As promised, we’re going to enlighten you with the variety of food we stuffed ourselves with during the whole trip down to Ipoh, Perak. We hope it makes you drool like we did! We’re dividing the three days we were there into three separate posts to encourage more anticipation :)
Day 1: RM40/pax
Some of you may be aware that there is a TV programme on Astro that features places you can go to and spend less than RM50 in a day. Well, we’re under that RM50-a-day budget and we’re proud of it!
The first thing we did when we passed the tolls was to head directly for a short rest stop before speeding to our lunch.
Restaurant Kong Heng @ Old Town
Kong Heng has been around for at least 35 years, and that’s only as far as we remember. Here, we revisit the food them Ipoh folks have been living on for many decades.

Sotong Kangkung with Satay Sauce: 4♥
A pure authentic taste that you will find hard to get in other places.

‘Popiah’: 4♥
30 years ago, one roll of popiah here cost only 25 cents! The lady who created this recipe has passed on, but the popiah never changed its taste. She used to sarcastically say back then, “If it’s 25 cents a roll, then it’s only 5 cents a bite!” (1 roll was cut into 5 portions) – “Did she just mock us?”, was the normal response in those days. Of course, now you won’t be hearing any of that anymore.

‘Chee Cheong Fun‘: 4♥
Chee cheong fun in Ipoh is different from the ones you normally see in Kuala Lumpur. Ipoh’s version is very original, and as you can see, is mostly stuffed with a few ingredients which blend superbly well in taste. It is stuffed with long beans, turnip, small prawns, and eaten with sweet sauce, chilli sauce and pickled green chilli.

‘Kai Si (Chicken) Hor Fun’: 2♥
Now here’s a slight disappointment. The noodles are no longer at the two thumbs up level it was at before as the original founder passed the business to his son. The noodles were served messily and didn’t the taste was not up to par as compared to the older days.

Caramel Custard: 5♥
This, however, is a definite MUST try in Kong Heng. The custard is of a very smooth texture and the caramel doesn’t make it too sweet. Even the ‘aunties’ enjoyed it without complaints. The old man who created this delicacy is still collecting money at the cashier, and he should be around 90 years old. Now that’s what we call endurance.
Kedai Kopi Sun Yuan Loong @ near Pasir Puteh
Firstly, the original Sun Yuan Loong has been around for many decades and is the oldest restaurant we visited. during the trip. This Pasir Puteh branch has a more contemporary atmosphere than the original location which we visited on the last day.
There’s a Petaling Jaya branchof this coffee shop in Aman Suria, but the coffee and toast taste had somehow lost its touch although it still tastes good.


Toasted Hainanese Bread with Butter and Kaya: 5♥
Toast has never tasted this good. The bread used is very special in terms of texture – it’s very light and is not compact like Gardenia. You’ll have to try it yourself to know what we really mean!
The person preparing the toast works so fast, we couldn’t get a proper snapshot of her.




The Toast Process


Ipoh Original White Coffee: 5♥
This is the origin of the originals we see in Kuala Lumpur. The perfect blend of the white coffee simply cannot be put into words :)
Conclusion: Cheap and fulfilling!
Funny Mountain Soya Bean @ Jalan Theatre
They have a business card which says:
Funny Mountain Soya Bean (since 1952)
We Cater for Private Gathering and Function
49, Jalan Theatre,
30300 Ipoh, Perak.
E-mail: funnymountain@hotmail.com
Seems like we’re doing a little bit of promotion for them. But they somewhat do deserve it!
The come up with the best tau foo fah ever – the smoothness in every bite is amazing; and the freshest soya bean and cincau drinks.
This is how they operate:
- Drive your car and park in front of the stall. If there’s a line, queue!
- Order from the nice gentleman who approaches you
- Collect your drink delivered to you at your car
- Enjoy every sip, but finish within 3 minutes or so
- Return the glass or containers
- Drive off
Approximate time: 5-7 minutes
Level of satisfaction: Maximum


The Soya Bean and ‘Cincau’

The ‘Tau Foo Fah’

‘Yin Yang’ – ‘Cincau’ + Soya Bean: 5♥♥

‘Tau Foo Fah’: 5♥♥

Look at the line!

Operating Hours
You’d better not go there too late, they might “habis”! Too cute.
Skyway Eatery @ opposite Excelsior Hotel
Though a relatively new restaurant, the food selection here is not to be taken lightly. It’s home to the one of a kind Claypot Crab and Glass Noodles ala Thai - a fusion of Thai and Cantonese taste. This dish is not as widely known as the rest of the food we’ve come across because it has been under the radar. We are lucky to come by and discover this delicacy by word of mouth or referral.



Self-made Fisballs: 5♥
The fishballs are made by the founders themselves, and do not disappoint at all. Served in a perfect soup base, each fishball has an unbelievable texture and is as big as a pingpong ball!

‘Wat Tan Hor’: 5♥

Dry Stir Fried Noodles with Mixed Meat: 5♥
One word for both dishes: Superb!

Clams: 3♥
And we begin the preparation of the much anticipated claypot crab dish!













Claypot Crab and Glass Noodles ala Thai: 5♥♥
Now that’s the way to eat!
Lou Wong Tauge Chicken
This is another place you should never leave Ipoh without. No regrets whatsoever! Also, the presence of the night market on the street itself makes the atmosphere more lively.


You got that right!

The Big Boss





As you can see, the simple process of preparing the ‘tauge’, chopping chicken, and boiling the noodles require much skill and precision. Each chicken is chopped into equally sized pieces at lightning speed; the man at the ‘tauge’ corner never leaves his post with one plate, always two or more; each serving tray is never brought out if it is not filled with as many bowls of ‘hor fun’ noodles it can hold.
Two words: Efficient perfection.

Whole White Chicken: 5♥♥

‘Tauge’ in Soya Sauce: 5♥♥

Dried (left) and Soup Based (right) ‘Hor Fun’ Noodles: 5♥♥

DONE, in just 10 minutes! – eventhough we were already 95% full.
Stay tuned for Day 2 on our food escapade!