ipoh dai chow | Rebecca Saw

11 IPOH Best Chinese Restaurants (dai chou) – Sun Marpoh, Wong Koh Kee & more

Post author:Author RS
Post published:May 31, 2016
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** UPDATE – JAN 2018: 12 restaurants now!

I’m back with more of my Ipoh’s best food lists! 🙂

Short on the heels of my Ipoh Best Dim Sum list, today it is all about my quest in seeking out the best Chinese restaurants in Ipoh.
This whole compilation is possible thanks to Brian, an Ipoh-lang true and through with a discerning palate that I trust wholeheartedly.

With his input, the list below are outlets popularly known as “dai chow” or the family dining (chinese food, cook upon order, eat-with-rice and dishes, family sit-down dinner) type of restaurants.

DISCLAIMER:

I’ve personally tried 12 of them in Ipoh so far and you can be assured there will be more over the coming months.
As per my standard protocol, I paid for my food, all visits are incognito and the number of diners varies from 2 – 6 partners.

I’m open to suggestions/recommendations so do drop me a message here (under comments) or fb.com/wackybecki or fb.com/RebeccaSawBlog!

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IPOH best chinese restaurants Part 10: Sin Hup Kee @ Jalan Leong Sin Nam

Post author:Rebecca Saw
Post published:May 3, 2016
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Sin Hup Kee is one of Ipoh’s most famous Chinese restaurant, popular with both locals and visitors from other states.
It is of course; a must-try in our list, since I’m compiling a list of Best Ipoh Chinese Restaurants.

Brian joined us for lunch and picked the recommended dishes.
We started with their signature stir fried chicken (“Kon Thin Kai“) which Brian forewarned us that “it used to be way better back in the days“.
Well, a lot of food were, as many restaurants started loosing their attention to detail or are cutting corners for commercial reasons.

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IPOH best chinese restaurants Part 8: Restoran Makanan Laut Crab House

Post author:Rebecca Saw
Post published:May 2, 2016
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Out of the many tai chou (Chinese big-fry) restaurants that I’ve been to in Ipoh, Restoran Makanan Laut Crab House easily clinched a spot in my “Top 5 Chinese Restaurants in Ipoh” list.

Service is brisk and the waiting time for dinner is short though the restaurant is packed.
I was informed that reservation is a must and after my meal, I understood why.

The restaurant is air-conditioned and the proprietor is seen serving diners and overseeing the operations throughout the night. Such a hands-on approach is admirable and it does bought fore a difference to the overall dining experience.
We observed that orders were timely, the staff working at efficiency level, diners were happy and every plate that I spied leaving the kitchen was nicely plated with the food looks fresh and delicious.

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IPOH best restaurants Part 7: Yam Yam Restaurant for dai chow in Tmn Ipoh

Post author:Rebecca Saw
Post published:May 1, 2016
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Yam Yam Seafood Restaurant was one of the restaurants that offers almost all my favourite food in one venue – homemade fishballs, frogs (yes!!), claypot lamb and sweet and sour pork.

Sadly, food turned out to be just about decent, definitely not one of my favorites or one that I’ll be keen to revisit.
But to be fair, it wasn’t terribly bad, just that we weren’t impressed with our dinner.

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IPOH best chinese restaurants Part 6: O Cafe @ Canning Garden, Ipoh

Post author:Rebecca Saw
Post published:April 29, 2016
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A local Ipohan once disclosed to me that traditional Hakka cuisine are far and inbetween in Ipoh.

Thus when O Cafe opened its doors to welcome strangers for its homely Hakka fare it was well received by both the locals and tourists.

Positive reviews of its fare went on its rounds both offline and online.
Upon hearing of its unique proposition we made sure that we arranged a visit to O Cafe during our recent Ipoh trip.

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IPOH best restaurants Part 5: Wong Koh Kee, a classic cu char

Post author:Rebecca Saw
Post published:April 8, 2016
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Wong Koh Kee is a classic culinary gem.
A 3rd generation business with almost 80 years of history, Wong Koh Kee retains simplicity in everything; its recipes, the venue, the furniture, the cutleries and even the order taking procedure.

Heck, even its staff are ancient.
But that’s the charm you see, for this is one venue to head to for a taste of yesteryears’ cuisine, the sort that your grandparents would dish out; cheap, tasty, no frills and prepared via traditional methods.

Available only for lunch, be prepared to eat and go, for the place is perpetually crowded and table turnovers is high.

You can linger if you wish but I doubt your conscience (unless you have absolutely none) will allow you to dawdle when the old waiters not-to-discreetly clear away your plates plus the many pair of eyes boring into you as they stand in queue for a seat in the shop.
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IPOH best chinese restaurants Part 3: Restoran Cathay for old school pork chop/chicken chop/fish

Post author:Rebecca Saw
Post published:April 2, 2016
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There used to be a time when ang-moh (western) food are all about chicken chop, steak, black pepper chicken, fish and chips and of course, mushroom soup.
Having garlic bread with a bowl of mushroom soup followed by a chicken chop was considered a celebratory meal, or a weekend treat back then in Penang for our family.

I recall the chicken chop vividly; chicken thigh coated in crisp batter and drowned in tasty, brown sauce plus sides of fries with slices of cucumber and tomatoes.

Now I refer to these as old school western food, since “western food” has taken on a whole new parameters now.

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IPOH best Chinese restaurants Part 2: Ipoman Seafood Ipoh

Post author:Rebecca Saw
Post published:March 13, 2016
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Opened in August 2013, this low-key restaurant serves ones of the best Chinese food in Ipoh, as recommended by my trusted Ipoh guide Brian Law.
The cook is the sweet Mdm. C.W. Lian herself, both sweet in demeanour as well as in looks.

The location can be challenging to find so it is better to call in advance for directions or bring along a local.
Advanced reservations are definitely encouraged.

First visit:
I had a patient bunch of friends along so I had more time for photos on this visit. On my 2nd visit it was with a bunch of hungry “ghosts” who grabbed at the food even before I could get some shots.

Ipoman’s signatures are their Curry Tongfun (bean thread vermicelli) with prawns (RM30) and Sweet and Sour Pork in Ice (RM20).
The prawns were fresh, mid- large sized ones cooked in mild, creamy curry sauce. A RM30 portion was sufficient for 5 of us, for there were 7 prawns in the pot.

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