Food Review-Old Town White Coffee Grand-Ipoh

Ipoh has been associated as the place where white coffee was originated and its also the birthplace of one of the iconic white coffee franchise chain in Malaysia, Old Town White Coffee. I can give them credit for their brilliant business plans and ideas in expanding their market not only in Malaysia but also in other parts of Asia and Australia and by having continuous innovation in their products such as introducing new menus and opening new outlets. One of the new concept that they have introduced and ive known recently is with the opening of Old Town White Coffee Grand, a kind of more upscale outlet which not only provides more premium experience and atmosphere but also menus which are not made available in other types of outlets.

As per their website, i can confirm that there is only one such outlet currently available which is in Ipoh and i cant be sure of its distinction or similarities with their "signature" outlets.

The Old Town White Coffee Grand outlet is located at 2 Hala Datuk 5, Ipoh, Perak, and it is in the same building with the M Boutique Hotel Ipoh.

The first thing that you will notice at the entrance is that the majestic and grand wooden double door similar to what you'll find in 5 stars hotel adorned the entrance to this eatery and the best part of it is the staffs are stationed to open them for you.

overlooking the entrance

You can really feel the effort made to ensure the design and the furnishings in this outlet will exude the feel of luxury, from its ornate tiling, the beautiful chandelier, the furnitures and how the outlet had been ornately designed with fine accessories.

 wash basin at the restroom

the accessory shop at the M Boutique Hotel which is accessible from the cafe

The floor design is of split level with 2 separate dining areas with the one situated at the lower level near the entrance having comfortable 2 seaters and round dining tables for 4-5 people for more privacy for couples and the one at the upper level are more suitable for families and large group dining. They also have tables laid outside for those who prefer alfresco dining.

In line with the concept of upscale dining experience, the menu itself was nicely bound in nice leather cover.

And as expected, myriads of tantalizing dishes and beverages to choose from...

As ive just had a filling lunch earlier and its too early for dinner, i ordered something light from the menu which was the Sardine Paratha and Iced White Coffee.

No different in taste for the Iced White Coffee served here with other outlets but i believe the paratha is not offered in other outlet. For the price of this dish i can say that it is affordable and filling with generous amount of paratha served which is suitable for sharing.Its also an ingenious way of eating paratha with the paratha being made as a wrap in substitute for the usual flat bread.

Since my first visit, ive never failed to drop by this place each time im in Ipoh as it offers a relaxing and a different dining atmosphere. I also like the fact that they have arranged the seating in a way so as to make the place feels private but not secluded. In addition, the staffs were friendly and attentive and with high speed wifi connection, this place will surely be my go-to place in Ipoh. Cheers-Kay 2014

L.K Maju Restaurant Singapore-Cheap, Simple, Delicious

Finding cheap and good food in Singapore can be daunting, it being one of the city with the highest cost of living in the world. Fortunately, there are still few places in Singapore where you can have tasty and cheap food with many varieties to suit your palate and one of it is in Little India.

During my recent visit to this island nation, i was craving for some spicy dishes, closer to what i used to have back in Malaysia, or suffice to say im looking for Malaysian food, after stuffing myself with so many briyanis and western styled dishes found in abundance around Singapore and nicely tucked away in a corner 1 block opposite Mustafa Centre is this LK Maju Restaurant.

It's actually more of a mamak restaurant similar to what we have in Malaysia but it also serves Malay and Thai dishes, just what i was looking for at that time. And the best parts of all, the restaurant is clean and the price is affordable (or cheap if you stop playing with converting the amount to RM)

They have extensive list of dishes here:

I was quite overwhelmed to see so many choices of dishes that they have and it's so hard to choose which one to order as by looking at the pictures in the menu, they all look tempting!

However, as i was there looking for breakfast, i decided to order something which is not too heavy which was the Seafood Fried Noodle.

This is almost like your normal Mamak fried noodle but the condiments used are those of Chinese/Thai influence such as light soy sauce, hints of fish sauce, lime and lots of garlics.

They have added in cuts of cuttlefish and prawns and i could taste the freshness of the seafood and with large portion of the noodle served on this plate, it was definitely a filling breakfast which would keep you full till lunch.

Dont forget to give this restaurant a try whenever you are in Singapore, especially after a tiring shopping trip in Mustafa Centre and you need something cheap, quick and delicious. Kay2014

Food Review-Hai Nan Town Restaurant-Pengkalan Weld, Georgetown Penang

Nice ambience, nice food, beautiful view, these three notions can well describe the dining experience at this restaurant.

Located at the hot spot of Pengkalan Weld, Georgetown, Penang, right next to the ferry terminal, you could not miss the beautiful colonial styled building which house this restaurant. There are plenty of parking spaces here with nominal parking rate of RM 3 per entry.

The long corridor leading to the restaurant, from the main entrance

There are outdoor dining area with splendid view of the strait and the port and also indoor airconditioned area...but it would be a pity not to sit outdoor and enjoy the view and the fresh sea breeze while enjoying your food.

This restaurant mainly serves nyonya-malay-hainanese cuisine and all are moderately priced. The list of dishes are well presented in full-coloured-pictorial menu to ease the diners in choosing the dishes.

I decided to order Ice Lemon Tea, which has just the right combination of sweet and sourness in it.

For starter, i ordered the Lobak Ayam, whereby chunks of chicken are wrapped in bean curd sticks and deep fried. This dish is lightly spiced and i could taste hints of onions in it, which gives a nice sweetness to counter the salty and oily feel of the dish.

For the main dishes, to be eaten with white rice, i ordered Hainanese Styled Fried Chicken.The chicken are cooked through without burning the spice rub marinate, and the spices used gave subtle aroma and taste to the chicken. Instead of serving this with the normal chilli sauce, a sweet and sour sauce is used as condiment to this dish, which i assumed is a plum sauce. It was a perfect combination as the sourness of the sauce cut through the oily taste of the chicken.

For some greens, i ordered the mix veggies. This is similar to other mix veggies in other restaurant but the addition of fresh prawns really give this dish an extra seafood taste to the gravy.

The piece de resistance here is the Nyonya Styled Assam Pedas. You have to order this if you visit this restaurant as it is truly a delectable dish, with fresh and large chunks of stingray pieces used in it, pineapple pieces giving it distinctive sweet taste and the sprinkle of fresh chopped ginger bud and mint, one of the best assam pedas ive ever tasted.

I cant wait to try other dishes offered here in my next trip to Penang. I am thoroughly satisfied with my visit to this restaurant due to its wonderful setting, beautiful ambience and view, friendly and fast service, affordable price and most importantly fresh and delicious foods. Surely this will be my go-to place in Penang.

Cheers-Kay2014