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.

Dojo: Deja-vu outing

Friday lunch would be a good chance to try out new restaurant. Considering this would be one of the last few long Friday lunch break in Ipoh, we decided to try another Japanese restaurant, Dojo, in DeGardens Ipoh. For those who are not familiar with this place, DeGardens is the small complex opposite Kinta City in Ipoh Garden.




The setup is the usual Japanese style restaurant with a kaiten sushi belt in the middle with surrounding tables. There are the selections based on the menu and also the usual sushi on the kaiten belt. The sushi chefs are busy preparing fresh sushi on one end of the belt. Decorations are Japanese, the seat are spacious, and their waiters are really attentive. Everything seems to be good, but reading through their menu brings a deja-vu feeling. Nearly everything in the menu is as similar to the numerous Japanese restaurants within the vicinity. Nothing new shouts out. They seems to replicate each other with their usual selections of sashimi, sushi, ramen and tempura with only few difference here and there. This may not be a stumbling block if they do it well. Think about it, all chicken rice serve the same chicken and rice but there are a few cook theirs really well above the rest.

The verdict after tasting a few dishes also brought another round of deja-vu feeling. Average. Like most of the restaurant around, it is just as average, which did not separate out from the crowd. The buta kakuni ramen which I specifically ordered tasted well with the pork marinated long enough. However, the whole dish felt oily and thus, giving a feeling of fullness after finishing the bowl. (I do admit I am spoiled for choices ever since my tasting of the authentic ones in Osaka). The cucumber sushi roll felt fresh, but again, with other restaurant also offering special rolls, I could barely recall the taste after finishing lunch here.

The price would be as expected, so it is not something that we would want to have frequently unless I have a deep pocket to burn. All in all, it is a decent restaurant, but did not rise above the numerous Japanese restaurant in the area.

ratings: 2 half poink~!
comments: do not worry about parking as there are ample free parking in DeGardens complex.

BFB Dim Sum Restaurant 八分半点心茶楼: back to basic

Ipoh is never short of dimsum place. The unfortunate thing is most of the dimsum restaurant tend to be commercialized and caters more for out of town tourists who are willing to spend while visiting this peaceful town. Seldom we find a dimsum restaurant that focus more for the locals with their no frill basic servings with affordable price. I used to favor Choi Yue in Ipoh Garden South for its tasty dimsum but since its popularity rise, it is difficult to find a seat nor parking spot.

Ong recommended this shop, BFB Dim Sum Restaurant 八分半点心茶楼, deep in Persiaran Baru Tambun, which is in the midway of Tambun and Ipoh Garden East. This is situated in the vicinity of Citrus and Tammy's kitchen, which both offers decent western cuisine. Come early for the varieties of dimsum, apparently if arrived later, there would not be as many choices.


Expect basic but tasty experience. The setup is the basic Chinese dimsum setup, with not much decorations expected and the workers cruising around the shop with trays of dimsum in their hand. See something you like and just ask them to put it on the table. The dimsum also comes in basic form but adequate choices. Do not expect new and innovative dimsum, although they would have special-for-the-day dimsum during weekend. Just focus on the usual day-to-day dimsum offering with a bit of varieties. However, it is not a bad thing at all because they do their basic dimsum well. The dimsum tasted fresh with generous fillings. The meat tasted well and most of the dishes are up to expectations.  The deep fried selections are also not too oily. The one dish that stand out would be their cha-siu-bao (roast pork bun); the filling is really good with the fragrance of the meat, although I would prefer the bun to be bit thinner.



The price would be as expected, though not as pricey as some of their famous counterpart in the main town area. The number of patrons here would be a prove that dining here is a good experience with good food, although it would be an extra effort for me to wake up early for the dimsum breakfast.

ratings: 3 half poink~!
comments: come early for more choices.

BFB Dim Sum Restaurant 八分半点心茶楼
61, Impian,, Persiaran Bandar Baru Tambun 16, Taman Ipoh, 31400 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Sushi Momo: addition to affordable japanese selections

Another long Friday break means opportunity to try new shops. Where else to try new things other than Ipoh Garden East area, especially the Bandar Baru Medan area. There seems to be new restaurant every time we came to the area.

Sushi Momo is situated opposite Festival Walk, nearer to the new condominium which is currently being built. Impressively housing 2 shoplots, with Japanese deco and yukata in front, the signage is adequate to attract passerby. For lunch, fear not for the parking lots are abundant in the area.

Being fairly new, the lunch crowds may not discover this place yet. The seating is spacious and the staff manage to give adequate attention to all our request. The interior is very clean; I really like how homely the counter was decorated but it is rather inconsistent where the other end felt bare. That did not matter as the sole reason to visit is for the food.

The menu is mainly japanese, with bentos, and sushi rolls being the main selections. Expect to spend a basic of less than RM15 for the lunch bento set, which is rather basic chicken served with fish, cawan mushi, soup and slices of fruits. The taste felt rudimentary, but rather pleasant to the palate. The portion, however, is slightly less than what we expected. Given the affordable price, the bento set is definitely worth every ringgit. The sushi rolls, which averagely cost approximately RM2-3 per set of 2 (or 4-6 for maki) may appear affordable, but rather forgettable in the taste aspect. I totally forgot what sushi did I took. Being new, the conveyor belt is still empty so the sushi need to be ordered instead.

Of course we could not expect perfect result with such a price. There are some hit and miss, but for a comfortable lunch and cheaper Japanese selections ( which could burn a hole in the pocket if ordered wrecklessly), Sushi Momo is one of the clear choice.

ratings: 2 half poink~!
comments: one of the most affordable bento sets/ sushi but average taste.

Sushi Momo
27-29, Jalan Medan Ipoh 1
Bandar Baru Medan
Ipoh

Sato Kitchen: decent lunch for a decent price

We were planning to have a long Friday lunch catching up with an old fren in another restaurant but fate has it that the initial cafe was closed, and while going around in Ipoh Garden East, somewhere near the Old Town area, we chanced upon this new Japanese fusion eatery, Sato Kitchen.

The place looks comfortable and not over crowded. The service, I must say, is one of the best we had. The staff are very attentive without being intimidating. The green tea (with the set lunch) always flow non stop without the staff having to stand beside the table.

Fear not; although the expected menu list may be Japanese selection, the actual fact it felt more fusion. There are lots of basic and sophisticated fusion sushi and rolls, and even foie gras available. How it ended up in a Japanese menu really beats me. For those "kedekut" people like me who always thought Japanese cuisine is always expensive, this small restaurant has something to offer. Since I had a heavy breakfast, I did not intend to try the more expensive offering, so we went ahead with the chicken bento set (lunch set price: RM12.90). Yup, the price itself is amazing. Served with rice, soup, cawan mushi, mash potato (hmmm.. how did that get here) and some other sides. Did I mention the price was amazing? And they did not skimp on the portion either. At first I thought given the economical price, the set would come with a smaller portion but instead, the meal is enough even for a big eater like me. However, for those who are very particular about taste, the Japanese influence here is diluted with local taste. In fact, I though the chicken tasted more oriental than japanese. My teriyaki chicken came across of a mash up between teriyaki and honey chicken. The teppanyaki chiken tasted like a cross between teppanyaki and a Hainan chicken chop (plus lots of onions). Do not get me wrong, I really like the taste, but it may not appeal to some.



I really favour this place for the economical lunch choices, although it may be less Japanese, more fusion in taste. However, for those who favour higher end selection, there are plenty of sophisticated fusion sushi and platter available. Definitely a good place to spend lunch.

ratings: 2 half poink~!
comments: yet to try their sushi but they do
looks good.

Sato Kitchen
22, Jalan Medan Ipoh 4
Bandar Baru Medan Ipoh
05-5450085

Food N Desire: innovative, but yet to impress

Many new eateries have been mushrooming around Medan Ipoh Bistari. Instead of the alcohol drinking sceneries in Ipoh Garden East, the nearby places are full of fine dining, western, Japanese or even Korean delicacies. Do not forget that Ipoh's best pizza is still in this area. Driving around the area always introduce new shops which I have not visited yet, so the other weekend, we decided to try this western offering, Food N Desire.

Located near Tesco Ipoh Garden, in Medan Ipoh Bistari, it is located in the same row as TWT, behind 7-11 convenient mart. Just try driving around and one would not miss the modern signboard. Being a new player, the place is not as packed as other shops. I would prefer it this way as I like peace and quiet with my dinner at times. It seems to be run by a family as the senior member invited us to our table. Service is attentive, and I simply love the simplistic and minimalist decoration. Nothing fancy but the design of the counter is simply ingenious for this kind of restaurant.

The menu is basically western offering, concentrating on burger (both pork and chicken) and sandwiches with some pasta and finger food choices. The burgers are innovative with fresh names such as Naked burger (nope, you do not need to take off your clothes to have that one). I chose the grillicious swiss mushroom pork burger (RM23.90). The self made pork patty felt slightly different with eastern tinge. Although I like the taste, the consistency of the patty felt bit of a letdown. It lack the patty consistency and felt more like chinese mince pork instead. However, adding in the mushroom and the dish is rather satisfying. The portobello grilled cheese sandwich (RM16.90), on the other hand, may appear simple enough to do at home, but actually tasted very good. The bacon, mushroom blended well, and did it job of satisfying my hunger. Expect to spend approximately RM20/ per dish/person here which is a norm for these type of eateries.

Overall, the dining experience is quite good. I have to hand it over to the chef, the food is very innovative, but have yet to impress me. Do not mistaken me, it is good, I will come back again, but just there are lots of stiff competition, especially in the same area.

ratings: 3 poink~!
comments: good for new dish, especially burgers, sandwiches and quiet comfortable dinner.

Food & Desire
18, Jalan Medan Ipoh 10
Medan Ipoh Bistari
012-5025540
open 1100-1530, 1900-2100
https://www.facebook.com/Foodndesire/

De Dine: run of the mill lunch within expectation

Did not realize Ipoh Garden East have so many new restaurant. For the farewell lunch for an old colleague, she suggested this new restaurant, De Dine for a try. Located in Ipoh Garden East area, just look for Aberdeen or the old My Point (did not know it was closed down recently), and this joint is just in between.

It was a Friday lunch but there are not many people around; most probably due to the choices aplenty and this considerably new unknown joint. Good for me, as I prefer a quiet lunch with friends. With the limited patron, service is attentive. The deco on the other hand, IMHO, is rather plain. Undecided whether to go the simple approach, retro, or high class dark black, it ended up being a blend of everything with motifs of flower on the wall. Hmmm... However, we are here for the food.

The menu is strictly western, which is another good point. Too many fusion cafes churned out too many ordinary or less than ordinary food around. We decided to go set lunch just to save the burden on my pocket. Therefore, I could not comment much on the other offerings, but just on my set. There is option to upgrade the set of the day (RM18.90 for only 1 choice) to any main course in the menu, which ranges from pasta to chicken, for only RM5. The set comes with drinks, of course, soup, main course and dessert. The soup of the day is pumpkin, which I enjoyed. Though it is not the best, it definitely works well as a starter. The main course is spicy squid aglio olio pasta. Not many people enjoyed that but weirdly I do. Partly due to my high tolerance of spiciness and hotness, which I think blended up nicely in the dish. What we ended up with is a pasta dish which stimulate the taste bud very well. Then again, a good aglio olio should find a balance between the simplicity and the complexity of taste. Again, as much as I enjoyed it, it is still did not surpass the few pasta dish I had in recent weeks in other place. The dessert, on the other hand, is the winner of the set. Pudding base with bit of coconut slice, works very well to end the dining experience. Too bad, the portion is so tiny to fit inside the set lunch.


Overall, the experience is as expected from a decent good restaurant. Being averagely decent is not a bad thing, considering the many below-par restaurant around.

ratings: 2 half poink~!
comments: probably lower poink due to the fact that I treated everyone for lunch. When my wallet hurts, it hurts my taste bud as well. Yup, I am that kiam

De Dine
24, Jalan Medan Ipoh 3,
Bandar Baru Medan, Ipoh
012-5225366

Tea Warmer Treat: Don't judge a restaurant by the name

I realize it had been quite a while I do not come visit Medan Bistari, the area behind Tesco Ipoh Garden. There are a few new eateries here, and some to replace old outgoing ones. Right at the corner in the same row as Redcom computer shop, is this new restaurant replacing the old joint that supposedly to specialize Penang cuisine.

My first impression of TWT, Tea Warmer Treat is "what is that name?!". I can understand TSG, and still would accept STG, but TWT? The name did not make any sense to me. But from outside, the place look decent and nice. In fact it looks like a dessert joint rather than restaurant. You know, the place where people will come for a drinks and cakes. Step inside, and we were greeted with a warm cozy surroundings. The tables are spaciously placed, the decors are typically for any boutique restaurant and every table would nicely seat 2 to 4. The whole place shout fine dining. The only thing that did not impress me was the running lights on the way; felt that it did not fit into the class of the whole place. The service was attentive and friendly, which was a nice way to start my dinner.

The menu is western, with a few choice of mocktails. It did not boast a whole range such as the more budget Hot Jack, but leans towards fine dining restaurant like Citrus. Expect to spend at least RM20 per person for main course here. Did not try the specialty tea though, will do that next time. For some reason, I decided to go veg today and ordered the trio mushroom aglio-olio (RM18). Surprisingly it was one of the better ones that I tasted. The taste is delicious with spice. What makes it a winner is a tinge of hot spiciness which lift the dish to another level. The combination of spice blended nicely not to overwhelm the mushroom which suppose to be the star of this dish. The only drawback is that I felt the dish is tad bit oily. Then again, this is aglio olio. Colleen ordered citrus dory (RM23) which is another impressive offering. The fish is nicely done, not to overcook the meat. The taste of citrus just nicely complement the fish as not to overshadow the meat. The best part is the mash potato, which is made from real potatoes (not the powder offerings from most kopitiam). The taste of butter is really empowering (I like butter) with a tinge of saltiness. Most people may not like it, but I simply love the taste. Last but not least on my order was passion fruit mojito (RM9. Nothing to shout about but still good enough to replace the real deal.

Despite the price, the million dollar question is would I return. I guess I would. It was a really good dining experience. Although I advocate that good food should not burn a hole in the pocket, but the taste here is really tempting.

ratings: 3 half poink~!
comments: would rate higher if the price would be slightly cheaper, but then again, with all the boutique restaurant nowadays, the price here would be considered as reasonable.

Tea Warmer Treat (TWT)
30, Jln Medan Ipoh 1D
Medan Ipoh Bestari
31400, Ipoh
05-5417176
www.facebook.com/twt.teacafe

Saigon Hibachi: decent choices of Japs and Viets

Thanks to Groupon again, we manage to venture to new and not-so-new joints which we, otherwise, seldom visit. Saigon Hibachi is one of those shop that we always pass by but somehow, did not think of patronizing. With so many japanese restaurant mushrooming in Ipoh, one cant blame me of not trying each and everyone. In addition, Japanese and Vietnamese? I cant see the common ground between the two. Luckily the dining experience here is rather good and nice.

Saigon Hibachi is situated in one of the roads behind Tesco Ipoh Garden. Just drive around, and you will not miss the newly installed neon signboard. The deco is unmistakenly Japanese, with earth colour as the main theme, and the usual sake bottle as part of the deco. I could not find anything Vietnamese here though. There are notices on the board to apologize for the lack of staff, but I could say that the service here is warm and attentive. Kudos to the owner who hire and train their staff well.

The menu again focus on Japanese cuisine with a few Vietnamese selection. Luckily there are no fusion between the two. I cant imagine how that would taste like, and my try with Japanese fusion last few years ago was a disaster. The Vietnamese lemongrass grill pork (RM12.50) tasted surprisingly nice. The rice is fragrant and complement the pork well. The grilled pork, on its own is nothing to shout about, but once eaten with the lemongrass sauce, it actually lift the taste to another level. It felt like eating Thai with the sweet and sour elements minus the hot and spicy parts. The sanma shioyaki (RM6.40)on the other hand, was less appealing. It is not the cook's fault though, I did not expect the pacific saury or sanma to have so many small and tiny bones. It make the dining experience rather tiring, trying to isolate the bones. The taste is nice though, just that it did not justify the time taken trying to separate the bones.

In the end, it was a nice dining experience here. Just that with so many Japanese restaurant around, I doubt that it will stand out against the rest. The Vietnamese offering did not give it an edge but given the crowd here, they have their own following. Would I come again? I probably would, to try the rest of their Japanese offerings.

ratings: 3 poink~!
comments: yet to savor their japanese dishes, so yet to make an accurate review.

Saigon Hibachi,
23, Jalan Medan Ipoh 4,
Bandar Baru Medan,
Ipoh
05-5487118