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.

The Original Claypot Chicken Rice - Heng Kee @ Kampar, Perak

Sorry folks, for the lack of updates these past few days. I was down in KL for the weekend, and just got back to Ipoh a moment ago. But departing to Penang in about 12 hours, and will be staying put until the weekend. Time's really tight, hence I'll rattle off fewer words than usual. (A blessing in disguise, eh?)

Heng Kee Claypot Chicken Rice in Kampar - THE Original?

Since Kampar's in the news recently for being 'crowned' with the district accolades (previously Daerah Kinta Selatan, now Daerah Kampar), and highly probable to be in the limelight for months and years to come, I'll post a short review of one of Kampar's most recognisable food; The claypot chicken rice.

I wasn't lying, was I? Told ya they're THE original ....

With a history spanning over 50 years, Heng Kee has been dishing out thousands, or probably millions of those delectable claypots of goodness.

Claypot Chicken Rice with Chinese Waxed Sausages & Salted Fish @ RM12

Opens from 5pm onwards for dinner and supper only, the stall is located in Wing Lok Yuen Coffee Shop on Jalan Idris in Kampar town. Remember it's for DINNER only, hence don't come knocking during lunch hour and lodge complaints!

Mix them up REAL good ......

Ordering's simple enough. Either you opt for a small, medium or big pot, correlating to the number of people (or barbarians) on the table. For choice of ingredients, you can have waxed sausages (lap cheong) or/and salted fish together with your serving of chicken rice in claypot, or you can even have the Heng Kee Special with an additional egg. I saw this option on the signboard hanging above the stall rather late, thus I omitted the egg, unwillingly. Shucks ....

The Best part is at the Bottom; The Crackly Crust.

Fluffy grains of rice cooked in claypots fuelled by charcoal-fire, served with liberate amount of dark sauce (combination of soy sauce, dark soy sauce, probably a dash of wine, etc), chopped scallions, and cuts of marinated chicken meat, slices of wax sausages as well as blocks and bits of salted fish for that extra oomph.

Unlike amateur-ish version of claypot chicken rice out there, some with sticky/lumpy, overcooked rice or some with undercooked, tough-as-nails grains, Heng Kee's claypot chicken rice is really commendable, and worth the visit as the texture of the rice is just perfect. Eaten without chopped bird's eye chillies, or even an extra dash of soy sauce, the fluffy rice was a joy to be relished on its own, and when complemented with the meats, needless to say, the excitement was heightened by a few notches.

Selling confectioneries from CB (that famous Kampar confectioneries specializing in chicken biscuits), as well as some products from Teluk Intan as well

But the BEST part about Heng Kee's claypot chicken rice is the layer of hardened, crusted, & burnt rice at the bottom of the pot. Ask any claypot chicken rice lovers out there, and guaranteed most (if not all) would attest to the fact that the layer of crust at the bottom = Heavenly Treasures! Or something. But truth is, that layer of crust can only be achieved with certain level of technique, to avoid an overly-burnt aroma that mars the whole experience.

Wing Lok Yuen - Housing the Heng Kee Claypot Chicken Rice Stall

Verdict : Certainly earned its stripes as one of the BEST claypot chicken rice out there, even trumping that other one in Ipoh (K10). Minor gripe : Several more pieces of salted fish would do nicely, and the sauces may be a little underwhelming (read : bland) for some who prefer their rice with more flavours.

Location : Heng Kee Claypot Chicken Rice @ Wing Lok Yuen Restaurant, 123, Jalan Idris, Kampar, Perak. Opens from 5pm - 1am. Got MAP !!!

Grand Kampar Hotel (www) - From RM128 nett onwards.

Wondering where to stay, in case you're up for a food hunt in southern Perak, and dodgy guesthouses/motels not your preference? Grand Kampar Hotel opened its door for business about 2 years ago, and the exterior would probably blow your socks off. A figure of speech, of course. Do visit their site @ http://www.grandkamparhotel.com/en/aboutroom.html for promotions, room rates, contact and location.

With that, Motormouth's out on an excursion again ..... from the south, to the north this time !!!

Of Lawan Kuda's Chee Cheong Fun, Kampar's Hawker Fare, & The Slaughter

A break from the Cameron Highlands posts, giving way to photos from my stash of backlogs. Yeah, all the while watching (or rather listening to) the epic battle between our very own badminton superstar, Lee Chong Wei, against China's great wall, Lin Dan. Why bother blogging at now? Well, let's just say, it's tough watching Lee fell in the 1st game, and til now, still being "slaughtered" by Lin Dan left and right. Sigh .... Guess RM300k is adequate?

Remember the old couple's faces, as the shop has no name

Still remember The Star's Sunday Metro's recommendation of Lawan Kuda's Chee Cheong Fun (Rolled Rice Noodles)? Lawan Kuda is a small town near to Gopeng, about 30km from Ipoh.

Many may associate the name of the town with "weird" food, from fruit foxes to terrapins, and snake's blood soup to squirrels' meat. Therefore, it was an eye-opener for me of sort, reading about this stall selling Chee Cheong Fun (CCF), and supposedly quite famous for it. Suffice to say, this stall warrants a visit in my book, and the opportunity came when work took me over to Lawan Kuda.

Their homemade stuffed fish paste (Yong Tau Foo) to complement the CCF

Locating this stall was not hard. Situated on the main road of Lawan Kuda, this stall opens only a few days a week, from Thurs-Sunday (reference : Sunday Metro), from 12pm onwards. The stall is next to a Chinese medicine shop, punctuated by TWO big, colourful umbrellas. Opens only during lunch hour, we were amazed by the endless queue for the CCF once the stall started operating. Students, housewives, workers etc swarmed the stall as soon as we took our orders. It was a good thing we arrived earlier.

My plate of CCF with Curry Pork's Skins and Long Beans, and sides of Yong Tau Foo (RM4.70)

They serve the CCF with curries or plain with soy sauce, and the obvious popular choice would be the curry pork's skins. That's not all, the extensive array of Yong Tau Foo, supposedly homemade, are the perfect partners for the noodles.

The springy fish-pork balls, steamed and deep-fried varieties

So, how did the CCF fare? The flat rice noodles were indeed very smooth, served plain with NO dried shrimps unlike Ipoh's version. And fried shallots is an optional garnishing, remember to ask for them, or take them yourself from the container.

The Yong Tau Foo were passable, some hits, some misses. Particularly yummy was the deep-fried balls (fish/pork), a signature item. The curry on the other hand, disappointed us as it was plain oily. So oily in fact, that the chopsticks and plates they serve the CCF on were all greasy from the previous person's indulgence. Yeah, grab a tissue along before you tuck in.

If you're sitting at their stall's area, drinks are not served. But they can order for you from the market opposite their stall. Sugar cane juice was the beverage of the day. Diluted, not sweet, but quench our thirst nevertheless.

Kampar town, south of Ipoh

If you're going south bound, after Gopeng, you'll reach the town of Kampar after 15-20 minutes. A popular stop for tourists occupying the trunk road, Kampar is famous for a variety of food, such as the Claypot Chicken Rice, Roti Kari Ayam (Curry Chicken Bread), Ais Kacang, Lou Shu Fan (short rice noodles), and a myriad of hawker delights.

The main food court in Kampar, next to the morning market

To sample a little bit of everything, it is highly recommended that you pay a visit to the Medan Selera next to the morning market, situated on Jalan Pasar.

Memorize the stalls' number, if you can't read Chinese (like me)

With what could possibly be hundreds of stalls (OK, I'm exaggerating, but there are at least 50?) around, the area is separated into 2 sections, one serving halal food, while another with mainly Chinese stalls. Once you step into the food court, you'll be at lost for directions. There are so many stalls, with so many patrons, it is generally tough to make a decision on where to park your butt. Rule of the thumb? Sit where the crowd are. You can't go wrong. Unless you order what others are NOT ordering.

Gorgeously sinful

Stall No 42 has been serving their famous glutinous rice and yam cakes for years. The locals mostly throng the stall during breakfast hours, and the glutinous rice is a hot commodity, wiped out before lunch. So be sure to arrive early.

Savoury glutinous rice, complemented with "char siew" slices, peanuts and scallions, doused with curry (optional). Sheer bliss scooping the grains into your mouth. Simple, unpretentious, but got the job done. At roughly RM2 per plate (with curry), it was a good start to the day.

Notice The Star's coverage of this humble stall?

Still craving for more? Or looking for something lighter, and healthier? Check out this porridge stall, manned by 2 ladies. Signature item? Pork porridge.

Food for the Soul?

A bowl of smooth, creamy porridge with chunks of minced pork meat and pig's liver cost RM2.50. Though for some, all porridge tastes the same. But to differentiate a good porridge from an average one, just sip/taste the consistency, and the flavour of the grains. Here, the porridge is smooth, indicating hours of boiling, and the taste is sweet, from the meat, and probably from the stock used to cook the boiling hot concoction.

What a way to start the day ...

A good ol' bowl of pork porridge and a cup of frothy hot coffee. Subdue your hunger pangs, and the caffeine will jolt your brains into activity. But, longing for more? :)

Nyonya kuih stall, outside the food court

Buy a piece or two, or maybe three, of the sweet or savoury snack termed "Nyonya Kuih", from the stalls lining the road outside of the food court. As ration when hunger strikes, or something sweet to tempt the palate while walking/driving to your office?

Out-of-topic Rant : Geez .... As expected, the slaughter ended quick, and painless. Or painful. Malaysia lost to China 21-12, 21-8, in about 30 mins. Well, there's always another Olympics, ya?