Whenever Ipoh is mentioned, while reading or within conversations, one never fail to notice the mention of food. Ipoh, like some parts of Malaysia (Penang and Kuala Lumpur for instance) is ever famous for its food. From great cooks to authentic Ipoh trademarks, one cannot discount that it is a must to try the local food when visiting Ipoh. This is evident till the fact that ‘Ipoh Old Town’ has become a household name around the country serving typical Ipoh food.
Sar Hor Fun which is a flat white rice noodle, which are served with prawns and shredded chicken is one of the trademarks. So is the chicken with bean sprouts otherwise known as Nga Choi Kai. These are typically Ipoh food that are being ‘exported’ to other parts of Malaysia. One can find these food at any food court or coffee shop in around Malaysia, but none taste as good as the original ones from Ipoh. Therefore, it has become mandatory for anyone visiting the city to explore these two types of trademarks. While doing so, one will find that queues are long and in most cases, one has to wait a long time before being served.
Other food like Hakka Mee (Hakka Noodles) are also famous here. One of Malaysia’s favourite snack, the ‘Heong Peng’ which means Aromatic Biscuits are the local delicacy that can be found almost at any shop selling food. Most people who visit Ipoh will not leave without it.
The common types of food like Satay, Nasi Lemak or the Banana Leaf Rice are also available anywhere for the less food adventurous. However, adventurous or not, Ipoh has its own style of coffee. Known as the Ipoh White Coffee, this is typically normal coffee that has been passed down by generations through the Ipoh Old Town area. While some claim not to be able to tell the difference, it is in the producing of this coffee through traditional mixing and modern techniques that makes it unique.
Legend has it that whatever food produced in Ipoh simply taste better than all other parts of Malaysia. The belief is that due to its high alkali content of the water in the city, the food are tastier. Legend also has it that the water content maintains beauty and preserve the vibrancy of the human skin which makes the Ipoh town folk fairer.
Ipoh Food
