Breakfast in Kampar, Tapah or Tanjung Malim?

Happy Merdeka everyone !!! A little late, but better be late than never, right? A rather eventful journey back from KL moments ago, with a 10 cars pile-up on the highway heading north, creating a helluva ruckus, mainly from the slowed down vehicles no thanks to the over-eager and caring crowd (read : nosy), and the traffic on the opposite side that's heading south snaking from Ipoh all the way to the accident scene at around Tapah.

Goes to show how united we Malaysians are, especially in such dire situations (or interesting, depends on which side of the fence you're on), as people from all walks of life, from the young 'rempits' to the old-timers, we never failed to come to a halt on the roads, and express our 'concern' towards such unfortunate incidents befalling others. 1Malaysia indeed ....

Breakfast @ Medan Selera Kampar, beside Kampar's morning wet market

Shivering from the inevitable 'balik kampung' exodus yet? No fret, as if you're not fond of the highways, go for the trunk roads instead. Not that I'm giving my words suggesting there won't be any traffic jams on the significantly longer and tedious journey on the one-lane roads from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur, but at least one can stop over for a leisurely breakfast in various smaller towns, and be amazed by the sheer quality of the simpler, hawker food, aside from the possibly more fruitful and entertaining journey along the way.

Just be sure to endure the incessant "Are we there yet?" nonsense from the young ones, as the rural outlook of the towns and whatever else sandwiched in the middle between the towns may get to a child's nerve pretty fast. Especially if one's tailing a lorry or roadhog at 40km/h.

Kampar is a developing town about 30km south of Ipoh. Previously only famous for the 'Chicken Biscuits' (Kai Jai Peng), Claypot chicken Rice (coincidentally, I wrote about the origin of claypot chicken rice HERE before) and Curry Chicken Bread, Kampar has been transformed to a bustling town complete with a hypermarket, a university, and new residential areas sprouting to cater to the growing population.

For breakfast, hop over to Medan Selera Kampar adjacent to Kampar's wet market that houses an impressive number of stalls selling a delicious array of hawker fare, from the hearty pork porridge and famous glutinous rice to Kampar famous 'Lou Shu Fan' and Char Kuey Teow.

The Char Kuey Teow (fried noodles with eggs, prawns, and waxed sausages) was served on a sheet of banana leaf, and a welcoming half a calamansi lime for extra zing. A respectable portion, enough to feed a big eater (Mr Z had them, not me ... LOL), the noodles was fried with enough 'wok hei' or fire from the wok, hence ensuring a satisfying plate of greasy noodles for breakfast. At RM3.30 per plate, considered a steal if you ask me.

The Nasi Pulut or Glutinous Rice (Stall No 42) was ever so satisfying, with the usual slices of Char Siew, and peanuts, with optional curry gravy, and garnished with chopped spring onions. At a mere RM1.70, one pack or plate may not be enough. Just be sure to arrive early as they finish rather fast especially on weekends and public holidays.

Skip the Hong Kong Chee Cheong Fun though, for the taste was a little off, with an evidently pungent taste emitting from somewhere (probably the steamed rice noodles was soaked in some foul liquid).

Location : Medan Selera Kampar @ Jalan Pasar, Kampar, Perak.

Thick, fragrant Roti Telur with a piping hot cup of teh susu @ Anjung Ria in Tapah

Not fond of the crowd? Don't fret. Make your way further down south (from Ipoh's direction) to Tapah, for a fulfilling breakfast of Roti Telur and Teh tarik from Anjung Ria Restaurant, facing the Tapah bus station on Jalan Raja.

Previously, I blogged about Roti Telur at Restoran Haji before, the two-lots mamak restaurant next to Restoran Anjung Ria. But once I've tasted the crisp on the outside, warm and perfectly-cooked egg omelette on the inside Roti Telur from Anjung Ria, I was hooked. They also serve Roti Sardin, albeit in a different manner. The chunks of sardine is served at the side, instead of in between the layers of dough (roti canai).

Location : Restoran Anjung Ria @ 16, Jalan Raja, Tapah, Perak. Opposite the bus station in Tapah. Jalan Raja is the road parallel to Jalan Stesen, which leads to Tapah Road, and subsequently Teluk Intan.

A little commercialization never hurts ... their pockets. But ours did.

Okay, so if you're heading northbound, and breakfast in Kampar or Tapah sounds like a far-fetched idea, why not stop over in Tanjung Malim instead, for a taste of the traditional Yik Mun Pau?

Coincidentally (again), I blogged about them HERE. In a short span of few months, they're renovated, giving the shop a modernized, cleaner look. But in exchange, the old school, authentic kopitiam decor from the olden days is lost.

The quality of the pau remained mediocre, with highly-processed minced meat (chicken or beef) dominating, with a rather run of the mill curry paste. At RM1.60 per piece, a little exorbitant in a small town like this. The thick toast with kaya and butter (Roti Kahwin) @ RM3.00 per portion fared much better, as the sides remained crispy while the bread was soft, and warm, sandwiching blocks of butter and kaya. The beverages were nothing to shout about though, bordering on being diluted, tasteless liquids.

Still wondering where the charm from the yesteryears has disappeared to? Sigh ....

Location : Yik Mun Famous Tanjung Malim Pau @ 6043, Jalan Slim River, Tanjung Malim, Perak. Tel No : 05-4596380.

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 !!! ##

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. ;)

Keng Nam Coffee Shop @ Ipoh - Curry Mee & Pulut Kaya

No frills post today. Working again on a Sunday. Grumpy Motormouth ...... don't come close. I'll put my adamantium claws to work. If I ever have them, oh you can betcha bottom dollar I would !!!

Dry Curry Vermicelli & Yellow Noodles @ RM4.00

One of the longest running on my list of to-try's, Keng Nam coffee shop is a tricky one. Yes it was. You either come early for the curry mee, OR you arrive to witness them cleaning the deserted compound.

Don't look down on this unpretentious corner lot of a coffee shop. Nowadays, even the simplest coffee shop is named 'Restaurant'. For whatever reason, I don't know. Glamour? Status quo?

Many have raved and ranted about Keng Nam's curry mee. Verdict? Nope, doesn't even come close. The curry paste may be thick, fragrant, with an extra little bit of 'fire' in them, but even the dry version of the curry was not satisfying enough, the gravy being too diluted (somewhat oily as well), and ingredients leaning more towards the sparse end (as evident from pic above). They could've been more generous with the curry, (ala Yee Fatt) to ensure an immensely pleasurable (whoops ... scandalous choice of words) dining experience.

Chee Cheong Fun with Mushroom Gravy

Though some might argue that the wet curry may fare better, do realise that I'm comparing the dry version with other dry curry noodles as well. So, no bias.

Anyway, the CCF (chee cheong fun) fared better, slightly. Smooth rice noodles, steamed till silky perfection, garnished with sesame seeds and fried shallots. The gravy somewhat lacking in mushrooms/pork, it's the noodles that matter to me. And the CCF can be served with curry chicken, or curry pig's skin. The latter was a delight, as far as I could remember. Sorry, the photo's somewhere in my stash of backlogs, taken a year ago!

Sweet glutinous rice with egg jam - Pulut Kaya

But this remained the highlight of my breakfast, and one that's worth coming here for. Yup, a confession to make here; I lurve pulut kaya, be it white or blue in colour. The latter's called pulut tai-tai, by the way. A famous nyonya kuih, commonly sold in small, square-ish blocks with kaya.

Keng Nam's Pulut Kaya has stood the test of time. I had my FIRST pulut kaya from this very shop, back when Motormouth's motor has yet to be ignited. Read : When I was half my current size, and food did not matter as much, compared to now. =P

Thick, strong cup of white coffee - Shot taken at time of leaving.

Location : Keng Nam Coffee Shop @ Jalan Raja Ekram, Ipoh. Here's a MAP, in case you're lost. It's on the same road as Koh Samui Thai Restaurant, very near to Ipoh's new hotel, The Tower Regency, and within walking distance from Hotel Excelsior.

Go early. Or else.

Now for something completely UNrelated ...... :

The Grand Daddy of them All - FOH SAN DIM SUM RESTAURANT

(Next Change : June 2009 - Still unconfirmed)

Dim Sum restaurants within the vicinity .... Be afraid. Be VERY afraid.

Location : Foh San Dim Sum Restaurant @ 51, Jln Leong Sin Nam, 30300 Ipoh, Perak. A MAP, for those in need.

The Twins' Chee Cheong Fun in Menglembu, and It's Buntong's Kacang Putih

##This post was featured in the Star's Sunday Metro (3rd May 2009). Click HERE for the article. ##

I'd better return to my roots .... for now. Ipoh food galore, back to back. How bout that?! Had enough of Ipoh famous Nga Choy Kai aka Tauge Ayam aka Chicken Kuey Teow? Here's some Chee Cheong Fun (steamed rolled rice noodles, with condiments & gravies), all the way from Menglembu. The town famous for groundnuts, and hawker fare.

The famous Menglembu Twins Chee Cheong Fun - Even featured in 8TV's Ho Chak before.

At this corner shop named Wing Kat Fong, in operation since the 60's (!!) and still going strong, sits a stall resembling your average 'chap fan' (mixed rice, or economy rice) stall. But with a twist or two. Not only are they famous for their nasi lemak and various curries (from chicken to pork, and squids, fish and prawns), their forte is the Chee Cheong Fun. Those smooth, steamed to perfection rolls of flat, white rice noodles.

Too full for a meal? Have some snacks, or chomp on a drumstick.

The stall is manned by a pair of male twins, probably in their 30's to 40's. Jolly, witty fellows (if you know them well enough) they are, also assisted by several staff, they run the stall ala clockwork-style, systematically taking orders and preparing them in a jiffy. Though the shop may be crowded (both the front and back portion of the colonial shop can be seated) at peak times, ie lunch hour, rest assured the wait for your food won't get relentless. After all, all that's needed is merely scooping and serving in an instant.

Curry Pig's Skin Chee Cheong Fun

I haven't tasted their CCF for a good many years. Since secondary days, if my memory serves me right. But the quality is still maintained; the silky smooth noodles actually needs no condiments per se, but douse them with generous ladles of pig's skin curry, and the plate of CCF rises to the occasion. Gracefully, albeit sloppily. Bring a tissue or two.

A plate of Nasi Lemak with Sambal Petai (!!! oh yeah !!!), a boiled egg, curry vegetables, and cucumber slices.

But my personal favourite, the utmost delicious, almost divine, Sambal Petai. With heavy scents of kaffir lime leaves, the sweetish, sour and slightly spicy sambal complemented the crunchy stinkbeans perfectly. I can almost imagine myself chomping on them day in and day out. But Motormouth may mutates into Stinkymouth by then though.

The tragic Siew Pau, and crispy fried chicken

They offer a lot of side dishes, or snacks. A substantial and impressive repertoire, that consist of fried chicken, yam cakes, Siew pau, etc. The Siew Pau however, is not up to par, way beneath the delectable taste of the Seremban originals. But the fried chicken is a must-try of sorts, almost every table ordered a plate. The batter was crunchy, and marinated well, but a little salty. Therefore omit the need for chilli or tomato sauce.

Windows to the World ......

The food is no doubt, cheap. The mains are priced at about RM3 onwards, and a meal for one won't cost anywhere near to RM10, lest your finger goes into spasm, or overdrive and pointed at all the tempting curries, and dishes on offer.

Wing Kat Fong @ Menglembu town

Location : The road parallel to the main road of Menglembu town. Opposite the Magnum 4D shop, within a short distance from Maybank of Menglembu. Exact location unsure (sorry) but should be easy to locate. Coming from Jalan Lahat/Ipoh town towards the roundabout with the GIANT groundnuts, take the right road into Menglembu town. Wing Kat Fong is situated on the road parallel to Jalan Lahat, on the right side.

Remember this house in the last post?


Heavens for kacang putih lovers ....

Yup, this is a house in Buntong's Kampung Kacang Putih (What an apt name eh? =P) selling these Indian snacks so synonymous with Malaysians, even a small child can differentiate his muruku from his pagoda.

At RM3 per pack, you're getting them fresh from the cows. Wait, that doesnt sound right somewhere .... I mean, from the wok.

Buntong is a town in Ipoh populated by mostly Indians, and famous for two things. Or more but I'm being ignorant as usual. Wanton Mee, and Kacang Putih.

Coming from Jalan Tun Perak towards the Buntong's BIG roundabout, take a 12 o'clock. Take the first left, and then another left, between two prominent kacang putih shops. This house is on that road (Laluan Sungai Pari 4), on your right. Opens from day til night, but you've gotta waltz in casually, and enter the shop from the side of the house.

The address of the shop/house.

I'll be off for a week, from this Wednesday or Thursday onwards, going on a vacation-cum-holidays-cum-work to KL. But not 100% though, as work follows closely, much like a dog chasing its tail. Or the other way round. Whatever. So pardon me for the lack of posts. (Am I hearing a sigh of relief there?!! Huh? *_*)

NEXT POST : The Battle of the Coffees .....

The Ugly Nasi Kandar in Old Town, & The Imported Teluk Intan Chee Cheong Fun

Imagine to circle endlessly around the perimeter of the famed (maybe over-rated) coffee shops in Old Town serving those inimitable (doubtful?) cups of white coffee .... Then by a stroke of luck, you finally manage to find a parking spot out of nowhere, either double-parking, or illegal parking (who cares, right? .... but one note of warning though, the officers in blue work EXTRA hard around this area, mainly cz IPD (Police HQ) & Majlis Perbandaran also located nearby only ma... no need to ride out to oblivion to achieve daily quota of summons!)

Direct competitors side by side. Which would YOU choose?

Then after punching your fist repeatedly in the air, you strut your stuff and walked over to Nam Heong, Sin Yoon Loong or Sun Yuan Foong (bitter rivals ..... a fight to the finish's at hand!) only to discover that the place's crowded to the max! Holds true on most days, especially weekend mornings and public holidays. You can either kiss your white coffee goodbye, wait for aeons for a table (even more troublesome if you decided to bring your whole busload of relatives) or .... you can set up your own tables/chairs. But of course, don't try this and credits to yours truly lah ... =P

This Indian uncle VERY eloquent in conversing in Cantonese! It's almost funny.

But don't worry, help's at hand. Though comes slightly late, for someone who has worked in Old Town for a good 1.5 years. LOL. This stretch of old, dilapidated shophouses consist of various Nasi Kandar stalls, and some rather rundown shops. It's facing the Old Town famous 20-storey flats, and a stone's throw away from the white coffee outlets. Just imagine Jalan Bijeh Timah (Nasi Kandar) is parallel to Jalan Bandar Timah (White Coffee).

Did you see what i see? Can you see ME? ;)

Nasi Kandar Pekan Lama is the shop at the end, manned by a pair of Indian (maybe mamak, not very sure) twins, who are both very good at speaking in Cantonese. It's hilarious how they tease customers, and nonchalantly converse in OTHERS' mother tongue. Probably the reason why the place was crowded with Chinese patrons that Sunday afternoon.

Not the prettiest sight eh? Swear I did NOT purge this!!!

Nasi Kandar in Ipoh and those in Penang is slightly different. Whereelse Penang's version has been commercialized, branched out, and franchised, Ipoh still has yet to develop a mamak nasi kandar stall worthy of a mention in food guides, or rave reviews. Except for Yong Suan or Nasi Ganja, maybe. Still miss Penang's Kayu, Pelita, Subaidah and Kassim. Those good times .....

Tastewise? The similarity exists in the gravy doused onto the pile of rice; The Kuah Campur (mixed gravy) whereby he'll scoop every type of curry imaginable from the pots and bowls in front of him, and then proceed to 'banjir' (flood) your rice. If you're not in favour of ultra wet curry rice, you can hold the gravy.

About RM4 for a packet of rice with chicken and vegetable, and the killer sour-ish sambal at the side, as well as cucumber slices to lessen the heat.

Location : Nasi Kandar Pekan Lama @ 125, Jalan Bijeh Timah, 30000 Ipoh, Perak. Notice the next door neighbour? Omar Nasi Kandar has a following of its own, heavily promoting the Ayam Merah (chicken cooked in a reddish sweet and spicy gravy), and has a branch somewhere on its own.

Teluk Intan Chee Cheong Fun (RM2.20 for 2 rolls)

Remember the post on my previous Teluk Intan's excursion in Jan? We didn't manage to sample the famous Teluk Intan CCF that time as the original factory only churns them from evening onwards, and the shop (Teck Kee Foodstuff) which gets their supplies from the factory was not selling them due to the CNY season. Shucks, right?

See the dried shrimp enveloped by the rice rolls?

But TallGal and FCOE were kind enough to 'tapau' (takeaway) 2 packets back from Teluk Intan, succumbed to my pitiful pleas and let me share their lunch. Hahahah ..... The power of persuasion? ;)

The experience brought back memories indeed, as I'm a fan of Teluk Intan's CCF, and used to buy back 10-20 packets at one go, whenever my family went to the town for any occasions. Of course, detractors may condemn the oiliness of the rice rolls. But the deadly combination of dried shrimps, fried shallots, wrapped inside the freshly steamed rice rolls .... I'm sold.

Teck Kee's CCF wasn't exactly bad, but rather dry and tasteless. For your information, the Teluk Intan CCF does not need any accompanying gravy, or sides. Only some pickled green chillies would do fine. Makes me wonder does Teck Kee REALLY get their supplies from the factory? Hmmm.....

Bye Bye office ..... muahaha .... =)

On that note, Motormouth's going on another journey up north ..... C ya around guys !!!

A Pre-CNY Post : (Not The) Teluk Intan's Famous Chee Cheong Fun & Lana Tea House

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR !!!! Ushering in the Year of The Ox, let's hope all things auspicious come our way, and may there be an endless slew of fantastic restaurants opening soon in good ol' Ipoh ......

Or I can be delusional. But still, one can be hopeful, ya? ......

The Leaning Tower of Pisa. Not!!!

Still embracing the holidays in all its glory, I'm suffering from writer's block. Thus, might as well write bout something recent, to minimize diminishing of my already declining grey matters.

Suddenly ... we felt so out of place.... =P

The other day our excursion (1st REAL travelling for 2009!) took us to Teluk Intan, and Hutan Melintang. Never heard of them? The former may ring a bell with most, as Teluk Intan is one of Perak's larger town, aside from Ipoh, Taiping, Seri Manjung and Sitiawan. And foodies will relate the town with its famous Chee Cheong Fun (stuffed with dried shrimps, and liberately drizzled/doused with oil), Hiong Peng (courtesy of Sin Joo Heong, with a branch in Ipoh even), Ah Chai rojak (famous for its sweet sauce, yet nothing spectacular), Gulam Rasul and Mastan Ghani (both being Malay-Mamak outlets), etc etc .....

Chee Cheong Fun - NOT the famous Teluk Intan one from the factory, but different from Ipoh's nevertheless

Bear in mind Hutan Melintang is NOT a forest, nor it's beyond civilization. It's a small town, right after Teluk Intan, on the way to Sabak Bernam, Sekinchan, and Kuala Selangor. Any idea? But foodwise, I faltered, hence the breakfast and lunch in Teluk Intan instead.

Initially planned for breakfast at Teck Kee Foodstuff (on Jalan Raja) that supposedly serves the REAL deal, CCF from the famous factory, which btw, opens ONLY from evening onwards. But due to the CNY season, Teck Kee chose to display ornaments and festivities galore, than seating area for food. No CCF. =(

But all's not lost, as opposite the road at a corner houses a classic coffee shop named Keng Heng, with patronage from mostly the elder ones. OK, so maybe it's a working day, and who else got time for a cuppa other than the retired ones, and (loyal) civil servants like us. =)

The broth's so clear, you'd be thinking this bowl of noodles would be perfect for one feeling under the weather

The shop houses 3 stalls; One selling Wantan Noodles, another selling erm, Noodles in Soup with Condiments (refer pic above) and a third one dealing with ... what else? CCF!

I was initially stumped as the auntie was packing up and preparing to close. FINISHED?!!! Shucks .... But auntie was kind enough to let me have a packet of CCF, that she's packed for someone, I guess. Hahaha ...

It's different from the usual CCF. And yet, different from even the Teluk Intan's famous one. Instead of rolling the rice noodles up to be served, the noodles are served just like how Ipohans have them; merely chopped up, and with green chillies, fried shallots, and lots (I mean, LOTS!) of dried shrimps. That's it. No sauce at all, aside from soy sauce. A bit dry to be taken, hence I requested for chilli sauce. Not bad, but the noodles is not as smooth as I like them though.

TallGal's bowl of noodles in soup, with Char Siew, Siew Yoke and Chicken looked .... a little too healthy. But I didn't hear her complaining, so should be good as a tummy-filler, before lunch.

Location : Keng Heng Coffee Shop @ 42, Jalan Raja, 36000 Teluk Intan.

And talkin bout lunch ......

Lana Tea House @ Taman Indah Jaya

Rather secluded, behind a row of shops off Jalan Sultan Abdullah, is this quaint tea house-cum-cafe-cum-restaurant. It's pitch black inside. OK, maybe not as dark, but the dim lighting was a huge contrast to the sunny weather. You can't even determine whether this place is open or closed, judging from the non-existent of signs on the outside. Just push your luck, and push the doors open. ;)

Spaghetti with Chicken Meat (RM6.50)

Seafood Fried Rice (RM6)

Sambal Squid Rice (RM5)

Prices are dirt cheap. For less than RM10 per pax, one can get a satisfying meal plus drinks. The choices varied from the usual fried rice and noodles, to spaghetti and salads, as well as chops and desserts. All reasonably-priced, and the quality ain't too shabby either.

The fried rice was surprisingly good, each grain fried with sufficient 'wok hei', maintaining the fluffiness of the grains. With ingredients such as squids, prawns, etc, the portion's not stingy either. The sambal squid was spicy, unexpectedly. The squids were good, fresh, bouncy and served generously. The spaghetti was .... well, like the norm. Don't expect the sky when you're paying rockbottom prices.

*Pardon the pics as the interior was way too dark for my phonecam.

Location : Lana Tea House @ No 1, Jalan Teratai J4/8, Taman Indah Jaya, 36000 Teluk Intan, Perak. Tel No : 605- 621 8996.

Motormouth wishes those who celebrate, and those who 'tumpang' holidays, a very, very Happy Chinese New Year !!!

Eat more, Snap more, Blog more !!!