Food

10 Food Gems in Ipoh That Are Worth the Calories & the 8-hour Bus Ride

2018-04-26 , 12:59 pm

Last Updated on 2019-12-23 , 8:55 pm

If you’ve once been to Ipoh, you’ll see that Ipoh resembles Singapore in the 1980s—people are speaking Cantonese, everyone is friendly and the buildings and streets are practically what you’ll see in Singapore history books.

Despite Singapore’s rapid development, Ipoh stays true to its root, and people there are so obsessed and focused on their food that whenever they come to Singapore, they’ll claim that “Ipoh’s one better!” If you’ve not been there, make it your next trip! It’s a mere one-hour plane ride away (daily flights by three airlines!), but just make sure you rent a car when you’re there, as public transport there isn’t that convenient.

Anyways, you should have a friend in Ipoh, because during the 1980s, in Singapore, there live mainly only Singaporeans and Malaysians who primarily come from Johor, KL, Ipoh, Melaka and Penang, so some of your friends might be an Ipoh-ers!

Restoran Lou Wong Tauge Ayam Kuetiau

In Ipoh, their white chicken rice has a fancy name: bean sprout chicken rice. Basically, it’s just chicken rice with bean sprout, which some Singaporean stalls include that as well. But Lou Wong’s trademark chicken is so springy and soft, and its bean sprouts are so crunchy, you’ll essentially find that chicken and bean sprout are really a match made in heaven. This is one place that many have deemed to be the “ambassador” of Ipoh.
Address: 30000, 49, Jalan Yau Tet Shin, 30000 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Foh San Dim Sum Restaurant

It’s easy to lose yourself when you’re having dim sum in Malaysia due to its friendly price, and it’s even easier if it tastes as good as Foh San. A popular place for breakfast for Ipoh-ers, you really can’t miss the yam puff that’s crispy on the outside and sweet in the inside. Address: 51, Jalan Leong Sin Nam, 30300 Ipoh, Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia

Pasir Pinji Chee Cheong Fun

The chee cheong fun in Ipoh (or in Malaysia in general) is a little different from Singapore’s version: theirs focus more on the rice noodles instead of the sauce. It’s a simple yet addictive change from the Hong Kong version, so you definitely must try it! Address: Jalan Pasir Pinji 5, Taman Hoover, 31650 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Ipoh hor fun

There’s soooooooooo many Ipoh hor fun you can find in Singapore, but ask any real Ipoh-er and he’ll tell you that none of them matches what you can find in Ipoh. There’re many stalls selling Ipoh hor fun, but if you really want some real authentic ones, try those roadside ones. Address: Anywhere lah!

Dai Shu Geok Ipoh Yong Tau Foo

It’s really hard to find the best yong tau foo in Ipoh—in fact, Singaporeans face the same dilemma in Singapore. However, many Ipoh-ers swear by Dai Shu Geok Ipoh Yong Tau Foo, simply for the soup that is so sweet and concentrated, you won’t want to leave any drop behind. Address: 652, Jalan King, Taman Hoover, 31650 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Restoran Wong Koh Kei

It might not look splendid, but the food tastes splendid. Open only during lunch, you’ll spot a long queue just for their zi char at an affordable price. If zi char is your thing, Restoran Wong Koh Kei is your restaurant. Address: 3, Jalan Panglima, 31650 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Funny Mountain Soya Bean

Some people claim that Ipoh girls have smooth skin simply because they make the best soya bean in the country—or even in the world. It’s therefore a very competitive market, and Funny Mountain Soya Bean stands out from the competition simply by how soft the soya is—they just turn from solid to liquid once they’re in your mouth, almost magically. You’ve got to try it to believe the legend.
Address: 49, Jalan Theatre, Ipoh, 30300, Ipoh, Perak, 30300, Malaysia

Yee Fatt Dry Curry Noodles

Curry noodles have not been trending in Singapore, but in Ipoh, it has been one of the more popular dishes. If you want some, you can’t go wrong with Yee Fatt Dry Curry Noodles. What’s interesting is the “dry” version—usually, you’ll find the “soup” version in Ipoh instead. As you would have suspected, it’s the curry that stands out: not too sweet, not too spicy, and you can almost taste the spices in it.
Address: 39, Jalan Kampar, 31650 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Restoran Kok Thai

There’s a reason why most Chinese couples in Ipoh choose to have their wedding dinner here: the price is affordable and the food is great. We can praise every of their food, but the best feedback would be this: your married Ipoh friend most probably have their wedding there.
Address: 56-64, Lebuh Medan Ipoh, Bandar Baru Medan Ipoh, 31400 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Ching Han Guan Biscuits

You haven’t been to Ipoh if you didn’t try at least one of their traditional biscuits. The entire city is popular for their biscuits—not buying one box means you’re either allergic to biscuits or you simply are there for business. Most if not all of them in town are baked right in front of you, and if you want to, you can just go to any shops to buy one box.
Address: Jalan Sultan Iskandar, 30000 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia