Hakka Mee @ Paris Restaurant, Ipoh

Another must-have in Ipoh is the Hakka Mee @ Paris Restaurant (previously at Yin Yau Kui Restaurant).  This place is apparently very famous among the locals and early in the morning, the shop is already fully packed.

While these plain-looking noodles may look very ordinary, it is very delicious.  The noodles, which are hand-made, are very springy and cooked just right.  

There is enough minced meat and gravy to make the noodles tasty and moist.

The minced meat is just fantastic!  I like it as it is very fragrant with garlic oil and caramelized with the dark soy sauce.  Each bite of it reminds me of the minced meat noodles Mum used to make.

To further enhance the flavour, you definitely need to add the fish sauce.  I find it being a bit bland if you do not add the fish sauce.

Our friend also insisted to add the chilli sauce and garlic, but I opt to go without as I was having an upset stomach (pity, as I loved spicy food).

Although the portion is pretty small, it is really cheap.  We wanted to have more, but since the next stop for breakfast is curry noodles, there was no second helping.

They also serve fish balls and pork balls.  I can’t really remember the taste, so, it must not have been very memorable.

Paris Restaurant

164 Jalan Sultan Iskandar Shah

30000 Ipoh

Perak

Open in the mornings

Kaya Puffs @ Sin Eng Heong, Ipoh

If you think kaya puffs (加央角) is just something very ordinary and it would have tasted pretty much the same, then you have definitely not tried the kaya puffs at Sin Eng Heong bakery, Ipoh.

You know you are at the right stall when you see a very long queue, that doesn't seem to move very much.  In fact, we have waited more than 30 minutes standing in the queue waiting for this sweet, crispy treat.  My friends have already finished their rounds at buying the taufu-fa and the salted chicken, and yet, it's not even our turn to put down the orders.  But at least, the wait was worth it.

The kaya puffs are very fluffy and crispy, loaded with a generous amount of fragrant kaya paste.  Made based on the family's secret recipe, the kaya paste is very unique - smooth, creamy texture.  Although on the sweeter side, the kaya puffs are very yummy.

 If these kaya puffs tasted so good hours after purchase, imagine how good it would have been if it was eaten freshly straight out from the oven.  Sold in a 5-pieces pack or a 10-pieces box, each kaya puffs costs only RM 0.80.

Just a word of advice, do come early so that you can beat the crowd, otherwise, you'll have to endure a long, boring wait.  Not to forget, an assurance that you'll get hold of this little, tasty treat.

Kedai Biskut Sin Eng Heong

64-66, Jalan Mustapha Al-Bakri (Jalan Clare),

30300 Ipoh, Perak

Tel: 05-2439659

Ipoh Chicken with Beansprout @ Ong Kee Restaurant, Ipoh

The Hari Raya holidays are here again and it's time for a short road-trip (and not to forget, contributing to the traffic jam).  This time, we're heading up north to Ipoh.

Any trip to Ipoh is never complete if you have not tried the famous chicken with beansprouts (芽菜雞), more commonly known as taugeh ayam.  So, it is definitely a must to visit Ong Kee Restaurant @ Ipoh for this popular dish.

Recommended as one of the best few serving chicken with beansprouts, the restaurant was already fully packed by dinner time.  Given that we had a very large group, we were pretty lucky that we didn't need to wait very long to get two large tables.

The chicken is cooked perfectly well and it is still very juicy & succulent.  It feels like it melts in your mouth.  Okay, I am exaggerating a bit, but it tasted very good that I can't help wanting more after each bite.  The soy sauce that accompanied the chicken is sweet and tasty - a perfect combination, without overwhelming the flavour of the chicken.  It would have tasted perfect if it was eaten with rice (which we didn't order since they ran out of the oil rice, of which after 10 mins, was re-stocked again, ish!).  The only setback is that I find it a bit too oily as they have drizzled a bit too much oil over the chicken.  Nevertheless, still good.

The beansprouts, on the hand hand, is very crunchy and given its chubby, short shape, I could stuff a spoonful of these beansprouts into my mouth with ease.  Very different from the usual beansprouts as this is more juicy and have a better texture.

Interestingly, no matter where you go, it seems like these two are always served - pork balls & fish balls.  Oh, I love the pork balls but what actually did caught my attention was the chicken soup they served in.  The soup is so flavourful.  Words can't really describe how nice & tasty it is.  It is as though they have used hundreds of chicken to boil down to this one bowl of hot-piping soup.  Plus, I can confirm that no MSG has come into the picture.  It is the best.

Not too forget is the Ipoh Sar Hor-fun (怡保沙河粉).  The flat rice noodle is also served in the same chicken soup.  A good soup will bring out the best of any noodle and this is no exception.  I love the noodles as they are not too oily and very translucent.

The whole package was a to-die-for experience.  Such simple dishes, yet so heavenly.

Being the first time visiting Ipoh, I really had no idea initially why there is this big fuss over Ipoh's chicken rice. Come on, a chicken rice is just chicken rice, and you can find it almost everywhere, so what's so special?  But after experiencing it myself, it totally changed my perception.  This chicken rice is really good - so good that you will want more of it.  Too bad I need almost 2 hours drive to get hold of this wonderful meal.  So, looks like I will need to dream about it first until the next trip up to Ipoh.

(You won't miss it, it is just diagonally across Lou Wong Restaurant.  If you want an air-conditioned dining experience, then just head to Lou Wong's neighbour, Onn Kee Restaurant.  Both Ong Kee & Onn Kee are owned by the same owner but the latter is a more-newly opened branch)


Ong Kee Restaurant
Jalan Yau Tet Sin,
30300 Ipoh, Perak

Italian Tiramisu @ Spaghetti Sweet Tea Cafe, Ipoh

If you were trying to look for this Italian restaurant, it will definitely be quite a challenge.  With no clear signage, you will need a very good eyesight to spot the small signage bearing the SSTC - the short name for Spaghetti Sweet Tea Cafe @ Ipoh.

We came here (highly recommended by our friend cum "tour-guide") for the Italian Tiramisu (RM 18), SSTC's signature.  This "pick-me-up" espresso-based dessert was definitely not a let-down because it actually tasted different, not your usual tiramisu.  It had kept to the tradition whereby the ladyfingers (sweet sponge cakes) were soaked in espresso and layered with mascarpone cheese, topped generously with cocoa powder.

However, I find the tiramisu slightly lacking the intensity of the espresso, and for a coffee dessert, this is a bit disappointing.  Luckily, the mascarpone cheese manage to save the dessert.  I love the mascarpone cheese - light and fluffy - truly the star ingredient of this dessert.  It is also not to sweet, a lovely dessert.

While the tiramisu is nice, but if you ask me, for that price, I felt it was a bit on the high side, especially for Ipoh's standard.  Given that they used imported ingredients to make this tiramisu, maybe it is justified.  You will need to try it for yourself to judge if it is worth it or not.

But despite that, they do serve a nice range of drinks.  The one that caught my attention on the drinks menu is the hot Wild Berries tea from Naturalis.  We first came across Naturalis Wild Berry tea at one of the restaurants in Citta Mall, Ara Damansara, and ever since then, both KS and I are hooked to this fruity berry tea.  Never thought we can find this lovely beverage all the way in Ipoh.  A perfect beverage to end the sweet experience at SSTC.

Spaghetti Sweet Tea Cafe

19A, Jalan Medan Ipoh 1E

Medan Ipoh Bistari

31400 Ipoh

Tel: 05-5488832