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

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.

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

Ming Kei 明记 Chu-cheong-fun: best to have it hot

When it comes to chu-cheong-fun, I am very particular. I was told that a good chu-cheong-fun do not require much sauce, it just need light soya sauce and oil to accompany the great dish. I could not agree more. I know that lots of people everywhere would beg to differ, some like it with fillings such as bangkuang/ turnip (Teluk Intan style), mushroom sauce (tend to see it more often in Klang valley), or the ever popular curry. I used to love it with sweet sour sauce and prawn sauce. However, whenever I wanted to taste the real noodle, I always have it with light soya sauce.





The only other chu-cheong-fun stall where I totally fell in love with is the one in Teluk Intan. Similarly, it is freshly made, right from the steamer. Here in Kampar, we have the chance for similar experience. Ming-Kei is situated in Aston Settlement, right next to Hong Chan estate. If still lost, just go around the area, and the area is not exactly that big. The shop is actually a house where they operated from the kitchen. It opens daily from 7am until they finish the noodle, so do come early. The cheaper version always get sold out early.

We have the options of the usual plain chu-cheong-fun or the ones with pieces of small prawns. There are no version with fillings (Teluk Intan version) which is a pity. The noodle is fresh from the steamer, smooth and with the perfect thickness when eaten hot. One need to order from the kitchen and then pick whatever accompanying meatballs or gravy outside. The choices are limited, the sauce is minimal but the star here is the noodle itself. If you wanted impressive curry to go along, I can suggest another stall in the vicinity, but I still would return here for the simplicity of the dish.

The family running the stall are very simple and humble people. There are few tables outside the house, which makes dining here possible. So many other shops selling chu-cheong-fun from generic factories/ shops so having it fresh from the kitchen, is an amazing dining experience itself.

ratings: 4 poink~!
comments: although I had high praises for the noodle, some may still prefer it less smooth, thicker, thinner... well, you cant please everyone, I guess.

Sunday: how nice it would be if everyday is Sunday

Yup, the dessert house featured today is Sunday, not Sundae. I bumped into this dessert joint quite coincidentally while walking around in the limited shops around in Tin Village Kampar. While majority of this mini shopping complex is appeared to be deserted while EconSave did not help to boost up the image. However, on the other end of the complex appeared more lively where there a few eateries which looks good for a visit, beside Starbuck and Each-a-cup. A few years back, I would be surprised to find Starbuck in Kampar, but looking at the spending power of the students nowadays, it does makes sense to open more higher end shops here. For those who still do not know where to find Sunday, just locate Tin Village behind Petronas petrol station in Bandar Baru Kampar.

From outside, it just look like any other dessert house. Frankly, there are so many of those around serving slightly different types of dessert, ranging from reasonably economical to the high end patiseries. The thing that prompt me to enter is the numbers of durian centred dessert. The environment in this small shop lot is nicely decorated with dry flowers on top  of each table to lighten things around. The service, though by student part-timers, is warm. I still need to get use to speaking Mandarin in Kampar.

As I mentioned, the dessert is leaning towards western type, with cheese cake, and cream puff with local delicacies as well, centering on ice based dessert such as cendol and ice kacang. Though the selection is not extensive, but there are few different selection here that are  not easily available elsewhere. The fried durian is not cheap, RM4 for one, RM10 for 3, and to be fair, is nothing to shout about. I can easily find similar offering even in night market with the same taste. The outer layer is crispy as expected, but the core felt bit cold. Luckily the durian is tasty and good enough for me to overlook the cold core durian meat. The durian cendol (approx RM6.50) is my selection for the night. The cendol, as expected is frozen, as some of the cendol still yet to be thawed. The taste, luckily is quite good, with the gula melaka getting the limelight. Take a nice durian flesh and put it on top, and we have a nice cendol near to perfection. However, there is one drawback, having durian sweetness on top on the nice cendol is a bit of overkill and after the cendol, I barely could taste the next dessert which became so bland. The mango sago (approx RM6.50) which came next is actually quite nice, if I did not take the cendol first. The mango fruit blend in nicely with the sago, and not too sweet but refreshing enough.

Overall, although I may have so much opinion on their food, it was a quite nice outing, on the contrary. There is space for improvement but then again, the price is fairly reasonable for a dessert house. Not cheap, but fairly reasonable.

ratings; 3 poink~!
comments: sunday is the day to chill out before working, similarly, Sunday is the place to chill, despite some drawback. Of course, I gave it a higher rating for the durian dessert... did I mention that there are other durian offerings I have yet to try?

Simple Coffee: hidden coffee get-away

I do not usually review coffee joints. Firstly, I do not fancy them. I do not believe paying so much for a cup of coffee which I enjoy for a fraction of the price in my favourite mamak stall. Secondly, I really do not know how to differentiate between good and not-so-good coffee.

But this is my rather first designer coffee experience in Kampar, so here goes. Simple Coffee is tucked beside Old Town Kopitiam in new town. From the outside the entrance is small, and it looks like just a small coffee shop. However, stepping inside, the shop extend to a bigger space with nice design and comfortable settings. Different seats design, artistic photos of coffee on the wall, and a counter fit for any barista, this place is definitely a nice place to hang out. Very comfortable indeed.

The range of coffee is abundant, not too complex to scare away a coffee amateur like me though. The usual range is good enough. The coffee tasted good, though I am not in the position to say whether the beans are flavourful enough or not. I enjoyed my cappucino (RM8.90 for a hot cup) as much as Colleen enjoyed her iced hazelnut chocolate (RM10.90). The pasta looks good, not too expensive surprisingly, though I have yet to try it. The dessert looks good as well, but sweet offerings are not my choice for a late night drink.

Overall, this place definitely surprise me the moment I step inside. Spacious, comfortable, and really nice place to hang out. However, given the price, I would still frequent my favourite mamak stall.

ratings: 3 poink~!
comment: It could be better, if they serve decaffeinated coffee for Colleen.

Simple Coffee
G-3A-2, Lot 126029,
Jalan Timah 3,
Taman Bandar Baru
www.facebook.com/SimpleCoffee

Buddies Noodle Bar & Cafe: dining the experience rather than the food

It is a busy weekend, with a few reviews to complete. Coincidentally, there was a few chances to eat out, prompting me to choose all new places to try. Back home in Kampar New Town is this place I always wanted to try. Come on, with a name like Buddies Noodle Bar poke at my curiosity. Is this a place to hang around? (thus Buddies) or noodle station or just a friendly bar?

Kampar new town is not a big place, just locate the Old Town, Simple Coffee, Alley John and you would reach Buddies. From outside, the place looks real modern. Looks like the usual new boutique cafe. Inside, the deco is really impressive. Minimalist with book theme on the wall, with real life books jutting out from the wall. Not many people were there even on a Friday night, therefore the service was attentive.





The menu, is kopitiam style with the usual pasta selection and chop rice. Though not as extensive as some set-up, the selection is abundant  to choose from. Up until this point, it is still a good experience, considering the prices were student range. Then came the food. My pork chop rice (RM14 for set) with gravy disappoint so much. The presentation is exactly street version; what I would get from any stall in any coffee shop. The difference? The stall ones would serve a bigger portion, and probably more tasty one too. The meat is so thin, and grilled too lightly. Not juicy at all, coupled with a mild gravy, this dish was too light for my taste. Colleen's aglio olio with ham (RM12.90) is actually not bad. The blend of taste and herbs and spice is rather nice on the taste bud. However, the pasta is too dry without adequate oil. The core of any aglio olio lies on the olive oil and garlic, not the herbs and spice. My impression for the 2 dishes is that the chef is trying hard to save some money by cutting down on the meat on my dish and the olive oil on the pasta. The dessert is the saving grace for the whole dinner but it was too small a portion though.


Do not get me wrong. It is still a nice dining experience judging from the comfortable setting, but probably the only reason to come here is the dining experience but not for the food.

rating: 2 poink~!
comment: street food with exotic dining experience may work for some people, but I still prefer my food over the setting.



Buddies Noodle Bar and Cafe
2392, Jalan Hala Timah 4,
Taman Bandar Baru, Kampar
05-4661962

Mosel: A+ for effort

It had been a while since I reviewed anything in my own hometown of Kampar. Although there are many new eating joints that were mushrooming here, especially in the New Town area, I just find them too mediocre for any mention. Most of them just cater to feed the student with decent food. Of course, there are some newly niche restaurant such as the new boutiques restaurant or specialties restaurant here and there, but the food is just as average as others. The other reason why I am not keen to review them is that they do not last as long. Everytime I "ronda-ronda" around the area, there are bound to be new restaurant and some old ones closing down. But once in a while, there are some that are worth to be mentioned.

Mosel Western and Fusion Cuisine is located in New Town, in the row of shops opposite Each A Cup. Just locate the Grand Kampar Hotel; in the same row locate Vegas ( which is another notable western restaurant) and just look for the small road across Vegas. This is a small, one shop lot size restaurant which may not be very outstanding from outside. Inside, the deco is leaning towards boutique style and minimalist. A few photos frame depicting Marilyn Monroe lift the mood of the simple grey-black colour scheme. The service is attentive, and eating here is rather comfortable with adequate privacy,especially sitting among the high bench.


The menu, is rather western than fusion. The usual chicken chop, pasta and the fusion is referring to the local rice noodle delicacies. It did sound like any cafe style of offering, but the options of the western dishes is notably more, though not as extensive as other western restaurant (eg Vegas). Lyn and me ordered the set menu of the day. The cheezy chicken chop is served with lemon tea and soup of the day (RM16.90) while my carbonara spaghetti is served with tandoori chicken salad (RM13.90). As expected from the student area, this is considerably reasonably priced. I must say that the effort for the food and drinks is impressive. The lemon tea is made on their own (with tea bags and slice of lemon) instead of the ready made ones. The tomato soup is also cooked in their kitchen with other vegetables rather than the creamy soup-in-a-tin/ packet. The soup is rather good, leaning towards oriental style, which may not be everyone's favourite. The tandoori chicken salad is served with few slice of tandoori chicken. The simple dressing is just nice, with or without the chicken. This is a small starter anyway, do expect only a few slice of chicken. Nicely done, I must say. With the impressive first impression, the main dishes fall short of expectations. Not to say they are bad, they are just fairly average. The presentation of the dishes, on the other hand, is really really impressive, with impression of fine dining. I must respect the cook who arrange the vegetable side dishes, to cut the pea into shapes. The cheezy chicken chop is nice, but the gravy overshadow the cheese, making it into an ordinary grill chicken chop. The taste of the carbonara, on the other hand, is rather good. However, the amount and consistency of the cream of the dish felt more like soup. Carbonara is a very filling dish, and with so much cream, it could turn a good dish into a bloated offering.

Even with all the critiques, I can feel the effort that the cook place into their food. I enjoy eating here although the few food that I sample is fairly averagely nice (not exceptionally good), I would definitely return to try the other dishes.

ratings: 3 poink~!
comments: compare to the other average offering in the area, this is definitely one good restaurant. Just that whenever I eat the moderately price western, I would tend to compare it with Hot Jack which is very impressive to me.

Mosel Western and Fusion Cuisine
2364, Jalan Hala Timah 3
Taman Bandar Baru
Kampar
1130-2190 (Off thurs)

OIC: try to look past the cheesiness

I had meant to try OIC for a long while. I had been passing by the place in Ipoh Garden south festival walk area for a few times, but everytime, I ended up at Suhshi Zento

Anyway, imagine my surprise when OIC open in Kampar. And to add to the surprise, it is such a enormous joint, it felt like the main branch compare to the rest of the branch. It is situated in the corner of the row of shop opposite Kampar Gravel Pump museum, within walking distance to Grand Kampar Hotel in Kampar New Town.

Still, I had to wait for months before I got the chance to come here. Coming back from Ipoh, my stomach was growling for food, so me and Colleen decided to stop by for brunch. It was 11am, and the place is still relatively empty. Service is rather attentive given that there are not that many clients. The place appeared spacious, however, the decoration is really cheesy. Imagine colour changing LED lights on the ceiling. Better still, imagine them heart shape. Yup, I can imagine this to be a 80's version of a drinking pub.


Next comes the menu. As expected, it is the usual kopitiam stuff. The pseudo western choice, the Asian rice and noodle, some bread derivatives, and don't forget the pasta also. However, for a big place, the choices are really limited. Imagine only few types of pasta (the usual bolognese, carbonara and aglio) and the usual chicken chop with mushroom/ black pepper sauce. The focus here probably would be eastern delights as there are more choices in term of rice and noodle variants.

We wanted something heavy so Colleen ordered the fried noodle (mee, beehoon) with duck eggs (RM6.50). The presentation, again is rather cheesy with custom printed heart shaped OIC plates. It is the usual charkuetiao with the duck egg; one would expect to pay up to RM5 for a dish in the usual stalls. It is surprisingly nice, though could not beat the roadside stall version for the lack of "wok-hei". I can really taste the duck egg unlike some stalls which the noodle taste overpowered the egg so much so that it would not make difference in between duck or chicken eggs. However, the bean sprout was a bit on the raw side, but it did not sink the dish, luckily. Next, is my carbonara spaghetti with duck slice (RM 13.90). The carbonara sauce is really disappointing. Given the price, I would expect a better rendition but the although the sauce is creamy, there is not much taste which led to a bland dish. However, the roast duck slice is the saving grace here. Nicely roasted, it has the perfect amount of charred smell with the aroma of duck meat. It had been a while since I tasted such nice duck meat. The RM2 addition for the set lunch was bit disappointing though. The extra RM1 for the soup of the day made me felt like being short changed. I know it will be the usual "mix-with-water" cream soup, but the amount is so little that I practically can finish it at one gulp.

Overall, dining here is rather average, but there are few gems here and there. Worth a try.

ratings: 2 half poink~!
comments: look past the cheesy deco. And there are even steamboat at night, I heard.

OIC Cafe Kampar
2198-2201, Jalan Timah
Taman Bandar Baru
Kampar
05-4660128, 4658268
open for lunch, dinner until late supper