怡保鸿星楼点心 Hong Xing Dim Sum, Ipoh

Beside Foh San and 明阁, there are quite a number of dim sum restaurant in Ipoh. If you are near Bercham or Plus North South highway exit near Bercham, you may try this out. They serve Shang Hai dumpling 上海小笼包 too which I think is quite nice. Look at the 'big pao' 大包 at the bottom, YL said there is traditional taste in there with an ingredient in there, which I forgot is which :p Check it out yourself.

鸿星楼点心有限公司 Hong Xing Dim Sum Sdn Bhd
o 35&37, Bercham Bistari 3, Medan Bercham Bistari, 31400 Ipoh, Perak.
Tel: 012-4630141

Penang Asam Laksa Paste from www.talentcook.com

Nope, I am not a chef to review food. I am just sharing a laksa paste. SP, remembered we bought this when visited the Rumah Peranakan?

This paste is designed for stir fried or anything not soup.

I used it to fry rice vermicelli a.k.a. beehun locally. It turns out to be quite nice I think. However, it is less tasty if you made it soup, I feel. The good thing is I think it really is natural without MSG.

Green Island Western Food, One Square

Looking for western food near Bayan Baru area? Here's a new restaurant at One Square.

If you been to James Foo & family western food before, this is similar I feel. Which one is nicer? Hmm, I don't know, taste is very subjective. I tried different item at these restaurant, so I can't do apple-apple comparison. In general, I felt is okay.

Mushroom soup RM 2.50. (Look at the spoon, west meet east haha :p)
Chicken Maryland RM 10.80
Grilled Fish with Teriyaki Sauce RM 9.80
Warm water RM 1
No service charge nor government tax.

At this price, please do not expect porcelain plate/bowl.

For directions to Green Island Western Food restaurant, refer to my previous blog post. It is at one of the few shop rows.

Green Island Western Food Restaurant
Address: 2-1-08, Tingkat Mahsuri 4, 11950 Bayan Baru, Penang.
Phone: 018-622 6863
FB page: greenisland.ck.pg@gmail.com

Natural Leisure, One Square

Looking for new restaurant in Penang? There are a few in One Square. I am going to share Natural Leisure today. The ground floor is restaurant, where 1st and 2nd floor are event hall.

We think the food is pretty 'natural' where there is less (or maybe no) MSG. The white rice is surprisingly nice too. Ah, if you like JJ swiss roll, you may get it here too. According to the staff, there will be new stock on every Thu, usually sold out on Friday. They have swiss roll from other supplier too, if you are not desperate to get only JJ's.

Serving is for 4 head.
The squid curry at RM 21.90,
spring roll RM 7.90,
bean curd vegetable RM 4.80,
stir fried mushroom kale RM 8.90,
white rice RM 1.50 each,
Alkaline water RM 1.50 each.
+ 2 TauHua (no picture) RM 4.90 each.
Service charge @ 10%
Total for the meal was RM 70.20.

Watch out before you sit, some of the dining table may have the right highlighted corner that could hurt your leg.

Where is One Square? It is the newly built housing+commercial area opposite of Sunshine Bayan Baru or D' Piazza. Here's the direction in brief. 

1. If you are driving to PISA where Sunshine and D' Piazza are on your left, One Square is on your right.

2. If you are coming from Sunway Tunas, at the PISA traffic light, turn right and you will see it on your left.

Here's the contact.

Natural Leisure

2-1-25, 2-2-25 & 2-3-25

Tingkat Mahsuri One Square,

11950 Bayan Baru,

Penang

Tel: 04-6412695

GPS Location : N05° 19.718’  E100°  17.059’ (as from their website)

Website: http://myleisure.com.my/

The best egg tart ever

The bestegg tart I've ever had. Look at the second picture, the egg paste stick to the skin so well. And the skin, it is soft but not crumb when bite, 即酥却又有嚼劲 :) Too bad this is home made, can't buy elsewhere. I sure want to learn if the baker want to teach.

Thanks SH for the egg tarts. It enlightened my moody day.

Kiwiberry frozen yogurt now at Gurney Plaza, Penang

Are you an ice cream lover? I actually not but I do love yogurt. Today a friend is opening its kiwiberry at Gurney Plaza LG, only I know there is tutti frutti frozen yogurt, beside kiwiberry.

As friend, YB and I went to support, of course :) and get a chance to try yogurt ice cream. It is available at Gurney Plaza, Penang.



We tried mango and raspberry. Raspberry flavor is very special we feel. There are few topping choices available. We have added strawberry and peanuts. I think I love frozen yogurt more than ice cream :) Next round to try another four flavor. RM 4.90 per 100g, slightly cheaper than tutti fruitti of RM 5.30 per 100g.

Well, if you have time tomorrow and will stop by Gurney, visit them and get 20% discount for the grand opening. Apply membership for free for future 10% discount, and get a stamp for every RM 5 spent. 10 stamps will entitle for 20% on next cup.

The making of fried ribbon biscuit

If you are not sure what is ribbon biscuit we usually called in Penang, pictures below will help :D

If we buy the ready biscuit, it usually cost around RM 13-18 per bottle, depending on the size. When I passed by Sunshine wet market, there was a store selling the raw ribbon biscuit skin from SP. SH said SP ribbon biscuit is famous, so I bought a packet to try out :D

Ladies and gentlemen, changmeikuan.blogspot.com is now proudly present: The making of fried ribbon biscuit. Please give your round applause.

*sweat* I must be too tie with work, till coming out such cold joke :p (Hopefully you were not clapping also, or else you might be like me, tie with some work :p )

Anyhow, let's start.

Cut the skin into around 1.5cm width. For the skin I bought, it is approximate to 8 cuts which are marked dotted line below.



After that, cut there line in the middle as the right skin in picture below. You may use knife or scissors, up to your most efficient way to cut all of them ;) It is always good to cut with 2 skin together, we are going to fold it to become that in the left of the picture, thus if both are cut together, it will be easier to fold and looks nicer too.


To fold, turn one side into the middle line, as below:


Then pull it gently.


Make it into nice shape. We are ready to fry the skin now.


There are few tips on how to fry something well, I afraid I have to share those in other post other day. The final product.


One packet of skin cost RM 6, 500g, which resulted below.


I tasted, it is really nicer than other ribbon biscuit out there, softer yet crispy ;)
Drooling? Hehe. Happy CNY :D

Hawker Food at Ipoh Stadium

Beside Ipoh old town, dim sum house, you may also try the food at hawker stall in Ipoh stadium.



Here are the famous stall HS said. Nice ABC, wantan noodle and chu cheong fun. I like this stall wantan but other stall wantan noodle, just give it a try if you happen to be there ;)
The chu cheong fun is smooth, the ABC brown sugar is very fragrant.




Just go to Ipoh Stadium, then go inside the compound and you will see hawker center with parking place.

Cafe Takahashi 高桥珈啡馆, Jusco Kinta City, Ipoh

We ordered curry udon (RM 9.90), egg plant curry rice (RM 9.90) and mushroom onsen tamago spaghetti (with Wafu sauce) (RM 14.90). There is a half boil egg on top of the spaghetti, first time seeing this kinda combination. The green tea is RM 2.50 per cup. 3 of us also have the same thoughts that we would still prefer hawker food in Ipoh :p Actually the spaghetti tasted good. None of us order any coffee.

My friend said this cafe is available in KL as well. Anyway, if you wish to give it a try, it is just outside of KBox karaoke at Jaya Jusco Kinta City.

Address: Lot F55A, Jusco Kinta Cit, No 2 Jalan Teh Lean Swee, 31400 Ipoh, Perak.
Tel: 05-5499454
Fax: 05-5466454

One hour stir fried noodle 怡保一小时炒粉 @ Sun Seng Fatt Ipoh 怡保新成发

When SN asked what food I wish to take, I promptly answer Wat Dan Hor滑蛋河. This is a kind of stir fried Hor Fun with egg, a picture of it will be shown later. This is one of the food that I can never find in Penang till now. SN mom recommend us to go to this One hour stir fried noodle near Central coffee shop or Hotel Excelsior. They told me this, no matter what time you reach the shop, it will take you an hour for your order to be served. The shop name is 新成发 Sun Seng Fatt in Cantonese, Xin Cheng Fa in Mandarin.




The chef.

We reached about 8.30pm, the shop is almost full. [Oh yea for health purpose I usually finish my dinner before 8pm but there are exception case during travel/wedding dinner :D ] Half of the table are not served. I saw quite a few people were reading newspaper or books. For us, we just chit-chatting with long time no see old friends :) Well, we were mentally prepared to wait for an hour. When they serve your table with bowl/chopstick below, it is a good news, indicating your noodle will be served very soon in less than 15 min!


The Wat Dan Hor for 2 person, we already taken some. I don't know how to describe the taste, it is so smooth, and the taste is just nice, as what Cantonese people usually like to say 够锅气. It definitely worth for the 1 hour waiting in occasion.


The fried beehoon (vermicelli) which tasted good too, and not too oily.




At night, the shop open around 7pm, you may place your order, but the hawker take about an hour to prepare to start the business, so the first order will be served around after an hour. All subsequent order will take around 1 hour to be served too. We timed, the food was served after 1 hour, usually right on the dot, interesting eh, how the chef count the time :p If you would like to order the food for take away, remember to place the order together with your order, or 1 hour before you leave :D

I am sorry I cannot find the address now. It is somewhere near Hotel Excelsior and Central restaurant 中央茶餐食。

Woolley Food City, Ipoh, Perak

Similar to Penang, Ipoh is famous with nice food. In my opinion, I like food in both city. I like Penang Char Koay Teow 槟城炒粿条 and Lo Bak卤肉, I like Ipoh Hor Fun怡保河粉, curry noodle咖哩面, Wat Dan Hor (Fried Hor Fun with egg)滑蛋河,been sprout芽菜, wantan noodle云吞面 and etc. And lots more :D

One of the famous hawker center is called Woolley Food City near Ipoh Garden. It has been famous for more than 15 years. My friend brought me here again after my last visit of more than 8 years ago. Then only I realize it has a new modern look, cleaner and brighter.





We were here for the famous curry noodle Tuk Kee Prawn Mee Curry Mee德记虾面咖哩面.


In Ipoh, it is common to have dry noodle, which is noodle in black soy sauce, beside soup noodle. Similarly, there is also dry curry noodle. I ordered soup curry noodle. The few drop of lime juice add better taste to the curry noodle. I like chewy vermicelli too. I preferred Ipoh style curry compared to Penang curry, which is more fragrant and not only spiciness.


My favorites drink in Ipoh is soy bean juice, usually is freshly made, which is harder to be found in Penang. Sometimes I also like to order 黑白 soy bean juice mix with cincau. Notice on the grassjelly (cincau), it is sliced long and thin, which is very easy to be drink with the straw. Not all drink seller will slice it that way, some will cut it into cube which is not easy to eat/drink with.


That hawker center is opened for breakfast and lunch. At night, the outside hawker stall as in picture below will attract a lot of diner.



Some direction and details can be found here http://food.malaysiamostwanted.com/venues/woolley-food-city-western-chinese-ipoh-garden-ipoh
"Ipoh Garden South, Ipoh, Perak
Coming from Jusco towards Hospital Fatimah on Jalan Dato Lau Pak Khuan, opposite the hospital is a Shell petrol station on your left. Turn left into the road next to the station. Go straight into a vast parking lot. Woolley is situated facing the parking lot."

* Almost forgot, parking system in Ipoh is coupon-based. Go to nearby stall to get parking coupon, if not mistaken is RM 0.40 (or RM 0.60) per hour. Ipoh city council officer is very hardworking in patrolling to check for violation. The summon is RM 20-30 if not mistaken.

Maju Palace 万宝城 dim sum, KL

Looking for dim sum in KL? :)




From top to bottom, left to right:
1) Century egg and chicken meat porridge 生滚鸡丝皮蛋粥　RM 8. The peanut titbit is RM 5.
2） （Opps, forgot the name, something like fried spring roll) RM16
3) Steamed Siew Mai 百花蒸烧卖 (Don't know really got hundred flower or not :p ) RM 7
4) Steamed Crispy Cheong Fun 松子脆虾肠粉. RM 10. This is special, there are crispy thing inside the wrap.
5) Steamed Imperial Har Kau 金香鲜虾饺. RM 7
6) Crystal Duck Meat Dumpling 水晶菜肉饺. RM 5. Oh my god, I didn't realize it was duck meat until I write this blog post! Tea is RM 3 per head.

In general, the food taste nice I feel. Lastly, we tried the promotion item below @ RM 9


Steamed Egg with Bird's Nest 燕窝蛋. I didn't taste it. NC said it is typical.

Expensive? I have no comment on KL food price :p But I am using RM 50 voucher, so still ok :p Can consider to go downstairs Espirit outlet after meal :D

Oriental Maju Palace Restaurant
Address: Suite 5.6 to 5.11, Level 5, Maju Junction Mall, 1001 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 603-26918822
Fax: 603-26913822
Email: orirest@po.jaring.my
Website: www.orientalrestaurants.com.my

House Frankfurt, Bangsar Baru, KL

During my last visit to KL, YL brought EE and I to House Frankfurt for German food.



First of all, my apology for the dark picture :p I am using other people camera and yet to familiarize with that camera's functionality performance and LCD display lighting.


Dinner set of pork meat with German style mashed potato @ RM 36. I hope the meat texture can be more tender and more crispy skin. The mashed potato is typically nice :)


Matjes Herring salad, with marinated Herring fish (we feel it is raw), potato and onion, @ RM 23.50. We found out we don't really like raw marinated Herring fish :p


Sauerkraut (sour cabbage) @ RM 7.50. Typical German sauerkraut taste ;) While I was in German, the people there seems to like to eat it with meat, for healthier diet maybe ;)


Spaghetti with tomato sauce @ RM 10.50. EE and I felt the taste is typical but YL said the tomato sauce is so fresh. EE and I need to take care of our tounge more to feel the freshness :D The apply juice is @ RM 10 per glass.

In overall, I prefer the German food I had in German and Beijing better :) Oh before I forgot, I prefer Ingulf Penang better :) But in terms of service, this restaurant has professional waitress/captain that can oder my food without any pen/paper but brain :)

Anyway, if you would like to pay a visit:
House Frankfurt Restaurant
Address: 12 Jalan Telawi 5, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel/Fax: 603-22841624

Happy Dong Zhi (Winter day) 冬至快乐

Every year Dec 22th (occasionally 21th) is Winter Day 冬至。On this day, Chinese tradition is to make Tang Yuan 汤圆, which looks like below. It is made from glutinous rice powder, plain or stuffed with peanut ingredient, or other ingredient. The soup base is usually boiled with Pandan leave, ginger and sugar.

Thanks to YY for the delicious homemade Tang Yuan :)


Green color is with Pandan juice, blue color is with a kind of flower (I forgot the name, it is the same flower used to made nasi served with kaya), the yellow color is from natural plant also but YY forgot that is that. Well, the red color need artificial color agent. The white one, of course, is the natural color of glutinous rice :)

Hope you have had an enjoyable Winter Day with your family/friends :)

Delicious wedding dinner at Pusing Public Seafood Restaurant 怡保布先民众海鲜

Year end is greeting season, Christmas day, new year and also wedding season in Malaysia especially for Chinese!

This is a delicious wedding dinner I've had at Ipoh Pusing Public Seafood Restaurant 怡保布先民众海鲜 :)


- Starter 五福临门 with a nice couple deco item. EL so wanted to bring it home.
- Roasted pig 明炉全猪. The pork skin is so crispy, just can't stop eating it :p Eat it with at least the spring onion leave and sweet sauce, then it will not so oily.


- Fried fish with spicy sauce 合时海鲜, nice spicy sour taste
- Ginger steamed Chicken 姜茸菜园鸡, a famous dish of this restaurant.


- Pan-fried prawn with soy sauce 酱油煎虾. This is amazingly nice. Notice the prawn is 大头虾.
- Vegetables 民众小素. Very fresh vegetables.


- Fried rice 扬州炒饭, delicious. A lot of ingredient, you can taste it is really fried rice, the rice is so chewy and nice. I don't know how to describe :p
- Dessert 锅饼 Crispy and yet soft biscuit :D

The portion is huge. We had 9 person for that table and we can't finish some of the dishes, and requested the waitress to pack it for some friend to take home :D Don't waste food especially nice food, hehe :D

No, no magnum today :)

Address: 57 Jalan Verasamy (Off Horley Street), 30300 Ipoh, Perak
Tel: 605-2419348/2533428/2410306
Fax: 605-2419349