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Motormouth From Ipoh

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Kuala Kangsar in a Whirlwind

Kuala Kangsar - The Royal Town of Perak, Malaysia. Not a destination listed in a common tourist's itinerary. Easily accessible from the highway, though not necessarily translates to higher traffic. A simple town in general, it was only my third visit to the comparatively serene town.


Yut Loy Coffee Shop (read about them from rasarasa.net) has been in existence for more than 50 years now, spanning three generations of the Chong family. A 'MUST' stopover for outsiders in town, for a taste of their traditional (and immensely popular) Hainanese pau, coffee/tea, and even Hainanese chicken chop, steak, or fried rice.



Opens for breakfast and lunch, but their signature HALAL pau (comes in different fillings, namely chicken, beef, kaya and 'tau sar' - green beans) are only available from 2.30pm onwards. Truth be told, this place reminded me of Yik Mun in Tanjung Malim a lot. From the pau, to the Hainanese fare, as well as the mixed crowd (truly 1Malaysia?) and the HALAL certification.

Coming here early for breakfast, only simple fares such as toasts with kaya and margarine, and egg toasts were being served. Paired with their brand of milk tea and coffee, a complete Hainanese breakfast-package.

The thick and fluffy bread used was of the Benggali bread variety, a plus point compared to the usual Gardenia and Hi5 modernized/over-processed white breads. The coffee was sadly a bit lacking in terms of roasted, smokey aroma; A notch below the highly sought after Ipoh's white coffee. (Okay, not ALL outlets in Ipoh serve good white coffee, hence take heed!)

Location : Yut Loy Coffee Shop @ 51, Main Road/Jalan Kangsar, 33000 Kuala Kangsar, Perak.
Tel No : 05- 776 6369. (Number taken from rasarasa.net article, not confirmed)


Lunch was a hearty affair at Sudut Nyonya Restaurant, at Taman Suria, Kuala Kangsar. No prize for guessing what type of cuisine they specialize in!

A Halal outlet (it's definitely pork-free, but I did not notice the Jakim's certification anywhere. But several Malay patrons, including the police officers were chowing down their curry fish heads this afternoon, hence it has to be Halal, no?) on the main road of Jalan Taiping (the road where you exit the highway, and travel on heading towards town centre), this gem of a restaurant has definitely stood the test of time, given the worn-out decor, and constant patronage from the locals.


Signature dishes were all listed on the whiteboard at the entrance, hence choosing your dishes is a breeze. Or you can just walk over to the counter, for some economy rice fare.

Notable dishes include the curry fish fillet, rendang chicken and sambal belacan kangkung. HT - The Bulldozer made her picks, being a regular and all, while my mouth was agape, staring in disbelief at how her small frame can fit in the seemingly unbelievable amount of food. And yet she cried hunger after the session.

The curry being dark, thick and redolent with spices, reminiscing a wholesome Indian curry in claypot, with ample ingredients thrown in for good measure. Tomatoes, eggplants, ladies' fingers, and chunks of 'tenggiri' (doubtful, as I'm not good with my fishes) elevated the dish from a decent dish to an above average rating.

My personal favourite was the Sambal Belacan Kangkung, which was a little too strong for Mr Z, but the pungent belacan (fermented spicy shrimp paste)was definitely right up my alley. The young shoots was crunchy as well.

The meal for 5 came to RM61, including drinks of sea coconut with shaved ice. Reasonable, given the rather clean and comfortable ambience, with air-conditioning and free parking.

Location : Sudut Nyonya Restaurant @ No 6, Ground Floor, Taman Suria, 33000 Kuala Kangsar, Perak. Tel No : 05-776 6410.

Coming from the highway towards Kuala Kangsar town, This restaurant is on your right, before reaching the traffic lights with Hospital Kuala Kangsar on your left. In the middle of a row of double-storey shophouses.


And since we're on the subject of parking, I was slapped with a summons for not displaying my parking coupon on the dashboard. I was only a mere 5 minutes late and on the receiving end of the enforcer's wrath. Some guys may have all the luck, but poor me being far, far away from being one. Sigh...... (Thankfully, it's only a RM10 compound. HAH! Puny fellas .....)

P/S : What irony, as boo got hers as well, and coincidentally during her getaway to another small town, for some Hainanese fare. Geez, how uncanny!

40 comments:

jencooks said...

Sudut nonya chows looks wonderfully delicious but to be splapped for just RM10, an ant bite for you only. At least you got a good meal.

jencooks said...

Sudut nonya chows looks wonderfully delicious but to be splapped for just RM10, an ant bite for you only. At least you got a good meal.

Sean said...

wah, i'm hainanese, but i didn't realise we have our very own pau. must remember to check it out if i'm ever in kuala kangsar (never been there, it's one of those places that's only familiar to me through sejarah textbooks) =) and for once, there's something chinese that's only available in the evenings! yay! i'm a very late riser, so i always miss out on dim sum and bak kut teh.

Big boys Oven said...

I dont mind geting a fine after such a satisfying meal! ;)

Unknown said...

All the foods look great. I would like to to try the toast. lol

HairyBerry said...

and one of my friends said that there's nothing to eat in this Bandar DiRaja. Hmmm, i must show him this!

woah, RM10 is sure cheaper than valet parking lor...hehe...ok, that sounded kinda wrong.

J2Kfm said...

jencooks : not really an ant bite lah ... more like a centipede's!

Sean : Hainan pau quite famous ma, for they say the dough is better, not sticking to the teeth and such.
or maybe our ancestors were such pau and teh lovers.

BBO : aiks, true not? thankfully it's only RM10 (and can get discount some more, with much drama).

food paradise : sure, go grab one. or better yet, toast ya own.

Anonymous said...

toast bread and a perfect cup of coffee, what a great start of the day!! my friend told me there's a beef noodle very famous in K.Kangsar..did u check it out?

allie said...

I used to study at Kuala kangsar, but didn't know there's such jewel there. :(
Pity you got the RM10 summons, but luckily it's just RM 10 and not RM 30 / RM 70 :P

email2me said...

Hainanese toast and coffee can never go wrong.

J2Kfm said...

Nic : aiyo, how can you compare to valet parking leh? i gotta side-parked mine, at the side of the busy road. and still kena slapped with the summons, grr ...

Simple Girl : yeah, there's one. but i was there with an Indian colleague, hence gotta be sensitive. hehe ...

allie : yeahlah, one look at the RM10 if paid within 14 days, and I was heaving a huge sigh of relief.

email2me : true. esp at such nostalgic outlet.

Kenny Mah said...

I really like the name, Sudut Nyonya. It's the sort of name you'd only find in Malaysia representing the diversity and the language play that is so unique to us.

More so, since the kopitiam reviewed before that reminds me so much of a yesteryear that is rapidly slipping away...

backStreetGluttons said...

Smaller towns do have their standout cheap n good eating shopss where locals hang out and recommend to friends such as rhese. Pity tho Kuala Kangsar is off the culinary trail being too near Ipoh and Penang and too far from KL
LOL !

Ciki said...

helo! hey, i also was nearly slapped with a summons, same scenario, but all you need to do is say that you were away paying for the ticket during the time he wanted to book you. so.... that way, they wont book you! (but make sure you have ticket in hand la;))

worldwindows said...

Every town has at least one old fashion favourite! Kopitiam, Hainanese ....

iamthewitch said...

Eh the RM10 also got discount? How much? Anyway, the Nyonya food pictures look delectable! But it's too far from reach! LOL

The Travelling Foodie said...

Restoran Yut Loy has always been famous for its pau and their fried mee (Hainanese style). If you go late and their pau has been sold out, head over to the riverside. The little shop in the foodcourt is a breakaway from Yut Loy and just as good.

thule a.k.a leo said...

one day trip to bandar di-raja??? just for food??? sounds like something that I would do in the past!!!

Hulk said...

Thanks to you..I get to eat good food in Ipoh & Perak.
BTW..go & appeal lah. They will rebate 50% over the 'saman' u got within 7 days. Simply not worth paying something not "bought" but over mistake instead.

Hulk said...

oooh..btw. Can try out the newly open Restoran Simpang Tiga near Greentown ah?

Sorry ah..make use of u..hehehehe.

choi yen said...

small town, summon also cheaper?

wenxuan said...

hey there!
another common place that i frequent! KK!

too bad we didn't go to these places that you mentioned, coz we go straight to our grandparents' house (psst my mom's family all stay in KK ya know!)

Another worthy place to visit is Choon Kee Restaurant for dinner. I have been going there since I cannot remember.

Kung Fu Mee, Lala Mee, Kong Po Eel, and a really godly cuisine that you have to call to order is Baked Fish! Sigh...mouthwatering indeed.

hcpen said...

omg, the nyonya food looks simply AMAZING! I miss sambal kangkong soooooo muuuucchh..i miss nyonya food...damn:-(

J2Kfm said...

LFB : yup, indeed. going to these places kind of stopped time in its track. very welcoming, very charming.

BSG : agreed. had it not been work, I wouldn't ventured that far for food.

Cumi & Ciki : aiyo, the guy must be trying desperately to fulfil his daily quota. in an instant he vanished/evaporated to god knows where!

worldwindows : how true. like Yut Kee, Yik Mun, Ipoh's erm ... many kopitiams, and Penang's endless classics.

iamthewitch : dunno, i ask my fren in KK to bargain for me. hahaha ... cheap skate eh?

Travelling Foodie : selling Chinese fare as well? by the riverside. ok.. any idea what's the place's called?

thule : in the past? aiks, now married already, very busy eh?

Hulk : the summons I left it at that. no eye see.
and Simpang Tiga the Nasi Padang ah? hahaha .. i gave it some thought, but wonder is it any good? you try lah, then you tell me! :)

mimid3vils : maybe. or they'd rather have someone paying RM10 for a summons, rather than people running away from a RM30 one.

wenxuan : CHoon Kee? you got the address? maybe its the chinese restaurant with air-cond my fren told us about.

hcpen : go search for a recipe, cook ya own, or go eat out!

SuwEi said...

Oh, u got the rm10 saman onli, remember my manjung plus 2 free coupon.hehe! forget to pass u al my coupons when i left, :P

wenxuan said...

i dunno...erm no address but it's on your left if you're travelling towards the town center...

we don't follow addresses, coz my grandparents or aunt or mom will go "neh..near someone's someone's house"..

i'll try to get the address for you from my mom.

J2Kfm said...

sUWEI : hai meh?! aiya, maybe u got chance to go again leh? :)

wenxuan : ok, thanks! directions should suffice though.

thule a.k.a leo said...

yup! married man can't simply go anywhere they want.. nowadays having meals with family means that going to someplace with air-conds.. preferably shopping malls or somewhere cool.. no more dai pai dong or mamak stall. Even those dai chow restaurants without air-cond is off limit too!!!

jason said...

My mom's from KK but we never eat out there cos usually my aunts, cousins and mom will cook. Hmm...

J2Kfm said...

thule : aiyo, until like that ah? children cannot take the heat?
but we go everywhere, even with grandma tagging along.

jason : yeah typical. mine from Sungkai, and we ate at home all the time. grandma would cook a LOT of dishes to satisfy the hunger pangs of the 20-odd people!

wenxuan said...

motormouth, my mom says it's near to the Hospital KK. Good luck then! I think you can see it coz the restaurant's signboard is humongous!

The Travelling Foodie said...

Hi Motormouth, I don't remember the name of the stall at the foodcourt but its easy to locate as its a corner cubicle facing the river and they sell noodles (curry or soup) with some liew also. They have stacks of steaming pau in front of their cubicle.

minchow said...

Yut Loy looks like THE joint to while away a sleepy morning in KK!! The eggs look abit overdone for my liking but Benggali bread, aww yeahhh!!

J2Kfm said...

wenxuan : oh then i guess i know where the place is. :)

Travelling Foodie : oh ok, thanks. facing the river ... hmmm ... i'll get my KK frens to bring me over someday.

550ml jar of faith : not really. the yolks were still runny, and poured all over the bread.

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wendyywy said...

Yut Loy is a snobbish shop.
I never like going there.
Nyonya Corner used to be good, but we were once pissed off by the super small portion of kangkung belacan. My MIL called the chef and he said, yeah this is the portion for 3, and you know how much kangkung they gave us? One fork can lift them all up. That's how much and it's not even enough for 1. We never went there ever since.

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