Bangkok - Of Temples (Wat Pho/Wat Arun) & Giant Baguettes ?!!

Continuation from Bangkok - Floating Market & Death Railway ....

The pier where the passengers are waiting for their "water taxis" to arrive

A lighter post for the weekend (Read : More pictures, less words. Happy?). Late in the afternoon, we took the water taxi to Wat Arun, a famous Buddhist temple also known as Temple of Dawn. Since this temple, and Wat Pho (another famous temple in the vicinity - across the river from Wat Arun. Wat Pho houses the gigantic reclining Buddha statue) are only few stops away from the Chao Phraya Express' Phra Arthit (Banglumpoo) stop, which in return, is within walking distance from Khao San Road.

Rocky ride side, the boat ride is a tad cheaper than your cabs, and tuk-tuks

For a mere 13baht/RM1.30 per person, we took the water taxi from Phra Arthit to Tha Tien, where Wat Pho is located. Do bear in mind that the boats can be a little uncomfortable, and it's not uncommon to see people standing around without seats. So if you're one who experiences seasickness easily, refrain from pushing your luck. The Thai people may not appreciate your vomits on their clothes, for sure.

Wat Pho aka The Temple of Reclining Buddha - Count them spikes!

Selling pork sausages by the road, and scenes around Wat Pho

To enter the hall with the reclining buddha, a fee of 50baht/RM5 per person is required. Since we've been there before, we abstained from viewing the large statue, and instead snapped pictures around the vicinity. There are more than enough shrines, halls, statues, etc for you to shoot, really.

Towering structures, golden statues, and a generally serene environment around Wat Pho

Wat Pho, also known as Wat Phra Chetuphon, is in fact a stone's throw away from that famous Grand Palace. A must-see attraction if it's your first time to Bangkok. Entrance fee back then (three years ago) was 250baht/RM25, but has since been increased to 350baht/RM35 this year. Source : Tourism Thailand.

Colourful wishes on a 'tree', Wat Arun from a distance, and the shrine nearby.

From Wat Pho, we took a connecting boat ride across the Chao Phraya river to the other side of the bank, a very short 5 minutes ride for 3baht/RM0.30 per person.

Wat Arun - The Temple of Dawn. Before the lighting up and all .....

Wat Arun, also known as the Temple of Dawn, is opened to the public for free. Except if one decides to enter the inner-gated area of the Temple, with the Prangs (the pyramid-like towers), whereby a minimal fee of 50baht/RM5 will be charged. Opens daily from 7.30am until 5.30pm.

Wat Arun come sundown .... Wait for this. By 7pm, the sky will be dark enough for memorable shots of the grand structures (Prang)

Highly recommended to come here late in the afternoon, and stay until nightfall. To get the best of both worlds, so to speak. A remarkable sight to behold, especially at the speck of dawn. Or dusk, since coming here before sunrise sounds rather absurd. =)

Spoilt for choice - Breakfast @ Soi Rambuttri, near Khao San Road

This post contains the bits and pieces, or remnants if you will, of our 2 days stay in Lamphu House on Soi Rambuttri, near to Khao San Road. On the last day, we decided to join the foreigners/backpackers (trust me, there were hundreds, or probably thousands of Westerners there!) for a hearty breakfast by the streets. You know, those stalls that serve a little bit of everything, from Pad Thai and Curry Rice to Pancakes, Muesli and Sandwiches.

Banana Pancake with Chocolate Sauce - 45baht/RM4.50

Delightful stuff! Decadent, with sweet yet not overly-cloying chocolate syrup, and a whole sliced banana, the surprisingly fluffy pancake was whipped up NOT by any Caucasians, but two petite Thai girls themselves!

Omelette Chamni Style - Bacons, Cheees and Vegetables @ 55baht/RM5.50

The appearance may be deceiving, but the thin crepe-like omelette was oozing with melted cheese, and topped with pork bacons and julienned vegetables. Light, yet hearty and filling enough for breakfast.

Baguette Sandwich with Ham & Cheese (top) and fillings of pan-fried chicken meat (bottom)

Since this was a make-shift stall of sorts (doubtful they ever move away though, given the rather amicable number of customers patronizing), the 'kitchen' space is certainly limiting, and the wait for one's food may be slightly longer than expected. Of course, you don't expect 3 Michelin stars type of service, or dining comfort.

The baguette came in shocking portions, and we were thankful we shared amongst the four of us. With generous filling of meat and vegetables, highly doubtful a small eater can stuff the whole sandwich by herself.

Wanna know how BIG exactly was the baguette?

BIG enough to cover half of their faces. No joke.

Breakfast for four came to 255 baht/RM25.50. And there are stalls such as these strewn everywhere on Soi Rambuttri. Alternatives include cafes at every corner of the Soi, as well as Khao San road, usually belonging to the same owner of the respective guesthouse/hotel. You won't miss them, trust me.

And with that, we parted ways with Khao San Road, felt almost like old friends bidding each other goodbyes.

So where to NEXT? =)

Khuntai Restaurant @ Butterworth, Penang - Thai Food, No Frills

A short break from the Bangkok posts, here's something closely related, yet hundreds of miles away from Thailand. Khuntai Restaurant is indeed closer to home; A heaven for those craving for a lip-smackingly sumptuous Thai meal, with emphasis on grilled/BBQ meats and seafood, and dining al fresco style, in Butterworth, Penang.

With ample seats, whether one chooses to be seated 'indoors' or 'outdoors' (under those bamboo + straw huts), dining here can be either fun and cooling, OR darn hot and infested with mosquitoes!

A little long overdue, this post was supposed to see the light of day sometime ago, right after the Penang's exodus. But somehow got suffocated in my own work, and Whoosh!!!! The month of June has come and gone in a flash.

And even July is miraculously slipping under my nose. Geez ..... Time DOES fly when one's having fun eh? ;)

The ambience is no doubt, one of the pulling factor @ Khuntai

Thanks to tintin (yeah, farny name I know), a resident on mainland of Penang, we were brought to Khuntai Restaurant in Raja Uda, Butterworth, Penang. A spacious restaurant, with its own parking lot by the side (but you can actually park haphazardly anywhere at all, given the rather obscure location), this al fresco style restaurant purpotedly serves delicious yet authentic Thai food, at a fraction of the prices in higher end restaurants.

Mieng Kam, a famous appetizer - Wrap em up and pop the whole thing into your mouth!

Started off withe Mieng Kam, one of my most preferred Thai appetizer, aside from the tangy mango/papaya salad. Betel leaves wrapping peanuts, dried shrimps, ginger, dried coconut flesh, bird's eye chillies and onion. Then add a dollop of the sweetish chilli sauce, and voila! A mixture of spicy, sour, and sweet flavours bursting in one's mouth. Unless of course, you're not fond of the green and raw, ulam-like taste.

It's hot, It's red. But it ain't that spicy .... Tom Yum with Seafood

The Tom Yum was barely torching our tongues, with heavier hints of fresh tomatoes and a generally thicker, wholesome taste with a nice touch of herbs. As far as Tom Yum goes in my book, this one passed the test of the palate, but without flying colours. Or probably we were expecting a lot more than this.

BBQ Squids

Bouncy texture of squids, barbecued to perfection, served with two dipping sauces. One being the familiar Thai chilli sauce with crushed peanuts, and another with a distinct fiery and sour kick. Not bad, but the portion was slightly on the smaller end of the scale.

Thai-style Steamed Fish

Geez, my memory failed me yet again. Price-wise, and species-wise. But this should be a siakap, steamed with the signature spicy and tangy sauce, and served over the fire. Firm and tender flesh, the fish was thankfully fresh and devoid of unpleasant fishy/muddy taste.

Pandan Chicken, Batter-fried Kangkung, Pineapple Fried Rice, and Ambra Juice (or was it Sugar Cane?)

Negligible items include the fried rice with pineapples and cashew nuts, and the pandan chicken. The deep-fried kangkung (water convolvulus or morning glory) was okay, paired with sweet Thai chilli sauce, but turned soggy soon after.

Steamed Large Mantis Prawns (RM7.50 each) and La-la Clams

But the highlight of our Thai experience were the steamed mantis prawns, and steamed lala clams. Lightly steamed with slices of garlic, and some chopped cili padi, the fresh and succulent mantis prawns were devoured in record time, almost shells and all! OK, maybe not. But the crustacean was really fresh, firm and springy, and needed no condiments to enhance the already sweet flavour of the flesh. The same goes for the clams, which was equally fresh and sweet. (And pleasantly clean - No gritty bits of sands, or dirt)

It is VERY dark on the outside at night, hence take note of where the other cars are heading to, and the signboard.

The meal came to about RM150 for the 5 of us, including white rice, and drinks. Rather reasonable, given the amount of food ordered. The menu covers a whole range of Thai delights, but we left the ordering to the 'local' instead. :)

Location : Khuntai Restaurant @ 104, Permatang Tengah, 13000 Butterworth, Penang. Opens from 11 am until 12 midnight. Tel No : +604-3327523.

Here's a Google MAP I managed to get from the internet. Sorry I can't verify the exact location, as I am not familiar with roads in Butterworth.

B-Suite (www) @ Bayan Lepas, Penang. Where I spent my nights .....

Bangkok - Damnoen Saduak Floating Market & The River Kwai Bridge

Lost? Here's another chapter from the Bangkok 2009 Saga - from previous chapter; Chinatown of Bangkok .....

Lively, colourful, vibrant and jammed?! - Damnoen Saduak Floating Market @ Ratchaburi, approximately 110km south of Bangkok,Thailand.

Since this was supposed to be a purely gluttons'/shopaholics' trip, sight-seeing was never a mainstay in our itinerary. Except for the Floating Market, as Min has never been there before.

Mama Travel & Tour @ Khaosan Road

That was the sole reason why we chose to stay in Khao San for the first 2 nights, then moving to the city (Pratunam area) for the subsequent three. At Khao San Road (and its vicinity, esp Soi Rambuttri where our Lamphu House is located), there are quite a number of guesthouses and cafes offering tour packages, from daytrip to overnight sensations. Wait, i meant those that require staying overnight, eg. Chiang Mai, Ayuthaya, Pattaya, and so forth. Of course, one can also go for day trip to the last two destinations aforementioned.

For 450 baht/RM45 per person (after some bargaining, down from 500 baht per person), we took up the day trip to Floating Market in Ratchaburi (remember the Damnoen Saduak is the REAL deal, hence remember to make doubly sure you're not carted to some other floating markets elsewhere), and the so-called Death Railway aka The River Kwai Bridge at Kanchanaburi.

Taking up the 'sampan' ride to the market ......

The package includes pickup by van at your hotel/guesthouse early in the morning (about 7am), and all transportation fees, including the boat ride (sampan) for about 20-30 minutes to the market, and lunch at Kanchanaburi area. The journey was a bit tiring, we only managed to reach back at Khao San Road at about 8pm. From Bangkok to Ratchaburi, it took us about 2-3 hours. Depending on the speed/skills of the driver, and the vehicle you're being transported in.

The boats, the houses on planks, and even a massage centre?!!! How does one alight from the boat and get his dose of massage? Beats me.


The locals around the area - Life on water to them, is nothing exceptional.

Vague memories of our trip to Bangkok some 3 years ago - We took the Floating Market/Death Railway combo as well, but at the market, we were transported in a motorboat, instead of the wooden boat, which requires much rowing about. But fret not, you paid, so sit back and enjoy the ride, and the scenery.

Business as usual - Except on water. The water's not rocky, so stop worrying bout seasick/motion sickness!


Sweet nectar of Thai mangoes (20baht/RM2), Khanom Buang (20baht for 3), Delicious coconut ice-cream with coconut flesh (15baht/RM1.50), and cute, tiny coconut dessert with corns, almost like our Apom (20baht/RM2 for a pack)

As we travelled down the canal, the sights, sounds and smell were all enticing enough to warrant for your attention. Though the space along the canal may be slightly constricted (hence you're not allowed to put your hands outside of the boat, lest you feel like losing a hand's nothing major!). The boats will bump into each other, people on the other boats will smile at you, snap pictures of your face (you are after all, a foreigner just like the others), and the boat you're travelling in will periodically stop at the side of the canal for transactions to be made; Be it for the snacks, the souvenirs, or the clothings and accessories. Just signal for your 'captain' to halt temporarily. They'll be please to oblige.

Something substantial - Pork Noodles @ 30baht/RM3 per serving.

After making one round through the canal, we were given an hour to walk on foot. We took this opportunity for camwhoring (But do realise that the picture perfect scenes of a colourful, congested Floating Market on postcards is not that easy to replicate. Why? Because the traders on boats have to make way for the boats with passengers, thus they're positioned at the 'bank' instead of the middle of the canal), watching how the locals there go about with their lives, the tourists having a ball of a time (notice amidst the H1N1 scare, the place was still crowded on a weekday's morning), and of course, stuffing ourselves with snacks and such.

Colourful fruits in abundance at the market

One sweet dessert that we came to love is the Khanom Buang, the crispy rice flour dough with a dollop of tooth-numbingly sweet coconut cream, served with shreds of salted egg yolk (yellow ones), or spicy dessicated coconut (orange ones). At 20baht/RM2 for 3 pieces, don't go overboard, unless you have a very,very sweet tooth.

And as predicted, the mangoes were sweet, almost honey-like. This time around I skipped having the accompanying glutinous rice with coconut milk, to avoid the feeling of being full that early in the morning. The coconut ice-cream was creamy, smooth, and served with coconut flesh in a cute, small coconut shell. Be wary as another stall's coconut ice-cream was a plain, sugary intepretation. We bought from the stall nearer to the coffee counter.

The lady making Khanom Buang ..... one piece at 10baht, 3 pieces for 20baht. You do the math ...

Do be careful when getting on, or alighting from your boat though. As we witnessed a rather tragic incident whereby a Korean guy slipped and his DSLR fell into the waters! But fortunately he managed to salvage his prized possession in time.

If your tour package does NOT include the boat ride around the canal, fret not. You can opt to go for a round-canal ride at the market itself, for additional charge (sorry, not sure about the fee).

Bamboo House @ Kanchaburi - A guesthouse where we stopped for lunch

Thank goodness we had some light snacks and such at the Floating Market. For the distance between the market to Kanchanaburi (our next destination, for the Bridge over River Kwai aka Death Railway) was a lot more further than we expected. About 2 hours' drive. Or the driver could be driving at anything but break-neck speed. We dozed off in the van repeatedly, so can't be sure.

Lunch was a pitiful plate of fried rice, with eggs, tomatoes, chicken and well, that's almost it. Served with a grand, luxurious bottle of ...... chilled plain water. LOL. We were taken aback, but the taste was okay, and we walloped our plateful of rice in no time. One thing about Thai style of frying their rice, liberal dash of fish sauce is usually added in, hence the extra oomph in every bite. It almost passes off as MSG (flavour enhancer that makes you thirsty like a camel), but sans the irritating dry throat effect.

One consolation was the Bamboo House is a really cool place, isolated and with serene surroundings to boot. There are even chalets by the lake! Talk about getaway. But unless you're forsaking the glitters and bustle of Bangkok city, and looking for a quiet respite (and maybe trekking activities at Kanchanaburi), then this guesthouse may just be the place for you. Here's a link from Travelfish.org.

The Bridge over River Kwai - even the Thai students in pink came for an educational tour!

Kanchanaburi area not only houses the infamous Death Railway (why the solemn, almost morbid moniker, refer to its dark history HERE), but one other famous attraction is the Tiger Temple or Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua, which is not without its own share of controversies. To cut a long story short (hehe), the entrance fee to the temple is 500baht/RM50 per person which was NOT included in the package. Not intending to fork out another 500baht for a wilder version of petting zoo (Tigers should be roaming free in the wild, not in temples! That's my opinion anyway), we were told to roam the River Kwai Bridge and War Museum (same area, within walking distance, at 40baht/RM4 per entry) for an astounding three and a half hours!

An oasis in the middle of the desert. A welcoming sight, to pass time, and re-energize.

So we took our own sweet time, admiring the view and scenery around the Railway (which has a funny train/tram running through every now and then, carrying passengers ala zoo style choo-choo train), and went into full snapping-galore mode.

However, to pass a good 2 hours may sound tedious, but 3.5 hours on a bridge with tracks is plain MAD! Thus, we did the next best thing; We went to search for a massage parlour! And glad to discover one, a stone's throw from the War Museum. The girls went for the foot massage (250baht/RM25 per hour) while we went for the Thai massage (200baht/RM20 per hour). Not the most pleasant of massage, but can lah ..... and that's another hour down!

Hear me RAWRRRR !!!!! ..... in my dreams. ;)

The above photo is exactly the reason why we avoided the Temple. No hard feelings, but to chain a cub (erm, it's not exactly a fully-grown one, yet not a baby tiger) to the table, and doing brisk business by charging 100baht/RM10 for a photography session with the tiger/cub, was a rather harsh treatment to the poor cat. There was another cuter, and younger leopard cub around, which was playful but also chained in the same manner.

The Bridge over River Kwai aka Death Railway/Burma Railway -

Hauntingly beautiful

And with that, we ended our day, and slept throughout the journey back to Bangkok. A good 3 hours or so ride, coupled with the rather notorious traffic jams in the city. Needless to say, we were famished, and fatigued by the time we arrived back at our guesthouse.

Note : The package we took last time, for about the same price (500baht/person) but includes a better lunch option (rice and dishes), and a short trip to Nakhon Pathom, but excluding the sampan boat ride around the canal at the Floating Market in Damnoen Saduak. So, it's wise to compare between the tour agencies before setting foot on your journey. And do remember to bargain if you're going in a large group.

## Floating Market @ Damnoen Saduak opens in the morning only. From about 8am onwards, until early afternoon. ##

Manjung Coconut Jelly/Joez Coconut Jelly - A Father & Son's Empire

#Disclaimer : Beware the insanity that follows ..... everything's completely fictional, and Motormouth has NOT gone bonkers. Take it with a pinch of salt. Right until the very end. #

“After too many Slippery Nipples the night before, I woke up with a massive hangover and was extremely late for an important meeting. In my haste, I found myself clad in nothing but a pair of daisy-print boxers in front of a board of CEOs.”

Da Much Feared, Much Worshipped Board of CEO's ... Coconut jElly of Orgasmic proportion.

Cumming Coming to da office at an EXTREMELY late hour had me shaken (not stirred) in my boots, pants and all. Moreso when facin' the almighty, "sacred lords" codenamed CEO's, all 11 of them at one go. They probably don't have nothing better to do than holding meetings day in day out, at an alarming frequency.

P/S : On a side note, that last line bears some truth in it, categorized as NON-fiction. LOL. But anyway .....

All hail Tai Kor #1

Nobody messes with the sandals-wearing, carrying TWO pair of glasses at any one time (in case sparks fly between opposing clans/tribes ... you'll never know) and the habit of scoopin'-them- brain-juices-out-of-the-skulls-into-me-mouth TAI KOR #1.

TAI KOR #1 : Ahem ahem .... ahem. Soooo yer gonna waltz in so the very late oledi, N gimme some cranky cerita about Slipper-Nipples eh? Very the daring this padawan. Ahem, I mean, young one. N very the unrespectful to the elderly, NOT me, I'm still young & hung hunk, but the other 11 CEO's on the board. I meant, table. Yer eyez cannot see that they're already fumin'/blisterin/far ....... ting MAD ah?!

Swallowing my pride, and protecting da very exclusive family jewels from overly shrivelling due to air-cond blasting at full force (ya know we Malaysians ... tarak winter, so kena buat pirated copy of the climate in office) and still clad in da daisy-print boxers. But wait, was it MY fault that I was in a boxer (with daisy da FLOWER-prints! NOT Daisy Duck prints, ok!) in the first place?

Wait, was it even MY doing?!!!!

Suddenly the clouds parted ways, the haze/mist became clear, truth prevailed ... yadda yadda. I was drugged! Not by any means of the opiate kind, mind you. It's a Slippery Nipples of da most intoxicating kind !!!! (cue : OooooHHHHH ..... with dat suspenseful-revelations tone)

It was Mr Mathy all along!

Just look at the hundreds and thousands of coconuts stacked in the fridge, awaiting to be transformed into the gang of ze EVIL CEO's !!!! Masquerading themselves at night as Slippery Nipples (no Sambuca, no Irish Cream for sure!), the milky, whitish (don't get naughty ideas) shades of the inner walls of the coconuts, resembling da most delicious drink in da world named colostrum-fuelled mother's breast milk.

But wait, I remembered some substance. Some springy, jelly-like (again, DON'T be getting farny farny idea, I tell u), smooth materials that glided down my throat. Tasted like refreshing coconut water, without much enhancers (no sugar, no salt, no pepper (duh) and no artificial flavouring/colouring/preservatives!)

Wait, Mr Mathy's Manjung Jelly notwithstanding, he actually got a partner-in-crime!!!! His very own loyal & filial SON from Joez Coconut Jelly!

Oh dear. Not once was I tricked devilishly by the coconut jelly empire. The father (not Darth, but Mathy) had me enticed, intoxicated and lulled into several big coconut jellies in Manjung in Perak. But in Penang, the son named Joel @ Joe (alter egos are omnipresent on ze face of ze earth!) knew that I was as easy as pie to be duped/tricked/drunk on da coconut jellies !!!

Then my mind suddenly rewind itself back to that fateful afternoon ...... ze violent chopping/slashing motion got me hypnotized/terrified/terrorized all at the same time!

Aiyo, I tell u, the coconut jellies from both places (Manjung Jelly's the original supplier hence deemed as ze MAIN culprit) were equally intoxicating! Even of higher addictiveness than a 70% bottle of alcohol/ethanol!! Wait ... that doesn't sound right .....

Especially when our dearest old country's in a heated turmoil now, what's more with fingers pointing up,down,left,right and people dying for NO reason (and supposedly.... horrifyingly ..... no foul play. Ahem).

A refreshing, RM3 (in Manjung)/RM3.50 (in Penang) 'biji' of Coconut Jelly is all we need, to forget the material world for one second, and relish in our existence in this world! YAY !!!! Embrace the Coconut Jelly, People !!!!

See the transaction above?! They're EVILS! and the Tag line !! No wonder I was duped. Me being IQ of less than 40 and all ........ very tricky people these ones.

Wait, so that was how I got drunk the other night, from a severe case of coconut jelly-overdose. A rare disease this one, even House nor Grey's Anatomy people (wait, the latter only were good at screwing around .....) could never decipher a clinical findings as obscure as mine.

To even reach the extent of terrorizing-ly hypnotized yours truly to unwillingly wear a pair of shame-shame daisy-print boxers all the way to work, all the while polluting the horny minds of ze little people on the streets along the way.

Refreshing, cooling and addictive. Call now to be enticed .....

The above story was no thanks all thanks to Bangsar-Babe for passing around the torch. Or tag, originating from Thamby .... oops, Lemongrass herself. =P

The Coconut Jelly are branded under the banner of Manjung Jelly, all thanks to the innovative/creative/entrepreneurial ideas of a humble Mr Mathy. This brilliant idea of his came to fruition about 2 years ago, and still is a project under the watchful eyes of FAMA.

He's not sitting at home shaking his legs though. NO sirree .... He's perpetually on the run, even sending/exporting the product himself, to all over Malaysia. Currently his son, Mr. Joel @ Joe is helming a shop in Penang's Jalan Dato Keramat (the other Penang floggers have gave adequate reviews and publicity to Joez Coconut up north), and he's even exporting them over the boundaries, to Singapore.

Producing and selling off in excess of about 500-800 coconut jellies per day, he's mass-producing the delightful dessert at his shop in Manjung, which not unlike Joez Coconut in Penang, offers tables and seats for those wanting to savour their jellies or coconut drinks there and then.

If you're wondering, what's the BIG fuss about some simple coconut jelly that even the average layman can make? You're wrong. Note that the jelly is not formed outside of the shell. But instead, the jelly is 'injected' INTO the coconut which is still intact, using a specific method utilizing machineries. Then under the extreme low temperature, the jelly is formed WITH the coconut water inside of the young coconut. Almost like a science tutorial, eh? :)

Location : MAE Tendernut Jelly aka Manjung Jelly @ 45, Persiaran PM 2/3, Pusat Bandar Seksyen 2, 32040 Seri Manjung, Perak. Opens daily from 9am til 7pm. Tel No : 605-688 5654 or 6019-416 6603 (Mathy)

Location : Joez Enterprise aka Joez Coconut @ 201, Jalan Dato Kramat, 10150 Pulau Pinang. H/P No : 6016-440 9049. E-mail : joezcoco@yahoo.com.

## Now for ze most evil deed ever known to mankind (in the blogosphere, at least) ... I'm passing this tag to ... Unkaleong! Yeahlah, I know you're BUSY and all, but nah ... too bad! ##

" As Thorny spoke to the Stinky, let's fight to da finish, and see who in ze end, got da Sloppy! Wrestle we will, dropkick/elbowdrop and all, spells we shall cast upon all who stand in our ways ..... but me wanna see da BEST man WINS! "

Chinatown, Bangkok - Night and Day

From previous chapter of Best Pad Thai, Lamphu House & Khao San Road .....

Complete with neon lights, gaudy architectures, cabs plying the route non-stop, and tuk-tuk terrorizing the streets .... Bangkok's Chinatown lights up come sundown.

Chinatown (or Yaowarat Road) is a part of Bangkok that's rather famous come sundown, aside from the perennial favourite of many (hehe); Patpong. But of course, for all the RIGHT reasons, as opposed to the RED light district aforementioned. ;)

T&K Seafood Restaurant @ Chinatown - With the cheerful workers all decked in GREEN. Such nature lovers these Thais are .....

Thanks to sc, we managed to manoeuvred our ways to one of Chinatown's best offerings, the seafood restaurants. We took a cab from somewhere around Khao San Road (we were fresh off the river taxi ride from Wat Arun) to Chinatown, telling the driver that we were on the prowl for seafood at Chinatown. And hey, no perfect Engrish necessary, as Chinatown (or better known as Yaowarat, referring to the name of the road) is well-known to locals and foreigners alike. 100baht/RM10 per way, and don't try to bargain unnecessarily. (Trust me, I did and nearly got rolled over at Chinatown!!)

Tangy tangerine juice, sweet coconut juice fresh from the shell, and the condiments - sweet, sour and fiery

There are two VERY prominent seafood restaurants in Chinatown, by the roadside. But of course, you can choose to sit inside, with air-conditioning in times of near-heatstroke. One of them being T&K Seafood, with workers all decked in lime GREEN T-shirts, while their stiff competitor wears RED, directly opposite of each other, named Lek & Rut. At each other's throat or not, I don't know. But one thing for sure, both outlets were packed like sardines the moment we were there for dinner. And it wasn't even a weekend or public holiday.

Juicy, succulent LARGE prawns barbecued @ 150baht/RM15

Most impressive dish in their repertoire is their BBQ seafood, from crabs to prawns, and fish to squids. Fresh, succulent supplies grilled to perfection, retaining most moisture, and freshness. The prawns for one, reminded me of our very own Tanjung Tualang's BIG-headed river prawns, only a little larger at T&K. From 150 to 300 baht per serving. Very juicy, sweet & fresh. Smokey flavour imparted from the grill, the prawns can be eaten plain or with the accompanying dipping sauces. One being the sweet Thai chilli sauce, another was the slightly sour & spicier green chilli dip.

Fried Meat Crab with Yellow Curry Powder @ 300baht/RM30

The crabs cooked with the thick, almost gelatinous curry powder and beaten eggs fared not too well though. The curry paste being a little overwhelming and rich, while the crab (only one, for we ordered the small portion) was nothing to shout about. (300baht for Small, 350baht for Medium, and 400baht for Large).

Oyster Omelette/Or Chien @ 100baht/RM10

Unlike sc's version, this one did not come on a bed of bean sprouts, but instead akin to the average fried egg omelette commonly found everywhere. Not crispy at all, with meagre servings of oysters. Served with a sweet chilli sauce. Forgettable.

Steamed Squid with Garlic, Lemon Juice and Chilli @ 150baht/RM15

Fortunately, the steamed squids fared so much better. Springy, fresh squids complemented perfectly by the zesty sauce. Almost resembling the type of gravy used in steaming fish, Thai-style.

Tom Yum Seafood @ 100-150baht/RM10-RM15

The Tom Yum came brimming with fish slices, prawns, squids, mushrooms and such. Surprisingly not spicy at all, given the country's notorious fiery dishes. Maybe because it was Chinatown? But the combination of flavours worked wonders, especially paired with the fluffy white rice.

See the small, confined seating area? In fact, there are FIVE storeys to T&K, climbing the steep staircases endlessly til you find an empty table!

The meal was priced at 1035 baht/RM103, including drinks for the four of us. Reasonable, but not dirt-cheap. But still, with prawns, crabs, and squids all present (albeit in small portions), it's a steal, really.

Location : T&K Seafood Restaurant @ 49-51 Phadung Dao Rd, Chinatown, Bangkok.

Tel No : (02) 223 4519. Opens daily: 4:30 pm – 2:00 a.m.

(info taken from sc's blog HERE)

Hop over after dinner, for some cooling desserts .......

Chinatown in Bangkok's not only famous for the seafood, but also for the many shops selling cheap bird's nest soup, shark's fins soup, as well as outlets selling typical Chinese dried goods.

Sweet, cooling and soothing .... who cares if they're real or made from jelly? :)

We passed by Nam Sing, a few shops away from T&K Seafood, and instantly drawn to the two shoplots, air-conditioned restaurant serving shark's fins and bird's nest soups. Of course, at Chinatown, you can savour a full bowl to yourself, at almost dirt cheap prices.

The accompanying ginkgo, red dates and longan in syrup

At Nam Sing, we were served with cooling chrysanthemum tea the instant we sat down. Welcomingly refreshing, given the hotter than ideal weather in Bangkok right then.

The bird's nest is segregated into 4 different classes, with 1st class being the most pricey (1000baht/serving!), and the 4th being cheapest (200baht/bowl). We picked the 3rd class (hehehe, being 3rd world mentality and all?) at 300baht/RM30 per bowl. Enough to be shared amongst two, served with sides of either longan, or ginkgo nuts in syrup. A lovely end to the meal, and call it placebo effect if you would; We felt soothed, refreshed, and radiant almost instantly. LOL.

Location : Nam Sing Bird Nest @ 39-47 Soi Texas, Phadung Dao Road, Yaowaraj, Bangkok, Thailand. Various other branches elsewhere, even in Pattaya, and Hong Kong! Opens from 9.00am - 2.00am.

Daytime in Chinatown .... a little lonely, but not without its charm

Then one fine morning (after we've moved to a boutique hotel in town - more on that in later posts), we've lost all opinions on where to have our breakfast. Sure the omnipresent 7-11 was tempting, with cheap hot dogs, burgers, pizzas and buns, but we practically had them for breakfast almost every single day during the last trip, 3 years ago.

Wat Traimit in Chinatown, still under construction it seemed

So, for something completely out of the ordinary, we ventured to Chinatown for some good old dim sum breakfast. Yup, read that right. Dim Sum in Bangkok. We were near locos, nearing the end of our trip. Side effect of over-paranoia (no thanks to H1N1)?

Temples at almost every corner in Bangkok. Nothing to do after meal? Let's Pray! Enough of shopping and walking around? Let's Pray! ;)

But dear taxi driver was probably not very familiar with Chinatown area. As we requested to stop at any good dim sum outlet, and though he nodded, we alighted from the cab directly in front of a hotel. Or sorts. And thinking "Wah .... so posh meh ... go hotel's dim sum restaurant?!" Only to be shamed as the hotel does not permit entry to outsiders. Whoops.

A corner lot at Soi Sukon in Chinatown, serving typical Chinese hawker fare.

And so, round and round we went on foot, desperately seeking for a dim sum place to satisfy our hunger. We woke up rather late that morning, since it's a Sunday after all.

But to no avail. Most shops were not even opened that early, and directions from the locals ain't helping at all.

Chicken Rice, Popiah, Pork Noodles and Pork Congee for breakfast -Simple, yet effective

Thankfully, as the locals spoke Mandarin fluently around the area, one lady guided us to Soi Sukon for breakfast. Or wait .... that has to be brunch, by that time.

A very old and classic coffee shop, it reminded us of Penang's typical kopitiam, with several stalls all around, lining up to satiate the hunger pangs.

We had some hawker grubs, particularly memorable was the porridge with pork meat balls, and a raw egg, and the unassumingly-delicious popiah (julienned vegetables + pork slices wrapped crepe-style, served with a sweetish sauce).

This uncle was even featured in the papers! Frying some Or Chien/Oyster Omelette

Nice, crispy edges gave the Or Chien some crunch, with lots of bean sprouts, chives and coriander. And of course, plump oysters. But if I'm not mistaken, mussels were used instead.

The Or Chien/Oyster (or in this case, mussels) omelette was scrumptious, miles better than the one at T&K. A little greasy, but negligible given the extra crisp in exchange. No wonder the uncle was frying the omelette non-stop that morning!

The meal costed a mere 193 baht/RM19.30, for everything including drinks.

Location : Corner shoplot No 342 (facing a corner 7-11 Store), on Soi Sukon 1, Samphantawong, Bangkok, Thailand. Here's a Google Map of the place.

Sweet, sweet Bananas on a High !!!

Ever heard of roasted bananas? They're sweet, they're filling, they're cheap, and they're everywhere in Bangkok !!! Located in front of a 7-11 Store, opposite the aforementioned No 342 Coffee Shop.

And that wraps up the Chinatown segment of our Bangkok 2009 getaway .....

Bangkok - Best Pad Thai @ Thipsamai, Lamphu House & Khao San Road

Are you shivering in your boots yet? Had that nagging feeling deep in your guts, preparing yourself for the impending doom? Screaming NOT another MOTORMOUTH's NEVERENDING TRAVELLING SAGA?!!! (Newbies beware.... old timers, remember the 13 chapters Hong Kong/Macau extravaganza last year? Or the 10 chapters of Hanoi On A Shoe-string Series?!)

Don't piss your pants. Yet. For this time around, I've decided to show mercy upon all, and shorten my ramblings as much as possible, thus omitting the day by day posts. Saintly, am I?

Unless, of course, you wanted them. Oooh .... sadistic, aren't we? ;)

Frying up a storm! Whipping up plates after plates of delectable, addictive Pad Thai.

Thipsamai (www) is a household name, widely acknowledged in guidebooks and on the web, as THE restaurant that serves the BEST Pad Thai in Bangkok. No joke, this one. To imagine even the locals are willing to pay 60Baht/RM6 for a plate of the undoubtedly Thailand's most famous noodle dish. Put it simply, it's Thailand's answer to Vietnam's Pho Bo, or Malaysian's Char Kuey Teow. Or Laksa. Or Prawn Mee. (Why am I indecisive on this one?!)

The sweet, orange/tangerine juice @ 90baht/RM9 per bot, the Frozen/Iced Coconut Juice @ 15baht/RM1.50, the almost compulsory condiments to go along with one's Pad Thai, and the various certificates/newspaper cuttings on Thipsamai, on the wall

For a brief history on Thipsamai, do visit their website (http://www.thipsamai.com/). Wait, a WEBSITE in English and Thai, set up for a Pad Thai stall?!!! Fear not, for I initially had the same reservations myself, wondering how commercialized this Pad Thai restaurant can be. To be listed on guidebooks, with a website and charging shopping malls' prices for the noodles.

Wedges of lime, and raw vegetables (bean sprouts, spring onions, and banana flowers) to be served at the side, for that extra shot of fibre.

Been in operation since 1966 (yup, 43 years ago!) at a stall on the same road (Mahachai Road - address to come later), Mrs Samai and husband had a grand vision of promoting the simple Thai national dish (aside from the ubiquitous Tom Yum) to the world, and at the same time preserving the original, authentic Thai-style stir-fried noodles. Hence the fruition of Thipsamai Restaurant until this very day.

The original Pad Thai with shrimp edible oil and egg @ 40baht/RM4

If you're not a fan of noodles, or Pad Thai in particular, then Thipsamai offers nothing more for you. They serve ONLY Pad Thai, in various forms (from 40baht to 150baht!). In case you're wondering, the 150baht/RM15 version comes fully-equipped with squids, crab meat, shrimps etc. A poor man's dream, a rich one's delight.

Pad Thai with Shrimps - Thai style fried vermicelli (Chantaburi rice noodles) with shrimps, shrimp edible oil and eggs @ 60baht/RM6

The Pad Thai served at Thipsamai have that extra edge, compared to the ones on the street. For one, it's fried with enough heat (wok hei, or breath of the wok - refer to 1st picture), hence the noodles remain solid, not soggy, but with a smoky aroma imparted from the high heat. The noodles taste a little sweet and spicy, for they add fish sauce, and sugar, as well as red pepper into the dish.

Best comparison? Our very own Char Kuey Teow (fried flat rice noodles with prawns, eggs and cockles).

Superb Pad Thai - Pad Thai wrapped in egg omelette, almost resembling our very own Nasi Pattaya. 60baht/RM6 per plate.

A squeeze of lime juice, a dash of vinegar and fish sauce, some extra red chilli pepper, finely-crushed peanuts, and a pinch of sugar from the condiments tray, and your plate of Pad Thai is good to go. Toss them up real good, and savour the delightful burst of flavours. Had it not for the premium price (in comparison to street fare, of course), I would've ordered seconds.

No signboard in English, therefore memorize this front facade of Thipsamai, or follow the crowd ..... or your foodie instinct!

The freshly-squeezed orange/tangerine juice was concentrated, a little tangy and not artificially sweetened. Best to down all the grease. If citrusy drinks are not your preference, try the frozen coconut juice. A little too sweet, but a perfect complement to the savoury Pad Thai.

Location : Thipsamai Pad Thai Restaurant @ 313, Mahachai Road, Samranrat, Pranakorn, Bangkok 10200. Phone No : (662)-221 6280. Opens from 5.30pm - 2.00am. Here's a MAP to Thipsamai.

After dinner treats - Bubur Cha Cha ala Thai (with a whole poached egg!) @ 25baht/RM2.50 and funky flavours Ice-Cream @ 40baht for two scoops, plus 2 toppings(Sweet Basil Coconut and Thai Tea, anyone?)

In fact, Maha Chai Road was surprisingly vibrant from all the jostling around for food (mostly locals), the road resembling a Food Street (Wai Sek Kai?) to me.

The Bubur Cha Cha is a thick, sweet soup with plentiful of ingredients, such as corn, yam cubes, glutinous rice balls (mini 'tang yuen'), and an optional egg. Really filling, and we were glad we shared. The Ice-Cream came in many different flavours, such as coconut and Thai tea. The sweet basil coconut flavour was good, but the Thai tea was too artificial, like the typical/generic green tea ice-cream.

Lamphu House @ 75-77, Soi Rambuttri, Chakrapong Road, Pranakorn, Bangkok 10200, Thailand. (http://www.lamphuhouse.com/)

For the first two nights, we stayed at the backpackers' heaven (mecca, if you will) of Khao San Road. A legendary road filled with a deep sense of bonding between strangers (mostly foreigners), and wonderful camaraderie every single night. Yup, the street NEVER sleeps, literally.

There are a dime a dozen of budget guesthouses, dorms, boutique hotels, and even REAL hotels around the vicinity of Khao San Road. Recommended to book before arriving, to avoid disappointment come peak travelling period. We were lucky to be able to walk in to Lamphu House, on Soi Rambuttri (Soi means lane in Thai), and booked ourselves the last remaining rooms!

With air-cond, attached bathroom and hot shower. Twin sharing rooms @ 680baht/RM68 per night. Other options include single/double/triple rooms, with fans/air-cond.

The beautiful, clean and cozy environment of Lamphu House had our votes, and kept our $$$ (or baht, to be exact) in tact, for more shopping and eating escapades!

Here's a MAP to Lamphu House. Even if you do not manage to get a room here, don't despair. As there are plenty more hotels/guesthouses around the area. But do remember to PREVIEW YOUR ROOM FIRST, before checking in. They do not mind one bit, just ask. And bargaining IS allowed for certain budget guesthouses/hotels. Especially if you're travelling in a large group.

Khao San Road in broad daylight .......

And Khao San Road at its MOST NOTORIOUS FORM! (just kidding .... the atmosphere is very lively come night time. A definite must-see, for first-timers)

At Khao San Road, you can find almost every single thing Bangkok has to offer. Pubs, cafes, booze, babes, street food (fried insects was strangely NO-SHOW this time around. Not in season?!), 7-11 Convenience Stores (at every nook and corner!), and hundreds and thousands of Westerners.

Democracy Monument, Bangkok - Within walking distance (about 15 mins) from Khao San Road. Feeling lazy? Grab a tuk-tuk and rest those feet. Remember to bargain!

With that I end my first official post. Erm ... not THAT short eh? Sorry, old habits die hard. Any queries about travelling at this time of the hazardous flu season, feedbacks/brickbats, please don't hesitate to forward them to me here.

As I'm rather free now, in the midst of voluntary-home quarantine !!! ;)

Motormouth's Back from Bangkok - Bloated, Flustered, & on Quarantine Mode

Pardon the hiatus, as I was in Bangkok for the whole of last week, chomping my way through all the delicious Thai fares, from the spicy to the sweets, and the dirt-cheap to the not-so-budgeted choices at restaurants and malls. Gratitude's in line for sc's assistance, for she's a fanatic (almost enviable frequencies!) traveller to the city of sins, shoppers' paradise, and foodies' wet dreams come true. ;)

But all in all, a rather fulfilling holiday, for it's been 3 years since I've been to Bangkok, and back then we were on extra tight budget (being students and all - back then, I spent merely RM1.2k for a 10 days trip to Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Pattaya, inclusive of airfare. Imagine that!).

This time around, we skipped most of the sight-seeings and tourist traps ... wait, I meant ATTRACTIONS. Lol. But not without a few, to avoid over-shopping/bingeing and came back poorer/fatter than ever.

Some of the saliva-inducing food from Bangkok ....... The array of sumptuous food at every nook and corner of the streets, malls, and even the 'invisible' joints was just mind-boggling!

Still crossing my fingers and keeping my mind open on the possibility of contracting the much-hyped, much-feared & downright devastating H1N1 virus aka Swine Flu. But since we can't call the flu that anymore, let's not.

But seriously, less than 10% of the people walked around with face masks in Bangkok, be it on the streets, in the malls, or at the eateries. Hehehe ... to imagine scooping ladles of piping hot Tom Yum into one's mouth underneath the mask. Mission IMpossible?

More posts to come in later days ...... IF the Motormouth does not evolve to become another statistic in the papers. =P

Part 2 - Best Pad Thai from Thipsamai, Lamphu House guesthouse & Khao San Road

Part 3 - Chinatown - Night & Day

Part 4 - Floating Market and Death Railway

Part 5 - Wat Arun, Wat Pho, and Giant Baguettes by the Roadside

Part 6 - S2S Boutique Resort (Moeleng) in Pratunam, Bangkok - 700baht/night!

Part 7 - Fuji Japanese Restaurant in Bangkok

Part 8 - Once Upon A Time (Traditional Thai Food) & Erawan Shrine

Part 9 - The Eccentric Bangkok & MK Steamboat Restaurant

Foh San Dim Sum Restaurant @ Ipoh - Finally ....

Phew .... After the initial shock that we got on a Sunday morning, with roads all jammed up, all of the dim sum outlets in the vicinity crowded to the max (even coffee shops also jumped in the fray and business was booming!) and us running away with tails between our legs, FINALLY redemption came on a weekday's morning.

Don't get overwhelmed. Keyword is : DON'T EVER GIVE UP. Practise your steely glance (or puppy-eyed blinks) and stay adamant at one spot. (Or more, if you're in a gang of 'vultures')

Weekends are definite no-no's, unless you come REALLY early, or VERY late. They serve dim sum from about 6.30am onwards, until the day's supplies finish up, or until about 2pm. No dim sum for dinner, sadly. Which is kind of a bummer, really. I wouldn't mind digging into my Char Siew Pau and Siew Mai for dinner, or better yet, supper!

Remember - Don't push your luck, and come prancing and whistling on a Tuesday morning. And sharing a table is a norm at Foh San. Especially if you're in a small group.

Though we arrived rather 'early' (ahem, about 9am+ .... hey, we WERE working after all), the place was already akin to a can of sardines. Yup, you guess it. Everybody's looming over the other customers' heads, projecting their respective aura, in hopes of quickening the pace of the ones chowing on their dim sum. You gotta have patience at Foh San, since no queue system's in check, your eyes must be very,VERY alert and dart back and forth. Trying to determine which table's going to be evacuated first, from the hints given.

How? Erm, here are some tips. If the table's emptying, and you see empty plates, or half-polished off ones dominating, then you're in luck! Better yet, if you see the patrons' eating pace has severely halted, or slowed down to a snail pace, A HA! Sooner or later, they'll give in and submit to your pleading stares.

But if they just couldn't care less, keep on refilling their tea and yakked away like nobody's business (saliva a-dripping back into their porcelain cups and all), then they're the species who won't give a damn even if your butt's perched on their shoulders. Or thighs.

Siew Mai (Pork Dumplings) (p/s : Served in 4 pieces ... someone's too hungry to care), Yue Mai (Steamed Fish Paste), and Nam Yue Pau (Bun with Pork in Fermented Bean Sauce)

I noticed the Siew Mai's size has shrunk slightly. Or maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me. Swear they were much bigger back then. The Yue Mai remained as bouncy/springy as ever (good sign), while the Nam Yue Pau was a tad salty, but the slice of pork was marinated intensely. Very strong aroma of Nam Yue (fermented bean paste), which suits me just fine.

The Fried Items - Fried Prawn Rolls, Chinese Chives (Kuchai) Dumplings, and my favourite; Stuffed Brinjals

Deep-fried Prawn Rolls came in a sparingly stingy portion, served with salad sauce. Forgettable. The Kuchai dumplings were good, albeit slightly cold when served. Best of all, the stuffed brinjals with fish paste, drizzled with the accompanying sweet and savoury sauce. They have stuffed red chillies, and stuffed fried tofu as well.

A new item on the menu - Claypot Chee Cheong Fun with Duck meat (other options include Pork ribs, or Beef)

At RM6.50 per pot, a new item Foh San offers is their Claypot Chee Cheong Fun (steamed rice noodles), served either with duck, pork ribs, or beef. A novelty, nonetheless. Still prefer my CCF steamed and served the HK style, with Char Siew/Prawns (Beef version was practically unheard of in M'sia, unlike in Hong Kong). The rolled up CCF was cooked with our choice of duck meat, in a thick gravy, with heavy hints of ginger and black bean. The duck meat was good, tender and not repulsively gamey, but the CCF got a bit sticky in the end, and we did not finish everything. A pot serves 2-3 person.

Har Gau - Prawn Dumplings

And how does 3 prawns wrapped in a transluscent dumpling skin, with added crunch from the other ingredients, sound to you? Luscious, right? Never failed to deliver, the Har Gau were freshly steamed (it does tend to run out pretty fast, so do check with the trolley staff periodically), and tasted lovely.

Ma Lai Kou - Steamed sponge cake

To cap off the heavier than usual breakfast (normally consist of white coffee and toast only ... I'm working in Old Town, after all), we had a serving of Ma Lai Kou, or 'Malay Cake'. Soft, spongey texture, with lotus seeds as garnishing, and added crunch.

Payment @ the Counter. One on the ground floor, another on the first. DON'T wave helplessly for the staff for billing! Bring your order chit/card over at the end of the meal.

We did not manage to cover other varieties of dim sum, including the newly added Fish or Chicken Porridge in Claypots. Reason being? We went in a very small group of TWO. Yup, FCOE must be still feeling the binge, AND the pinch. LOL. Total for the meal, including 5% government tax came to RM36.75. Rather reasonable, as I expected a price hike after the relocation.

The specially-designed Take Away Counter - So you don't have to wait relentlessly anymore!

Throughout our meal, we shared with TWO different groups of people. Yup, turnover of customers pretty fast and furious here, with people waltzing in and out at an alarming rate. NOT the ideal place for a chat over a cup of tea, as you'll feel 'daggers' from all directions. But nevertheless, where's the fun without the wait? :)

Only at Foh San, folks. Believe the Hype.

OK, I'm done folks!

Location : Foh San Dim Sum Restaurant @ 51, Jalan Leong Sin Nam, 30300 Ipoh, Perak.

Tel No : 605-254 0308. Click here for a MAP.

## And with that, Motormouth's embarking on another HOLIDAY !!! ##

Ching Han Guan Biscuit Shop @ Hugh Low Street, Ipoh

Currently Motormouth's on a roll here !!! Given the situation (rather dire now, with about merely half a month more to go), I dragged FCOE for a run all around Ipoh town today, covering as much eateries as possible before the inevitable.

How tragic you say? Nah .... none of those soapy, pathetic & dramatic endings.

Tucked in the middle of a row of almost-forgotten shoplots, a few doors away from the ever-expanding Yee Hup, Ching Han Guan certainly did not catch my attention before this .....

Tummythoz really had some fun making us bewildered with speculations, wild (and some idiotic) guesses! (Refer to her post HERE). But seriously, born and bred in Ipoh throughout the decades of my life, I've never known there was this confectionery here, aside from the ever-prominent Yee Hup.

Not to mention a DAMN famous one as well. Blame da Mother, who had actually frequented this shop since I was a very, very tiny (erm, as in AGE, puhleaze ....) and naive young soul, prancing around and pouncing on any types of biscuits available in and around the house. And yet she never bought anything from the same shop ever again, since days of yore. Hhhmmm.

Be it the colourful, evergreen child's pick; 'Tou Chee Peng' (literally translated to Biskut Pusat or Navel Biscuits) which coincidentally, is DA FOOD OF CHOICE comes Qing Ming or Ghost Festival (whoopsie, no sharing please).

Meat Floss Biscuits (12 for RM13.80)

Or the other perennial favourite of mine (which spurred my interest once again, somewhat revived/rediscovered/reintroduced to this 'old flame' of mine, the traditional coconut husks-smoked Heong Peng from Seng Kee in Gunung Rapat); Don't miss the traditional Heong Peng or Hiong Piah or Fragrance Biscuits from Gunung Rapat, I tell you. Not even Yee Hup's commercialized version comes close.

A combination of pork's meat floss, and lotus paste became the filling of choice, and remained a hidden gem of sorts, attracting visitors near and far.

Thanks to Tummythoz (who's currently on a roll herself, probably rolling around on grasses and such in whichever country she picked as her target - oh bless those poor citizens! Hehe), I vowed to seek, and destroy .... wait, I meant, devour those morsels of crumbly goodness from Ching Han Guan, even if it means I have to fix my raft and sail to the ends of the world!

Which of course, is a bit far-fetched, given the very strategic location of this biscuit shop, along Hugh Low Street (or Jalan Sultan Iskandar) in town centre. In fact, I kinda felt silly as I've been passing by this road EVERY single day (except weekends of course. ze Motormouth no work for da weekend in da office. Work takes place elsewhere, which sucks equally, oh well), yet I did not for once, set my eyes on this shop with a red signboard.

Still not sinful enough for ya? Go for the ULTIMATE Meat Floss/Lotus Paste/SALTED EGG YOLK combination ... and be wowed instantly !!! (10 pcs @ RM20!)

Calling to order your biscuits is HIGHLY recommended, especially if you're from other parts of the world (or universe) and a revisit to Ipoh is highly unlikely. But if you wanna bump into ze Motormouth, feel free to revisit again and again ..... =P

The pastry is not of the crispy kind, nor too crumbly. But rather flaky, just like those wedding biscuits (those yellow/pink ones with lotus paste filling), and the dense filling of meat floss + lotus paste sounds odd on paper, but complements each other perfectly. To the right balance of the sweet and the savoury.

With black sesame seeds to differentiate the KING of all biscuits, and the less caloric-laden salted egg yolk-less ones.

Like munching on a mooncake before the 8th month on the Lunar calendar!

A break from the norms. If you're already sick of the Heong Peng's, the Chicken Biscuits, Kaya Puff (oh, but please do give them a try if you're a first-timer here in Ipoh) and the Sat Keh Ma (cannot translate as it sounds REAL odd, but you'd have seen those sweet, sticky snacks in block, made from crunchy egg & flour, sweetened by sugar/molasses).

The other traditional, modernized and everything in between varieties .....

Ching Han Guan has a long, long standing history of baking delicious biscuits (Teochew style) for the masses, way before I was born. And it's fine time they get their due recognition. Remember to call first and order your biscuits before walking in. Much alike the OTHER success story, Sin Eng Heong Kaya Puff, which is coincidentally, situated 3 streets away. Talk about competition.

Location : Ching Han Guan Biscuit Manufacture @ 145, Jalan Sultan Iskandar Shah (Hugh Low Street), 30000 Ipoh, Perak. Tel No : 605-254 5126. Here's the ever useful Google MAP of Ching Han Guan.

Opens seven days a week, from 8am until 6.30 pm. But half day only on Sundays.

# The salted egg yolk variety MUST be pre-ordered at least ONE day before. #

Crispy Skin Roasted Duck @ Sri Taman Mas Restaurant, Falim, Ipoh

Back from a weekend getaway to KL. I'm in dire need of a vacation, to prepare myself for the impending bouts of travelling that's beckoning in the near future. Wait, that did not sound right huh? :)

The orange signboard is attracting curious stares, and hungry souls .....

A short, short post on one of my favourite food, the Roasted Duck. You see, to find a restaurant or stall serving roasted duck (and other roasted meats) may not seem that hard at all. Lurking in every corner, in most coffee shops and food courts, you're bound to discover a stall chopping away at their most-prized meats, though most of the time only chicken and pork are commonly dished out. Duck is a rarity, more so for goose. Which explains why I went all the way to KL for my fix sometime ago. (Curious? Click HERE for Pudu's Famous Roasted Goose)

Crackly & glistening skins, sweet & sticky gravy. If only the portion's slightly larger, for a change. Roasted Duck Rice @ RM4 per serving

My brother recommended this restaurant in Falim of Ipoh, noted for their famous roasted duck. Okay .... But of course, given the many bad experiences I've had with ducks (the quack quack type, of course) in Ipoh, I merely nodded and took it all with a pinch of salt.

One word : Fabulous. Combination of Char Siew and Siew Yoke @ RM6

One fine afternoon, we ventured all the way to Falim for lunch. For the sake of escaping office's pathetic working condition. OK lah ... maybe not so, but the freezing air-cond plus mundane workflow got us bursting from the insides, in the end. We seriously were in need of some good grubs, on top of the endless slew of office food they're stuffing us with!

The condiment of sweet and spicy sauce - A delightful combination of 'hoi sin' sauce and chilli oil

What a pleasant lunch it was. Though marred slightly by the subsequent downpour, and some flaring temper (hehe).

The skin was crispy, as if bathed in hot cooking oil on-the-spot, and the meat was neither too tough, nor too fatty. Just right tenderness, with just a slight layer of fat underneath. Minor gripe? The serving was rather measly, but justified the reasonable price of RM4 per plate of duck and rice.

Fearing of famine from the lack in protein supplies (yeah, right), we ordered another small plate of Char Siew (barbecued pork) and Siew Yoke (roasted pork) to share. And both choices of meats were met with positive feedbacks, and thumbs/toes up in the air. The Siew Yoke's skin remained crackly crisp, while the lean cuts of Char Siew was 'dressed' with their sweet and thick sauce. Though I still prefer my Char Siew with a layer of fat that melts in the mouth.

Stir Fried Sweet Potato Leaves with Fu Yee (Fermented Beancurd) @ RM4

And some fibres to save the day! Yay! A cheap meal for RM29.70 served 4 ravenous souls. Come rain or shine, heatstroke or maelstrom, opens seven days a week except for the 2 days break come middle of the month. Yup, a little funny, as their rest days are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the middle of the month. Unsure when? Call them.

They serve cooked dishes (dai chow) from the kitchen as well, aside from their roasted meats.

Location : Restoran Sri Taman Mas @ No 12, Jalan Mas, Taman Mas, Falim 30100 Ipoh, Perak. Tel No : 012-529 5338 or 016-591 8793. Here's a MAP for those trying to search for this place. However, take note that the map may NOT be accurate, as I can't find Jalan Mas in Google Maps. From town towards Menglembu using Jalan Lahat, you'll reach a traffic lights that allow right turning into Menglembu/Lumut. Take that right, and go straight until you see this restaurant on your RIGHT, a few doors away from the new budget hotel, Fresh Hotel.

Sharon's Laksa - The BEST Siamese Laksa in Ipoh

There's a spanking NEW outlet in town, so rejoice fellow Ipohans (or Ipohites, whichever suits your fancy) !!! Recently opened for business, the proprietress was formerly with Kafe Happy Valley in Old Town of Ipoh. This outlet opened without much fanfare, so save for the residents of Ipoh Garden East, or those passing by on the way to Tambun, many would not have known of its existence.

The spacious al fresco dining area is a welcoming change, for a meal & the ensuing lounging session .....

Those baby-boomers of yesteryears, (aka antiques like me) would certainly agree that we did sworn by the extremely hip (and almost legendary) Antap Cafe in Ipoh Garden East, waaaayyyy back in the late 90's.

Which has since then, ceased operation for a good number of years now, after the existence of Coffee Beans, Starbucks, Kopitiam and all. But pleasant memories still linger on till this very day, as who could possibly forget their first sips of ice blended coffees (ahem, back then only a handful of outlets serve them; pricey yet the coolest beverage bar none .... OK, beer's out of the equation. We WERE school students after all), gathering for any functions we could think of (from birthdays to farewells), and bragging rights for a Saturday's night well-spent.

Okay, so Y2K and Timezone (in addition to the almost illicit Discovery) were also the usual hangouts, but one can't be spending RM15 for a bottle of beer every weekend, when one's pocket money amounted to mere tens and twentys per week. Right? ;)

The outdoor seating area - With an interesting pond-cum-fountain shaped like the number 8, probably for Feng Shui's sake?

OK, fast forward 10 years later, and we see half of the gigantic premis being occupied by arguably THE best dining place in Ipoh, Citrus Wine & Dine, while the other half has been housing different tenants a few times.

Homemade Soup in a Bun

Thanks to the invitation extended by Sharon and her brother, Chris, I finally met the chef herself. The brilliant lady who had been cooking some mean, REALLY mean Siamese laksa that never failed to impress every time we ordered through my aunt. Back then, her Siamese laksa has always been cooked to order, from home. Thus I haven't had the slightest clue on who he/she was. But everytime my aunt brought over the laksa for any family gatherings, praises were abound, and everyone was smacking their lips in approval.

Banana Toast (left), and Toast with Butter & Honey

The simple menu consisted of a few sections, from the usual rice and noodle dishes, to Western fare, snacks and toasts, and the rather lengthy beverage menu. Most of their signature beverages consist of drinks mixed with their own honey (Sharon's Laksa shares their premise with Total Natural, which is a distributor of various organic honey products).

For starters, we were served with the thick, and creamy soup in a bun. They boil their own stock, with added cubes of potatoes, the soup was a warming elixir perfectly complemented and served in a bowl made from bread. Tear the pieces of bread off, and dip them into the soup. Best consumed hot, hence do not wait.

The buttered toast served with drizzles of honey was an ingenious idea, a welcoming change of sorts from the norm of serving toast with butter and kaya. The honey is not too sweet, hence pleasing both the young and the old.

Lip-smackingly delicious Sambal Lou Shu Fun ('Rat's Tail' Noodles)

On to their mains, the Sambal Lou Shu Fun passed the test with flying colours, maintaining the springy or Q texture of the short rice noodles, while fried with enough 'wok hei', and lots of ingredients, such as shrimps, egg, and various vegetables. The slightly evident sambal kicked it up a notch, lifting the simple fried noodle dish to greater heights.

Marmite Chicken with Rice

The Marmite Chicken was another recommended item from Sharon, and the Chinese-influenced dish sure did not disappoint. Sticky, glistening fried boneless chicken meat coated with Marmite sauce, the dish may even passed off as Guiness Stout Chicken, or Honey Chicken. Slightly sweet, with a faint hint of the umami taste, the chicken should be a hit with the children.

Nasi Lemak Sharon's Special

Fragrant pandan-flavoured rice served with a killer sambal, which was not spicy but instead sweet-ish, crunchy anchovies and peanuts, papadam crackers, and an egg. The Special version comes with the curry/rendang chicken, which was fried beforehand.

The tangy and spicy Assam Laksa

Sharon's serves two varieties of Laksa. One of Malaysia's most well-known spicy noodle dish. One being the Asam Laksa (akin to Penang's version, not the southern variety with lots of santan and curry), which is served on a daily basis. While another being her utmost fantastic creation of Siamese Laksa, available only on weekends. (What a bummer, you say?)

The most addictive of them all, a definite must-try, Siamese Laksa. Only on weekends, folks.

We sampled both that evening, and needless to say, the Siamese version got my vote. And the others as well. Not to say the Asam Laksa was bad. It was anything but bad. But pale in comparison to the creamy, sinful bowl of Siamese Laksa, which enticed me since the first time I tasted her version back then when she did not operate from a shop. With addition of crunchy bits of 'choy pou' (preserved radish), the gravy was so thick and rich, you'll be scooping spoonfuls of them before you know realise it.

The beverages @ Sharon's. Predominant with honey aka Coffee with Honey, Soothing Iced Honey drink, as well as Jasmine Tea with Honey and Honey Milk!

The Honey Milk drink has always been a favourite of mine, served either hot or cold. There's something very soothing about the combination, which works wonders for the throat, and comforting to the tummy. One glass of the hot one, and you'll be dozing off in no time. ;)

The coffee with honey is another good option, especially when those cravings for caffeine come a-kicking! And certainly miles better than adding sugar.

The shelf with the products on sale, courtesy of Total Natural Corporation Sdn Bhd - Health and Natural Products. Suddenly one's meal become less guilt-ridden here!

On the whole, the meal was a most satisfying one. If you happen to be in the vicinity, or after a heavy shopping spree at Jusco, drop by for a meal here. The prices are indeed reasonable, with most dishes priced at less than RM10. They even offer set meals, but no details can be furnished as of now. Read : Me forgot to revisit and grab a leaflet. =P

Location : Bee Home Cafe (Sharon's Laksa) @ 48, Laluan Ipoh Perdana, Taman Ipoh Perdana, 31400 Ipoh Perak. Tel No : 605-547 3101.

!!! UPDATED (25/7/2009) Opening hours : Everyday from 3pm-11pm. Opens from 12pm onwards on weekends. Closes on Tuesdays. Here's a MAP for guidance.

Famous Ah Leng Char Koay Teow @ Jalan Dato Keramat, Penang

Really, really exhausted from today's work. It's routine, yup, but the lethal combination of arduous journeys, winding roads, the torturous climate, and the incessant waiting rendered us almost incapacitated for the hours spent down south. It's been some time since I've been ranting, so let me be ...... or else.

If you're wondering what's so 'leng' (pretty) 'bout the Char Koay Teow (CKT) seller, you are in for a shock! ;)

OK, I digressed. Sue me. Hahaha .... I'm certainly in a sarcastic mood today. And thankfully it's raining as of now, hence all sins washed away !!! Thanks be to the ones above ...... or something.

An almost perfect plate of Char Koay Teow @ RM5.00. Additional RM0.50 for duck egg to be used instead

Thanks to CK, Ken and Lingzie, I got very, very specific directions to this famous CKT stall situated along Jalan Dato Keramat in Georgetown, Penang. Normally, we just whizzed past this shop without even noticing its existence!

Yup, all 4 years of my life spent in Penang, and not even on one solitary occasion we noticed this place. Kinda pathetic eh? Or put it simply, I was merely too careful when I was driving, to be distracted with sights and sounds, or glancing around; 360 degrees. Hehehe ... yeah right.

A plate of Ah Leng's SPECIAL Char Koay Teow (more prawns, and addition of mantis prawns!) @ RM9.00, additional RM0.50 if duck eggs are used.

Choking yet?

So, this unassuming coffee shop, or "cafe" (very loosely used term here) named Kafe Khoon Hiang houses only 2 stalls. Or 3, but I can't be bothered to remember as of now. There's an economy rice stall, and Ah Leng CKT stall, which is opened from morning til afternoon only. Seems like they closes on Thursdays (info from PenangTuaPui's site).

Penang's version of CKT has always been the BEST amongst all the other versions in the other states. Or country, for that matter. Notice the singular 'country'? :)

Ah Leng's version is brimming with ingredients, from the usual suspects (prawns - REAL plump ones, cockles, and egg -chicken's/duck's, chives and bean sprouts) to the rather unusual (but most welcomed, of course!) mantis prawns (lai liu har or he ko). Of course, extra ingredients at extra charge. No free lunches, OK?!

Looks rather rundown, is it not? Don't fret. You'll notice a steady stream of customers in there. And rest assured you won't be required to line up and carry your own plates!

Tastewise? The flat rice noodles was fried with plentiful of 'wok hei', aka 'breath of the wok' (sounds like some cheap kung-fu saga, no?) The quick frying/tossing techniques of the cook, plus the skilful handling of the heat from the stove, resulted in a most pleasing plate of delicious Char Koay Teow. Only in Penang, folks. Hard to replicate at home. ;)

Location : Ah Leng Char Koay Teow stall @ Kafe Khoon Hiang, Jalan Dato Keramat, Penang. Here's a MAP.

Here's those who have succumbed to Ah Leng's CKT ...... PenangTuaPui, VKeong, Makankings, Lilian, and many, many more. (Do drop me a msg if you've blogged about Ah Leng's CKT, but no links here)

On another note : Guess what the Uncle's slurping? ;)

The NEW Foh San - And The Astounding Ripple Effects !!!

Unbelievable. That's the word to sum up the experience this Sunday morning. I pushed my luck, trying to see if the hype's justified, judging from the repeated claims that Ipoh's "Dim Sum Street" is perpetually jammed up with dim sum lovers, from morning until early afternoon. Even on weekdays!

The gigantic new lot that was specially built, with a generally more spacious seating area, albeit with modern influences as compared to the previous outlet

9 am should be early enough, on a Sunday morning. Or at least that's what I thought. Given the new location's humongous dining area, it did not cross my mind at all that the place would be soooooo packed. Both floors were fully occupied, and the 'vultures' perched on every corner were daunting, eyeing and scrutinizing every action of the (damn lucky) ones seated and picking on their morsels of choice.

The sea of people everywhere, as if FREE food was being distributed! Notice the specially-designed Take Away counter? SWARMED!

Unlike dim sum restaurants in Hong Kong, or maybe in KL (not so sure, as I doubt there are dim sum restaurants with such impressive traffic flow!), whereby numbers would be given to those queueing up, to ensure everyone gets their table, fair and square. Foh San however STILL practises the same old routine, ie : The "Let's Stand Around with Sharp Stares & Grunts, & Give the Patrons some Pressure, so they DO NOT refill their pot of Chinese tea any Longer & instead Buzz the Hell Off!" rule.

Seriously, this does not bode well, as the customers may feel threatened, disturbed, and their breakfast experience marred by the incessant urge to empty their seats ASAP.

But on a positive note, the place does look spanking clean and new, with a brighter, and generally more pleasing atmosphere. Though lacking in terms of the original Foh San's nostalgic ambience, they compensated with wooden panels, classic windows, and rustic furnitures.

The restaurant can easily fit several hundreds patrons at one go. But this morning, the ones standing/lurking around, with their steel-y glances may even outnumbered the ones stuffing their faces with the sumptuous dim sum. Hence, we made an early retreat and proceeded to Plan B.

The crowd @ Ming Court was spilling onto the sidewalk! WHAT?

Plan B - Ming Court Dim Sum right across the road. With that many people in Foh San (probably half of Ipoh's Chinese population .... hehe), we expected the other competitors along the street (Jalan Leong Sin Nam aka Dim Sum Street) to be swatting flies, succumbing to the almighty Foh San.

But we were dead wrong. Here's some evidences .......

Chef Fatt Hong Kong Dim Sum - A new addition to the scene (not so new though, opened a year or two ago, but without much fanfare)

Ming Court Dim Sum Restaurant has always been the top contender to Foh San's crown. Some may even argue the fact that Ming Court actually serves BETTER dim sum than the old Foh San. Yup, I do agree that the variety of dim sum at Ming Court is a notch above Foh San's, but the dainty morsels had me feeling dissatisfied time and again. Prices are generally the same across all outlets, and tastewise not much difference.

Chang Keong Dim Sum - Many may not even recognize or notice this restaurant beside Kedai Makanan dan Minuman Hua Nam. They operated at a stall in Hua Nam previously, but ventured out on their own now.

Yoke Fook Moon - To complete the BIG 3 of Dim Sum Giants, this restaurant seems to be at the losing end, due to the very near location of both Foh San and Ming Court now.

All the other dim sum outlets around the area were fully packed!!!! Even the lesser-known ones, and even the coffee shops surrounding the area. The whole road was jammed up with cars, people, kids, animals, and whatnots. Hehehe .. OK, maybe not animals.

People from all walks of life, be it locals or tourists from other states, were probably pushing their luck like yours truly, wondering how the epitome of Ipoh's dim sum restaurant; Foh San, looks like now at its new location.

Go and have yourself some Chee Cheong Fun, Dim Sum (again?!) and Egg Toast from Hua Nam, if you're frustrated with the wait!

So we surrendered, white flags and all, and decided to have our breakfast the simple way; at Hua Nam Coffee Shop across the street. Only to be greeted with another mind-boggling sight of a large crowd of people feasting on the hawker fares. Geez .... is there no other place for breakfast in Ipoh?!

Mee Gopeng and Yong Tau Foo (noon only), and Char Kuey Teow on banana leaf

Hua Nam has always been one of my favourite haunt, back then when I was working nearby Greentown area. But since moving to old town (jobwise, of course), my visit to Hua Nam has been lesser and lesser.

But of course, given the fact that this area is no doubt THE hot spot for dim sum, there's even a stall in this not-so-humble coffee shop selling dim sum to the masses! Tastewise? Forgettable. Go for the char kuey teow instead, which is good in its own right; comparison with Penang's authentic versions notwithstanding. The egg toast came in bite-sized cubes, toasted with margarine, then served with 2 half-boiled eggs. Still prefer Nam Chau's version, but this should do on average days.

Bigger than the average budget hotel, this magnificient restaurant will book (or maybe already had!) its place in Ipoh's history ......

Sorry if you're feeling duped into believing that this post covers all of Foh San's delicacies. Promise there'll be another write-up in the near future, ok? As of now, I certainly am not in the mood to jostle with the maddening crowd!

Here's a MAP, with all 5 dim sum outlets around the area, within walking distance from each other. Parking's sure to be a problem here, given the already limited lots around the place even before Foh San moved in. Do bear in mind that this area is a HOT SPOT not only for your favourite dim sum joint, but also a popular target for the enforcement officers from MBI, aka those who write you FREE tickets. ;)

Something Sweet for the Weekend - Krispy Kreme Doughnuts @ Berjaya Times Square, Kuala Lumpur

Krispy Kreme has to be THE most popular doughnut chain all over the world. Originating from the States, since 1937 (yup, read that right, an amazing 62 years of legacy, and still expanding like no other), the company has an impressive track record, serving warm, fresh from the oven doughnuts to millions of customers spanning the decades, from the States to Australia, as well as doughnut fans in Asia.

Krispy Kreme @ Berjaya Times Square, Kuala Lumpur - Since 27th April 2009

Initially, there was the surreal hype surrounding the opening of the store at Berjaya Times Square in KL, with free doughnuts all year round on offer, people camped and queued like mad (two nights before the opening, can you imagine that?!) for a chance at the exclusive vouchers, bound to elevate any soul to a sugar rush, and subsequent booming business to us healthcare professionals.

I stayed away from any unnecessary queues, and only relented after more than a month since its opening. On a weekday's evening, the line at the counter was almost non-existent (unlike JCo Donuts @ Pavilion, whereby even after few months, the crowd was maddening during peak hours). I picked my doughnuts at a leisure pace, scrutinizing each and every variety, before picking 6 of them. Note that at Krispy Kreme, they do not provide any half dozen offer for the doughnuts, unlike its competitors in Malaysia, namely Dunkin, JCo and Big Apple.

Hershey's Dark Chocolate (foreground) was a commendable choice, as was the

Hershey's Cookies & Crea (the middle one).

Priced at about RM2.50-RM2.80 per piece, the price is indeed steeper compared to JCo or Big Apple, as they do not offer half dozen special rate. But there is discount for one dozen purchases.

The Peanut Butter flavoured doughnut (the far most) was the only one that was not sickeningly sweet! Thankfully.

Verdict? VERY sweet. Yup, cloyingly, sickeningly sweet doughnuts. They're meant to be dipped into a hot cup of coffee (preferably black), hence the excessive sweetness. The moment I was on my third piece, I was feeling slightly nauseated from the sugar rush. The experience reminded me of bingeing on Indian sweetmeats (those famous colourful desserts at Indian restaurants).

The universally recognizable dotted design of the box

The size of the doughnut is slightly larger than JCo's or Big Apple's, the dough a little dense, somewhat a cross between Dunkin's harder texture and JCo's melt-in-mouth softer variety. Probably my expectation was way up in the clouds, from the overblown publicity and ravings, but the sweetness exceeded my threshold for sweet snacks.

I must be growing old, which explains my lack of tolerance to sweet food. Geez ...... Now where's my dentures? ;)

HAPPY WEEKEND EVERYONE !!!!

Location : Berjaya Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Sdn Bhd @ Lot 09-26, Level 9, Berjaya Times Square, No 1, Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel No : 603-2119 7373.

Website : http://www.krispykreme.com.my/

Hoy Tin Lau Restaurant @ Bercham, Ipoh

Blogged about Hoy Tin Lau Restaurant waaaaayyyy back then, before they relocated to this new location in Bercham in Ipoh. So to those of you who were fans of Hoy Tin Lau's amazing range of freshwater fishes (albeit at a price, beware ...), and the incomparable Sar Kiong Kai (Roast Chicken served with freshly mashed ginger/galangal), but felt dumped somewhat by the sudden closing of the restaurant, don't fret. About 5-10 minutes away, you'll find your solace. ;)

Now the place can seat a larger crowd, compared to the rather cramped cornerlot back then

Steamed Tilapia with Spicy Bean Sauce

The restaurant offers an array of freshwater fishes, from the usual tilapia to the more exotic (in other words, PRICEY $$$ !!!) Ikan Patin and Sultan. Or at least that's what they're called in Cantonese, not exactly sure of their English names. Just ask the staff what's the freshest catch of the day, and enquire about the best cooking style (normally steamed, but there's a variety of steaming methods as well, so do ASK).

Never failed to deliver in terms of taste, price (hehe), and satisfaction (which also managed to get the thumbs up from my grandma every single time), their steamed tilapia (or fei zhou yu aka African Fish?!) with Spicy Bean Sauce is almost a staple when it comes to simple family dinner at Hoy Tin Lau. None of those repulsive muddy taste commonly associated with freshwater fishes, and the accompanying bean sauce was far from overwhelming; maintaining its role as a complement perfectly.

Stir fried Asparagus with Sambal Belacan

Spicy, piquant, with additional bites from the dried shrimps and chopped onions, the young stems of the asparagus provided much crunch and fibre to the meal. Greens are not necessarily bland; Just like an unattractive ladywith enough make-up, she can even pass off as ... decent. =P

Or Chien (Oyster Omelette)

The oysters were enveloped in the fried egg pancake, hence can't be seen from the picture above, fried with chopped red chillies and scallions. NOT exactly L-sized oysters being used here, but not the dainty, non-existent version either. But I prefer my Or Chien with crispy edges, and a heftier load of oysters, thank you.

Caters well to the young ones, and the older generations ..... Sar Kiong Kai (Roasted Chicken with Crunchy Jellyfish Strands, and Mashed Ginger)

A perennial favourite with the crowd, you can almost see every table ordering a serving of this. Half a chicken should do the trick, for a family of four. Glistening skin, tender meat and tasty marinade, topped off with the piquant mashed ginger (or galangal ... anyone?) as condiment, and crunchy strands of marinated jellyfish. A must-try, if you ever stop by this restaurant.

Hoy Mei Pou aka Claypot Seafood Treasures

One of their new entries, the Hoy Mei Pou was excellent in every way. The thick, rich and sweet broth owed to the abundance of seafood in the pot, from mussels to fish maws, as well as mushrooms and canned abalones. Drenching the white rice with the sauce was heavenly, and this dish got the thumbs up from everyone at the table. An economic version, no sweat, without the abalones, sea cucumbers and such.

A list of the fresh catches, and the price per 100g .... Don't go overboard before checking on the price, remember that.

A meal at Hoy Tin Lau maybe slightly pricier than the average 'dai chow' restaurants in Ipoh, especially if you order more seafood than meat and vegetable dishes. But given the household name, the quality, and the fresh supplies of fish, you can almost rest assured you'll be back for more before you know it.

Location : Hoy Tin Lau Restaurant @ Lorong Bercham 19, 31400 Bercham, Ipoh, Perak. Here's a MAP for guidance. It's along the main road of Bercham (Jalan Bercham), and situated on the left (if coming from town/highway) at the traffic lights after the Bercham police station.

Huang Ting Restaurant @ First Garden, Ipoh

Back from the East Coast, but a let's take a break from all the travel posts. If you're not sick of them yet, I am. =P .......... OK, maybe in the next few days or weeks. But as of now, I'm still reeling from the perilous, bumpy 6 hours journey from Kelantan to Ipoh.

Worn, torn and battered menus could only mean one thing; GOOD patronage!

Let's do a marathon (given the just concluded KL Marathon whereby even food bloggers aka floggers joined in the fray, and came out more lightweighted than ever !!!) on Chinese food from Ipoh. Everything from hawker fare, to the restaurants all over Ipoh city, and all the bits and pieces I've missed out and left rotting in the backlog.

Braised Pork Trotter (RM10/small)

First Garden is an area I seldom ventured out for food, as I'm staying rather a distance away. Okay okay .... slightly exaggerating, but in Ipoh, anywhere more than half an hour of travelling for dinner is considered taxing, although KLites may beg to differ.

Huang Ting in First Garden is a household name, doing brisk business amongst the community in and around the garden, from Menglembu area, and even those from further away. OK, maybe some people just lurve to scout for food, no matter the distance.

Stir-fried Frog's Legs with Ginger & Spring Onions (RM12) & Kailan with Roasted Pork (RM6)

Arriving for dinner on a rainy night, we were lucky to be seated promptly, as according to KCA, the restaurant can get really packed at times.

We shared 5 dishes, mostly recommended items as the endless list of dishes on the menu had me scratching my head, indecisive in what to order.

Homemade Beancurd (RM8)

The braised pork trotter with soy sauce was served piping hot in a claypot, but did not fare too well in terms of flavour. Tasted rather bland, though the meat was tender and portion's aplenty.

Faring better was the stir-fried frog legs with ginger and spring onions, a classic combination that managed to complement the delicate meat of the amphibian, and successfully eliminating any unpleasant odour (some may find the meat 'fishy') the meat possesses. But given the scarce supplies of frogs, the small serving was really limiting, with each of us tasting mere slivers of those smooth and firm meat.

Assam Fish Slices (RM10)

The kailan stir-fried with roasted pork (siew yoke) was the chosen fibre to balance the meal, and the homemade beancurd was highly recommended. Not hard to see why, as the soft beancurd was deep-fried until crispy on the outer layer, and topped with a savoury combination of minced meat, and dried shrimps.

The assam fish slices came in a fiery red hue, only to reveal its mild nature after the first spoonful. With abundance of long beans, brinjals and onions, the grouper fish slices came in a dainty portion again, with 6-8 firm slices. But of course, at RM10 per serving, who's complaining?

Yup, the crowd literally 'poured' onto the sidewalk .....

Location : Huang Ting Restaurant @ 14, Lorong Taman 13, Taman Pertama, 30100 Ipoh, Perak. Tel No : 012-417 8997. Here's a MAP. A bit tricky if you're not familiar with Silibin area, but shouldn't be a problem if you know where's the previous bus station, Medan Kidd.