Azuma Sushi: One trick tasty pony

There is a new sushi shop in Gunung Rapat area, which is a new surprise. This pique my interest on the how good it will be. Located behind HSBS Gunung Rapat, it is just a stone throw away from McDonalds and also beside Starbuck Coffee. The name Azuma Sushi is bright and anyone would not miss the place.

Inside, it is the usual kaiten sushi restaurant setting. With the smart design of the sushi belt, the shop can fit in quite a large number of patrons without feeling cramped. Service is as expected, since the sushi is readily circulated on the belt, it is "eat as much as you want". Beside kaiten sushi, there is obviously other choices via the menu, especially the rice and noodle ramen dishes.

For today, Lyn and I decided to go all out on the kaiten sushi instead of the menu. For those who do not know kaiten sushi, it is basically sushi placed on plates, usually with different colors to indicate different pricing, and the plates will be circulated via a belt that runs beside each table. You see the sushi that you like, just take it and eat it. Once full, the staff will come to count the number of plates and we just pay at the cashier. There is a fair range of sushi from the usual maki sushi to simple rolls. Expect to pay from RM1.70- RM3.50 for each dish depending on the ingredients. The rice is flavored nicely.  The toppings are fairly average, with no new surprise like the ones we had in Mentai. Some of the rolls are nice, but generally I find the use of cheese and mayo is too frequent. It tasted good in the first few sushi, but by the last bite, it felt a bit too much for the tummy to gulp in. In the end, the whole range lacks variety, and the sushi do appeared to be a one trick pony.

It is still a nice eating experience. Probably the trick is do not eat too much of the sushi and to mix it with other choices in the menu. Then, the sushi would be very tasty.

ratings: 3 poink~!
comments: Have not tried the ala carte rice/ ramen or sushi, but do look nice.

Azuma Sushi
3,5, Laluan Medan Rapat,
Gunung Rapat, Ipoh
05-318 3190

Kampar Sushi Mentai: Affordable Delicious Japanese treat

As a child, I would not imagine my small hometown of Kampar would host at least more than one Japanese restaurant. I am not a fan of Sushi King, so it was nice to have an alternative in Sushi Mentai. Located along the road of some new restaurants that I recently reviewed, this big orange colour shop is just next to Old Town White Coffee, on the same road as Econsave in Kampar New Town.

Firstly, the setup of the restaurant is as any other local kaiten sushi restaurant. Just imagine sitting comfortably on a table and the sushi will pass by you on a conveyor belt. It is interesting to note that most kaiten sushi restaurant in Japan will be slightly cramped and the seats are arranged bar like rather than family seating.

The main offerings are sushi, from the basic maki to more sophisticated ones which need to be ordered via ala carte. The taste? I can safely assured you that the taste is one the better sushi found locally. Though not as authentic as Japan, the sushi are tweaked to suit our local taste. The varieties on the belt impressed me. Some of the sushi are really impressive, especially the salmon and tamago ones which were grilled with a hand torch in front of you. The most important ingredient of any sushi is the rice, and I can share that the sushi rice here is seasoned really well. However, some may prefer the rice to be lightly sour but I prefer mine to be lighter on the vinegar side. The price would not burn a hole in the pocket, with the kaiten sushi ranging from RM1.80 to RM2.80. That is as cheap as eating dimsum. For those who do not favour sushi, of course there are the usual ramen, udon or bento. We had the tori teriyaki don which cost us RM12.80, Though not bad, the chicken are grilled more oriental favoured rather than teriyaki. We indulged ourselves with a specially ordered spider crab maki (RM13.80). It is nicely deep fried, though the batter shadowed the taste of the crab.

We had a delightful time here. The sushi on the kaiten belt appeared to be more impressive than the offering in the ala carte menu. And the sushi are quite impressive. To top the good taste, the price are really reasonable.

ratings: 4 poink~!
comments: though not as authentic, the sushi are definitely on par with some of the more expensive restaurant.

Sushi Mentai Kampar
5&6. Jalan Batu Karang,
Off Jalan Batu Sinar
Kampar

Cawan Mu: local cuisine fine dining style

It was a plesant surprise to see so many new shops in Taman Siber, Taman Song Choon and Botani area in Ipoh. Tucked deep inside Taman Siber, is this new cafe, Cawan Mu, part of new boutique hotel 1969. The restaurant, is really really nicely designed, even sitting without the the food gave a visually comfortable satisfyingly experience. The menu is on a electronic tab, and every inch of the diner is classy. The service of course is hotel class, which add to the dining experience.


The food offering, is rather bland on the other hand. Although they do promote fusion local cuisine, the offering felt more local cuisine in fine dining style. So you would not find fusion to the extent of nasi lemak sushi, or curry pasta. What we get is more of nasi lemak, nasi bryani or nasi hujan combination with ayam masak merah, ayam rempah or rendang ayam. The choices are rather limited, besides the chicken rice combination, there are 2-3 noodles selection such as curry noodle and laksa, western breakfast, one salmon main dish, pasta and subs. The food is nice, though not ground breaking. Pleasant but probably would not stand out among the many shops or restaurant in Ipoh.



I really hope they expand their menu, many of the local favourite such as chicken chops are missing. The menu seems heading towards kopitiam style of offering. In one corner there is a small bakery which the buns and pastries do look delicious. Maybe I will try it on a different outing. While dining here will not save us money, this is far from burning a hole in my pocket. Expect the main dish to start less than RM20 which is very reasonable compare to some of the fine dining or western restaurant in Ipoh. The only thing I felt was pricey are the drink which is priced very near to the main dish.

Would I return? I would, for the dining experience, and the price is just nice for the visit. For the similar food, I would still stick back to our usual western diner spot in Pasir Puteh.

Ratings: 3 poink~!
comments: sometimes, we just want to pamper ourselves...

Cawan Mu
1, Jalan Lapangan Siber 1
Bandar Cyber,
Ipoh

Sun Tack Kee Kampar: pleasant outing for fried noodles

I had visited the similar shop in Ipoh, so I had a rough idea what to expect from Sun Tack Kee in Kampar. Located on the same row as Old Town in New Town, Kampar, it is just stone throw away from Econsave. In the row of new shop lot, the restaurant is nice and comfortable. Though the food offering is what we expect from a simple "da-chow" type of fried noodle, dining here is comfortable minus the road side stall.

The list of food is rather typical, with different types of fried noodle, as many as you can count. Though they may be slightly expensive compare to stalls, we must remember we are dining in a comfortable shop rather than stall. Expect to spend at least RM6-7 per person which still way cheaper than dining in a fancy restaurant or fine dining. The food, surprisingly is quite nice, with adequate amount of "wok-hei". You can felt the noodles are fried in a hot wok rather than mix around and dished out. Sometimes, it is rather difficult to explain what "wok-hei" actually means. We had a few dishes, including the recommended moon hor-fun, which is quite smooth. Portion is enough, slightly big for the elderly. Dining here definitely would not disappoint, we do like the place for the dining comfort more than the food. For comparison of the typical fried noodle, this still yet to replace our favourite "da-chow" spots, which remain one of the road side stalls.


ratings: 3 poink~!
comments: there is a loyalty card of sort when we dine, so remember to enquire about it.

Restaurant Ipoh Sun Tack Kee
25, Jalan Batu Krang, Off Jalan Batu Sinar,
Taman Bandar Baru,
Kampar

Ah Boy Noodle: Refreshing take on Soup Noodle

Have not been trying new places lately, given that not in Perak most of the time. Mum was the one who suggest we eat out and try the new restaurant in town. Apparently a few of the friends had given good feedback on Ah Boy Noodle.

comfortable dining

It is situated in the new row of shops next to Econsave in Bandar Baru, along the same row as Old Town and M Boutique Hotel. Just look for the cute face hogging a bowl of noodle. Being a new shop and probably established by a group of young entrepreneurs, this place is designed for comfort and practicality. Not to the point of being fine dine, but simple arrangement of the restaurant make sure dining here is a comfort. The service is attentive, and ordering uses self filled order sheet. I noticed that many of the current shops ran this system, similar to most stalls in Taiwan.

huge pork balls

curry lala noodle

The basic selection is actually rather simple, varieties of noodles, varieties of soup, varieties of sides and you get different types of combination.  There is nothing to boasts about the noodle, I am sure it is found in most noodle stalls. The soup selection is based on clear chicken soup or curry. The clear soup is one of the better version out there. Stock used is full of taste and with the right combination of freshness, sweetness and saltiness. The curry, on the other hand, is not to my liking. Too watery and not spicy enough. I prefer my curry thick and spicy. The presentation and type of sides boasts a rather wide varieties, from pork noodle (comes with pork balls), seafood to simple presentation with eggs and sausage. Although theoretically anything can be combined with anything, but I find that certain combination works better. For example, having my bowl of curry la-la noodle would be better in clear soup to lift the sweetness of the seafood.

pork noodle

Overall, price here is acceptable, slightly more than what we can get in a normal roadside stall. Dining here comfortably, coupled with the air-conditioning background, I would not mind to come again for a different combination.

ratings: 3 half poink~!
comments: the chilli sauce is one of the best out there.

The Mount: Comfortable Dining for the Patient Ones

On one of the rare days, me and Lyn decided to eat out. Being near CNY, Ipoh is packed with cars. So much so that we abandoned our idea to go to Kinta City area half way and turn back towards somewhere near our house. I recalled that on my way back from work, I saw this nicely decorated restaurant near Symphony Suite Hotel.

The Mount could be easily missed out, since it is part of Merton Hotel. The exterior design is modern, living up its expectation of being a boutique hotel/ restaurant. Though parking is a challenge, with a few Chinese restaurant along the row always busy with patrons; as long as we did not mind parking slightly further, parking space should not be a deterrent. To easily spot the restaurant, just look for the row of shop along Symphony Suite and Kedai 1 Malaysia.

The restaurant is decorated very nicely. with all the seats comfortably seated spaciously. It felt like dining in a fine dining setup in Ipoh. Probably this place is still relatively new, therefore not as full as other diners. The waiter here is attentive, but being the only one that night, he is always busy taking orders, serving and making drinks.

Then comes the menu. Surprise, although I would expect the worse, the western offering here cost generally affordable. Average dishes ranging around RM20 would not burn a hole in the pocket. The Mexican BBQ Chicken (RM19) which I chose was rather a nice surprise, though tasted more oriental than salsa. The BBQ sauce was not over empowering which a lot of other restaurant would tend to over-do. Lyn's white mushroom chicken (RM19) was nice, but lack the wow factor. To me, it tasted bit like cabonara sauce with a dash of mushroom. Probably the impression would be better with bit more herbs and mushroom. Freshly extracted juices costs only RM8.50 completed the meal. However, even with limited guests, the chef took his own time to prepare each dishes, and it is a long wait for the hungry. Luckily the place is very comfortable to relax and chat, but for me who did not take a proper lunch that day, each second waiting for dinner is excruciating.

 The Mount left a good impression to me, partly due to the affordable price despite a fine dining setup. For those who do not mind waiting patiently for their food, they will be rewarded with a amazing dining experience here. For people who eat fast, there is always the fried noodle around in the area.

rating: 3 poink~!
comments: the food is good, though far from impressionable, but the comfort of dining here is exceptional.

Little Chair: Something different

It had been ages since I last blog about food. Although I had tried nearly all the shops in my new workplace, there was lack of variety with nearly similar menu everywhere. Whenever I return to Kampar or Ipoh, I am too tired to eat out or even if I do eat out, I am too lazy to try new place.

Then, there was mid autumn. Since I am bringing my parents out, I need to find a decent place, with better food, comfortable, and easy for my dad who need a walking frame. When Little Chair is in Tin Village (the small complex which housed Econsave), it is less convenient. But now they had relocated to the row of shops near MH Unilodge. Going along the main road, along the same row as Bank Rakyat, it will be easy to spot the white bill board.

The setup is definitely less posh than it used to be. Currently it felt like a simple Chinese restaurant but it does not mean it is less comfortable. With ample car park and spacious seating, dining here is rather enjoyable. Service is attentive and at least the waitress know the dishes. Comes the menu. It is a mixture of mainly Chinese, with Vietnamese noodle and some Indonesian rice dish. To be fair, I had not try the real dishes from their respective countries so I would not know how authentic they were. But at least I enjoyed my pick for the night.

Pho Ga or vietnamese chicken noodle (RM7 for set with herbal drink) is rather localized. The broth felt very similar to any chinese chicken noodle stall but with a tinge of different herbs or spice. The noodle itself is nothing to shout about though. My nasi uduk is supposed to be Indonesian rice cooked with santan. The whole dish felt like nasi lemak with different accompanying accompanying curry. The cumi cabe ijo, curry sotong, (RM9 for set) surprisingly taste spicy without being too hot. The spicy sotong goes well with the sambal served with a tinge of citrus taste. Dad's nasi uduk with curry chicken (RM9 with set) taste equally as good. Although I expected local version of curry with lots of gravy, it turned out to be rendang ayam instead.

It was a good dinner, with both parents enjoy their food. Of course, comparing to simple stall, it might be slightly pricey, but it is way more reasoble than some hyped up restaurant. With the quality of food, I would definitely come again to sample other selections.

ratings: 3 half poink~!
comments: a good breakaway from the usual chinese/ malay/ indian offering locally. Least we can find some vietnamese/ indonesian selection in Kampar.

Restoran Little Chair
No. 2, Jalan Siswa 2,
Taman Kampar Siswa

De Classroom: still lots to learn

Eating out for valentine is not an easy task. Fine dining? Some are fully booked, most would only serve their special designed set menu. And with the crowd, I doubt the dishes would be worth the price. Call me cheap skate but I would still enjoy the dinner with my wife no matter what the food may be. So, we decided to try some new places which we have not been.

Ipoh old town boast of many newly set up eateries, including pubs, boutique restaurants, cafe and even fine dining. And one can even have a nice dessert here, all within walk-able distance from each other. We actually came across De Classroom many times, mostly while catching pokemon last year. Situated opposited Happy 8, it is in one of the side roads in old town area of Ipoh, within the vicinity of Plan B.

Entering the restaurant I was pleasantly surprised. Despite the cheesy name, the place appears comfortable, with a tinge of class. Ample space occupying 2 shop lots, with high seats providing some privacy to most of the tables. There is even a small electronic bell on each table to ensure attentive service without waiters/ waitresses hovering around.

Obviously with the setting, we can easily guess the menu would be mostly kopitiam derived eastern and western offering. We were happy with the selections but had mixed feeling about the food though. The first dish to arrive is our all time favourite mashed potato (RM5.90). The potato is obviously pre-mixed, as most restaurant would use, for convenience. We would not fault that, but what differentiate some from others would be the gravy. Here, the mushroom gravy has a heavy taste of umami inside, coupled with the sesame on top, it boast an oriental feel to it. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I would say it is quite pleasant. My creamy chicken pesto pasta (RM17.90) is a huge surprise. The portion is humongous, even for someone my size. The whole dish is too heavy on the cream which is a double edge sword. The first few bites was heaven, but finishing the last half was a tedious task. At the end, there was this feeling of "jelak" and I do not think I would touch any creamy dishes for the next few weeks. Lyn's garlic creamy butter chicken (RM16.90) was a contrast to my pasta. The chicken portion was just right. The butter garlic sauce, however, also felt heavy. There was adequate garlic taste to it, but the butter cream taste was too overpowering. I missed this small stall in the old Astrol hawker centre in Ipoh which made the best chicken chop with golden sauce.

Although with all my criticism, eating here is still a pleasant experience. The price is really affordable with the this type of menu and settings. The ambiance is truly comfortable, but in the food department,there are more to learn.

ratings: 3 half poink~!
comments: worth a try. at least the food is better than some so call fine dining which burn a hole in the pocket and the stomach as well.

De Classroom Restaurant and Cafe
55-57, Jalan Market,
30000, Ipoh
05-2412140

Hoagies Hauz: hidden gem amidst fast bites

I learned something new today, I always wonder what is a hoagie, so according to Wiki:

"A submarine sandwich, also known as a sub, wedge, hoagie, hero, or grinder is a type of sandwich that consists of a length of bread or roll split lengthwise and filled with a variety of meats, cheeses, vegetables, and condiments.The sandwich has no standardized name, with over a dozen regional variations used across the U.S."

"The term hoagie originated in the Philadelphia area. The Philadelphia Bulletin reported, in 1953, that Italians working at the World War I–era shipyard in Philadelphia known as Hog Island, where emergency shipping was produced for the war effort, introduced the sandwich by putting various meats, cheeses, and lettuce between two slices of bread. This became known as the "Hog Island" sandwich; shortened to "Hoggies", then the "hoagie"."

crunchy dog

mashed potato toaties

Not exactly sure whether it is true not, but that did not deter me to try Hoagies Hauz. After few times waiting for long in Pasta Zanmai, me and Lyn wanted a fast bite in Nu Sentral but refuse to go for the typical fast food. There are some burger joints which looks appetizing, but are not pocket friendly though. On the top floor, next to GSC cinema, we manage to find this simple shop, catering for a fast bite, probably before catching a full length movie.

signature hoagie

cheezy linguine chic fillet

The whole experience is simple. Simple deco (with dimmed lighting), simple table and chairs. Order your food at the counter and it will be brought to your table. Forget about waiter coming to recommend you dish of the day. However, looking at the menu board behind the counter, there is a whole long list of different sandwiches, sub, hoagies with a few selection of baked pasta and rice. The best part is, as long as you don't compare the price to any mamak stall opposite the street, the average price here is rather impressive. Expect to spend less than RM10 for a decent hoagie, less than RM15 for a slightly sophisticated ones or pasta, and of course, there are also some slightly pricey dish.

Since Lyn likes mashed potato very much, we ordered the mashed potato toasties (RM8.20). Mash potato between a toast? That is an outright weird idea. Surprisingly it taste good. The mashed potato blended nicely between the toast with the right aroma of melted cheese. The toast may looks small, but with heavy carbs in the middle, it is more filling than it looks. The signature hoagie with grilled chicken and buttermilk sauce (RM12.50) taste good, though I prefer the sauce to have more butter taste to it. The crunchy dog (RM9.80) boasted a generous amount of melted cheese served with a large hot dog. Truly heaven for cheese lover. However, the cheese is bit overpowering that it overshadow the rest of the ingredient, including the beloved mashed potato. The cheezy linguine chic fillet (RM13.80) is a bit of hit and miss. While I loved the heavy cheese sauce baked with pasta, the whole pot felt bland with the chicken fillet tasting odd one out.

At the end of the dinner, both of us were extremely satisfied with all the food. Most of the selection (especially hoagies, hotdogs, toasties) exceeded our expectation while some felt just average. We were so happy that we came another day just to try out the rest of the menu. That would speak for our satisfaction with Hoagies Hauz.

Hoagies Hauz
L5-11, Level 5, Nu Sentral.

Three Little Pigs &The Big Bad Wolf Ipoh: It is all about pork

The hype is up. Three little pigs came to Ipoh. Big Bad Wolf too, and it is not just the book sale. I had heard quite a bit about the 3 little pigs and their big brother wolf in Klang Valley. Therefore, there has to be some expectation when it comes to tasting this franchise that came all the way to Ipoh.

It is located in De Gardens, the complex next to Kinta City in Ipoh Garden. Sad to say, both Kinta City and De Gardens had seen better days, and not many flagship store or restaurant manage to stand the test of time. Facing Kinta City, it is easy to locate 3 Little Pigs, as it is just next to the handphone shops and next to Dojo which I reviewed earlier. As there are few changes in the eateries in this exact position, I could not recall whether there are many changes to the deco, but the sittings felt familiar. The staffs were very attentive without being pushy. Dining here do feel comfortable with spacious seats.

Menu essentially centers around pork, mainly western offerings; although there are few pasta and other side dishes. Coming here, we definitely would want to try the delicious pork dishes. First up is the Mightly Piggy Burger (RM29). While the bread and the fried egg in the burger is as expected, the pork patty shines. Made from US Pork as they claimed, the patty is thick and juicy despite being minced pork instead of a piece of grilled meat. I would prefer it seasoned heavier but it gave a tame but satisfying taste. Baconsaurus (RM34), on the other hand may appeared small in the middle of the large plate, but it does more than to fill the stomach. The mince meat in the middle may have the same consistency as the burger patty but is seasoned better here. Wrapped in bacon, this dish is a pork lover's paradise.

While lots of people may rate the 3 Little Pigs as average, many still enjoyed their pork dishes. I am of the same opinion. The pork dishes do taste better than most fine dining expensive western restaurant. My only reservation is the price. The dining scene in Ipoh is slightly different from Klang valley. While the place is still new, many would flocked to try, but with this price bracket, they would only caters to a niche market, which may already have their own respective favourite restaurant. It would be a challenge to keep up the load in long term. We would see how things would turn up here; crossing my fingers this would finally bring some positive changes to De Gardens.

ratings: 3 poink~!
comments: just come here for the pork.