Food to Try in Ipoh

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With heaps of local delights to savour, Ipoh is truly a culinary destination not to be missed. The famous Ipoh white coffee had its beginnings here, of course, and there are many places where you can enjoy freshly made ones. As for something to eat with your coffee, I'd recommend the egg tarts (RM2.70 each) from Nam Heong Coffee Shop at 2 Jalan Bandar Timah. They open very early in the morning and takeaway is available in case you can't find a table to dine in. Mind you, they are rather popular.



Another sought-after breakfast option is a good bowl of Hakka mee. Paris Noodle Restaurant (don't worry, we're still in Malaysia, not France) serves springy noodles with delicious minced meat. The dish is not only simple but also affordable at just RM4 per bowl. Could this be the Hakka people's answer to spaghetti bolognese? The restaurant is located at the corner of Jalan Sultan Iskandar and Jalan Dato Tahwil Azar. I took the mee home to eat. Nevertheless, it was delightful.



For some silky goodness, you've got to try Ipoh's unique tau fu fah. Its texture is fantastic and the taste is simply amazing. My go-to would be Funny Mountain Dessert Shop further up Jalan Dato Tahwil Azar near the corner of Jalan Mustapha Al-Bakri. They are open every day, except Tuesdays, from approximately 10:30am until sold out. So, the advice is to be early. A serving will cost you RM3.



Other snacks worth making an effort to hunt down are kaya puffs (RM6 for five), meat floss lotus paste biscuits and peanut candies. All are fairly self-explanatory. You'll find a number of shops selling these around town especially in the Taman Jubilee area. I got mine from Sin Eng Heong, Ching Han Guan and Sin Weng Fai respectively.



Ching Han Guan has been baking classic biscuits from traditional home recipes since 1949. It was started by Elder Ching from Chaoyang in China and is now one of Ipoh's most famous biscuit shops. The double-filling meat floss and lotus paste biscuit wrapped in a flaky crust has become a signature product. I paid RM13 for a nice box of five individually packaged original variety. Pandan, egg yolk and barbecue varieties are available too.



Sin Weng Fai, on the other hand, was established by Mr Ng Lian Pin in 2016. The founder had more than 50 years of baking and pastry-making experience and wanted to create nostalgic and authentic products. Its signature peanut candy, which has a mild and savoury nutty taste, is one of these products.



For a hearty chicken-based meal, you can't go past either Yong Suan's nasi ganja, Aun Kheng Lim's salted chicken or the well-known beansprout chicken with rice/flat noodles. Besides Cowan Street who only serves flat noodles, Lou Wong and Ong Kee (located diagonally opposite each other) do offer both options. Their chicken was good but their juicy crunchy beansprouts were definitely the star of the dish.



A street or two away is Aun Kheng Lim and its award-winning salted chicken. Believe it or not, this is the shop's one and only product. Whole chickens are marinated and baked before being nicely packaged in boxes. They're ready to go as soon as you place your order and make payment. The cost is RM33 per chicken which I believe is great value for money.



As for nasi ganja, it is basically the nickname given to nasi kandar over here. In exchange for RM7, you'll receive rice served with ayam merah, salted egg and veggies and 'flooded' with curries. The takeaway queue does get very long, especially during peak lunchtime. Dine-in would just be as crowded. However, the service is efficient, I must say. Yong Suan Restaurant can be found at 2 Jalan Yang Kalsom. They are open every day except Fridays.



Ipoh's food scene is well and truly alive. So, why not delight your senses and embark on a culinary adventure next time you're in the vicinity! For international tourists, dare I say your trip to Malaysia won't be complete without a visit to this foodie paradise.



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