1) First Kuala Lumpur, then Penang, and now finally, Ipoh. I had been travelling for close to a week across different states, but now it was time to settle down and spend the remaining two weeks of my annual leave back in Ipoh, my hometown.
2) We celebrated Chap Goh Mei at my maternal grandparents' house. Chap Goh Mei is the Hokkien term for the 15th night of the lunar new year, and is also known as Yuan Xiao Jie (or Lantern Festival). This marks the final day of the traditional Chinese New Year celebrations. While there was no throwing or catching of mandarin oranges, nor any lantern riddles, we did indulge in a lot of good food. I was very happy to find that my relatives were all doing well, and everyone seemed happy and healthy.
3) My dad is not one for celebrations. Therefore, to celebrate his special day, instead of having a flashy party, we went for a nice dinner at Tandoor Grill - located in Greentown and famous for its authentic North Indian cuisine. As my dad loves spicy food, I knew he would approve. We tried their pani puri for the first time, and for mains we shared a Gosht Biryani as well as their lamb shank curry. I have been frequenting this restaurant ever since being introduced to it by a friend in primary school, and it simply does not disappoint!
4) Over the weekend, we visited Tasik Cermin (Mirror Lake). Located in Gunung Rapat, this neighbouring location used to be an active quarry that has since been converted into this hidden gem of nature. While we did not opt for the optional boat ride (which cost RM 25 a pop), we were more than happy snapping away at the picturesque beauty of the lake and its surroundings. My parents suggested we visit the other cave temples in Ipoh as well, but as I felt quite tired at this point, we decided against it. There's always another day...
5) Few things give me more joy than just kicking back and enjoying a movie. As there weren't many options to choose from, my mom suggested a Singaporean comedy film, "Money No Enough 3". Given that I tend to use up most of my brain cells at work, I was more than happy to sit through a simple movie that didn't take itself seriously. As the title suggests, there were two previous films with the same premise (neither of which I had watched). Essentially, three friends face family and financial problems. Their attempts at supporting each others' plans falls apart when one friend cheats money from the other two. Overall, an enjoyable two and a half hours, although it might be better if you could understand Hokkien / Mandarin to figure out the nuances, as some jokes don't translate well.
6) Some of the delicious food spots that I have had the opportunity to try back in Ipoh include Sushi Zento, Hadramout Paradise, Mokuren, Mama Kim Wellness Kitchen, The Chicken Rice Shop, and Etre Patisserie, among others. Before someone decides to challenge me on the above, please keep in mind I spent the last year eating Subway sandwiches and kebabs. Regardless, I will be reviewing many more food options in the upcoming posts, so do keep an eye out. Thanks very much for tuning in as always, and have a great week ahead. Cheers!
Spending Chap Goh Mei at my maternal grandparents' house
Fried rice, steamed broccoli, salted egg fried chicken, squid curry, braised pork belly, vermicelli, satay with peanut sauce, putu mayam (string hoppers), and egg salad
Gotta try everything
Always room for dessert - I'm pretty sure this chocolate cake is from Secret Recipe
All smiles after an excellent dinner
Mirror Lake today
But first, time for some breakfast!
Curry noodles
Wanton noodles
Toast bread with butter and kaya spread
Iced coffee and iced milk tea to start the day right
Somehow this reminds me of the house from "Up"
Relaxing and letting all my problems melt away
Paddling our way to Mirror Lake
The Rainbow Stairs at Mirror Lake
My dad wanted to show me this vertigo-inducing effect
Finally, at the jetty
(Behind us is the so-called Mirror Lake)
Trying to find a spot to place a coin in (for good luck, of course!)
Now I will know where to look in a year's time!
Snake Mouth Cave
(presumably called that because it resembles a snake's mouth?)
A huge yam leaf
So there's also Tasik Cermin 2 ('Mirror Lake 2') which we didn't go
Apparently it leads to a hidden world (if you believe the sign)
Tandoor Grill today to celebrate my dad's birthday
(and also satisfy my cravings for Northern Indian Cuisine)
Ready to tuck in
Gohst Briyani, Lamb shank curry, and pani puri to share
Here is a close up of the pani puri
Basically, you make a hole in the outer shell, insert the puri with the spiced stuffing, then dunk it in the pani before eating!
Of course we had to try their mango lassi too!
Ipoh Padang (literally Ipoh Field) - an 800m field located right next to the Royal Ipoh Club
Ipoh city at night
I have no idea exactly what this is, apart from the colourful lights
The Perak Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCCI)
22 House Homemade Brownie
Looks exactly as it does in the menu, and tastes even better!
Back at a common staple for us - The Chicken Rice Shop!
Got their set menu for 2-3 persons
Etre Patisserie today for dessert
Tried their Guanaja and Mango desserts today
Mokuren Restaurant for some Japanese cuisine
The sign reads "Mokuren" in Japanese
Garlic fried rice paired really well with their beef teppanyaki set
Mala pan mee for breakfast today
This is a really famous stall near Simee Market
My dad had the dry-tossed noodles with curry sauce
Surprise surprise - I had pan mee again for lunch XD
(this was at Wooley Food Court)
Getting ready for the show
(Money No Enough 3 @ TGV cinemas, Aeon City)
I like that the name on the ticket is just "Money"
Gotta save the world first before watching the movie
Test driving the BYD Seal, with it's incredibly cool rotating information display
The BYD Seal - yours for just RM200k
The Volkswagen Arteon looked really cool as well, but costs a whopping RM300k
Black Canyon Coffee for lunch today
I had the deep-fried crusted fish with mixed vegetables and rice
My dad had the "Kua Gai" - stir-fried kway teow with chicken
Trying out a new cafe in Canning Garden for breakfast today
Siam noodles with strands of egg
Finally back at Hadramout Paradise for dinner
Hadramout Paradise today for some lovely Yemeni cuisine
Durbar at FMS (just opposite Ipoh Padang) was unfortunately incredibly noisy and rowdy, therefore we opted for somewhere else instead
Sushi Zento for dinner tonight
Obligatory picture before we say "itadakimasu"
Their grilled salmon bento was very good and very filling
Mom opted for a hotpot item instead
We usually order iced green tea whenever we go for Japanese food
Future's so bright I gotta wear shades
At Kinta City (otherwise known as Jusco)
Some cheap but delicious sushi for lunch today
Mum really likes English-style breakfast, so we got a set at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf
Ipoh City Square Clock Tower (Not to be confused with the Birch Memorial Clock Tower)
Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh (Ipoh City Council) in the backdrop
Gourmet House, serving awesome value set lunches for only RM12.90 (2 GBP)
Waiting for our food to arrive
Set lunch includes a soup of the day, a main, and a drink of your choice, for only 2 GBP
Yes, this is a picture showing how much rice we consume as a nation
At Polo Ground today, after a slow jog
I <3 Ipoh
Mama Kim for lunch today
Mom sure does love her sandwiches
My dad opted for the nasi lemak set (vegetarian)
And this is my set - the curry "chicken" set served with some veggies and a bowl of old cucumber soup
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