Ipoh Food Trail 2022

Ipoh Food Trail 2022

These were the places we visited and ate at, as regular paying customers, on the Ipoh Food Trail 2022 in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.

• Day 1, Afternoon: Kedai Makanan Nam Heong & Funny Mountain Soya Bean Curd
• Day 2, Afternoon: Restoran Pusing Public

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Kedai Makanan Nam Heong
@ 2 Jalan Bandar Timah / Tin Town Road, Ipoh, Perak 30000, Malaysia
Opening Hours: Daily 8am – 5pm
https://foursquare.com/v/kedai-makanan-nam-heong-%E5%8D%97%E9%A6%99%E8%8C%B6%E9%A4%90%E5%AE%A4/4cfc7c7edccef04d58bcc09c

Funny Mountain Soya Bean Curd
@ 50 Jalan Mustapha Al-Bakri, Ipoh, Perak 30300, Malaysia
Opening Hours: Wed - Mon 10:30am – 7:30pm, Closed Tue
https://www.burpple.com/funny-mountain-soya-bean-tau-fu-fah/reviews


On Day 1 afternoon, we settled on an impromptu plan to stop by Kedai Makanan Nam Heong. It wan't until much later that I realised the significance of this place as the originator of "Old Town White Coffee"; a shame as I missed the opportunity at Kedai Makanan Nam Heong to order their coffee (though others did).

Kedai Makanan Nam Heong Shop Exterior

Kedai Makanan Nam Heong Shop Interior

Only 1 person ordered the White Coffee (MYR RM2.80) while we were here.

White Coffee (MYR RM2.80)

The ever popular Dim Sum - Siew Mai (MYR RM4 for 3 pieces) & Har Gow (MYR RM5 for 3 pieces). This 60-year old stall has a long and constant queue. The siew mai / pork and shrimp dumpling was juicy and tender with bright meaty sweet savoury salty flavour, while the har gow / shrimp dumpling was bouncy and moist with pleasant sweet shrimpy savoury flavour. Both dim sum are delicious and well executed, but even better with the spicy sour sweet chili sauce on the side, which has a lingering fiery burn. Highly recommended!

Dim Sum - Siew Mai (MYR RM4 for 3 pieces) & Har Gow (MYR RM5 for 3 pieces)

Dim Sum - Siew Mai & Har Gow

The Dim Sum - Egg Tart (MYR RM2.40 per piece) is the star here, selling an average of 1,000 pieces daily. Their famed egg tart is freshly made throughout the day, and has a crisp flaky pastry crust holding a wobbly soft egg custard. Bite in and it shatters gently, then you get the lovely eggy sweet buttery flavours. Excellent snack for munching, so good we ordered more for takeaway. Highly recommended!

Dim Sum - Egg Tart (MYR RM2.40 per piece)

Dim Sum - Egg Tart

The Siew Pau (MYR RM2.50 per piece) is equally good as the rendition from Seremban. A crisp flaky pastry shell envelops a piping hot filling of stewed char siew / marinated roast pork loin, decorated with white sesame seeds and black sesame seeds. Bite in and the burst of meaty savoury salty sweet buttery flavours is so addictive. Loved it, we ordered extra pieces for takeaway too. Highly recommended!

Siew Pau (MYR RM2.50 per piece)

Siew Pau

Siew Pau

Siew Pau

The Ipoh Hor Fun (MYR RM7.50) was excellent. This gravy-soaked hor fun features silky flat kway teow rice noodles, chewy shredded chicken, juicy fresh deshelled shrimp / prawns, crisp stubby bean sprouts, tender hard boiled egg, fresh spring onions, and crunchy fried shallots. The primary flavours derive from the gravy, being boldly meaty savoury salty sweet spicy in taste. Highly recommended!

Hor Fun (MYR RM7.50)

Hor Fun

Hor Fun

By contrast, the Curry Mee (MYR RM6.50) was mostly alright, except that I didn't like the odd taste of the curry. Seems like it was the powdered instant version. Could be improved.

Curry Mee (MYR RM6.50)

Curry Mee

To end off Day 1 afternoon, we decided to stop by Funny Mountain Soya Bean Curd on the basis of its wacky name. It was crowded, so we utilised the Funny Mountain Soya Bean Curd drive-through service instead, with staff taking and fulfilling orders by our vehicle. The Soya Bean Curd (MYR RM3), also known as Tau Fu Fa, Douhua, or Soybean Pudding, is iconic here. With smooth silky layers of soya bean curd made with fresh mountain spring water, immersed in a lightly ginger-spiced sugar syrup, having bright grainy sweet spice flavours. An excellent dessert. Highly recommended!

Soya Bean Curd (MYR RM3)

Soya Bean Curd

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Restoran Pusing Public
@ 57 - 65 Jalan Horley / Horley Street, Kampung Jawa, Ipoh, Perak 30300, Malaysia
Opening Hours: Daily 12pm – 2:30pm, 6pm – 9:30pm
https://www.facebook.com/people/Pusing-Public-Seafood-Restaurant-SdnBhd/100057160341188/


On Day 2 afternoon, the place we wanted to visit was crowded beyond capacity, so a quick alternate search for lunch led us to the highly-rated Restoran Pusing Public. Awkward mouthful of a name aside, Restoran Pusing Public has been established since June 1986. Their claim to fame is fresh seafood (in particular, grilled prawns, steamed marble goby fish, and yong tau foo), served in large communal sharing portions; don't even think about dining here with less than 4 people. In fact, the average table at Restoran Pusing Public accomodates 8 - 10 people, we'd arrived only to realise we were the smallest group present.

Ambience at Restoran Pusing Public is bright and bustling. The large and spacious dining hall, suitable for events, seats hundreds at once, with each table accomodating between 8 to 10 people. Even then, tables are arrayed close to each other, to maximise seating capacity. The restaurant was completely crowded during our visit, we were allocated the smallest table near the entrance. Service at Restoran Pusing Public is homely and casual, the mostly senior staff demonstrate deep product knowledge of the menu and dishes, and frown at diners if you order too much (wastage is strongly discouraged here). I note they work at a leisurely pace, be it taking orders, serving, or cleaning up. Food at Restoran Pusing Public is Chinese Hakka cuisine, with speciality dishes that are braised, poached, or steamed. Dishes are bold in flavour, featuring fresh locally-sourced ingredients and a delicious gravy. Portions are huge giant-size communal servings, sized for 5 people at the smallest. Prices are comparable to restaurants elsewhere, budget about MYR RM40 per person for a decent meal at Restoran Pusing Public. A suitable place for large gatherings and events.

Restoran Pusing Public Exterior

Restoran Pusing Public Interior

The Stir-Fried Green Dragon Chives With Bean Sprouts (MYR RM20) here is among the best renditions I've eaten. The green dragon chives / garlic chives, shredded carrrots, and stubby bean sprouts are so fresh, with a juicy crisp crunch to texture and lovely natural vegetal earthy sweet flavour. Simply seasoned with a bit of salt and fried garlic, the freshness of the vegetables really shines here, almost feels like they farmed it from the mountain just before serving it. So delicious that we polished off everything despite the large serving size (this was only 1 of 2 dishes we actually managed to finish). Would definitely order again. Highly recommended!

Stir-Fried Green Dragon Chives With Bean Sprouts (MYR RM20)

Stir-Fried Green Dragon Chives With Bean Sprouts

Stir-Fried Green Dragon Chives With Bean Sprouts

The Stuffed Bean Curd With Sauce (MYR RM2.50 per piece) was the only other dish we managed to finish, given that the serving size is per piece. The tofu bean curd here is highly regarded, made with fresh mountain spring water, silky smooth and wobbly soft in texture with mild grainy sweet flavour. This tofu bean curd is stuffed with home made mackerel fish paste, served in superior soy sauce gravy, lending a lovely salty savoury sweet earthy flavour. Curls of crisp spring onions lend a vegetal herbal sweet flavour. Best paired with white rice. Good!

Stuffed Bean Curd With Sauce (MYR RM2.50 per piece)

Stuffed Bean Curd With Sauce

Stuffed Bean Curd With Sauce

The Steamed Soft Bean Curd With Minced Pork (MYR RM35) is equally good, with the base of tofu bean curd made with fresh mountain spring water, being silky smooth and wobbly soft in texture with mild grainy sweet flavour. An addictive gravy with minced pork is poured over, lending a depth of robust meaty salty savoury flavour with gloopy sticky texture. Completed with crisp fresh spring onions with vegetal herbal sweet flavour. Good!

Steamed Soft Bean Curd With Minced Pork (MYR RM35)

Steamed Soft Bean Curd With Minced Pork

Steamed Soft Bean Curd With Minced Pork

The house signature dish, the Steamed Kampong Chicken With Goji Berries (MYR RM45 Half / RM85 Whole) features half a village farmed kampong chicken, with clean-tasting natural sweet savoury flavour and a bouncy springy light tender chew to texture. It's served in a chicken gravy, which is thick and creamy with a sweet salty savoury flavour, really addictive. Enhanced with juicy goji berries / wolfberries and crisp spring onions, lending vegetal herbal earthy sweet notes. Loved every bite of this. Highly recommended!

Steamed Kampong Chicken With Goji Berries (MYR RM45 Half / RM85 Whole)

Steamed Kampong Chicken With Goji Berries

Steamed Kampong Chicken With Goji Berries

Steamed Kampong Chicken With Goji Berries

At this point, I only managed 3 bites of the Steamed Pork Belly With Yam & Lotus Root (MYR RM48), which we eventually packed and gave away as we were so full. It looks like they served 1kg of pork in this plate. I recall an intense salty savoury meaty flavour from the tender wobbly succulent braised pork belly, with the tender yam / taro chunks and crunchy lotus root having the same equal taste profile thanks to the strong braising gravy. Needs to be shared, and paired with white rice or bread to tame it. Locals seem to love it, but this didn't appeal to me.

Steamed Pork Belly With Yam & Lotus Root (MYR RM48)

Steamed Pork Belly With Yam & Lotus Root

Steamed Pork Belly With Yam & Lotus Root

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