesto sauce. The dough was baked, not toasted, therefore slightly chewy, but the sauce was good. But we did not manage to finish the whole portion, as stuffing one’s stomach with bread before the mains just did not sound appealing, no?

BBQ Chicken Salad – Variety of greens with BBQ chicken, drizzled with Izzi Ranch Dressing (RM19.80 >>> RM6.93)

Though I was tempted to skip all appetizers and go with the meat (the carnivore in me in full form that particular day), somehow the salad selection looked tempting, with Greek salad, Caesar’s salad, Grilled chicken salad and BBQ Chicken salad being listed.

We chose the BBQ Chicken Salad, as Rule 101 = Choosing the recommended item, listed way up high on the menu, somehow decreases the possibility of ordering something lacklustre.

Aiya … Mediocre only. The ranch dressing sauce did not seem to complement the salad well, though the hearty portion made up for it. Devouring the tortilla strip, romaine lettuce strips, corn riblet and mozzarella cheese suddenly made me felt less guilt on over-indulging. Hehe ….

Spicy Italian Sausage Linguine – Linguine pasta tossed with red/green peppers, Italian lamb sausage, with Italian herbs paste (RM22.80 >>> RM7.98)

The Spicy Italian Sausage Linguine is deemed a new item on the menu, and the prospect of linguine with peppers, onions and Italian LAMB sausages sounded like a winner, no? Truthfully, how often do you find lamb sausages being served? However, the dish was a disappointment, the pasta not cooked al dente, and the lamb sausages slices were a tad too saltish to my liking.

(Beef n’ Izzi Pizza – Smoked beef, salami, spicy beef, Italian sausage, with Izzi spicy sauce RM34.80 >>> RM12.18)

Sigh, after an onslaught of meagre offerings, Izzi redeemed herself once the pizza was served. Generously garnished with various types of beef, and sausages, the pizza was a tantalising treat to the senses. They serve pizzas in two sizes, regular (6″) and large (8″). The regular portion was sufficient for two, eight slices of cheesy (albeit slightly oily) goodness, with yummy beef salami and smoked beef, smothered with spicy Izzi sauce, quite alike BBQ dressing. I had the lion’s share, all 5 pieces in succession. 😉

Deep fried calamari with Bangkok sauce and Izzi dressing sauce (RM16.80 >>> RM5.88)

The waiter missed our order of the deep fried calamari, and had to be reminded not once, not twice but THRICE. Imagine waiting for an appetizer/snack after the mains had been polished off. But we patiently awaited, keeping our fingers crossed for a snack so common, it’s typically hard to cook this wrong. Or we assumed.

After about 10 minutes of wait (post-mains), the snacks arrived. All 8-9 pieces of soggy, salty, and utter-disgraceful squid rings. C’mon?! Even Malay warung or Mamak outlets can fry these better. Wondering what the “Bangkok sauce” was? It’s the Thai Chilli sauce. Nothing more, nothing less. We were struggling to finish the whole plate. And yet, we did not succeed.

The meal came to around RM40 after discount. Very, very reasonable, considering the portions were all large enough to serve at least 3 pax. They serve set lunches weekdays, for RM12.99, you get a starter, a main, and a dessert. Perfect for a quick lunch, if you’re working around the area. They provide valet parking service for customers as well.

The Citibank 65% discount offer is valid until the end of August 2008. Do drop by before the promotion ends in less than a month.

Location : Izzi Restaurant @ 44-2A, 44-3A, 44-4AJln. Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.

Delivery No: 1-300-88-5555, Reservation : 03-2141 5808, Events/Functions No: 03-2141 4111.

Website : http://izzipizza.com/my/

For other takes on Izzi : 3 Meals, masak-masak, Honey Star, Pasankia

## Notice that this restaurant has since ceased operation, and the premise taken over by Maxis telecommunications.

The exterior .. (sorry, it was dark & grainy)

Initially planned for another round of Thum’s crispy-licious onion rings and Teh C Special, but as luck would have it, the shop was closed. Still drowsy from emergency nap right after work, my brain could not came up with an alternative. That’s when KCA’s raves about Le Paris in Greentown Business Centre suddenly rang through my mind. OK, why not?

Mushroom Soup (part of Set Dinner)

Dad ordered Set Dinner (RM16.90), which came with either fish and chips/chicken chop (yeah, so much for creativity), mushroom soup and desserts. Yup, NO drinks included. Though you can ask for plain water. The soup was forgettable, and according to him, resembled the dreadful canned varieties. All this while I’ve a bone to pick with outlets serving soup from the can. Hehe!

Fish & Chips

His fish and chips was OK, but the bread crumbs batter was too thick, though tasteless. The saving grace? At least the dory (I assumed) was devoid of irritating mud smell.

Grilled Dory (RM11.50)

Grandma ordered grilled dory from the fish section, which also include various ways of cooking salmon, eg. Cheese Salmon, Fresh Grilled version, etc. She proclaimed that she HAD better ones, though was hesitant on passing judgment.

Seafood Fried Rice (RM6.50)

Mum had the seafood fried rice from the Asian kitchen, which houses various options eg. fried rice/noodles, Thai style dishes, etc. They even serve stir-fried bamboo mussels. The rice was fluffy, albeit slightly wet, with lots of ingredients thrown in for good measure. She enjoyed how they put a dash of Lea & Perrins sauce, just like how old-timers fry their rice.

Napolitaine Pizza (RM15.90)

KCA mentioned how delicious their signature pizza was, the Quatro Formagiano (sp?) baked with 4 types of cheese. But I opt for something different, which was the Napolitaine, regular size. Mozzarella, Italian sauce, anchovies and capers. Sounds good right? WRONG! The anchovies were tiny, mashed up versions, and were VERY salty, probably too much brine? The flat dough was not crisp even at the sides, and too soft for my liking. Luckily they did not hold back on their cheese. Should’ve followed KCA’s recommendations then.

Btw, the pizza came with THIS huge bottle of oil. Not sure if it’s olive, or something else. Can see the herbs, chillies, and leaves ‘drowned’ inside. Added a few dashes onto the pizza, though the taste was negligible.

Total bill for 4 came to RM56.40. NO government tax nor service charge. Pretty reasonable, but food was mediocre. Will I return for more? Probably, considering the pitiful selection of delicious Western food outlets in Ipoh.

Location : No 1, Psrn Greentown 8, Greentown Business Centre, Ipoh. Diagonally opposite Yeolde English, and Old Town Kopitiam is further down the road.

The best way to counter loneliness and depression is … E-A-T !!!!!!!!! =P

Huh? Empty geh? Drink the gravies ah?

Breakfast – Kalai Curry House @ No. 38, Jalan Sultan Yussuf, 30000 Ipoh.

A favourite Indian restaurant that also serves yummy banana leaf rice, it is about 15 minutes walk from my office. Yeah, FIFTEEN. That explains why I walked here only once throughout my 8 months tenure in my current workplace. But today’s different. I willingly drove here (though only about 2km away) with Tall Gal and PLoo. Yeah, rebellious me.

Paper Thosai (Rm2)

Ploo was shocked speechless when her Paper Thosai arrived. From the menu, it looked timid and tiny, but in reality …. see above. About one metre in length, she took ~30 minutes to digest HALF of it. I took 1/4. Tastewise? Thin, crisp, but filling. Served with dhall, coconut chutney, and unknown spicy/sour chutney (probably tomato?).

Chicken Thosai (RM3)

Tall Gal was ambitious. She ordered chicken thosai, not knowing the portion served resembled a person’s lunch. Wrapped inside (sorry, forgot took pic) was a huge chunk of tandoori chicken breast, and also served with the same gravy and condiments as paper thosai.

Set Poori (RM2)

An avid fan of their poori, I re-ordered them for the umpteenth time, and end up satisfied, and full. Memories of first experience having these on banana leaves, with extra dhall gravy reminded me NOT to ask for extra gravy, as their dhall contains lots of nuts and legumes, and very thick & filling.

Lunch – Brewsterlane Kitchen @ 140-142, Jalan Sultan Idris Shah (Brewster Road), 30000 Ipoh
After a heavy breakfast, we expected a lighter lunch, or possibly skip one, but KYT had a “date” with KCA, and we ended up at this restaurant along Brewster Road, right at a crossroad junction. (Notice that this Brewsterlane is NOT the same as Brewster’s Restaurant as blogged before)

Fish and Chips (RM9.90)

Tall Gal and me ordered something from the Today’s Special menu, avoiding the set menu for fear of exploding from over-indulging. Her fish and chips came out fine, crispy batter, served with mayonaise and thousand island dressing for the salad. But most noteworthy were the homemade deep fried potato chips. Thinly sliced and crunchy, they made great snacks for telly session. 😉

Fried Seafood Udon (RM9.90)

I chose the fried seafood udon which came with ample serving of prawns, crab sticks, salmon bits and vegetables. The udon had a chewy texture, though the Japanese sauce (the one for okonomiyaki) used was overwhelming, drowning the overall taste of the noodles.

Grilled Teriyaki Mackerel Set (RM18.90)

KCA wondered mackerel fillet has a lot of bones to pick, to which I replied probably minimal, as I remembered my grandma often ordered saba shio set (mackerel) from Japanese eateries. Luckily it was true, as the chef filleted the fish, and suffice to say, this dish took the limelight. The teriyaki sauce as usual, went really well with grilled dishes, and the sweet, succulent flesh was flavourful, and went really well with white rice.

Ground Meat Deep Fried Beef Set (RM12.90)

KYT opted for the deep fried minced beef with batter, funnily resembling 2 yam puffs (=P). The beef was fortunately not dry, and mixed with carrots and peas, before batter-fried. Suspected potatoes on the outer layer, but could not be sure as I only took one bite. The sets came with rice, soup (not miso, but chinese style soup with papaya and pumpkins!), salad, chawan misu (steamed egg), fruits and green tea.

For drinks, we ordered fresh fruit juices (RM2.50 each) as funnily enough, some basic drinks such as milk tea were not available anymore. Hmm …. Dearth of tea leaves?

Teatime – Big Apple Donuts & Coffee @ Kinta City Shopping Centre’s Food Court

Big Apple finally opened its first branch in Perak last weekend, and the crowd was hot, at least for the first few days. But Mum still queued for 15 minutes for a dozen of these sweet delights;

Spot the repeats, and you’ll know which are my favs …

At RM17 for 12, it was quite a bargain. Though I grew a bit sick of them ever since binging on J.Co in KL (my record? 8-10 at one go … imagine my sugar level spiking like mad), I could not resist trying them at least once, since they opened an outlet so near to my house. Hehe…. But dinner time liao, so how? Decisions … decisions ….

Ended up eating a Duren Duren, and Mango Tango. Both were on par with KL’s Big Apple, but of course my vote goes to the former. Creamy, smelly goodness ….

Dinner – Thum’s Western Food @ …. refer old post.

Huh, after indulging for one whole day, I thought dinner would be something light. But NO, tonight’s dinner include grandma, and brother as well. Journeyed to Thum’s again, but I had the capati (no pics, not impressive) at RM2.20! I know flour’s price is shooting up the ceiling, but this is daylight(or night time) robbery! Portion was small, served with sardine curry.

But the onion rings (RM5) plus side order of onion sauce (RM1) saved the day, as always. 🙂

Tomorrow’s agenda? HOPEFULLY no more taxing food …. But doubtful. Again.