Malaysia road trip - Day 19 (Ipoh)

It has been quite some time since I last blogged about Ipoh food, mainly because we have been returning to the same favourite spots and ordering the same dishes whenever we visit. Ipoh has always been one of our favourite food destinations, and every trip here feels incomplete without revisiting the familiar flavours that we have grown to love.

One of the must-have dishes whenever we are in Ipoh is definitely the famous nasi ganja. Despite its unusual name, nasi ganja has nothing to do with its literal meaning. The name comes from how addictive and irresistible the dish is, as many people keep coming back for another plate after trying it.

The dish is served with fragrant rice, flavourful curry, tender chicken, and a variety of accompaniments that come together beautifully. The ayam merah was one of the highlights, with tender chicken coated in a rich and flavourful sauce that paired perfectly with the rice and curry. For me, one drumstick is never enough, and I would usually go for two because the chicken is simply too good to resist. The salted egg is also a must-have addition, with its distinct salty flavour that complements the other elements of the dish and makes each bite even more satisfying.

The combination of aromatic rice, rich curry, well-seasoned chicken, and salted egg makes nasi ganja a dish that we always look forward to enjoying whenever we are back in Ipoh. For us, a trip to Ipoh is never complete without having a plate of nasi ganja. It is one of those comforting dishes that reminds us why Ipoh continues to be one of our favourite food destinations.

(Total bill - RM 31.60 including 6% SST for food and RM 3.60 for drinks)

Nasi Ganja Ipoh (Nasi Kandar Ayam Merah)

Iced lemon tea and iced water - RM 3.60

Nasi kandar - RM 17.50 (Rice, L-shaped drumsticks and salted egg - RM 12.50 & beef rendang - RM 5)

Nasi kandar - 12.30 (Rice, chicken and salted egg - RM7.50 & additional chicken - RM 4.80)

Address:

Nasi Ganja Ipoh (Nasi Kandar Ayam Merah)

Kedai Kopi Yong Suan

2, Jalan Yang Kalsom,

Ipoh Town, 30250 Ipoh,

Perak

Tel: +6016 - 595 9673

Opening hours: 9am to 5pm. Closed on Sunday

After our meal, we headed over to Funny Mountain Soya Beancurd for their famous tau fu fa. This is another Ipoh classic that we always make time for whenever we visit. We usually order their "pak pak", which comes with both tau fu fa and soya bean drink, so we can enjoy both in one order. The tau fu fa was soft, smooth, and silky, with a delicate texture that melts in your mouth. The soya bean drink was on the sweeter side, with a fragrant soy bean flavour that complemented the tau fu fa well. The combination of both made it a refreshing and comforting dessert after our meal.

Funny Mountain Soya Beancurd

Funny Mountain Soya Beancurd

Combination of tau fu fa with soya bean (pak pak) - RM 6

Address:

Funny Mountain Soya Beancurd

50, Jalan Mustapha Al-Bakri,

Taman Jubilee,

30300 Ipoh,

Perak

Tel: +6012 - 516 1607

Opening hours: 10am to 6.30pm. Closed on Tuesday

One of the best Ipoh white coffees that we had was definitely at Kedai Kopi Sin Yoon Loong. This iconic coffee shop has been serving traditional Ipoh white coffee for generations, and it is easy to understand why it remains a favourite among locals and visitors alike. The white coffee had a smooth and aromatic taste, with a rich coffee fragrance and a pleasant balance of sweetness and creaminess. It was not overly bitter, making it easy to enjoy sip after sip. The signature roasted aroma and silky texture gave it a distinctive flavour that sets it apart from regular coffee.

I personally cannot drink too much coffee as it can trigger palpitations, so I usually only take a few sips. However, my partner absolutely loves their white coffee and always looks forward to having it whenever we are in Ipoh. During this visit, we did have one disappointing experience. My partner wanted to buy just a single packet to take away, but the lady at the shop refused to sell it. In the end, my partner went across to Kedai Makanan Nam Heong and bought a packet instead. The white coffee from Nam Heong was a nice alternative, with a smooth and fragrant coffee aroma that still gave us a taste of Ipoh’s traditional coffee culture.

While we understand that businesses may have their own practices, we felt that the response was rather unfriendly and disappointing. A little more warmth and flexibility would have made the experience much better. Despite that experience, we still appreciate the quality of their white coffee, and it's one of the reasons we keep coming back whenever we're in Ipoh. A great cup of coffee can leave a lasting impression, but a warm and welcoming customer experience makes it even more memorable.

Ipoh white coffee - RM 3.20

Address:

Kedai Makanan Nam Heong

2, Jalan Bandar Timah, 30000 Ipoh, Perak

Tel: +6012 - 588 8766

Opening hours: 6.30am to 4.30pm

We went back to the hotel to rest for a while before taking a stroll at Ipoh Parade. Since our hotel was located just opposite the mall, it was convenient for us to walk over without having to drive. We spent some time walking around the mall before heading out for our tea break. We initially planned to try Cendol Mari Gunung Rapat, but unfortunately, it was not open when we arrived. Since we were already in the area, we decided to try something else and ended up getting a slice of pandan cake from Disny, which was highly recommended by Capoh.

Disny offers four flavours of cake: original, pandan, chocolate, and coffee. We chose the pandan cake, which came with a light green colour and a soft, fluffy texture. The cake was airy and not too dense, making it easy to eat. My partner really enjoyed it and loved the texture and flavour of the cake. For me, it was pleasant but did not leave a particularly strong impression. I found it a little sweeter than my preference, as the sugary taste lingered in my throat after eating Nevertheless, it was still a decent treat and made for a nice little tea break while exploring Ipoh.

Disny Confectionery & Bakery

Pandan cake - RM 2.80

Address:

Disny Confectionery & Bakery

41, Jalan Cempaka Sari,

Taman Cempaka,

31400 Ipoh,

Perak

Tel: +6016 - 520 5286

Opening hours: 9am to 5pm. Closed on Monday

I came across Irodori Fruit Tart while looking for dessert spots in Ipoh and was immediately drawn to the mango tart photos. The presentation looked beautiful and tempting, so we decided to give it a try. We ordered the mango rose cheese base tart along with a glass of iced water. The mango slices were sweet and fresh, but unfortunately, the overall tart did not meet our expectations. The cake was quite dry, while the cream was thick and dense, making the texture feel a little heavy. Inside the tart, there were mango cubes that added a slight sourness, which did not blend very well with the other components. The tart base itself was soft rather than crisp, and the overall texture gave the impression that it had been sitting out for some time. Unfortunately, the taste and texture did not match the beautiful presentation shown in the photos, and this was not a dessert that we would personally recommend.

Irodori Fruit Tart. Iced water - RM 1

Mango rose cheese base - RM 22

Address:

Irodori Fruit Tart

29, Jalan Market, 30000 Ipoh, Perak

Tel: +6013 - 312 9209

Opening hours: 10am to 6pm. Closed on Tuesday

After the dessert, we continued our walk to Concubine Lane to explore the area. This is one of Ipoh’s most well-known heritage spots, famous for its narrow lanes, charming old shophouses, and nostalgic atmosphere. Walking along the lane felt like stepping back in time, with the traditional architecture and colourful storefronts adding to its old-town charm.

Concubine Lane

We had dinner at Restaurant Long Wu, a place we had visited before and really enjoyed for their Ipoh hor fun. Since we had such a good experience previously, we decided to return during this trip. In fact, we had tried to visit the day before, but the restaurant was unexpectedly closed. It was a Wednesday, and we had checked Google beforehand, which indicated that they were only closed on Tuesdays. Thankfully, we had better luck this time and found the restaurant open when we arrived. The drive to the restaurant took us past a cemetery, and the road was quite dark, which made the journey feel a little eerie.

Restaurant Long Wu is a spacious eatery with several stalls offering a variety of food options. They also have outdoor seating by the roadside, where diners can enjoy their meal in a more open-air setting. We ordered the Ipoh hor fun with additional chicken breast, three pieces of chicken wings, and iced water. The hor fun was silky smooth, while the soup was very flavourful and comforting. It came with prawns and shredded chicken. However, the prawns were not very fresh, and the shredded chicken was slightly tough. The plate chicken was tender and juicy, but we were unable to order all breast meat as the portion came mixed with chicken wings. Overall, the chicken was good, but it was not as impressive as Lou Wong’s version. The chicken wings were another highlight of the meal. They were flavourful, well-seasoned, and had a good balance of taste, making them a satisfying addition to the meal.

(Total bill - RM 45)

Restoran Long Wu

Iced water - RM 0.80

Ipoh hor fun

Steamed chicken

Bean sprouts

Chicken wings (3pcs) - RM 10.80

Address:

Restoran Long Wu

49, Jalan Lapangan Perdana 1,

Panorama Lapangan Perdana,

31350 Ipoh,

Perak

Tel: +6011 - 1117 5771

Opening hours: 5.30pm to 10pm. Closed on Tuesday

We ended the night with tau fu fa again, but this time at Douba, which was previously known as Ipoh Bean Bar. Since we are big fans of tau fu fa, we could not resist having another bowl before calling it a night. Our favourite item from this shop is definitely their pandan tau fu fa. We topped it with Taiwan grass jelly and peanuts, which added more texture and flavour to the dessert.

The pandan tau fu fa had a soft and silky texture, although the pandan flavour was quite mild and not very noticeable. The Taiwan grass jelly added a refreshing touch, while the peanuts provided a nice crunch and a nutty flavour that complemented the smooth tau fu fa. Overall, the combination of soft tau fu fa, chewy grass jelly, and crunchy peanuts made it an enjoyable dessert with different textures in every bite. It was a nice way to end the night on a sweet note.

Douba

Pandan tau fu fa with Taiwan grass jelly - RM 6.90 and add on peanuts - RM 2

Address:
Douba
11, Jalan Medan Ipoh 1,

Bandar Baru Medan Ipoh,

31400 Ipoh,

Perak
Tel: +6011 - 5775 6230
Opening hours: 1pm to 10pm. Closed on Tuesday