Day 3 Finale - Foh San Dim Sum, Ipoh Old Town & Funny Mountain Taufu Fah!

Most of my friends were either drunk or too tipsy on the wedding dinner! Somehow I managed not to get drunk :) as I wanted to utilise my last day in Ipoh by taking Jenn to taste some of the much mentioned about food in Ipoh. Initially I wanted to ask my friends to join me on the excursion but looking at their states yesterday, I knew that it was impossible. Both Jenn & I woke up early in the morning and walked to Foh Sam for breakfast. Oh yes... we stayed in Excelsior Hotel which was near (I mean.. very near) Foh San. As a matter of fact, I could see Foh San from the hotel room that we stayed in.

at 8.30am, the street was already bustling with activities. Some tried to make $$$ by selling balloons in front of the restaurant. If Sher Ryn was here, she'd beg me to buy one for her :)

The new Foh San was huge! Occupying at least 4-5 shoplots, the proprietor has done a great job in renovating and turning the whole place into a very modern looking and grand restaurant. Even Jenn commented on why there isn't such place in Klang Valley. She loves this place!

Clockwise from the top - Foh San's sign; Chinese tea (a must for us everytime we eat dim sum) & reception table in front of the entrace. Personally I think it's useless to have the reception table because it didn't serve any purpose at all. Lucky for both of us that we arrived early as there were still some empty tables, as the restaurant became chaotic 15 minutes later when every table was taken and those who arrived late would literally stand next to you (if they noticed that you almost finished the food). It was hard to enjoy our tea after the meal which we usually did in KL. The people at Foh San should have started the numbering system in order to be more systematic.

The selection of dim sum at Foh San was extensive. When we arrived, the waitress would push the cart to your table and asked you to pick your choice. And when the place reached its full capacity, I had to literally shout but everything fell into deaf ears. So I took everything into my own hands - when the fresh dim sum(s) were rolled out from the kitchen, I just walked over with the order chit and picked those that I wanted & brought back to my table.

Most of their dim sum(s) were good! Fresh from the kitchen, I love the fact that they were still hot and smoking! clockwise from top - steamed HK style CCF (smooth skin and fresh prawn); juicy and tasty char siew bao; must-order siew mai; and crispy Wu Kok with delicious pork filling!

Clockwise from top - delectable har gao (prawn dumpling); bouncy and fresh tasting fishballs; full of wok hei stir fried radish cake; and something similar to har gao (but with mango slice and other filling which I have forgotten). At the end, we left our tables to a few polite ladies who had been patiently waiting for us.

We checked out of our hotel shortly after that and drove to Ipoh Old Town (No! not the chain) area in search for a good cup of famous Ipoh White Coffee! In fact, my friends and I wanted to sip coffee at one of the restaurants here but my Garmin didn't recognise that some of the roads had been converted into one-way-street. This time I had to rely on my sense of direction again! Arriving at Jalan Bandar Timah where most of the famous coffeeshops were located, we could not find any parking and those available ones were guarded by touts trying to make easy money.

I didn't want to let them profit so easily and therefore, I parked along Jalan Bijeh Timah where a number of Indian shops were located there.

Jenn & I strolled along this small lane that led to Jalan Bandar Timah where most of the old school kopitiams were located. Love this shot as Jenn didn't even realise that I was photographing her :) my lovely wife!

My destination?? Kedai Kopi Nam Chau as I have read rave reviews on their dry curry noodle as well as white coffee. The place was packed with people as we arrived. Somehow we managed to secure a table located almost at the end of the shop.

Clockwise from top - the task of preparing noodle was given to the foreign worker (indication that we are getting lazier); plump & juicy bean sprout; and the interior of the coffeeshop.

As both of us were quite full from having dim sum earlier, we couldn't order much here. The iced white coffee was normal even though it was packed with flavour. Reading j2kfm's blog, I had high expectation on their coffee and that's why I was disappointed in the end. It tasted like they had brewed the coffee earlier and just poured into the glass and served immediately.

However, their dry curry noodle wow-ed me! Opting for the normal sar hor fun, the dish came with chicken shreds, char siew, and a few plump prawns. Doused in rich curry gravy, all you need to do is to squeeze the lime in order to enjoy the combination of spicy, sour and sweet flavour gravy that enveloped all of the hor fun. One of the best dry curry noodle that one can find in Ipoh!

Slightly oily but it really didn't matter at all!! The taste trumped everything else.

Jenn & I were practically full after the meal but we wanted to end our trip in a sweet note. So what place is more suitable than the famous Funny Mountain taufu fah? Now here was where the story took a funny twist. I punched in the street name (Jalan Theatre) into my GPS and it led me all the way to Pasir Pinji area. Apparently there was a street by the name of Jalan Theatre in that area too :P anyway, we made it back to the town area where the stall was located after realising our mistake!

All the cars that stopped to ta-pao or just to enjoy a bowl of taufu fah in the comfort of their cars.

Operated by a few family members, they were enjoying brisk business as the customers kept pouring in. All of them seemed very busy running here and there just to serve the sweet desserts.

However, they were very friendly and accommodating when I asked them questions. They even let me took pictures despite blocking their path :P

Both of us sat on the small stools provided near their stall and enjoyed the silky smooth taufu fah that was doused in ginger-flavoured sugar syrup in the hot weather! Of course, you can opt for gula melaka syrup or any combinations that suit your taste.

whoops! Caught in the act!

Leo's verdict - after the dessert, we started our 5 hours++ journey back to Pahang as we missed Sher Ryn very much! This was the last time that both Jenn & I got to spend time together before little Keith finally arrived one month later!

Restoran Foh San
51, Jalan Leong Sin Nam
30300 Ipoh, Perak
Tel: 05-2540308
*Closed on Tuesday

Kedai Kopi Nam Chau
54, Jalan Bandar Timah
30000 Ipoh, Perak
*closed on Saturdays (weird huh?)

Funny Mountain Soybean & Traditional Tau Fu Fah
49, Jalan Theatre,
30300 Ipoh, Perak.
Tel No : 016 595 0369

Disclaimer:
1) I'm not paid to promote/endorse any particular event, restaurant or person in this blog. ALL are based on my unbiased personal opinion.
2) My reviews are based on my personal taste and preference and therefore may vary for others.

Cempaka Village @ Jalan PJU 1/45, Aman Suria PJ

I first came to know about this place from masak-masak's (http://masak-masak.blogspot.com) blog. However, I kinda forgotted about this place completely after that. One morning while I was driving in Aman Suria area to look for places for breakfast, I spotted Cempaka Village sign.

A quick chat with the owner revealed that she was the proprietor of Molly's Place in Damansara Kim. She relocated here after the building was sold to the Dragon-i Group and converted into their management office - and then changed the concept to Penang fares, hawker style :) Jenn loved to go to Molly's Place for dessert while on her way back from work in the past. Looking at the interior, it was less formal compared to Molly's Place.

Char koay teow with duck egg @ RM5.80 - a few of those handful places that offer duck egg with CKT. Throw in plump & juicy bean sprout, lap cheong (waxed sausage) as well as some cockles ("si ham" to the Chinese) and it's good to go. I love the fact that it was slightly spicy and the duck egg provided good aroma to it, but somehow it lacked of what we love about fried dishes - WOK HEI!! Not bad tasting though

Otak-otak toast set @ RM3.50 - Contrary to Otak-otak Place that serves the toasted breads and otak-otak separately, this place did everything for you. The layer of otak-otak was quite thick and it was still hot, making it a good toast :)

Barley Fu Chuk @ RM2.00 - Jenn loved her bowl of barley fu chuk as it was thick and flavourful.

Leo's verdict - Opened for business from 8am to 7.30pm. I noticed that they also serve economy rice to cater to the working crowds but of course, from lunch onwards. The food here is priced slightly higher than the hawker stall counterpart but served in a much nicer and cleaner environment. Service is also fast and friendly.

Cempaka Village
D-G-31, Jalan PJU 1/45
Aman Suria
Petaling Jaya

Disclaimer:
1) I'm not paid to promote/endorse any particular event, restaurant or person in this blog. ALL are based on my unbiased personal opinion.
2) My reviews are based on my personal taste and preference and therefore may vary for others.

Favola @ Le Meridien Hotel KL

I think that the first blog I read on Favola was through Sean's eatdrinkkl. I wondered where this new restaurant was located until I realised that al-nafourah was closed and replaced by Favola. Soon more and more bloggers started to flock to the new Italian restaurant and came back with good reviews. Well, if self-proclaimed Italian food lovers like Sean raved about this place, what could possibly go wrong right??

So one night when Sher Ryn was under my in-law's supervision, Jenn & I came here for a date! We used to go out on date a lot in the past, and dating was something that I love to do with someone I love. Don't get me wrong, my definition of dating is very simple - does not necessarily means going out for expensive meal or vacation. What matters to me was the fact that there were just the two of us spending time together, chatting the night away. Since Sher Ryn was born, those opportunities got lesser and lesser. That's why I treasure the time that both of us had together :)

I must have not come here for a long time as I was surprised to see the entrance of Le Meridien's brightly lid with artworks. Googling further, I plagiarised alilfatmonkey's description of this artwork "Earlier this year, Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur has transformed its hotel entrance into an art portal, commissioning the unique work of Chinese artist, An Xiaotong entitled ‘Everywhere’. Upon arrival at the hotel, guests are welcomed with striking colours displayed at the hotel entrance and ceiling along a narrow walkway. With the intention of resetting the guests’ mind when entering the hotel, the art piece features extended branches in bold red branches against electric blue to exemplifies a network of cities that spans everywhere throughout the world." Credit has to be given to this profilic and funny blogger :)


Taking the lift to Level 8 where the Middle Eastern restaurant Al-Nafourah once operated, we were shown to our table (why? You think that I would risk not having table on weekend evening? Hell no... I made reservation two days earlier)

Complimentary breads with 3 different dippings were absolutely spot on - one of the best in town. The breads were freshly baked and the variety of dippings were delicious enough to whet my appetite to gorge on the main course later.

After cracking my head, I settled for Risotto con Aragosta @ RM45 - lobster, lemon zest, and green pea foam. What I love about this dish was the distinctive taste of the lobster.. the portion was generous and I loved it to bits! Risotto lovers take note :)

Jenn's choice of Conchiglioni marinata al cartoccio @ RM40 was a right one - baked parcels with seafood (clams, scallops & lobsters to name a few), extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs and tangy tomato sauce. Topped with melted cheese on top, shell pastas were used to "trap" the sweet & flavourful sauce and went straight into your mouth. The result??? Fantastic is all that I can think of to describe this dish!

I was in the mood for something alcoholic so I ordered this Vibetini @ RM30 - lychee, sugar syrup, vodka and a dash of midori. Sweet but I think that the alcohol content was not potent enough!

Cassata @ RM20 - layered ice-cream with a few different type of flavour. The recipe remained a secret that Chef Antoine & his friend (who gave him the recipe and made him swear not to reveal it) know. I wonder why all of you didn't try it as this was perhaps one of the best ice-cream I'd tasted in my life!!!

Leo's verdict - Before my starwood card expires end of Sept 2010, I definitely will come here to savour on their other dishes again! Two thumbs up for Favola as it made into my Top 10 Italian restaurants!

Nathalie's Gourmet Studio @ Solaris Dutamas

Having lunch with a bunch of food bloggers is fun! Imagine a group of people come together to share a common passion - FOOD (obviously). Simply introduce yourself if you spotted unfamiliar faces and then just sit down and chat while waiting for the food to arrive. Everyone will whip out their usual weapon - camera - to take pictures of the place and its surrounding while waiting for the food to arrive. For the pros, normally you'd see them with DSLR while simple guy like me are always armed with my trusty 1 year old Canon Ixus :) Similar scene can be seen when the food arrive where no one can touch the food or drink until the cameras have finished snapping!

However, I have to be as efficient as most of them in posting up this blog, especially Becky of thenomadgourmand fame who had posted up about this place 2 days after the outing. Every other posts will have to wait. It's only a matter of time before Memoirs of a Chocoholic post her write-up. For me, I don't wanna ketinggalan jauh by posting this blog a few months later (judging at my speed in posting up new blogs right now).

The decision to join them at Nathalie's was last minute. I had to make sure that the time is right as there were a lot of things to do on that day itself. Jenn and I made it on time :) locating this place wasn't easy as it was my second time going to Solaris Dutamas (the first time went to The Pink Sage which was facing the main road). But being a person who has good sense of direction, nothing is too difficult for me :P

Joa-Quim arrived earlier than us while Becky came shortly. We were shown to our table which was outside the restaurant itself. Honestly, the chairs were very short and thus making it rather hard to dine comfortably.

I like the place a lot - the decor was simple and contemporary, everything inside and outside were neat & tidy. There was a corner where they actually sell the macarons but the section was rather crampy with only a small passage.


I managed to snap a picture of Chef Nathalie herself in the kitchen where they prepare all the food for the customers. There is another kitchen which is used to conduct culinary classes.

Complimentary freshly baked breads were served together with butter. Still warm & fresh, every bite on its crunchy outer crust was a delight! However, I still prefer Prego's version of bread :P

Jenn ordered the Ricotta & Herb Raviolis, Carrot & Ginger Broth (RM30). It was a hit for me. Personally, I think that the carrot & ginger broth was superb! Its puree was orange coloured and sweet - I never knew that these 2 could make a perfect match. Halfway through the meal, I switched my meal with Jenn's!

Jerine (it's nice to meet you) and I meanwhile had the Chicken & King Prawns with fennel ragout & bisque sauce (RM37). Another lovely creation from Nathalie's that made me craving for more. The bisque sauce was simply fantastic & added another notch to the already great dish!

Joa-Quim ordered 2 dishes - 1) Revised Momotaro Tomato Mozzarella (RM23) as starter; and 2) Beef Cheek Bourguignon with fresh pastas (RM47) as the main course. I managed to try the starter (thanks J) and was completely blown off by the sweet tomato jelly at the bottom (made by pure tomato juice). The accompanying fresh tomato was just... well, you know, FRESH! And the basil cream on top was good too!

No comment on the beek cheek dish as I don't eat beef (so does Jenn) but you finished the whole plate right, J??? LOL!!! It looked very nice though (how I wish that I could take beef)

Becky started with Vegetable Quiche, mixed lettuce with preserved lemon dressing (RM18). The quiche was packed with flavour and still hot inside, a perfect comfort food.

by the time her Nathalie's Revised Chicken Nuggets with emmental cheese dip & Ratatouille (RM15) arrived, she was already not feeling well. Looking at the Ratatouille, I could not help but to think that it looked the same as Hakka Mui Choi! DOn't blame me because first, I have never seen a real Ratatouille dish before and second, I thought that it should somehow look the same or at least similiar to what I've seen in the Pixar's movie Ratatouille... LOL! What happened to this dish in the end?? Most probably ended up in someone else's stomach I assume :P

Jenn's Virgin Mojito (RM11) was refreshing!

Joa-Quim ordered the All Chocolate Dessert (RM15) to complete her meal. Trust this girl when she said that the dessert was good because she's a Chocoholic after all!

Another thing that Nathalie's is famous for is the Macarons. There were a few who claimed that her macarons are the best in KL so far. Costing at RM4.40++ per piece, I had the Praline and Black Sesame to be shared between both of us. Jenn said that it was too sweet and being someone who can withstand sweet stuff, I somehow had to agree with her. Flavour-wise it was great though!

Leo's verdict - My Saturday lunch started well and ended very well! Wished that I could stay a while longer but since Jenn had doctor appointment, we had to leave early. Before that I managed to meet up with Paranoid Android and Ciki who came here around 2pm for their lunch appointment. It was rather embarassing moment for me when PA actually didn't recognise me (who happened to sit right in front of him) and asked "Where's Thule?"

Nathalie's Gourmet Studio
Unit A4-01-5
Solaris Dutamas
Jalan Dutamas 1
Kuala Lumpur

KTZ Food @ SS2 PJ

We, the Chinese, simply love dessert! I'm not sure if we are the race that invented the concept of dessert but one thing for sure, we are very good at coming out with a lot of choices for desserts.

In KL, we are spoilt with choices to satisfy our sweet teeth. So many places have sprung up lately but there is one that will always hold a special place in my heart. KTZ Food or simply called "Kei Tak Sik" (Remember to eat in Cantonese) have been doing brisk business for a very long time. Originated from Kepong Baru (their very first outlet), they have actually opened up branches in 1Utama, SS2 and Jalan Imbi (but has since moved to Low Yat Plaza). Their former Jalan Imbi outlet was the one that I patronised the most when I came to KL more than 13 years ago! I remember that it used to be the IT thing to bring girls here for desserts. Back then, it was quite easy to charm the way into their heart with sweet desserts :P just like what I did!

Enough of the history lesson, it's time to get back to the desserts. The time I came to their SS2 outlet, they had just renovated the entire premise. Now the outlet spotted modern Oriental feeling. All the spaces are utilised by using square or rectangular tables. coming here at night and you would normally be greeted by the sight of this! (full house) Normally the turnover is rather fast as some patrons would leave as soon as new customers come. I was considered lucky that night as a table was made available when I arrived.

Jenn & I normally come here for their dessert, be it hot or cold. For me there is one and only one thing that I will order - Mango Loh @ RM6.00. Probably one of the best place to feast on this delectable and sweet stuff in Klang Valley.

Jenn has this Peanut butter (Fa Sang Wu) @ RM2.60 - too sweet to our liking, very artificial. Chef Loong (also in SS2) whip out kick-ass fa sang wu IMHO!

Wall band @ RM3.80 - I wonder how they came up with this English name. It's woh beng in Cantonese :P this dish is actually lotus seed paste. Taste-wise was OK, however the crust was not crispy.

Leo's verdict - Apart from dessert, they also offer some other food items in the menu - all with the hits and misses. One particular dish that I like is their Noodle with preserved vegetable and minced meat, Not really a good place to chat as it was very noisy. Located on the same row with Sanbanto, expect this place to be packed with patrons at nights and parkings are hard to find. If you are patient enough, you can reward yourself with a bowl of sweet dessert to cool yourself down afterwards.

P.S: I just noticed that Joe of lotsofcravings just posted a blog on KTZ in Kepong :) check him out