Kuala Kangsar in a Whirlwind

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

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

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

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

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

Location : Yut Loy Coffee Shop @ 51, Main Road/Jalan Kangsar, 33000 Kuala Kangsar, Perak.

Tel No : 05- 776 6369. (Number taken from rasarasa.net article, not confirmed)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A YUM(my) Lou Sang Experience? (Yum Yum Restaurant @ Ipoh)

The net connection's acting up lately. Ever since b4 CNY, the line's been throwing tantrum, possibly in a holiday mood as much as I'm in now.

Btw, it's another public holiday in Perak today. Envious? =P

The myriad of colours, shape and sizes look appealing .... but WHERE'S DA FISH?!!!

A little on our (somewhat) compulsory annual get-together lunch. Last year it was at Assam House in Greentown. This year it was 'destined' to be at Yum Yum Restaurant in Greentown, serving delectable Nyonya/Thai/Chinese cuisine. Ipohans would recognize this restaurant which has been in operation for a good many years. (Yup, another one of those oldies but goodies place in Ipoh .... for those wondering)

Crazy tossin' a plenty, swearing's a no-no, but "flowery" words are compulsory ....

The set for 10 pax cost RM298 nett, including rice, and chinese tea. 6 dishes (VERY large portion!) plus 'Yee Sang'. Google that up, for those in the dark. But serenaded by the Chinese New Year's sense of camaraderie, one can't help but wonder, "What else can the restaurants come up with, as an alternative to the good ol' traditional Yee Sang?"

Here at Yum Yum, we were rather surprised (shocked's more like it!) to discover a platter of Yee Sang, WITHOUT the slices of raw fish!!!!! The horror of it all. Explanation was demanded promptly, and the lady nonchalantly explained that since Yum Yum's a HALAL (or pork-free, I'm not sure) restaurant, they can't serve raw fish but instead substituted with chicken meat floss! Ahem, OKAY .... but doesn't that completely forsake the true meaning of Yee Sang? Or Lou Sang?

Yum Yum Fried Chicken

But not one to complain during the festivities (LOL), we concurred and tossed, flinged, and crossed swords (chopsticks, I mean!) and hoped/prayed for a fruitful year ahead. And meat floss with Yee Sang ain't too bad either. But I still prefer my fish, TQ.

The chicken can be cooked in a variety of ways, and we picked Yum Yum Signature style ala Inchi Kabin fried chicken. Crispy, marinated well and tender flesh, each had at least 2-3 pcs.

Assam Golden Pomfret

Fish was cooked in assam gravy, not spicy at all, but rather sour with extra tamarind juices added for good measure. However, the fish failed to deliver, with a rather fishy taste and somewhat watery gravy. Served with plentiful of ladies' finger and half a tomato atop the fish.

Sambal Prawns

De-shelled prawns are good, no matter how you cook it. Reason being I'm rather lazy to peel them off myself. Hahaha .... Though the sambal gravy was seriously in need of a kick, a notch up in the spiciness/tanginess department would do fine by me. But minor consolation came in the form of fresh, succulent prawns.

The Greens? .... Choy Tam.

I can't sing praises for the greens, can't I? But the portion's definitely scary. HUGE pile of greens sufficient to feed a cow. Or ox, being the auspicious animal of the NIU year!

Brocolli, Mushrooms, Button Mushrooms and Beancurd sheets

Disappointment comes next, the platter of brocolli and friends was nothing to shout about, and the beancurd sheets (foo chuk) was a little off, with a faint hint of staleness. Half a plate was left untouched for the duration of the meal.

Nyonya Pineapple Squids

Best dish in my opinion was the squids cooked in a sweet, spicy and tangy sauce, with pineapple cubes, red chillies, and capsicums. Bouncy, fresh squids are perfect with the complementing sauce.

With some hits, some misses, and some surprises, the meal at Yum Yum served as a bonding session with friends and ex-colleagues, more than a feast. But sometimes, it's the thought, and company that matters, right?

Location : YUM YUM RESTAURANT @ 5, Persiaran Greenhill, 30450 Ipoh. Tel : 605- 253 7686. Got MAP !!!

Still, HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR .... !!! We're merely at the halfway mark now, so there's no reason to let up and not celebrate away !!! ^_^

Bee Gaik Dining Place - Nyonya/Chinese Cuisine here in Ipoh

Lazy Sunday .... Spent half a day at Lost World of Tambun in Sunway City, and came back utterly disappointed. Compared to Sunway Lagoon, or Genting Theme Park, this so-called 'attraction' in Ipoh is a crying shame. Paying RM25 for merely TWO dry rides, and some random slides and pool, just wont cut it. And you still have to rent the float for two, at an additional RM12, and the locker at RM10. Parking's at RM1. If you're seeing numbers, I'm seeing stars ..... *_*

Bee Gaik Dining Place - Serving authentic nyonya and chinese food in Ipoh

Backtrack a week or two ago, we went for a family dinner at Bee Gaik, over in Ipoh Garden South. It's been some time since we've visited, most recent memory involved family outing with grandpa, who's been watching over us from above for a good 15 years now.

Two floors of dining, in a comfortable air-conditioned seating area, albeit lacking in terms of tables and space

Since then, Bee Gaik has reinvented itself into a household name of sorts, providing catering services on top of dining pleasure. But if you're coming here on a weekend or a public holiday, be sure to book a table, else risk wailing away .... I mean, waiting away. And the scarce number of tables somewhat forced most patrons to be seated upstairs. If you're with an elderly, you know how much a hassle that'll be ....

Kapitan Chicken (RM13)

We relented and trusted the waitress' recommendations. Mostly signature dishes from their rather extensive menu, covering mostly Nyonya-style cooking, and some Chinese dishes. The Kapitan chicken resembled dry curry chicken, with chunks of chicken thighs and wings cooked in the slightly spicy, fragrant, piquant and delicious gravy. Do not be deterred by the fiery orange colour of the curry, the chicken can be stomached even by toddlers.

Bean Sprouts with Salted Fish (RM6)

Crunchy, fat bean sprouts ... Ipoh's style, stir-fried lightly with some crispy salted fish. A simple dish for those who have a love-hate relationship with greens, yet guilty enough to not avoid their fibre intake. Sprinkled with some chopped spring onions, the 'taugeh' served their intention well; polished off in mere minutes.

Curry Asam Fish Head (RM24)

One of their top-seller, the curry asam fish head managed to deliver, with chunks of fish head and meat cooked in the sumptuous gravy, not too spicy, yet fiery and tangy enough to tantalize that tastebud. With generous servings of brinjals, ladies' fingers, onions, tau-pok (beancurd) and tomatoes, nobody can put down this dish as completely NOT healthy. Drench/pour those lip-smacking gravy onto your plate of fluffy white rice, and savour away ....

Tung Po Yuk (Braised FAT! Pork Belly with Sauce) (RM12)

If you're thinking, how can a Nyonya restaurant serves good Chinese dishes, you're wrong. Their Tung Po Yuk is marvellous. Two thumbs up to the unassuming, simple yet brimming with flavour dish. The pork was not as scaringly FAT as I may prefer, with lean meat dominating the portion, but the melt-in-mouth texture of the upper layer of pork skin was very addictive. And even the leaner part was tender enough to require lesser-chewing.

Soak them up with the 'mantou' served with the dish

And the soft 'mantou' (white buns) are meant to be dipped/dunked/soaked with the delicious gravy, not wasting every single drop of the glistening, brownish-gold juices. I'm salivating now, still remembering the combination of flavour that worked so well.

But I've always been a PORKY-type of guy, loving everything porky, hence existed the slight bias. Sue me.

There are so many dishes that I wanted to point and order erratically, but I managed to hold my horses. There's always another visit down the line .... right?

Location : BEE GAIK DINING PLACE @ 10-10A, Tingkat Taman Ipoh 11, Ipoh Garden South, 31400 Ipoh. Tel No : 05-546 8601. Closed on Tuesdays. Operating hours : 11.30am-3.00pm, 6.00pm-10.00pm.

1919 Restaurant & Gallery - Travelling Back in Time for Some Nyonya Cuisine

1919 Restaurant & Gallery had been on my to-eat list for quite some time. But somehow the thought of dining here escaped us on most occasions. The last visit was years ago, probably in my secondary school days. And wasn't exactly a pleasurable experience, marred by the rather exorbitant prices (back then).

But this time around, I was determined, and seeing that there was a special occasion in our family, we picked 1919 as THE place for our dinner.

Fully air-conditioned, and spacious, the place is decorated with various wooden ornaments, and antique-like structures. Collectors are free to enquire about purchasing, btw.

Situated behind Jusco, and facing Tesco in Ipoh Garden East, the location of this restaurant couldn't be anymore strategic. Which kind of explains the human traffic on most nights, especially weekends and public holidays.

Philippines Deep-fried Eggplants

One of my most treasured memories of this place is their signature appetizer of Philippines Eggplants (Brinjals, or Aubergines, as some might recognize them). Not sure what's so "Filipino" about the dish, but damn ... they're good.

Deep-fried with batter, kinda like tempura but not, the brinjals are served with a sweet and spicy sauce and garnished with scallions. Mouth-watering stuff, perfect as snacks, or a surefire way to get the young ones to eat their greens. Or in this case, as green as a purple brinjal can be.

Nyonya Sliced Fish

Popular for their Peranakan cuisine, they offer a myriad of ways to cook the fish. The waitress (who happened to be a friend of my family's) recommended the Nyonya-style Fish Fillets. Thick slices of grouper (I presumed) cooked in a tangy, and piquant Nyonya sauce, partnered with crunchy long beans. Very appetizing, yet not overly spicy.

Antique Tofu

Yup, you read that right; Antique Tofu (beancurd). Treasure trove of bouncy shrimps, mushrooms and vegetables hidden within the hollow cavity of the homemade, silky-smooth tofu.
The gravy made a perfect accompaniment for the rice, and the soft, and egg-y beancurd had us throwing praises. Definitely meant for sharing, if you're going alone or with one partner, refrain from ordering this.

Sambal Mix Vege

Nyonya food's well-known for their spicy and sour dishes. Thus, we ordered our greens cooked with sambal sauce, a mix of ladies' fingers, petai (stinkbeans), long beans and kangkung (water convolvulus). Surprisingly, NOT spicy at all, making the dish rather suitable for the elderly and a stepping stone for the young ones, before they try the fiery stuff later in life.

One minor gripe though, the gravy leaned towards the oily side, and this may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Herbal Chicken

The last dish was recommended by the waitress again, not in the menu yet, it seemed. Herbal Chicken, cooked in a delectable and rich broth, with lots of 'tanghoon' (glass noodles) to soak up the yummy gravy. Evident in the pic above, the chicken was fresh, of the 'kampung' species, with tender meat and glistening yellow skin. One for the grandmas. :)

The meal did not come cheap. Yet rather reasonable. Total for 6, including rice and tea = RM99.25, including 5% gov tax. We'll definitely return for more ....

Location : 1919 Restaurant & Gallery @ No. 1 Jalan Medan Ipoh 6,31400 Ipoh, Perak. Tel: 605-547 7196