Ipoh Chendol
I never fail to visit this chendol stall whenever I am back in Ipoh , Mr Alaudin has been operating this stall for the past 25 years , striving to perfect the chendol every day.
The Chendol is made personally by him and the most important thing is the gula ( the brown sauce ) which is made fresh . The gula has such unique fragrance that I likened it to the after taste of a good wine . That distinct flavour devour and dances in your tongue, its like the lead character in a symphony, the gula orchestrated and string others ingredients like the jagung, chendol and the red bean into life. Coupled with the icy cold blended ice, one bite and the assorted actors, like a perfect orchestra, melts in your mouth , what more can you ask for on a hot humid day? :)
The food listed above and below is not the typical food listed in commercial websites, it is my own food journey in Ipoh ( where I grew up in my early years throughout my teenage years )
Ipoh Chee Cheong Fun
Ahh Ipoh Chee Cheong fun, one of my most delightful dishes that I missed and have cravings for each time I am really far from home. The Ipoh chee cheong fun , the good ones are distinctively different from the chee cheong fun in Singapore or else where.
You can really taste the fragrance of the pork oil buttered ( like a good bak chor mee ) and sesame sprinkled over the hand steamed flour. Coupled with the home made chilli or sweet sauce , the good chee cheong fun will melt in your mouth. In my opinion, there are only 3 good ones in Ipoh, one in Pasir Pinji ( sold in a residential house, yes you read it right ) , one exist in a stall in Ipoh Garden (only morning ) , and one in Ipoh old town. Perhaps, you shouldn't have tried this, because when you have, you wouldn't entertain any other chee cheong funs and that is my only life regret.
Ipoh Custard
Ipoh Custard, what? I heard of French Custard, but not Ipoh Custard. Well, Ipoh survival , economy , GDP is based on food and senior citizen :) , so not surprisingly , you will find some special food here , Ipoh custard is one of them and has been sold in Thien Chun old town as long as I remembered.
The custard is stubbornly creamy and smooth , I always almost wanted to take a big first bite , devour it in 2 bites and gulp it down but that thought was hampered when I reminisce one of my French Quebec friend's famous phrase , " Je suis un petit gâteau, manger moi " ( I am a small cake, eat me ! ) , So, I obliged and so I took small bites and strangely , each bite is sweeter than its predecessor , each bite is more intense than the last, it's like the harder and longer you fought/resist , the sweeter the victory. When the battle between resistance and impulse is over, and you have finally savour the last juicy small piece of the custard, its time to complete the course with the famed Ipoh White coffee. When I gulp down the caramelised ice coffee , I would just wrap up my "tete a tete" between the custard and me with the famous French phrase. Cest la Vie!
Darren
Founder Raythetour
(Making Happy Tour Guests Happier)