What To Eat in Ipoh: From Morning Breakfast to Late Night Supper

When food trip comes to mind, any Malaysian will think of either Penang, Melaka and Ipoh. I have previously published a list of what to eat in Melaka [click here to read], but I realised I have not written any for Penang and Ipoh. As the world is now in this Covid-19 pandemic, chances of us travelling abroad is slim, so Malaysians are now into Cuti Cuti Malaysia mode. With that in mind, I find that this is the best time for me to actually write about local travels (I have some backlogs) instead of continuing on my Everest Base Camp travelogue (still working on it amidst my busy working schedule). 

Lo and behold, here’s my list of food to eat in Ipoh, although I have not been to Ipoh many times. I hope this is of any help to anyone of you who is unfamiliar with Ipoh and is looking for something to fill in your food hunt adventure. 

Dim Sum @ Restoran Chooi Yue (also available for lunch) 

No one visits Ipoh without sampling their famous dimsum and while tourists make their way to Foh San and Ming Court, the two most popular dim sum place in Ipoh Old Town, I was introduced to Chooi Yue instead. Located in Ipoh Garden South, it’s far off the radar of most tourists (especially non Malaysians) but very popular among the locals. 

The head chef here has over 11 years of experience working with Yoke Fook Moon, one of three highly successful dim sum restaurants in Ipoh, so you can be assured of the quality of food here. The pricing is also more wallet-friendly and I love how generous they are with their ingredients. They don’t skim on the prawns! My personal favourite dim sum items are their har gao, siew mai, fried prawn rolls, and fei chui lao sar bao. Try them!

Do come early or be prepared to wait for at least 20 minutes. They do have a queue number system (manually recorded and called) and stools are provided for the elderly to sit on while waiting. I have just recently visited during RMCO (Recovery Movement Control Order) during this covid-19 pandemic and they now have a new 50 minute rule (you need to finish dining in 50 minutes) to prevent people from hogging their seat way too long. I don’t really have an issue with that restriction but some may? They also provide one plastic bag to each customer to keep their mask which I really appreciate. 

If dim sum isn’t your thing or you have tried all dim sum in Ipoh and want to have something else for breakfast, this is where you should go. I first visited in 2017 when a local friend brought me there. I was so satisfied with the food back then that I decided to revisit in July 2020 to recommend it to my travel companion. Pulut kaya and ice white coffee is a must try here, and although I felt it was a lot nicer three years ago, they are still good as of my second visit. There are plenty of other stalls there as well such as one that sells wanton mee, one that sells curry mee (soup and dry available) and one that sells chee cheong fun and yam cake. The yam cake and chee cheong fun is good but the dry curry mee I tried was not up to my taste bud. For my next visit, I’ll definitely order what seemed to be another popular item in this coffee shop - toast with jiggly soft boiled eggs. 

This coffee shop is always crowded but the wait won’t be too long as customers comes and goes without lingering for long. During RMCO be prepared to sit separately from your group as they adhere very strictly to SOP. Not a bad thing in my honest opinion. Safety comes first. 

Dry Curry Noodles @ Yee Fatt Tea Shop (also available for lunch)

Dry curry mee is everywhere in Ipoh and you will be spoilt for choices. Google this dish and I’m sure you will read about Nam Chau, Xin Quan Fang, Yat Yat Seng and even the aforementioned Keng Nam (don’t go there for curry mee please, go for their pulut). 

I liked the one at Yee Fatt as their dry curry mee (RM7 per plate) is thick, robust and spicy with generous amount of chicken meat. I was brought here by the same Ipoh friend and this place truly doesn’t disappoint. If you are looking for a delicious plate of dry curry mee and a decent bowl of lor mai gai, give Yee Fatt a try. I have not tried Nam Chau, Xin Quan Fang and Yat Yat Seng which reviews are very good, so that will be saved for my next visit. 

Hor Hee @ Restoran Chang Wang (also available for lunch)

First of all, this place is not for tourist. In fact, I think it’s a little out of the way. I was only here because I was following my Ipoh friend to her local spot breakfast and I ended up trying something different for breakfast – hor hee. What’s that? 

If you like silky smooth hor fun but dislike shredded chicken, hor hee is a good alternative where it is cooked in fish soup and topped with fish balls, fish cakes and etc instead of shredded chicken. 

On My Radar: Hor Hee @ Loke Wooi Kee Café (also available for lunch)

The hor hee I had in Restoran Chang Wang (a coffee shop actually) is pretty good but some research online introduced me to Loke Wooi Kee which seems like an Ipoh institution which has been around for decades, popular among the local but lesser known to tourist. I will definitely give this place a try in my next visit. Besides, the gai si hor fun (shredded chicken hor fun), apam balik and fruit rojak here are also positively reviewed. 

On My Radar: Nasi Kandar Ayam Merah (Nasi Ganja) @ Kedai Kopi Yong Suan (also available for lunch) 

Nicknamed “Nasi Ganja” by the locals due to its addictiveness, the actual name of this stall is Nasi Kandar Ayam Merah, and it is located in a Chinese coffee shop. But fret not, it is halal and operated by Indian Muslim and despite the nickname, there are no marijuana used in any of the ingredients. This nasi ganja is so popular that the queue for takeaway is dreadfully long and if you are planning to dine in during lunch hour, it would be hardly possible for you to find a table without sharing it with others. 

Their signature plate of Nasi Kandar comes with a piece of fried chicken, salted egg, okra curry and sliced cucumbers topped with their special coconut chutney and robust curry sauce.

 

I had wanted to try this in my recent visit but unfortunately the elderly I was travelling with does not like food with spices and therefore, we gave this a miss. I will definitely try this in my next visit. 

Gai Si Hor Fun and caramel custard pudding @ Restoran Thean Chun (also available for breakfast)

Thean Chun needs little introduction as it is possibly one of the most crowded eating place in Ipoh Old Town. Thean Chun is home to one of the most popular gai si hor fun (shredded chicken hor fun) and is knowned for their custard caramel pudding. Other popular food items here include satay and chee cheong fun. If you are dining here, you can also cross order from Kafe Zun Seng Fatt next door or Kong Heng, except for drinks, custard caramel pudding and gai si hor fun. 

I particularly love their custard caramel pudding especially chilled as it’s refreshing, smooth and just the right level of sweetness. The gai si hor fun is also silky smooth and the beansprout is juicy and crunchy. It’s a good dining place if only the queue is less dreadful. Avoid peak hour and you will enjoy your meal here.  

Most tourists flock to Thean Chun with some heading towards Kong Heng, without paying attention to this humble coffee shop next to Thean Chun. However, the rice stall here serves one of the best lobak (five spices pork roll or “ngoh hiang”) rice I’ve eaten and best thing is that there is less crowd here and you can cross order from Thean Chun (except for drinks and custard caramel pudding). Apparently, the uncle who serves lobak rice (about RM6 if I remember correctly) was originally from Kong Heng but moved here when the coffee shop changed owner. Give this lobak rice a try if you have not. It’s delicious and the tofu is so silky smooth!

There is also a noodles stall that sells Gai Si Hor Fun and pork soup noodle but I prefer to order gai si hor fun from Thean Chun instead. The custard caramel pudding is not bad although I prefer Thean Chun’s version. 

This old school restaurant is located strategically in Concubine Lane, opposite Thean Chun and Kong Heng Square. It’s smack right in the tourist spot, yet it seems to be a favourite spot among locals. I was brought here by a local friend who still patron this restaurant as she reminiscences her younger childhood days of dining here. 

Wong Koh Kee is available only for lunch, the place is small and always crowded but table turnover is high. People come here to eat and go without lingering for long. There is also no printed menu as most patrons are local who knows what to order. For newbies, you can take a clue or two from other tables or ask the waiter for recommendation. 

During my visit, my friend of course took care of what to order and we had their trademark dishes which are Pei Pa Chicken, steamed triple-yolk egg (chicken egg, century egg and salted egg), stir-fry watercress with belacan and roasted pork and stir-fry beansprout with fried anchovies. The dishes are simple, no-frills yet tasty and the best part of that wallet-friendly. Our total bill for 5 people came out to only RM65 (in 2017).

On My Radar: Fried Yong Tau Foo @ Restoran Choong Kee "Big Tree Foot” / Dai Shu Geok (also available for breakfast) 

I deserve a big slap for being in Ipoh a couple of times yet have yet to try this famous yong tao fu stall. Unfortunately, I tend to miss it due to some reason, so it’s still sitting on my radar. I will definitely come one day. 

This eatery sells fried stuffed tofu with generous fish paste filling. Customers just help themselves to the pieces they like, put them in a basket and pass it over to the staff to cook and serve it at their table. Customers can choose to have different type of noodles (either soup or dry) to be paired with the fried yong tau foo. The most recommended item is “sar kok liew” which is the fried yam bean that some resembles it to “Chinese hash browns”. 

Think of dessert in Ipoh and the first thing that will come across your mind will definitely be taufufa (soya beancurd). Somehow Ipoh taufufa is always siky smooth and rumour has it it is because their taufufa is made from spring water in Ipoh. 

Most tourists will flock to Funny Mountain which has drive-thru service but seasoned tourists swear by Woong Kee which is highly recommended by my local friends. However, there is a new kid on the block – Big Mom Beancurd. A little information search online reveals that it is opened by the original owners of Woong Kee whom had sold off their business, and true enough I recognise one of the lady (presumably the owner) in one of the old video recommendation of Woong Kee. Big Mom is just about 100m away from Woong Kee and the shop is more spacious with more seats indoor. I have not tried Woong Kee as I headed straight to Big Mom and I can attest to their superb prompt and friendly service. The staffs are very polite and enthusiastic when serving my takeaway orders. Some online review mentioned that their beancurd is slightly smoother and richer in soybean taste compared to Woong Kee, but this I can’t comment as I had not tried Woong Kee. 

What I can confirm is that the texture is indeed very bouncy and wobbly, which literally glides down my throat. It’s the kind of texture you can’t find in other places. Their taufafu are inexpesive at RM1.30 per bowl and toppings (peanuts, sesame, red beans, grass jelly, peach gum and pumpkin rice balls) are available for RM0.70 each. On weekdays, customers can choose between ginger syrup or brown sugar to go with the taufufa and on weekend they have the chrysanthemum special. I ordered the latter with their chewy pumpkin rice balls (only available on the last two weekends of the month) and oh my, I love the combination. 

Who doesn’t love egg tarts? Ipoh has really good egg tarts, and you can easily find them in the menu of any dim sum restaurant. However, the best egg tarts are not found in the dimsum restaurant, but in local bakery. Two brands stands out above there rest, which are Choy Kee and Hong Kee but the locals will swear by those from Choy Kee which comes from Simee Market. It’s relatively out of the way for normal tourists but the drive there is definitely worth it for these yummy egg tarts. 

Apart from Simee Market where their original stall is set up, they also have a bakery near the market itself where you can conveniently get their tarts and other pastries. However, their bakery only opens at 11am, so if you are early head to the market instead. The egg tarts skin is buttery and flaky and the egg custard is smooth, silky and not too sweet. I find them even better than what you can find in Hong Kong. They are sold in a box of either 6 or 8 pieces and be sure to leave some room in your tummy for these egg tarts in between your meals. You won’t regret it! 

Ipoh seems to be famous with all things chicken from nga choi gai (beansprout chicken) to gai si hor fun (shredded chicken hor fun) to yim gok gai (salt baked chicken). Speaking of salt baked chicken, Aun Kheng Lim is somewhat of an institution and a must try among tourists. There is only one item on the menu which is none other than salt baked chicken – chicken stuffed with Chinese herbs and baked in coarse salt (RM21 per chicken). They don’t provide dine in service, only take away and customers will just show up, queue, order, and go. There is usually a queue but you won’t have to wait very long. 

Their free-range chickens are small enough for 2-3 people to share. The soft and moist flesh has herbal notes and the saltiness is just right to enhance its taste. The chicken can be eaten at room temperature, but warming it up in a microwave oven for two to three minutes is best, or steaming it (without removing the paper wrapper) for 10 minutes will taste even better. They also sell vacuum pack version which you can keep for days and is perfect if your journey home is a little far too long. 

Ipoh is famous for the pastries and one of such pastries is kaya puff. When kaya puff comes to mind, only one particular shop will cross my mind and that is Sin Eng Heong. I haven’t personally bought it myself but I have always eaten their version of kaya puff whenever someone in the family makes a trip to Ipoh. It’s the perfect food souvenir to buy home for families and friends. Baking a variety of traditional biscuits since 1961, Sin Eng Heong bake their kaya puffs fresh daily, so expect long queues even as the shop is about to open. 

Peanut candy is one of the must buy souvenir in Ipoh. Made with sugar and maltose, some salt, sesame seeds, peanuts, puffed rice grains and vegetable oil, peanut candy is an addictive snacks especially during Chinese New Year but in Ipoh, it’s something tourist buy whole year round. There are plenty of shops selling this delicious snacks and the two most popular one have to be Sin Weng Fai and Ming Yue. The price is similar and the queue is equally as long. Sin Weng Fai may be more strategically located and their packaging is also better looking as a souvenir gift. Each packet of 300g is priced at RM9 and the queue can be about half an hour long. There is also a limit of 8 packets per customer when we visited during RMCO in July 2020. 

One of the most popular dinner place in Ipoh, Tuck Kee has been operating for more than 50 years and is known for its dependably good fried noodles dishes. The signature here is their moonlight horfun and wat tan hor. It’s so popular among tourists that they have now opened a branch in Damansara Uptown, PJ. Some people even goes as far as to say they serve the best moonlight hor fun. Due to health issue during my recent visit, I was unable to eat their moonlight horfun (I’m forbidden to eat raw food at the moment and raw egg is cracked onto and stirred with moonlight horfun) so I can attest to that but I did order their poached baby octopus which is another hot selling item on their menu. Priced at RM18 per portion, it’s not cheap but taste wise I have no complains. It is served with soy sauce, fried garlic oil and completed with fragrant fried garlic bits and chopped spring onions. The baby octopus was perfectly cooked hence the texture was just. It’s delicious although not very memorable. If there’s no queue I won’t mind dining here again.

  

Last visit: July 2020 

Chinese Dishes @ Tuck Kee Restaurant (also available for lunch)

Most tourists only know the aforementioned Tuck Kee that sell fried noodles, but not many know this Tuck Kee at Pasir Pinji (just opposite Big Tree Root Yong Tau Foo and Ming Yue Peanut Candy). This Tuk Kee is an old school Chinese restaurant which is famous for roasted pork and smoked duck. At the front of the shop, there is a take away counter, just like how Hong Kong restaurants operate in order to cater to the lunch crowd packing food to be enjoyed elsewhere. You will easily spot this counter as it faces Ming Yue Confectionery. 

I was introduced to this restaurant by my family who had dined there several times after being recommended by my uncle who used to travel to Ipoh for business purpose. Apparently, Tuck Kee serves the best smoked duck in Ipoh. A portion of the smoked dug costs about RM18 and they are not the kind of smoked duck most restaurants source from supplier. Instead, they prepare this smoked duck from scratch. Other notable dishes include their roasted meat (roast pork, char siew, siew Cheong, roast duck), kwai fah egg, and Tuck Kee chao siew wong (stir-fry beansprout with chives). 

I only managed to visit this restaurant during my recent visit last month and unfortunately I didn’t get to try their famed smoked duck. I will definitely return for it and to try other dishes. 

Chinese Dishes @ Sun Marpoh Restaurant (also available for lunch)

I actually stumbled upon this place when I was hiking Mount Korbu and Gayong last year. As we exited the mountain around lunch hour, we were hunting for food nearby and found this restaurant with high review on google. Turned out the place is popular with locals and not a touristy place. There were about 7 of us during the trip and we conveniently ordered their set meal which is pretty value for money. All the food we ordered were tasty and prices were reasonable as well. Our set meal comes with their signature pork chop, signature kwai fei beancurd, marinated chicken with honey and lemongrass, omelette, and stir-fry kangkung with belacan. Portion was big enough to fit all 7 of us and the bill also came out inexpensive, although I couldn’t remember the exact amount. 

If you are looking for some Chinese restaurant with reasonably priced food, this is a pretty good choice. 

Nga Choi Gai aka Beansprout Chicken is the signature food of Ipoh, and you can see this dish everywhere in Ipoh. There are many restaurant serving this dish but the one that is highly raved by locals is non other than Cowan Street which is only opened at night. I initially planned this for my dinner during my July 2020 visit but in the end we changed location upon finding out that they don’t serve rice, only hor fun (or kuay teow). I was in Ipoh with elderly and they only want rice for dinner, so I guess I’ll have to return some other day to try this place. 

Reviews online are positive and many praised the juicy and crunchy beansprout and tasty innards besides the smooth poached chicken. The hor fun is also said to be juicy smooth. Writing this listicle makes me salivate. I’ll make a trip to Ipoh again. No, I must!

Mixed Fruit Ice @ Tong Sui Kai (Dessert Street)

I stumbled across Tong Sui Kai (literally means Dessert Street) when I was searching for dessert at night. The street is lined with dozens of food stalls mostly selling desserts (hence the name) such as ABC, shaved ice, and aiyu jelly, as well as snacks like rojak, sotong kangkung, and boiled cockles. There are also stalls which sell food such as wanton mee, beef noodle, grilled fish, and other stir-fry dishes. There’s also a small section at the end dedicated to Malay food.

I tried the crowd favourite mixed fruit ABC at a random stall, and honestly, it’s nothing to shout about. I was just really desperate to get some dessert at that hour and found this place. 

Ps: There are dedicated seats to each stalls so make sure you seat where you order your food from to avoid getting sneered. 

On My Radar: Snow Beer @ Kafe Yoon Wah (also available for lunch and dinner)

After an entire day of hardcore eating, you would want to unwind and chill with a glass of refreshing beer. And in Ipoh, one of the most try place is Kafe Yoon Wah for their famous snow beer. 

The beer mugs are chilled until frozen, and once the beer are poured into the cup, the foam immediately crystallizes. The froth of the beer is smooth and you’ll find that the beer’s bitter notes are obscured by the temperature, making it a refreshing beverage, which is very well suited for Malaysia hot weather. You can choose whichever brand of beer you like to have, ranging from Tigers, Carlsberg, Heineken and etc.

I wasn’t able to try this snow beer on my several visits to Ipoh due to various unforeseen reasons, but it has always been on my radar, and I’ll definitely make sure I get to try it one day. 

 

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And here you go. A list of food to try during your next visit to Ipoh. As I have only visited Ipoh for a couple of times, I have probably only scratched the surface of this food heaven. Can’t wait to revisit Ipoh again and try more finger-licking food. 

What do you think of this list? Have you tried them all? Which one is your favourite? What are other places you would like to recommend me for my next visit? Feel free to comment down below. I’d like to hear from you! *wink*

Meanwhile, stay safe, mask on and remember to adhere to all the SOP and practice social distancing!