IpohGourmet
The city of Ipoh takes great pride for being at the epicentre of Malaysian cuisine. Its food culture is well-known throughout Malaysia where every week droves of people travel the length and breadth of the nation to sample and stock up on Ipoh’s finest offerings. Ipoh’s population is predominantly ethnic-Chinese of Cantonese, Hokkien and Hakka descent. Consequently, many of the city’s famous dishes belong within that cuisine range. However, there are many exceptional Malay and Indian food offerings in Ipoh too, as IpohGo’s Directory attests to. For example, a Nasi Kandar Mamak stall that was established in the 1950s has been dubbed “Nasi Ganja” owing to its alleged addictiveness.
Malaysian Food
Below is a selection of Malaysian food, individually linked to a more extensive article where you can discover more information about each dish. Accompanying each gourmet article, you will also find recommended establishments in Ipoh.
Ipoh Food and Beverage
Categories
Bakery
Heong Peah: Ipoh’s No1 Fragrant Pastries
Heong Peah (in Hokkien or Heong Peng in Cantonese) literally means fragrant pastries in English. They are ubiquitous in Ipoh.
Desserts
Ice Kacang
Ice kacang (Ais Kacang) is a Malaysian dessert. It is also loved in other South East Asian countries such as Brunei and Singapore.
Cendol: A Popular Dessert with 800 Years History
Cendol is a sweet iced dessert made up of palm sugar syrup, coconut milk, and green rice flour jelly. Coconut plants and sugar palm are the main ingredients of this popular dish.
Drinks
Ipoh White Coffee
Ipoh white coffee is a common drink in all of Malaysia but it without doubt originated in Ipoh’s Old Town. The term ‘white coffee’ has absolutely nothing to do with the colour of the coffee.
Noodles
Curry Mee: Mouth-Watering Curry Noodles
In Ipoh, a varied and diverse range of noodles are used when serving Curry Mee. Customers often have a choice of what type of noodles they want. Vendors typically offer yellow noodles, vermicelli, or hor fun (flat rice noodles) while some provide a wider choice such as wheat-based wanton noodles or Hakka noodles.
Laksa: A complicated and controversial ‘soup’?
What is Laksa? A simple-worded question that can have multiple and competing answers depending on who you ask. This article will explore the question but if a simple answer is demanded, laksa is a spicy noodle soup.
Rice
Bean Sprouts Chicken: Ipoh’s No.1 Most Famous and Celebrated Dish
Beansprout Chicken(芽菜鸡 in Chinese and Tauge Ayam in Malay) with rice or Hor Fun (rice noodle) is probably Ipoh’s most famous dish.
Snacks
Satay: Delicious Skewered Marinated Meats
Satay (skewered meat) is a popular dish in Malaysia. There is never a problem finding grilled sticks across the whole of South East Asia. Ipoh is no exception.
Soups
Bak Kut Teh: Delightful Herbal Soup
Bak kut teh is a popular meal in Ipoh. It is a pork rib dish cooked in a tasty herbal broth.