Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan - Teluk Intan, Perak

This small town is synonymous with the most famous clock tower in Malaysia, the Leaning Tower of Teluk Intan. Of course, being the place where the latest by-election was held, Teluk Intan got its fair shares of publicity nationwide. Being my ancestors resting place, I visited Teluk Intan at least once a year, basically during the Chinese Ching Ming festival (Tomb Sweeping Day). Approximately 2 hours drive from Kuala Lumpur, it is pretty accessible & often made a stopover for visitors on the way to Pangkor island. Unlike Penang or Ipoh, there's not much publicity given on the town's famous food & delicacies, which I said were underrated.

The most famous export from Teluk Intan is its chee cheong fun, a kind of rice noodle roll made of rice flour. Unlike the ones found in any other places, Teluk Intan chee cheong fun was a different version whereby the roll was wrapped with slices of lard meats & green chillies. When you think of Teluk Intan Chee Cheong Fun, you think of Liew Kee, widely known as the founder of chee cheong fun, Teluk Intan style. The store is open almost 24 hours daily, except between 2pm - 5pm where they are closed for break. Reason is they also supply their specialties to KL & other places besides the locals. Costing MYR 2.10 per roll & insistence of freshness, people from far & wide take orders & willing to wait for the rolls made fresh, by custom made machines. Our usual purchase costs MYR 100.00 plus for 10 packs, consists of 5 rolls each.

Chee Cheong Fun - Best eaten fresh after made on the spot

Customs made machine to cater for the ever increasing demands

Another local favourite & a must-visit for me each time I'm in Teluk Intan is Mee Rebus Mastan Ghani with 80 years history, located along Jalan Selat in town centre. Almost the same version as other mee rebus you can find across the states in Malaysia, this noodle has a distinct not too spicy flavor, allowing people from all walks of life & all ages to enjoy it. There are a few outlets around the town actually but food prepared are not fresh enough, relying on the origin store for the main dishes and still, the origin store serves the best quality. Currently, managed by the 3rd generation, the other sibling branched out and opened Mee Rebus Abdullah Mastan Ghani opposite The Store departmental store at Jalan Ah Cheong. Also popular with the locals, the latter served slightly spicier sauce. Drinks worth trying at both outlets are Ais Batu Campur (ABC) & Ais Bandung.

Mee Rebus Mastan Ghani - One plate is not enuff !!

Situated along the main road Jalan Changkat Jong going towards Teluk Intan town, it's hard not to miss out the M.Gulam Rasul restaurant. Looked like a typical mamak restaurant, the fried chicken served here are the best in town. Always a hot-seller, as soon as they been put on the big tray, the chickens will be quickly snapped up. Together with its specialty Nasi Briyani available all day long, the meal is made complete.



M.Gulam Rasul Fried Chicken - Hot seller. Juicy & always freshly fried at any times of the day

The Signature Briyani Rice. A must try

GPS Coordinates:
Liew Kee Chee Cheong Fun
N2 43.824 E101 56.197

Mee Rebus Mastan Ghani
N4 01.563 E101 01.198

Mee Rebus Abdullah Mastan Ghani
N4 02.477 E101 02.124

Restoran M Gulam Rasul
N4 10.389 E100 56.835



Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan - Seremban

Seremban city, being 1 hour drive away from Kuala Lumpur has always been a favourite stopover for the south-bound drivers. And here am I, dragging along some Seremban-based colleagues for a gastronomic trip in the city.

A must-eat food in Seremban has to be the famous Yee Kee beef noodles for breakfast. The original stall no 748 is located at the food court on top floor of the Seremban wet market. Coming here on normal weekend, you will need to wait at least 30 minutes for a bowl of beef noodles. That too, if you're lucky to get to find a place to sit. Best is to have this meal, dry type. The beef slices were tender, the machine-made noodles were smooth. The sauce? Hmmm...They just knew the right amount of special sauce to be put into the bowl. After u stir all all of them together in the bowl, u can see everything in the bowl were perfectly mixed. Not too dry, not too wet either. You need 2 bowls to be really enjoying this food. First bowl to get the first-hand taste of it. The second one is to enjoy the smoothness of the noodles, with its special sauce & the tenderness of the meat. It's no wonder even customers from Singapore dropped by here for it.


Dry beef noodles after being stirred

10 minutes away, is Restoran Yi Poh at Jalan Seng Meng Lee off Jalan Temiang to take its famous Dry Lou Shi Fun for lunch. Unlike the usual shorter version, this lou shi fun is longer, with smoother texture similar to the ones used for assam laksa. Except for the smooth texture of the noodles, nothing much special on this. Still, worth a try for the experience.

Yi Poh Lou Shi Fun

If you didn't pack siew pao (pastry filled with lard/chicken pieces) to be brought home, it's as if you never visit Seremban. This is Seremban most famous export, spreading far & wide to Singapore & even to China I heard and causing many imitation brands sprouted all over Klang Valley. Mind you, if you're looking for original Seremban brand siew pao in Klang Valley, only Kee Mei brand has actually expanded to other states. Here, I was brought to this Kedai Siew Pau Asia, situated just opposite Restoran Yi Poh. Here, u see freshly baked breads/pastries been taken immediately after being brought out from oven. Siew Pao is one of those pastries best taken while it's hot. Unlike many in KL, when you took it at first bite, you got to eat more of its meat fillings than its puffy layer and that hit the bull's eyes. Besides, it was not too sweet & clearly the best siew pao I've tasted.

One of many types of freshly made buns sold

Siew Pao, fresh from the oven

Lastly, got to stop at Kedai Makanan Seremban at Jalan Tuanku Munawir. At 4.30pm, you got to see people queuing up & looking for empty tables. Unsure if this is their late lunch or early dinner. Here, practically all tables have its famous baked crabs. The crabs baked with a sticky, special marmite-like sauce. Although slightly pricey at RM 48/kg then (unsure about the price now), the meat was fresh & baked at the right time, giving it a tenderly hot taste. It could have been better if they used a bigger-sized crabs. Probably due to longer time to bake bigger-sized crabs, they used medium sized ones instead.

Baked crabs

GPS Coordinates:
Stall 748, Yee Kee Beef Noodles
N2 43.824 E101 56.197

Restoran Yi Poh
N2 44.044 E101 56.421

Kedai Siew Pau Asia
N2 44.044 E101 56.421

Kedai Makanan Seremban
N2 43.977 E101 56.058

Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan - Tanjung Sepat

It's been a while since my last post about Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan, one of my favourite pastimes. Been posting photos to my Facebook album but judging from the many visits to my posts on this topic, probably it's a good idea to start it back.

Made a road trip to Tanjung Sepat during the last Raya holiday. It has been much hyped place after Jason (or locally known as Ah Xian) made his foodie visit for his show few years back. Arrived at this Jalan Pasar at Tanjung Sepat town at approx. 10.30 am to sample this much-talked-about seafood bak kut teh at Ah Hock Bak Kut Teh restaurant at Lorong 3. Twice, tried to come here for this but all foods been sold. So, it's pretty surprising that the food is still aplenty at this time. Probably, they stocked up for the holidays.

Dry bak kut teh

Seafood bak kut teh, with extra ingredients (prawns, fish fillets & squids) on top of the usual pork meat, local herbs, button mushrooms, beancurd & lettuce.

Verdict? Bak kut teh should just remain bak kut teh, which means using only pork meat. That "taste", from the seafood got into the soup and ended up giving it a counter productive taste. This is a classic example of "too much ingredients spoilt the soup". However, having able to get a slight taste of the original soup, even with the seafood in it, means it will taste alright without the seafood. The dry bak kut teh is alright, with the chunky, tender meats fried & made served at the right time. This is one of those dishes that need to be eaten once served as it will lost its taste when u leave it for too long in the open.

Few streets away, lies the famous Hai Yew Heng restaurant selling hand-made steamed buns (pao). I am a self-confessed lover of anything bread & been around to search for the best of the best. And mind u, this place serves one of the best that I've ever tasted. My favourite is the red bean pao. When u eat it, u can know immediately that this is a freshly grinded rich red bean paste and not the usual processed paste which gives u the jam-like texture. The demand was so great that each customer is only allowed to buy 5 pieces of pao's from any types available at that time. Nothing more. Best time is to come during normal weekend to buy the pao's of your choices, at your time.

Freshly made pao, before the steaming process



Red bean pao looked ordinary. When u got the skin layer peeled off at one go, u know ur in for a treat

Besides the pao restaurant, there's Kwo Zhab coffee shop, selling the famous Tanjung Sepat coffee powder, made by a Hainanese family. Not a coffee person & unable to offer my views if this is worth buying or not. However, for coming this far, we ought to buy some stuffs back home right? And this is one good option..:)



The coffee mixer in front of the shop

Unfortunately, didn't have much-touted seafood lunch at Baywatch restaurant or Batu Laut due to time constraints. Other attraction is the Lover's Bridge which is 10 minutes drive away. They said it's a great place for sunset view. A must-buy item when you are in Tanjung Sepat is the dragon fruit, otherwise called pitaya fruit. Sold cheaply at MYR 10.00 for a good 3 pieces. Better quality ones are sold at slightly steep MYR 8.00 per kilo.

Dragon fruit farm, You are allowed to visit it too

Freshly plucked dragon fruits for sale along the roadside

To go to Tanjung Sepat, best way is using Elite Highway. KLites can take MEX highway & connect to Elite highway after paying the last toll & get into KLIA toll. Look out for Sepang road signboard. In fact, this is the exact way to go to LCCT airport. Once u reach the traffic light near Formula One circuit, turn left and turn right after the next traffic light junction. From here, drive straight all the way for a good 45 minutes at least where u will drive pass Sungai Pelek town, some dragon fruits farms, palm oil plantations, housing estates & factories before reaching Tanjung Sepat town. Once u see a PETRONAS station on your left, keep to your left & turn left into Jalan Pasar where u will find all the stores mentioned above

Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan - Penang II (And Perak too)

Following up from my previous post of proposed crash course, makan-makan program to Penang under Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan - Penang. OK, maybe parts of Perak as well, since this is a road trip up north. Sharing with all on the food photos & my views of them



Char Siew Pau: Restoran Foh San, Ipoh - Fluffy, freshly made with chunky meats. There's feels of satisfaction already after seeing smokes out from the pau upon opening of one side.



Nasi Kandar: Line Clear Nasi Kandar - Talking about brand awareness, this is one name in everyone's mind whenever u mention Penang Nasi Kandar. Always fresh at any time of the day u want it. I really mean ANYTIME...

 

 

Durian ABC: Restoran Kek Seng - The best in Penang, a desert that I ate since my childhood days. Although the durian ice cream is no longer that pulpy as compared to yesteryears, still worthwhile to have it...

 

 

Fried Oyster: Restoran Seng Thor - This is fried oyster with eggs. Read me, Fried Oyster with Eggs & not Fried Eggs with Oyster. Enough said. Without doubt, the best in Penang

 

 

BBQ Drumsticks: New Lane hawker centre - Tastes better than wings and its a wonder why cant those be available in KL

 

 

Sar Hor Fun: New Lane hawker centre - Its that broth...Not too watery, not too dry either. By the time u finish eating the kueh teow, nothing is left on the plate, really.

 

 

Brown Sugar Pancake: Pulau Tikus market stall - No one else in M'sia have pancake of tis kind. Filled with brown sugar & grinded peanuts, giving the not-too-sweet flavour to it. Perfect for the one who crave simple breakie meal without compromising the glucose level
 



Fruit Rojak: Gurney Drive - Its hard to explain why Penang fruit rojak is only available in Gurney Drive. Main difference compared to the ones in KL are the sauces and the mangoes used. Try stall no 52, "Tan Swee Hoe" and stall no 39, "GP Soon".
 

 



Duck Egg Char Kueh Teow: Pulau Tikus market stall - People say duck eggs has high cholesterol. With the tantalizing aroma that comes with it, does anyone cares?
 

 



Steamed River Prawn: Restoran Luen Fong, Tanjung Tualang - The best prawn dishes ever !! One taste, & u wouldn't wanna eat any prawn dishes anywhere else. Juicy, meaty, fresh. Eat it original style, u will understand why people travel long hours from KL just to have this

 



Kueh Teow Soup: Restoran Onn Kee, Ipoh - It so smooth that u can slurp this from your mouth into stomach without u really realize it
 

 



Ipoh Bean Sprout: Restoran Onn Kee, Ipoh - What more can I say? Ipoh people are lucky lot for having first hand supply of this wonderfully created products of nature. U have to eat it to know how I felt about this one

 

 

 

 

Kota Kinabalu Bah !!

Continuing from previous posts of the climb to Kinabalu summit, we spent 2 days in the state capital before flying back to KL. It's already past 12 midnight by the time we finished dinner and shower. Slept soundly till next morning where we completely skipped breakfast to rest the tired bodies on the bed. The side effects? Not as bad as what I thought actually, not as claimed by some people that they're unable to walk for days. Only able to walk slowly & experiencing pains when walking up & down the stairs.

Because of our legs condition, resorted to visit & eat in places around the hotel vicinity only. The good news is Promenade Hotel is located in probably the best location in the city whereby foods & tourist attractions are pretty accessible by foot nearby. Took a cab ride to Suria Sabah shopping complex located nearby for window shopping.

One way to experience the local culture of a place is to visit the local market, which we did at Filipino night market located along the KK Waterfront. In one glance, the scene in the market just amazed u. U see unbelievably fresh seafood sold at unbelievably cheap price. Fresh vegetables from Kundasang sold as if they're for free. Imagine this, 1 bag consists of 10 pieces cucumbers costs only MYR 4.00 per bag. Multi racial people speaking to each other in local Malay accent. And all these happenings with the background of spectacular sunset scene. Besides the night market are the local handicraft market & dried seafood market.



Sunset at KK Waterfront

Fish market, u can see fishes delivered directly from boats to the stalls here

Fresh vegetables on sale. Notice the packed bags which are to be sold in bulks

Pearls sold at handicraft market

One reason of increasing repeat visitors to Kota Kinabalu is its famous fresh & cheap seafood. And to have the best seafood dinner with a reasonable price not necessarily need to be in a seafood restaurant with big aquarium. Few minutes walk away, makeshift restaurant stalls with "u pick, we cook" style, sprouted over a parking space. We got into this Seri 3 Rasa Seafood, displaying the largest choices of seafood I've ever seen on a single table. Fishes like seabass, trouts, pomfrets, groupers, all of them surprisingly are priced at fixed MYR 3.00/100 gram while others are also cheaply priced. Lobsters, are priced at MYR 15.00/100 gram while the rare jumbo-sized tiger prawns are priced higher but still cheaper by 40% I think than in KL.

We chose a coral trout fish (locally known as kerapu merah), big-sized prawns, squid & sayur pakis, local greens available only in Sabah to satisfy our hunger. A famous chef once said, when u use freshest seafood available, 70% of the work is already done. When we get it cooked with the simplest way, the natural texture & taste of the seafood will be enhanced. In this case, the seafood done the all the talking & not the chef. Price? MYR 85.00 for the food. No specific name for this place but all these stalls are located besides the Kota Kinabalu wet market along Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens. A definitely must-try place for all budget-conscious seafood lovers out there !!!!

Arrays of fishes & lobsters on display

Crabs, squids, crayfishes, prawns, cockles, mussels etc. U name it, u got it
 



Crunchy Sayur Pakis cooked in Belacan style, I can have this all by myself !!! 



Coral trout steamed to perfection in Thai sauce. Fantastico !!!

The next day, walked to the Kota Kinabalu biggest wet market & bought local Tenom coffee powders for souvenirs back home. A stone throw away from the wet market is the fish market. Was told that this is the place where fish mongers take their daily stocks & distribute them to multiple places around the city. Sneaked into the place, hoping to catch a glimpse of the so-called auction. Didn't got my wish granted but still manage to buy frozen fishes to be brought back to KL.

Scene at the Kota Kinabalu wet market. Clean & well organized stalls

Local fishermen segregating the catches of the day

Tip to be shared for those wanna pack the seafood back home. All packed seafood for airfreight need to be of frozen types. Malaysia Airlines allowed frozen seafood to be checked in but Air Asia only allowed them to be hand carried at maximum weight of 7 kilogramme per person. We flew home to KL in the evening, bringing home the sweet memories & hope of returning again. As a seafood lover, it's a sin to the Food God (if there's any) if I don't come back !!! Not forgetting of course, the other attractions yet to be visited like the islands, highland resorts & others. KK, I will be back !!!

Heavenly Durians of the North

This is the time. The durian season is here now. Durian lovers swear by their momma's names that the best durians in Malaysia are from Penang. People have different tastebuds & naturally, different likings over different durian species. However being durian fanatic myself, fully agreed Penang durians are definitely among da best out there, if not da best.

Durian hunting trip to Penang has been made an annual pilgrimage trip for me & my buddies for the past 2 years. Due to massive publicity over its Balik Pulau durians, durians from Penang are naturally pricier compared to other local species when sold at KL. Only the King & the best of em' all, Musang King is pricier.

Penang people are known for their humorous teases on local political figures/actresses etc. The fancy names given to local Penang species explain it all. Here, we have species named after politicians Lim Guan Eng & Koh Tsu Koon, actress Lin Feng Jiao. Besides, there are also catchful names such as Xiao Hong (Little Red), Ang He (Red Prawn), Sim Kua (Heart/Jantung), Sultan, Che Sin (Green Skin) & many others.

Why the name of the persons? This is da best part. Lin Feng Jiao durian species have beautiful features outside but rather bittersweet in taste, reflecting the life of a woman behind the Asia's most popular Chinese actor, Jackie Chan. Being politically sarcastic & funny at the same time, there's Lim Guan Eng durian breed, which has big sized seeds while Koh Tsu Koon durian breeds have small sized seeds. Seed is pronounced as "hoot" in Hokkien, which also carries meaning of gut in English, or rather the laymen term, the "balls" to do stuffs. Those who understand Hokkien always ended up laughing loudly whenever I tell this. Showcasing below the best of my conquests:-

Hong Har (Cantonese) / Ang He (Hokkien) / Udang Merah (Malay) / Red Prawn

 

Khun Poh

 

Che Sin (Hokkien) / Green Skin

Bak Yu (Hokkien) / Pork Oil

 

IOI

Kapri

Sultan

Lin Feng Jiao

Basically, durian season in Penang starts from end of May till August. However, the demand is so great that farmers has started to expand their plantations to have another durian season at end of October till December. Pricing differs according to breeds n demands. Naturally, highly demanded durians such as Musang King can fetch high price till RM 30.00/kg in Penang (still cheaper than the ones in Klang Valley). Others like Red Prawn, Hor Lor fetch price till RM 20.00/kg.

During the season, its being sold all over the island. No way u can miss any corner without sighting anyone selling durians. Best place to go is of course back to the origin, Balik Pulau. I frequent this place called Anjung Indah (a sort of lookout point on the hill of Balik Pulau). Coordinate: 5°21'0"N 100°15'7"E which is more of a one stop centre for u to have a taste of Penang's best known durians. Slightly pricier than other places but plenty of varieties to choose from if ur not keen on travelling all over the places.

Which one is the best of the best in Penang?? My pick is Red Prawn/Ang Heh anytime. It has that distinctive fragrant aroma of pandan when u have the first taste of it. Only Penang's Red Prawn breeds has this aroma, probably due to the soil factor in Balik Pulau, not the ones planted anywhere else. Creamy & big flesh for a seed. Those who dislike bitter-tasted durians will love this one for its sweet taste. Don't be fooled by sellers bringing Red Prawns from other states.

So, pack your bags to have a feast up north during the coming season. Doubters will be converted into lovers. My succession rate of converting non-durian lovers to one are almost 100% after bringing people to Penang for a try....:)

Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan - Penang

Being a foodie, it must be a sin to the Food God (if there's any) for not writing a post about Penang food. I always become a food tour guide for friends, probably due to my knowledge of local roads & local foods. Below is my usual program for a weekend crash course 2D1N Penang food tour for beginners, to have a taste of Penang food.

SATURDAY

• Departs from Subang
• Arrives Ipoh for dim sum breakfast at Restoran Foh San / Restoran Ming Kok
• Departs Ipoh for Penang
• Stops at Restoran Kek Seng for lunch
• Must Try: Durian ABC, Kueh Teow Soup, Popiah
• Recommended: Lor-Bak, Mee Jawa
• Check into hotel (preferably near to town)
• Stops at Restoran Seng Thor for tea time
• Must Try: Fried Oyster
• Recommended: Lor-Bak
• OR alternative stop at Toh Soon Cafe
• Must Try: Hainanese toast, Hainanese coffee
• Walkabout at nearby shopping malls (Prangin Mall, 1st Avenue Mall)
• Stops at New Lane hawker centre for dinner
• Must Try: Fried Kueh Teow, BBQ Chicken Wings/drumsticks, Fried Oyster
• Recommended: Sar Hor Fun, Ee Foo Mee
• Walkabout at Ferringhi night market / Straights Quay
• Stops at Gurney Drive hawker centre
• Must Try: Fruit Rojak, Pasembur (Mamak rojak)
• Recommended: Desserts (Ling Chee Kang, Bubur Cha Cha)
• Walkabout along Gurney Drive
• Stops at Restoran Old Green House for supper
• Must Try: Prawn Mee
• Go back hotel to recuperate

SUNDAY

• Check out early from hotel
• Stops at Pulau Tikus market for breakfast
• Must Try: Duck-egg Fried Kueh Teow, Chee Cheong Fun, Charcoal Indian apom
• Recommended: Brown sugar chinese pancakes, Kueh Teow Soup, Sar Hor Fun
• Stops at Ghee Hiang / Him Heang / Ban Heang to buy biscuits
• Recommended: Tambun biscuits, brown sugar biscuits
• Go up to Kek Lok Si temple, using the old pedestrian walkway
• Stops at stall besides Ayer Itam market for light meal
• Must Try: Assam Laksa
• Stops at Line Clear Nasi Kandar / Nasi Kandar Kassim Mustafa for lunch
• OR alternative stop at Restoran Sin Kheng Aun
• Must Try: Hainanese chicken chop, Fish Gulai, Fried Assam Prawns
• Recommended: Foo Yong Egg, Cabbage Soup with Fishballs & Meatballs
• Departs to mainland via ferry
• Stops at Restoran Luen Fong / Restoran Lung Seng, Tanjung Tualang for seafood dinner
• Must Try: Steamed river prawns, pan-fried river prawns with soy sauce
• Recommended: Steamed Soon Hock fish with soy sauce, fried squids
• OR alternative stopover at Restoran Lou Wong / Restoran Onn Kee, Ipoh
• Must Try: Chicken rice, Ipoh bean sprouts
• Recommended: Meatballs soup

Note: For participants with health problems, doctor's approval letter must be given to the organiser prior to the trip. The writer would not held responsibility for any health issues that may happened during & after the trip.

Jalan Jalan Cari Makan - Nasi Lemak Cikgu

It's Malaysian favourite breakfast. It's used to be available only in the housing areas / villages in the morning where u see those aunties (or mak cik in Malay) sells them in roadside stalls. Coming to the present time, now it is sold almost everywhere at 24/7; kopitiam's, mamak's, market stalls's and even some posh restaurants.

But still, how to judge & diffenciate the best from the best? Some people say it's the coconut rice. Some say it's the sambal. The answer is up to u actually. Who else can judge our own tastebuds? Get what I meant? Went to these 2 places recently which in my opinion, serve among the best nasi lemak in town. Talked about Nasi Lemak Cikgu first, located in SS3, Kelana Jaya.

Opens daily till dinner

U need to wait for a while, especially in the morning

Ordered with fried chicken & squid. Reasonably price at RM 8.00

The sambal is pretty mild, suitable for those who love nasi lemak but cant take too spicy food. Rice has that distinctive coconut flavour & the difference compared to other is the cooking style of the rice. "Nasi lemak kukus" as they called it in Malay was cooked in a steaming hot wok, instead of the normal electric rice pot. This process, they say helps preserve the coconut & pandan flavour in the rice.

Pretty accessible alongside LDP highway. If ur coming from Damansara towards Sungai Way, keep left after passing Giant hypermarket. Turn left immediately on the junction after passing Customs headquarter. Drive forward till u see a row of shophouses on ur right. Turn right & the restaurant is situated at the middle. If ur driving from Puchong, Subang Jaya etc on the other side of highway, the only way is to make a U-turn after Giant & follow the path earlier.

Shall talk bout my next Nasi Lemak stop in next post...:)