Patiserrie BoutiQue

 In Ipoh, cafes appear at the most unlikely places. Picture passing by an old, dilapidated building with its paint peeling off, but look closer and you will see a modern, cozy looking cafe staring back at you.

   
 Patiserrie BoutiQue is one of these hidden treasures, and its like an oasis in the middle of a desert given Ipoh's unusually scorchingly hot weather. 


 Enter Patiserrie BoutiQue and you will immediately see that it is relatively small in size. The interior is simple with black and white murals on the walls. Such a friendly and comfortable atmosphere to have your afternoon tea!

Smoked Salmon Sandwich

Steaming hot chocolate brownie topped with ice-cream on top

Nooo... don't make me go back out there into the scorching sun!!!

Too bad our stomachs are not big enough to try the other food on the menu. They all looked delicious!

Patiserrie BoutiQue

103 Jalan Sultan Yusof
30000 Ipoh, Perak
Business Hours: 11 am to 6 pm (closed on Wednesdays)

Myth Eatery & Bar

While staying in M Boutique Hotel, Ipoh the other day, we were given the opportunity to try out this grand-looking cafe situated right next to the hotel.

How cool is having your complimentary breakfast here early in the morning? 



The cafe certainly did not hold back in its decorations and designs. We happily took photos after photos for 10 minutes before actually sitting down to look at their menu. 



Old-fashioned chandeliers lined the ceilings, giving a soothing dim orange glow. Most of the light in the room came from natural sunlight.

The counter with all the neatly arranged glasses and coffee

Looks like water droplets

 Can't get enough of their chandelier.



And more chandeliers. The whole setting is just so pleasing to the eye <3



For the complimentary breakfast, not many choices (for now). You will be given 3 sets to choose from. 

And of course coffee or tea.

I opted for the sandwich. It comes with baked beans.

While the other human chose the big breakfast - eggs, potato, ham, garlic bread, and baked beans.

Nice, even if the choice of food is minimal (as opposed to the usual buffet spread), all is forgiven with the breath-taking decorations :) Who can chow down so much food that early in the morning anyway?

 Myth Eatery & Bar

(Next to M Boutique Hotel, Ipoh)

No. 2, Hala Datuk 5

31650, Ipoh

Business Hours: 8 am to 12 am daily

Restoran Foh San Dim Sum

During our recent roadtrip, the humans, being typical Chinese, decided to try out the dim sum in Ipoh. Now, mention Ipoh and a few mouth-watering food immediately comes to mind e.g. Ipoh hor fun, Ipoh chicken rice, Ipoh white coffee, ... but dim sum was definitely not in the list. Or so the humans thought.  

Equipped with just an iPad where Google told them to look for a place called Foh San, the humans drove to Jalan Leong Sin Nam, which we later discovered to be the 'Dim Sum Street' of Ipoh.

Upon arrival, the humans' expressions were nothing short of (O_O) as they've never seen such a huge place just for dim sum.

 

This is the entrance. The place looked amazing. Since it was very packed on a Sunday, we were lucky to secure a seat upstairs at the 2nd Floor. 

  

Under hot weather, drink something mild and pleasant, like the Chrysanthemum tea.

Delicious beef ramen with juicy and tender meat in tasty broth.

 

There are many choices of dim sum to choose from, all reasonably priced.

 

Instead of the usual trolleys, customers will have to go over to the dim sum stations and choose their dim sum from there.

Mango pudding. This is too sweet for my liking.

Then there's this egg custard thingy which has a hint of ginger in it. Loved it. Seriously, HOW DID THEY MAKE IT SO SMOOTH?!

To (dim) sum it up, yes, we'll definitely come back again. But no, don't come here around noon time or you will be melting while you eat! There's no aircond in this place hence the afternoon heat can be unbearable at times (O_O") It's so hot that if you break an egg on the road, I believe it will cook into a perfect sunny side up.

Foh San Dim Sum Restaurant

51, Jalan Leong Sin Nam 

30300 Ipoh, Perak

Business Hours: 6.30 am to 2.30 pm (Closed on Tuesdays)

Kedai Makanan Yut Kee

If you're more of a kopitiam person, you would definitely have heard of this place. If you have not, please, climb out of that cave. YOU MUST try this place at least once.YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.

Established in 1928 (86 years ago oh-my-Gawd), Yut Kee is known affectionately for its old setting -  graffiti across the wall, old windows which allow passers-by to peek inside the shop, tiled walls, ... 

Peeling off paint, iron bars, ...

Wooden ceilings with white fluorescent lamps, ...

Old fashioned tiled floors, dark wooden chairs, and of course the marble tables that you see when you were little (if you were born in the 80's or earlier of course).

If you plan to go during weekend or lunch hour, I strongly suggest that you do not wear thick clothes because it's going to be hot. Expect to stand awhile outside while waiting for available seats, there will be a crowd waiting out front. 

If you're expecting a quiet and private meal with your family then this is not the place for you (you have been warned). 

It is likely that you will have to share a table (or 'dap toi' in Cantonese) with one, or sometimes more, group of customers. The most we had was 2 young couples sharing a table with us ... it was awkward (think: quiet meal, everyone inexplicably focused on their plate of food with no eye contact whatsoever). I love sharing table with chatty elderly customers though, they will happily start a conversation with you and tell you about how they used to visit YK 'during those days' and how they will make an effort, even today, to travel all the way from their house (presumably from a land far far away) just to eat here. 

But of course, YK didn't gain its fame by its old-fashioned setting. Obviously people travel from afar for their food. I think my command of the English language is limited and as such, doesn't do justice for the food served here.

First off, I ordered their 'Kopi-Peng'. I'm no kopi-expert but when I brought my super-cerewet dad, he took a sip, and said 'good kopi'.

2ndly, must order their roast pork. Its not available every day so once you see it, lunge for it and order immediately before it is sold out. Pair it with YK's homemade apple sauce. I once brought a junior here who, after taking the 1st bite, kept describing it as 'amazing' throughout the meal and few days after that, he asked me 'Could you show me the directions to the glorious roast pork? I'd like to bring my parents there.' Yeah, he used the word 'glorious'.

Other than the usual half boiled egg and toast (which seem to be the staples for Hainanese), Yut Kee also serves other 'heavier' meals ranging from noodles, fried rice, porridge, to pork chop, chicken chop and their famous Roti Babi.

You must try their Pork Chop. Of all the chops, i.e. chicken chop, pork chop, beef or lamb chop, I think Pork Chop is the best. My mom liked it so much she 'took a peek' into the kitchen while 'on the way to the washroom' in hopes of reconstructing the same dish at home. She came back empty handed.  

I usually have my pork chop with a litttlleeeee bittt of ketchup for a bit of sour taste. Just imagining it makes me salivate :9 

Kedai Makanan Yut Kee

35, Jalan Dang Wangi 

50100 Kuala Lumpur 

Business Hours:  8 am to 5 pm (closed on Mondays)

Tous Les Jours

This is the latest craze in Bukit Bintang - Tous Les Jours, Authentic Bakery.With its gigantic size, TLJ is pretty hard to miss especially when you're in the heart of the Golden Triangle.

Pronounced 'too lay joo-r', Tous Les Jours means 'everyday' in French. It is located in WOLO, opposite Lot 10. I don't know what WOLO stands for but I always think 'We Only Live Once' when I see it, like YOLO (You Only Live Once) XD

You will not be disappointed when you step into TLJ. It looks like a revamped castle from a King Arthur or Harry Potter movie. Despite its French name and interior design, I was surprised to learn that TLJ actually originated from Korea. 

Bread bread bread everywhere!

Boasting to be an authentic bakery, you will be impressed by the wide array of (reasonably priced) bread and pastries offered in TLJ. 

Yotsuba, Danbo's friend, looking on from behind

If you don't feel like eating bread and pastries, TLJ also sells hot food which you can order from the counter.

This is their French toast.

Their Big Breakfast. Simple, but filling.

Their Grilled mushroom Tartine.

Basic coffee selection (such as latte, cappuccino, mocha etc) is available for the coffee addicts. 

This is their Onion Steak Sandwich.

After that, there are dozens of dessert for you to choose from.

Tiramisu. Not one of my favourite, as I always like my tiramisu to be moist with alcohol, but not bad :)

Customers can opt to sit at counters overlooking the Bukit Bintang traffic for a change.

Overall, this cozy place is perfect for catch up sessions with friends. However, you may have to wait awhile for tables during weekends as its normally very crowded. Its strategic location makes it an ideal place to have coffee since it's smack in the middle of the shopping district of Bukit Bintang.

Tous Les Jours (Bukit Bintang)

WOLO Hotel, 126A-C 

Jalan Bukit Bintang 

55100 Kuala Lumpur

Business Hours: 8 am to 11 pm daily