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.

Foh San Dim Sum Restaurant in Ipoh - Old Is Gold?

If you're an avid follower of this blog (OK, don't puke), you would've noticed the lack of dim sum reviews in Ipoh. This, although Ipoh has been established as, and probably still is one of the BEST destination for a sumptuous, hearty yet reasonably-priced dim sum breakfast.

The perennial favourite of many, even if not for the dim sum alone, it has to be the charming, nostalgic & authentic breakfast experience

The dim sum scene in Ipoh revolves mainly around the BIG 3, namely Foh San, Ming Court, and Yoke Fook Moon. Of course, there are other newer ones, and some old-timers which sadly never really took off. For those in the dark, dim sum is one of Chinese's (or Cantonese, actually) most famous cuisine, typically eaten for breakfast and served with Chinese tea. Literal translation means "Touch heart", the delightful morsels are either steamed or fried, and served in small portions, thus one can avoid over-eating (yeah, right) yet sample many different varieties.

On a weekend - Notice the vultures? =P

This post arrives in a rather timely manner. Why, you ask? Because Foh San is moving away to a new location next month. For a good many decades, this dim sum restaurant at the junction of Jalan Dato Tahwil Azhar and Jalan Mustapha al-Bakri has been serving hundreds to thousands of customers on a daily basis. The rich history of Foh San can never be rivalled, just ask any of your parents or grandparents, and they'll probably be nodding in agreement.

On a weekday - SLIGHTLY better, hence leave the crutches at home.

I'll reveal the new location at the end of this post. For now, let's concentrate on the food. But wait, before you go thinking that you can simply waltz in, grab a table and order away, think again. The two photos above differ ever so slightly. The first was taken on a Saturday morning, and the second on a Tuesday's. Truth is, the crowd swells to its fullest capacity on weekends and public holidays. So either come early (VERY early), very late (but risk being served with fewer choices of dim sum, as the good ones tend to finish rather fast), or avoid Sundays/public holidays altogether.

What separates a routine dim sum meal, from a memorable, complete experience?

Firstly, I must show my utmost/heartfelt/deepest gratitude (suddenly so formal, eh?) to CK Lam & Hubby for the wonderful meal, and inviting this small potato (OK, large potato ..... happy yet?) for breakfast on a Saturday morning. They were on their southern escapade, all the way down south, yet allocated a little of their precious time for breakfast with yours truly. Aww ... so sweet right? Thanks again CK, and really glad to meet you in person, and your personal photographer too. =P

Har Gau - Prawn dumplings

The second visit was 3 days after, with KYT and FCOE. Though we've been working together for nearly 3 years now, we have NEVER gone for a dim sum breakfast. Given the convenient white coffee fix very near to our office, we never ventured further/drive out for breakfast. A shame, really, with so many territories unexplored, and tables unturned. Wait .... wrong metaphor there. Hehe ..... OK, let's see why Foh San manages to deliver time and again, and remains a favourite among locals, and tourists alike.

Yeung Ngai Kua - Stuffed Brinjals with Fish Paste

Their Har Gau (Prawn Dumplings) has no flaws, so to speak. Thin, translucent & pleated skin, enveloping around a dense filling with moist, succulent and almost crunchy prawnS, the combination of flavours is almost intoxicating (for a prawn lover, at least). Of course there's the scallions, water chestnut (if I remember correctly, sorry I gulped the morsel whole!) and seasonings that rendered every bite a delight.

The other favourite of mine is the stuffed brinjals with fish paste, a type of Yong Tau Foo commonly served with noodles. Of course these are not true blue dim sum, but Foh San does their stuffed brinjals really well. The accompanying sauce (a mixture of soy sauce, and Lea & Perrins, I think) omits the need for chilli sauce.

Clockwise from top left : Siew Mai (Pork dumplings), Fei Chui Mai (forgot the real name, sorry - Prawn + Pork fillings with mushroom), Yue Mai (Fish paste) and erm ... Solid Yellow Pork Dumplings with Black Pepper seasoning.

The steamed items overshadow the fried ones, with many choices on the trolley being pushed by the workers. But just like what vkeong has reviewed lately, the choices may not be comparable to other dim sum outlets. True somewhat, but not wholly. Foh San periodically comes up with NEW dim sum, and without proper menu nor promotion, you have to ask the staff for what's available. And some being grumpier than the others, they may not attend to your queries.

But hope's not lost. You can actually walk over to the trolley you're aiming for, and seek for the types you prefer, then hand-carry to your table. I even opened the covers of the dim sum baskets and shot queries, ala Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Or Slumdog's. Or maybe not.

Char Siew Pau - BBQ Pork Bun, and Sang Yuk Pau - Pork Bun

What's commendable about Foh San's dim sum is that most of the items come piping hot at your table; steamed freshly, and served on the spot. But of course there are exceptions, such as the case with the Char Siew Pau on the second visit, when it came lukewarm, almost cold to touch. But a rarity, really. And the Sang Yuk Pau was equally good. The other varieties they offer were the sweet ones, and Nam Yu Pau (pork with fermented bean sauce). Not sure about Tai Pau (Big Bun, literally) though.

Wu Kok aka Yam Puff

I've never been a fan of Foh San's Wu Kok, or Yam Puff, as I find them rather soggy the previous visit, and the quality rather inconsistent. The Saturday's Wu Kok was OK, but fortunately, Tuesday's version was far better, as they were freshly fried from the wok. Hence the crispy exterior, with oozing filling of chopped Char Siew (BBQ pork meat).

Left to Right : Ham Sui Kok. Fried Prawn Roll, Gyoza-like pan-fried dumplings, and Egg Tarts

Truth be told, if you order one of each of everything, you'll end up feeling really bloated and will probably skip your meals for the rest of the day. Other favourites include the Hor Yip Fan (glutinous rice in lotus leaf), Ma Lai Koh (steamed sponge cake), Hong Kong style Chee Cheong Fun, Loh Mai Kai (steamed glutinous rice) etc.

One of their special creation : Steamed rice roll (Chee Cheong Fun) stuffed with pork, prawns, and mushrooms.

This was very good, served with no sauce, but sprinkled generously with sesame seeds, and garnished with fried shallots and chopped scallions. Very tasty, fresh, and rightful combination of fillings.

Fried Loh Bak Koh aka Radish Cake

And last but not least, Foh San serves their Loh Bak Koh in a different manner. Whereas in most dim sum outlets, they simply pan-fried theirs and served plain in blocks, Foh San takes it a step further, and stir-fries them with bean sprouts, eggs, crunchy 'choy pou' aka salty,preserved radish and garnished with chopped scallions. A must try, although Penangites may notice the resemblance to Char Koay Kak.

On the whole, if you're sick of downing white coffee and toasts for breakfast in Ipoh, go for a dim sum experience. Trust me, you'll start your day with a bang .... though side effects include drowsy from all the food. But hey, that's when the Chinese tea comes to play! Wash them all down with a hot cup of tea, ponder over the dailies (though as of late, you'd better not spoil your mood or appetite with the power struggle, and H1N1 scare!), and unwind yourself before a hard day at work.

Location : Foh San Dim Sum Restaurant @ 2, Jalan Dato Tahwil Azhar, 30300 Ipoh, Perak.Tel: (605) 254-0308 Fax: (605) 253-5432. Here's a MAP.

NEW outlet : 51, Jalan Leong Sin Nam, 30300 Ipoh, Perak. Here's a MAP.

# Photos combined from 2 visits, on 2 different days #

# Relocation date unconfirmed, but sometime in June #

A Day's Out in Taiping (Kum Loong Dimsum & Mr.BBQ)

After a long hiatus, I was back to Taiping, TODAY! Last visit was the time when we went for buffet at Tao, and the Ansari Famous Cendol. That's .... like milleniums ago.

People jog, picnic, and relax by the famous Lake Garden. Yup, under the scorching sun.

Char Siew Pau and Nam Yu Pau with Chinese Tea

Arriving rather early today, we went for dim sum at Kum Loong Restaurant on Jalan Kota, the main road of Taiping, running parallel to Jalan Taming Sari. The restaurant has been around for almost 70 years (a whisper-in-the-wind of sorts, courtesy of a friend working in Taiping who dropped by for lunch at the same place with us, later).

It was barely 10am. And most items have been sold out. WHAT?! But even Foh San serves their dimsum until afternoon. Not fair! So we were left with minimal options, a few plates (they serve theirs on sauce plates, those old, tainted ones) of fishballs and dumplings, and a some 'pau' were all that's available. So we made the best of the situation and ordered accordingly.

Such ... simple presentation. Without the usual rattan basket.

The buns were fluffy and soft, without sticking to the teeth kind. But fillings lean more towards the stingy side. But the Nam Yu Pau (fermented bean paste?) was OK, the thick slice of FAT pork managed to satisfied our lust for something porky.

The same can't be said about the fishballs though. Chewy and artificial, they were best downed with a gulp of Chinese tea, and never to be seen again. The Har Kau (prawn dumpling) look-alike earned top marks at masquerading as the REAL stuff. They contained pork, and chives. No prawns, but yet was tasty. The skin was VERY thick and far from translucent though.

But what surprised us most was the price. RM9.20 for 5 pau, 2 plates of dimsum, and Tit Kuan Yin chinese tea for 3 pax. Yup, and we thought Betong's dimsum were the cheapest in the world.

They're open for breakfast until dinner. Serving not only dimsum, but noodles, rice and dishes as well. All DARN cheap at that. Attracts mostly the older folks of Taiping, hence we were rather appealing, at most. Hehehe .....

Location : KUM LOONG RESTAURANT @ 45-47, Jalan Kota, 34000 Taiping.

So, after breakfast, we were stumped on where for lunch. As the breakfast did not even dent our wallets. Hahaha ....

Mr BBQ @ Jalan Maharajalela

Read about this place from Backstreetgluttons, those bull-dozer of a foodie. Curious to know whether they're a Malay stall selling BBQ stuff? Or a Western cafe with BBQ chicken wings and such? Read on ....

Onion Egg Omelette with Prawns (RM7)

Crispy sides, savoury egg omelette with chopped onions, carrots, and shrimps, the Fu Yong Tan never failed to satisfy. A simple dish easily replicated at home, yet one of my favourite (and safest) order in restaurants.

Bei Jing Roll (RM6)

Batter-fried spring roll with ham, chicken and salted egg filling. Dip into the accompanying sweet chilli sauce, who can say no to this?

Golden Squids (RM8)

Springy and fresh squids cooked in a not-too-thick yet very aromatic and perfect complement to white rice curry gravy, the dish had me spooning the sauce into my mouth. There's something deeply attractive about the heavy curry flavour. Yummy stuff.

The BBQ/Grilled Sting Ray (RM12)

Squeeze half a lime all over, the stingray was grilled to perfection. With the spicy sambal sauce drenching the fish, and the tangy chilli sauce with chopped raw onions, we finally realised the BBQ-moniker on their signboard. Also available : Tilapia, Chicken Drumstick Fish (wth?!!), Silver Pomfret Fish, and Kampung Fish.

They serve SOOO many types of dishes, browsing through their menu had me salivating tonnes, before the food was served. Everything from Guinness Stout Chicken, to Sambal Petai (!!!!), and Fatt Put (Yam Ring with Vegetables and Chicken) as well as Curry Prawns in Bread. SLurp ... I'll definitely be back for more.

Location : Mr BBQ @ 16 & 17, Jalan Maharajalela, 34000 Taiping, perak. Tel : 05-807 9998.

No maps yet, rushing off to a movie now .... Drop a comment if anyone need one.

Bye Bye .... and the weekend's BREATHING at my neck. =P

Is Your Heart Touched? (The Dim Sum from Hong Kee & Loong Seng)

~~ HONG KEE TIM SUM @ PANDAN INDAH, KUALA LUMPUR ~~

Let's drool at what KL has to offer, for today's post. Hong Kee Tim Sum generated ripples and waves among the dimsum-loving community (floggers alike) with branches opening everywhere in Klang Valley. Recently (or as recent as I remembered, this being a June experience anyway), Hong Kee started business in Pandan Indah as well, a densed area with so many restaurants, cafes and good food, it's impossible for the residents to starve and lament there's nothing to eat. No joke.

Some steamed delights .... Siew Mai, Xiu Long Bao and Har Kao

Me being a traditional dimsum lover, orders the basic stuff whenever it's my 1st time. And I've a lot of firsts. Hehe ... Anyway, the baskets of dumplings came with shockingly humongous morsels of goodies, begging to be devoured. Compared to even Ipoh's offerings, the sizes of these 'little giants' was impressive.

But when it come to the taste, erm, a ho-hum affair, at best. The XLB was horribly dry, and tasteless even with the vinegar and julienned ginger dipping. Prawn dumplings (Har Kau) and pork dumplings (Siew Mai) fared better, but still lacking in taste. It felt like we were chewing on flour, rather than full-flavoured, sweet, juicy meat.

Hong Kong Chee Cheong Fun

Not to confuse any foreigners, or out-of-towners, the Hong Kong CCF (chee cheong fun) is NOT an imported product, but rather, a type of rolled rice noodles stuffed with shrimps and char siew (BBQ pork meat). A staple of mine, I almost always order this simple dish whenever I'm in dimsum outlet, be it in Ipoh, Penang or KL.

Sad to say, the HK CCF here was below the mark. The fillings was lesser than generous, and the rice noodles reeking of an awkward 'chemical' taste. Don't ask me how to describe it, but there IS an annoyingly unpleasant taste.

The Doctor's Nightmares ....

Luckily, when it comes to the fried stuff, all of which would frighten a health freak more than a busload of cockroaches, or swimming with the sharks, or even sitting through a whole session of Parliament, Hong Kee serves edible options.

Particularly tempting was the prawn rolls with crispy vermicelli (or was it?) - the upper left photo in the collage above. Crispy, oily, and yummy, they deserve a try if you happen to be here. The rest were mediocre, but not to say disappointing.

I lost the receipt, but the price was rather reasonable, around RM3 per plate/basket. Well worth the money as the portion's not dainty. Kalah Ipoh punya dimsum .... But all in all, SIZE DOES NOT really matter, ain't it?

Location : Hong Kee Tim Sum @ Jln Pandan Indah 4/3A, Pandan Indah, Kuala Lumpur. Various branches in other parts of KL and Selangor.

~~ LOONG SENG DIMSUM @ SS2, PETALING JAYA ~~

Go find the shop with lots tables outside, in case you're lost ...

But all's not lost, my friend. Nope. As we were staying nearby Section 17, PJ (this was in August, therefore memories' not so vague) we decided to venture to SS2 for dimsum on the last morning of our stay.

The Devils vs The Angels ??? (The Fried Goodies vs The Saintly Steamed Ones)

Based on direction from a friend, we were told to look out for tables lining up the street and corridor, among the mazes after mazes of restaurants and cafes in SS2. Of course, go in the morning, as at night, SS2 Murni still RULES the place, with endless rows of tables on the street.

Steamed La La (Clams) with Pork/Fish Meat

The crowd was reassuring, as wherever the crowd goes, the food's gotta be good, no? Starting off with some usual Har Kau and Siew Mai, I chose some slightly different stuff as well. But breakfast at around 11am somehow limited my options greatly. Price to pay, for a late awakening?

The Pork/Fish/La La combination worked wonders, as the meat was fresh, devoid of unpleasant fishy taste, and packed with flavours. Steamed with simple broth, and with julienned carrots and chives added for taste, these babies looked AND tasted lovely.

Ol' Yellow Goodness ....

The egg tarts in KL are slightly different from Ipoh dimsum outlet's version, as the pastry is not of the flaky/crumbly type. But more to John King's cookies-type of pastry. Offers a nice bite nevertheless, and the egg custard encircled within was fragrant, creamy, and light.

The Downs ....

Chinese Pancake (Woh Peng) and the Yong Tau Foo with Thai chilli sauce did not score too well in our books, the former a tad oilier than desirable, while the latter was already cold when the plate was placed on our table. Everyone abhors cold tofu, right?

Perennial favourite, immortalized in a song ... "Char Shiao Pau"

Greasier than John Travolta's hair in Grease ... Dare to try me? =)

That "icing" on the "cake" made all the difference ...

The rest of the dimsum fare were all satisfactory, the HK Chee Cheong Fun was a delight to discover, such smooth rolls of rice noodles outside of Ipoh, with shrimps and char siew bursting from within, and topped it all with the incomparable sambal.

A dimsum experience comparable to Ipoh's. Did it touch my heart? YES, you can bet your bottom dollar Loong Seng did!

Location : Loong Seng Restaurant @ 50, Jln SS2/66, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

But Hong Kee on the other hand .... well, probably deserves another chance. The fried glutinous rice supposed to be good, right?