Ipoh City, is well known as food paradise destination in Malaysia and Singapore. The city offers a wide variation of its own exquisite food including Ipoh bean sprouts chicken, Ipoh Sar hor fun, Ipoh salted chicken or Jim Kok kai, Ipoh old white coffee, Ipoh chow hor fun, Ipoh Hainanese chicken rice and rendang tok. Moreover, other unique and authentic cooking style and flavors of the Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisines are also available to tempt one’s appetite. The numerous restaurants, coffee shops, food courts, hawkers center, and fast food chain outlets, which cater to different budget and tastes, ensures that visitors have a lot of choices to choose from.Ipoh also offers variety international cuisine including Japanese, Korean, Western, Middle East and Thai at specific restaurants. Ipoh surely has the abundance of good food available and waited to be explored.
1. Sin Eng Heong
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There are about 12 until13 kinds of biscuits/puffs being sold at Sin Eng Heong. And most shocked, they do not have a designated menu or even a price list.But people just realise what they do really want from this landmark in the heart of Ipoh city.Most notably; the Kaya puffs, the ‘Siu Par Wong’ (pandan/screwpine leaves flavoured lotus paste with salted egg yolk biscuits), the ‘Ham Dan Sou’ (lotus mush with salted egg yolk), ‘Ham Kok’ (savoury meat floss puffs) , ‘Heong Peng’ and several others.
2. Restaurant Lou Wong Tauge Ayam Kuetiau
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Restoran Lou Wong Tauge Ayam Kuetiau has to be the most popular of all Ipoh’s restaurants, bar none. Ask any outsiders, foreigners, or not forget the locals themselves on where to have dinner (or supper, commonly) if you’re staying in Ipoh for only one night,the chances are most would mutter the name; Lou Wong Nga Choy Kai (“Nga Choy Kai” means Tauge Ayam or Bean Sprouts Chicken).
3. Restoran M.Salim
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The label of this signature of theirs is Nasi Briyani Ayam Anarkali. A mouthful, eh? Anarkali refers to the superior grade of Basmati rice used in this dish, and very rarely do you see this style in the many Nasi Kandar outlets serving Nasi Briyani in Ipoh. Or anywhere else for that matter.The accompanying piece of chicken (the whole upper thigh was given) was not of the curried variation, but instead a simpler, but equally lip-smacking steamed chicken with spices that was very tender and luscious; belying its stark presentation.A plate for RM6.50/USD2.00. And a dollop of special Salim’s sambal (chili paste pounded with coconut shreds and other spices) completed their prized ensemble of Nasi Briyani, a slice of Chicken, a few cuts of cucumber and optional gravies smothered on the chicken and/or rice. Being sweet-ish and ‘child-friendly’, rest assured you won’t be breathing fire and also you will be sweating badly after tasting their ‘sambal’ here.
4. Foh San Restaurant
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Built in 1971, Foh San Dim Sum has been serving supreme dim sum to the district people of Ipoh, outstation people, and tourists alike. With the recent relocation to its own grand and magnificent building, Foh San Dim Sum Restaurant has definitely upped a notch in the dim sum industry.
5. Nam Heong Kopitiam
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Nam Heong houses a few stalls, selling several hawker fares for breakfast, lunch and tea time. It’s not opened at night for dinner, though. One of the popular menu there is the egg tart, freshly baked from the oven, and various pastries. The rich, almost creamy egg custard is usually hot when served, and the flaky pastry renders the tart almost attractive. Paired with a cup of hot, frothy white coffee, or ‘Cham’ ( a mixed concoction of coffee and tea), the combination is perfect for a satisfying tea break.
6. Restaurant Wong Koh Kei
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It is one of the oldest and Ipoh’s most popular places for Chinese.all the dishes were treated with such a home-cooked manner, evocative of ‘wok hei’ (breath/heat of the wok) and mostly use of lard oil (no fritters, though) to up the ante, so to speak. It has been almost 80 of operation,the restaurant nowadays currently been handled by her son,Wong Koh Kee.
7. Aun Kheng Lim
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A whole chicken at only RM16, they use free-range chicken (‘kampung’ chicken), wrapped in paper, then baked with rock salt to produce that specific aroma and flavor. The herbs used are not overpowering, hence those not accustomed to herbal dishes may like the salted chicken with no qualms. The tender flesh practically falls off the bones, and no cutleries is required. Bare hands tearing at the tasty chicken is the way to go. Though the chicken is meant to be shared with other, the portion ain’t big enough to feed a whole family of four, for instance.And reheating the chicken is likely, but preferably eat them fresh, to gain the most out of the experience.
8. Big Tree Foot Roadside Hawker
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This is Ipoh’s well known Big Tree Foot or Dai Syu Keok in Cantonese because it’sunders large trees. It’s famous for the yong tau fu. A famous place for quick, affordable and satisfying lunch among the locals, tourists, and not forget even the blue collars, this stall coined as “Dai Shu Geok” literally translated as Big Tree Foot, is placed behind Tuck Kee Restaurant in Pasir Pinji of Ipoh.
9. Ipoh Pasir Pinji 5 Chee Cheong Fun
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Very popular Pasir Pinji Chee Cheong Fun, it was served with sweet sauce, green cillies, chili sauce, sesame and fried green onions. Located along a secluded road at Pasir Pinji, this hideout requires some precise navigation to get here. If you’re at Pasir Pinji Big Tree Foot, it’s good to try some tummy space to savor this tasty Chee Cheong Fun.Unlike the more in demand food places in Ipoh, this Pasir Pinji Chee Cheong Fun house only available for about a maximum of 5 groups of customers at any point in time.Also, it’s only open on weekdays (except Wednesdays) so it doesn’t open for the weekend crowd.
10. Citrus Wine & Dine
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Pioneer restaurant provide European fine dining cuisine in Ipoh in both the standard of their food, fine service, and dining ambiance.A suitable place to have dinner with family.
