Ipoh-My Heritage City

Born and bred in Ipoh, a beautiful city 200 km in the north of Malaysia's capital, KL is something I am proud of. Well, I guess everyone carries the same pride for their hometown. History of Ipoh dates back to 1880++ during the British colonial era and there are many historical buildings still preserved nicely in the Old Town and New Town. Hence, making it one of the oldest cities in Malaysia together with KL, Penang, Malacca, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu (formerly known as Jesselton). Previously known as Paloh by the local folks (my parents still address her as Paloh), she rose to fame as the City of Millionaire after adjacent towns such as Taiping and Gopeng. When the tin value dropped in the market and tin mining gradually lost its popularity, she became a sleepy town for decades. Despite her slumber, she was well-known as the Heaven of Good Food. However, this title has been officially claimed by the neighbouring city, Penang. 

 Ipoh is definitely no stranger to Malaysians when it came to food hunting. I can honestly tell that when I asked my friends where to hunt for good food, they will only limit themselves to Ipoh and Penang. Ipoh is famous for chicken bean sprout (invented by the Wong siblings). This delicacy rose to fame due to the juiciness of the bean sprouts, smooth chicken, prawn-shelf soup and smooth silky 'hor fun'. Do not look down on the bean sprouts in Ipoh, as they are nourished and watered by the Kinta River, making them super fat and juicy! You can never find a more tasty bean sprout else where in Malaysia. This city is also full of coffee-maniacs where you will drink a coffee at least once a day otherwise your day will not complete. Known also as the City of White Coffee, she is of course famous for her white coffee. First invented by Sun Yuan Loong, the specialty of white coffee is that the coffee beans are roasted with milk before being brewed. However, the coffee got its fame Malaysia-wide from Nam Heong's brewing. For your information, these rivals are still facing each other in the Old Town after three generations of rivalry. I remember asking my mother why wasnt it white as the name implies. Not literally.

Old town white coffee
Source: www.holidaygogo.com

Chicken bean sprout
Source: asianstreetfood.wordpress.com

Other famous food include Dai Shu Geok (Foot of Big Tree) which serves yong taufu and noodles (famous country wide too). Its fame lead to other stalls in KL borrowing its name and popularity to attract customers but the owner denied having any branches outside of Ipoh (sole stall). The people in Ipoh also good in making taufu, and the most notable stall is Funny Mountain. I had been there almost everytime I go back and the taufufa is so nice and cheap (only at RM 1 or 2-I forgot). They even provide the drive-thru service where customers can eat in
the car and the bowls will be collected after satisfying indulgence. Ipoh trip will never be completed with dimsum. The dimsum in Ipoh is very different in KL where you can find prawns almost in every dimsum (KL only has pork in dimsum and prawns will be very limited). Foh San, Ming Court, Yoke Fook Moon and Chef Ah Fat are all dimsum restaurants and located on the same street (hence, the dimsum street). The restaurants are fully booked in the morning and on festivities. However, the one worth mentioning is Chui Yue Lou (chef came from Yoke Fook Moon), located at Ipoh Garden South. The dimsum is so big, juicy and cheap! Only 10 minutes drive from my home, I can savour the Hong Kong style dimsum.

Interactions between the Chinese and Indians also enable the Chinese to cook good curry. The most famous is Yee Fatt Curry located opposite to MGS (Methodist Girl School), followed by Nam Chau and Sun Seng Fat (both in Old Town) and also Diamond curry in Menglembu. The aroma of curry will make you crave for more and each restaurant has their own way of making curry so they have their own fans. I particularly find that the ice-kacang at Dung Gu Ting (Mushroom Hut) is the best I have tasted so far. The texture of the ice is smooth, unlike other ice-kacang in town which is rough and the sweetness is just nice (not too sweet). Another must-try food are the cendols at the Ipoh Garden roundabout, beside Pasir Pinji field and beside Bercham Road. Sold by both Chinese and Indians, the cendols quench your thirst on sun-glaring days.

Yee Fatt Curry
Source: www.j2kfm.com

Pasir Puteh is also famous for two delicacies, the fried 'nien gou' and machi. Located on the same street near Pasir Puteh market, the owners of these respective stalls sell at very reasonable price with genuine tasty snacks to preserve the taste which last for three generations. They are still selling at small stall with no license, just to provide good food to the folks without gaining huge profit and not taking anything for granted. I really salute them for their dedications and therefore, worth mentioning in my blog. I shall emphasize on the nien gou and machi, where the tastiness is beyond description. Each has their own way of making you melt them in your mouth, not your hand!

Confectionery in Ipoh lures many foreigners and Malaysians to buy mountains of biscuits to be distributed to beloved friends and family. Sin Eng Heong, famous for its kaya puff really make me crave for it whenever I go back for holidays. Situated very near to Funny Mountain and Octagon, the kaya puff has winning fans from all generations. Close relative of the owner of Sin Eng Heong is the owner of Ming Yue at Pasir Puteh. However, Ming Yue is only famous for mooncakes and peanut candies. Whenever Mooncake Festival is around the corner, there will be long queue for mooncakes everyday until the shop stops making them. I bought once and it is very delicious (even my aunt in Penang crave for it). Opposite to Ming Yue is Tuck Kee Duck, where the roasted duck is so crispy and juicy. Serve best with white rice (my parents' favourite). The ducks at Pasir Puteh have rival at Gunung Rapat, Sun Yeong Wai. Both have their own way of marinating and roasting the duck, therefore attract their own customers and fans over generations.

Wat Dan Hor
Source:www.j2kfm.com

Oh yeah, before I forget, fried noodles in Ipoh is represented by Tuck Kee (not to be confused with Tuck Kee Ducks). This fried noodle stall is situated next to Lou Wong (chicken bean sprout) and the wat dan hor and yue gong hor really made me crazy, in a good way. I will definitely call my day as cheat day when I visit this restaurant. Due to family conflicts, you can actually see another Tuck Kee next to it, Sun Tuck Kee (opened by the nephew). Not far from Tuck Kee is the Dessert Street, where you can find varieties of dessert and food. The sago lolo is one of the best attractions that keep me returning to this street. Aside from this, you can enjoy very tasty wanton mee, Pangkor curry mee and beef noodles. All with established fame and history, which will make you go extremely guilty for supper. Weng Seng egg tart also made it to the list with its crispy crunchy texture and mouth-watering egg paste. The food in Ipoh can never been listed all at once as they are too many to mention. Also, these food that I mentioned have survived for at least three generations.

Another thing Ipoh is proud of producing is beautiful girls and handsome boys. Haha, not to be narcissistic but this had been told since my grandparents' time. My mother once told me that Ipohans were drinking the water from Kinta River so the natural beauty of oneself was preserved (but who drinks it now? so dirty). Below is a conversation I encountered which led me to this entry.

New friend: Where are you from?
Me: I am from Ipoh
New friend: Oh, no wonder you are good-looking

Please dont kill me for this but there is also an article in a Chinese newspaper (forgot which paper) which has the headline 'The outflow of Ipoh beautiful girls'. I dont know the content of the article (banana here) but from the headline, I guess it said that the beauties went out to work in other cities than retaining in Ipoh, therefore the outflow.

After all, Ipoh is still the best city to live in, at least for me. Being listed as one of the great retirement cities in 2014 by US News & World Report, she has yet to be listed by UNESCO as the world heritage site, which Penang and Malacca did. Although the history of Ipoh is not as old as Penang (1700++) and Malacca (1400++), she is still a charming and breath-taking city. The folks might not need Ipoh to be recognized internationally as she is already our heritage city in our heart, preserving her with all we could. I was tempted to write this entry as I will be leaving for Ipoh for the weekend (the first time in 2015, after Christmas in 2014). Till then, see you!