River Nile Cafe & Bistro @ The Lost World of Tambun, Ipoh

With my job posting in Singapore, I'm running out of things to blog. I digged into my collection and surprisingly found this hidden gem that I missed out all the way from 2011. I doubted if I shall post it, because not sure if my experience still relevant or maybe the place has changed since my last visit. However decided to blog about it anyway, because it's a very nice place. An alternative dining place for folks in Ipoh, doubt many people know about it.


The place is located in the Lost World Tambun by Sunway City Ipoh. It's a little quiet here at night, but it's beautifully decorated and I love it.


This is the River Nile restaurant located within the Lost World Tambun, and looking at the photo alone, you would have to agree that it's a very nice place. The soothing lightings, beautiful plants, wooden table with Egyptian theme. Sunway obviously put lots of effort into this place. Those are the open air dining tables with bar for those that fancy some drinks and natural air.


There are internal section as well, fully air-conditioned with huge settings for lots of tables. The environment is very comfortable, and it's almost close to fine dining level, you will love it, and it's definitely a place for falling in love.

Chung Kee "Dai Shu Geok" @ Ipoh

In Ipoh, there are lots of good food around, but then everyone is asking me what else to eat in Ipoh? I tell them yong tau fu, then they said isn't the best yong tau fu is in Ampang? I replied, yes, because Ipoh's style yong tau fu is not called as such. We called them liu fun. Don't know how to explain, but it's been that way for long long time. It's almost the same thing basically, just that we don't eat them with rice.


This is the famous Chung Kee "Dai Shu Geok" in Ipoh. Dai Shu Geok meaning Big Tree Foot. The name is given because Chung Kee is originally located below a very big tree, so Ipoh people call the place Big Tree Foot rather than Chung Kee. It's well known, any Ipoh people will be able to point the direction.


New outlet, more spacious, more hygienic, and more comfortable. I personally don't like it, because I think it lost its charm of being a neighbourhood stall churning out good food. However, with a baby in tow, this environment is definitely more convenient for family. Appreciate it also.

Akamomiji Japanese Restaurant @ Ipoh

Visited this place time ago, and since I'm free now, trying to clear off my outstanding posting as much as possible. If you are in Ipoh, and suddenly craving for Japanese food, how? Every town will have some nice places for these kind of food, and in Ipoh, I introduce you the Akamomiji Japanese Restaurant. Most of the Ipoh boys and girls will know this place, as they serve one of the cheapest and best quality food in the town.


Akamomiji Japanese Restaurant, located in the new shop lots within the Ipoh Garden East. It's not hard to find, and it takes up 2 lots with rooms available.


Interior, the bar counter is all clean and sleek. It's not one of the best looking restaurant, but they do looks professional. Talked to the owner and their fish are directly imported from Japan every Tuesday. So if you are looking for fresh Japanese fish, go on Wednesday. Not sure if they have changed that though. Why run so far to KL for a Japan fish lunch/dinner?

Kong Heng Coffee Shop @ Ipoh

This is one of the Ipoh folks all-time favourite place for food, and it's been here forever, older than myself. I don't know how old is this building, but my dad used to frequent this shop when he is still a kid. So go figure, and according to my dad, it maintained exactly the same on how they serve their food, the table, chair and etc. It's really a better place to visit if you are interested with history rather than visiting Ipoh's museum, as it's actually quite crap. Let's take a closer look at the Kong Heng Coffee Shop located in the old town.


The forever standing Kong Heng Coffee Shop lcoated in the old town part of the Ipoh and it's one of the most important nostalgic icon for Ipoh town.


How it looks like within Kong Heng, high ceiling, big column, old floor tiles, steel & wooden window, marble table and wooden chair. Amazing. You just need to take a closer look around the entire shop, it's like that since many many years ago, before I'm even born. No changes, everything is the same. Incredible.

So what's the highlight of this place? Why they can maintain the flow of crowd until today? Let's look at the food, it taste exactly same since I'm kid, and it's wonderful.

Foh Sam Dim Sum Restaurant @ Ipoh

Everyone know what Ipoh is famous of. Pretty girls, taugeh chicken and of course, the Dim Sum as well. Growing up in Ipoh, it's part of the culture to go eat Dim Sum in the morning with the whole family, and we did just that, but only with a new member, my baby boy =)

If you are from Ipoh, then you will know the Dim Sum in other town is really bad, not that they are not good, but not as good as Ipoh. Lots of people can't tell the difference, but it's quite obvious actually. However, I don't really like to visit the Dim Sum restaurant in Ipoh, because it's always packed, there are exemption though. We go nonetheless because it's been really long time since we gather for morning Dim Sum. Choice of restaurant, the new majestic Foh San restaurant in the town. It's the most recognised name for Dim Sum around Malaysia and it's also the most packed restaurant. Holiday season, just want to enjoy the crowd sometimes =) Let's see.


It's best to have a lot of people when eating dim sum, as that's when you can order a lot of variety and test every bit of the specialty they can offer. It's pointless to eat dim sum with just 2-3 person. With an army of us, we ordered the above. So beautiful, abundance of wealth (as chinese put food as wealth. the more you put, the more wealthy you are, hehe. that's why chinese like to put mirror opposite the dining table to double the food / wealth).

Best Claypot Yee Mee @ Keay Teow Mee Stall, Ipoh

I've been always a big lover to Yee Mee, and the story all started from this place where my parents used to bring us for a good supper occassionally. Claypot Yee Mee here is so good that it's the only thing I will order no matter what my parents said. Let's check out the best Claypot Yee Mee in Ipoh.


Now the name is a bit funny, Keay Teow Mee stall, it has been there since I'm little boy, like as long as I can remember. So don't expect people can spell very well last time. This stall is located just right along the famous Tong Sui Kai next to the Sam Tet School, some kind of Wai Sek Kai in other places. The shop looks exactly the same as when I'm a little kid, nothing changed, talk about tradition.


Last time, an old man used to prepare the food, but now supposingly the family take over. Multiple stove for claypot yee mee with stacks of eggs and bowls, exactly how I remember it looks like.


Now this is the Claypot Yee Mee that I've been talking about. It's yummilicious that I will come back here just for a pot of this, and I can wallop this even after a supper. This pot of yee mee has a very special smell, and my family used to make jokes that it smell like dead rats. Weird that they think it smell funny, but in fact, it's so tasty that even the smell fill the entire open stall space. I went back the other day just to snap this photograph, and somehow it does not taste as good as last time. Probably because change of the chef, but it's still very good. The recipe is still the same, strong soup taste and special Yee Mee they are using. The smell is still very strong and I still love this place. It might not be the best Claypot Yee Mee anymore for you guys out there, but I will still vote this place as the best Claypot Yee Mee, talk about 30 years churning out the same food non stop.

This stall is also famous for a Ipoh cuisine, that most of my KL friends have no idea what is it. It's call Hor Hee Fun. Try it out next time, so far I only know it's available in Ipoh, no other place serve it =P


If your stomach still have space, don't miss out the stall beside Keay Teow Mee stall. It served very delicious wrapped braised chicken and braised tofu. It's very very delicious but not that healthy, you should know looking at the oil in the photo. But it's very nice, do try it out!

Road side stall and hawkers, don't expect tip-top cleanliness, but if you miss out Tong Sui Kai in Ipoh, you have never been to Ipoh actually. It's part of the traditional food culture in Ipoh, and they have been here for many many years. Again, road side stalls, price also reasonable, so don't worry. There are even Wan Tan Mee that's selling for RM1.60, so go enjoy yourself =)

Keay Teow Mee
Ipoh Tong Sui Kai (or known as Titiwangsa Roadside Hawker Stalls)
Location Coordinate: N4 35.723 E101 05.235

Dragon One @ Ipoh

There are these Shanghainese restaurants sprouting all around KL over the last 2 years and everyone know how Shanghai Dumpling taste like. The same is happening in Ipoh and my mum brought me over to try out this Ipoh very own Shanghainese restaurant named Dragon One. Yea, the name is a little of copy cat to i-Dragon but that's just the English name. Their chinese name is more meaningful, and it's definitely creative.



Since the opening of this restaurant, it has been drawing crowds and my parents are part of the group that love their food very much. Let's see how they fare agaisnt the giant player in KL.


Dragon One opened its restaurant right in the middle of the famous De Garden in Ipoh, and that's the hottest place in Ipoh as when I'm writing. If you are looking for Korean food, Pappa Rich, Tutti Fruitti, Japanese food, and etc, it's all here. It's one of the famous hangout place for Ipoh people day and night.

Back to the restaurant, the entrance is facing the main parking area of De Garden and as you can see, it's targetted to local folks. Very heavy chinese styled and decorated, however, it's not that important as we are more concern about the food quality.

Soon Fatt Restaurant @ Ipoh

More Ipoh food to come and this time I'm going to show you the best fried noodles. This tiny shoplot named Soon Fatt Restaurant is opened before my dad is born and my grandfather love to eat here. Then my dad has been eating here since he is very very young until now he brought his children around. If the shop is still open later, I will also bring my children to eat here, the food is good and importantly, that's part of Ipoh Heritage.



What's very impressive is that the food taste exactly same as 50 years ago when my dad ate it. Till today, it's still very good and nice. I'm trying to make it a habit to eat there everything I go back Ipoh, just a very homey feeling I'm experiencing. Let's go to food.

Wong Koh Kee Restaurant @ Ipoh

Ipoh is filled with lots of good food, and it's going to take me forever to introduce everything to you all. One of the very important restaurant that I need to cover is the Wong Koh Kee restaurant.



This restaurant is located in "Yee Lai Hong" meaning mistress lane. I'm not sure why its name like that, even my dad don't know why. I suppose last time lots of people keep their mistress here =P

Anyway back to the restaurant, the location is in the Ipoh old town and it's located off the main street just right opposite the famous Kong Heng & Thean Chun Restaurant.



So what's good in this restaurant? "Tai Chow".  It's a very very old restaurant that serve very good chinese food. They only open during lunch time, and we got there around 12pm. It's already very packed.

We took a while for wait for our table and ended up sitting at the shop beside the Koh Kee, only thing is we need to order drinks from them. And that give us a good surprise as well. Read on.

Chemor Villages Restaurant @ Chemor

Another prime food spot in Ipoh, and my duty to present a very good place for Claypot Sang Yu (Claypot Snakehead Fish) or known as Ikan Haruan in Malay.This place is located in Chemor, as the name suggest, Chemor Villages Restaurant. It's almost a 15 minutes drive from Ipoh, considering no traffic congestion condition in Ipoh area =)


The frontage of the new shop for Chemor Villages Restaurant in Chemor, Perak. They used to operate at the side of the road in a hawker type condition, and they have just recently moved to this new place, cleaner, more spacious, and no doubt better environment. Good thing is that they are not charging more expensive that earlier place. Bravo on that.

This place is actually quite far (15 minutes from town) to Ipoh-an eyes, so we don't normally went that far for lunch. My friend loves this place very much, and most of the time I'm eating at this place is with him. No exclusion this time, we were there last two weeks ago.

Funny Mountain Tau Fu Fa @ Ipoh

I am a Ipoh guy so naturally I received lots of questions on what & where is the good food in Ipoh. I did mapping for my friends from time to time and this particular place deserves an extra highlight. I'm going to show you the best Tau Fu Fa in the town. There is nothing comparable in KL or Malaysia, so far.



The shop open up in the morning and this is the usual sight at the front of the shop. It's a drive, eat and pay system. All cars will be lining up and wait for their turn, while the kids will run around serving the food.



This shop is crazily famous for its soya & tau fu fa, and the name of the shop is Funny Mountain Soya Bean. That's a funny name, but it doesn't matter when the food is that good. No need to mention the name, all ipoh mari will know this tau fu fa shop. My dad told me that this shop has been around when he is still a boy, that's almost 40-50 years ago. Nice.

Loi Fatt Claypot Yee Mee @ Ipoh

Got lots of long overdue post that's hanging in my draft box, too busy to complete it. Anyway, I went back to hometown last weekend and my dad told me there is this BEST Claypot Yee Mee in town, saying I must try. I love yee mee since I'm in high school and am always in search for the better one wherever I go. So off we go to try it out at Loi Fatt Restaurant in Ipoh for breakfast.


Loi Fatt Restaurant is fully packed when we got there. 90% of the crowd is consuming Claypot Yee Mee, what a sight.

Tung Lok Hin Restaurant - Bak Kut Teh @ Ipoh

This is one of the long overdue post, but definitely something not to miss for all my readers. Food, and back to Ipoh again. Ipoh is really packed with nice food everywhere.

We are looking for some meaty breakfast, so opted for Bak Kut Teh, but the original shop we frequented , Soon Lee Bak Kut Teh, was closed for the day. We ended up in this restaurant just a street away. It looks good, packed and the aroma of the meat is pulling us in to grab a table.


Tung Lok Hin Restaurant that sell only Bak Kut Teh in the morning. Can you see the people standing around the shop waiting for seats? Don't let the shop bad appearance drive you away.

Kedai Hong Kong Oil Chicken & Roast Duck @ Ipoh

It's been a while since I go back Ipoh, so this time, I'm craving for some local specialty that I have been consuming since kindergarten. I suppose as a Ipoh guy, I should have introduce more Ipoh food for all of you, so let's see.

The best duck rice in Ipoh, but I think it's also the best in Malaysia. I haven't found another duck rice that's better than this one, agreed by my wife. Sometimes it's personal preference, but duck lover wouldn't want to miss this.


The two shoplots entrance located at Tasek. Been eating here since I'm in Kindergarten.