miss angelinecpho

In Kampar, Perak it's hard to find Bak Kut Teh or direct translate it as Meat Bone Tea which in English term is Chinese Herbal Meat Soup, it used to have one at Eastlake, Kampar but due to the super expensive price with little ingredients they offer, within month they have to closed up, since then we're actively find another one to filled our craving. Lucky enough Tennee, my friend, brought us there one rainy day together with Mei's after she went to tried it out with her coursemates then introduced to us. Above picture kinda blurry as I still used my old phone to captured it so sorry about that and the picture is our first visit. The following visit only me and Boyf with our motorcycle but I did not take better photo of that so again I'm sorry. So we found another one at Kuala Dipang and The Star News online also wrote an article regarding about it also, click here to read the article.

Literally Bak Kut Teh (BKT) is a Chinese soup popularly serve in Malaysia, Singapore, China and Taiwan maybe in Taiwan as well. It's the simplest but not easy to cook although the main ingredients consists of pork ribs, star anise, cinnamon stick, garlic, cloves, Dang Gui/Angelica Sinensis, Fennel seeds, black pepper, salt of course and Black Thicken Soy sauce and simmer for hours long, despite the name Teh which is Tea in English, there is no tea or tea leaves in the cooking ingredients, it is just BKT normally serve together with tea during the old days.

As the ingredients I mention above is just for the soup, when it is serve together there is another part ingredients which is tofu, pork, pork belly, pork skin, intestine, and meatballs. Other add on can be bean curd, fish cakes, Enoki and pork legs depend on the location and some even sell Dry BKT which I never try before. For BKT side dishes is You Char Koay, please click here for more information regarding You Char Koay, vegetables - famously Lettuce with Oyster sauce and pork floss.

BKT usually eat with rice some may go together with noodle, and depend on the eater likes You Char Koay  usually soak or dip in the soup until soggy then only eat, other ingredients some might dip it in Black Thicken sauce some might mix it with minced garlic and chopped chili padi and eat it together.

So as you can see from the picture above, we ordered two types of BKT that day, one is normal BKT which mainly consist of all meaty stuffs and another one is Enoki BKT which mainly vegetables. I personally prefer the original type of BKT rather than Enoki BKT as for me it taste weird and since I'm not Enoki fans so it is totally a turn off same goes to Boyf after we took a sipped. The aroma smell of BKT filled the whole shop and once you step inside the shop you'll feel the heat and it really warm you up during rainy day but you'll be sweaty if you dine during hot/summer season. This BKT totally is Penang style BKT so I find it very satisfying despite the taste a bit sweet, overall I'll place a good rating for it and it is also less MSG (Monosodium Glutamte) seasoning which is good, I remember I drank the soup more than I ate my rice, well I'm a soup lover more over the soup really nice also during cold, rainy day so it is totally awesome! It is good to have BKT once in awhile as it is good for our health but regularly eat it will harm our health so it is my advice to balance it well.

This place is famous among Tunku Abdul Rahman University and College students also Kampar residents, it is best to go early to avoid the crowd, the business start early evening so around 6.30pm would be nice as sometimes 7pm it's start crowded with their customers, don't worry about their serving because they are pretty fast, although it is not the best but really worth the try and the price is also reasonable.

And their address is...
Kuala Dipang, you'll be able to locate along the express way from Ipoh -> Kampar or Kampar -> Ipoh, around 5 minutes drive with car same goes to with motor, but it is my advice to car pool because the place hardly to find parking and mostly people will just park beside the road, no parking lot available.

Met up with Tiffany's when she dropped by to visit her boyfriend and we had dinner together and it's been years since we see meet each other and have a lil of catch up of each other life so here we was since I never try it since its opening and I suggested to have our dinner to be here.

We also ordered Tori No Karaage to share, the portion is small but thankfully the taste was quite good and not so oily, it is just a bit dry and less tender, however there is crisp textures. Overall it was ok but the portion given doesn't worth the price we paid for it.
I ordered Pirikara Toufu Set which comes with Chawanmushi, Miso Soup, Preserved Radish, Salad and a bowl of rice. I would say it is just nice to eat but not the best yet, it suppose to be sizzling got plate but it was just warm, the only thing that was got is the tofu but very fast the tofu become cold maybe because of the cold plate plus the cold environment. The tofu was nice, soft and tender, finely cut, the taste was good as well, salad just ok but I personally prefer more dressing as it is a bit dry, Chawanmushi wasn't that bad as well but less flavorful, Miso soup slightly salty but still editable. Overall it was just ok, worth the try and would go for second try.

We also ordered Yaki Gyoza to share and it was good, very packed with meats filling, not so oily, quite juicy but not to tender, the skin slightly thick and unskillful wrap as you can refer from above picture there is some gyoza spoiled, the skin was torn when it was served to us and the wrap slightly messy also the size of gyoza quite big as well. I find it worth the try compared to Tori No Karaage as for portion, taste and size.

For more information regarding Shunka - Outlets, Menu, Contacts, About and Promotion please click here, thank you.

And their address is...
No. 2323, Jalan Hala Timah 1, Taman Bandar Baru Kampar, 31900 Kampar, Perak.

If you want to have some western food with no other fusion food serve, just only fine western food with cheap and affordable price for students then should visit this place, the interior are just simple and the environment of the cafe are just fine, I said fine instead of comfy is because there is no air-condition despite so many customers and just rely on few fans running at the ceiling, everyday it was full with customers, the more late it is the more customers pouring into the restaurants and make the the environments become real noisy.

Ok, now back to the food section, I'd been there for several times during my undergraduate life with the gangs and friends, they offer varieties of western cuisine in their menu with short description of how the food are prepare, some of the food have some fancy, cute and simple name but it attract your attention. Attention: some of the pictures was not my food but I captured it as it attracts me and some I did not upload it as it too blurry beyond my edit skill to repair but I'll comment about it somehow, sorry for the blurry pictures as at that time I still use lousy phone camera to snapped it.

Clock wise: We ordered Frosty Root Beer, to be honest Root Beer is not a beer but is a soft drinks or carbonated drinks, so basically it is halal except in America where they have 2 types of root beer - alcoholic and non-alcoholic type, in Malaysia we only have non-alcoholic type.

Vegas Special Drinks: Hmmm, it is not something really special actually, just some syrup pump with some gas from gas machine, that's all but it was really refreshing and the taste not that sweet at all also very colorful. The name for also very funny - Pussy Cat, Sunrise, Desire and Green Hulk.

Jumbo Sausage: The sausage really huge and long but it taste just average for me, nothing so special about it and actually I'm kinda disappointed with it, although there is a lots of finely chopped pickles, and mustard but something is missing, something to complete the meal but I'm not sure what it is also the bread was served cold and hard, I personally prefer if at least they preheat or warm u the bread as it helps to soften the bread and bring out more aromatic smell of the bread, french fries was good, well balanced, warm and a lots of it.

Vegas Full House Burger: SS's ordered it, as it was served on out table, we was startled and speechless except laugh, it was so tall and the portion is so big, how can a person finish it all alone? We're so worried for SS's as all of us had ordered our food and if she unable to finish it nobody going to help it as Vegas offer their foods quite in big portion but surprisingly SS's alone able to finished it all alone and SS's is a girl. We didn't have a try also just watched her eat even she give us a bite also it is something that I cannot eat as well because there is 2 patties - chicken and beef which I'm allergy to beef, there is hams, cheese, ring fried egg, bacon, tons of vegetables in it and some peppers also french fries. Ain't the size of the meal too huge? But I think worth the try as many people keep ordering it.

I love bakery and pastries, I can never get enough of it and I must have it at least thrice a week whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner. So when I was in Ipoh, I don't know where to find other bakeries other than Yohan's Bakery that Chi's introduced to us and Yohan's Bakery was very far away from our rented house so I need to find another one to fill in my craving but I'm shy to ask Chi's for more after all the hostel and help she provide to us during the period of time so me and Boyf, took initiative to look for other bakery around our rented house, luckily we found one.

Since then we often go there to buy bread and once we buy we bought a bunch of it, at least 5-6 different types of bread that will help us last for 2 1/2 days long, as you can refer to above picture, there is many types of bread in our bag. They also offer varieties of breads from bite-size to big size, from buns to loafs, breads to cakes and varieties of different types of selection - sausages, floss, hams, cheese, tunas, jams, and so on, it is endless choices you can choose from the display.
This is something I like but will make you really full, 2 in 1 small size bread, I remember I doubted to try it but still go for it because it is something I like, it is Peanut Mochi Bun. Penang Mochi is almost like Japanese Mochi just slightly different, as it is more simple. Mochi is rice cake made of glutinous rice, it is a traditional snacks commonly sell in Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan, China and Thailand. In Malaysia we have our very own traditional Mochi as well. Like Japanese Mochi, we also use glutinous rice but instead filled with paste and jam in it, we just cut the glutinous rice into bite-size then mix it with crush peanuts and sugar.

So in this Pandan flavor bun was filled with Mochi and peanuts and sugar crush, overall was good not too sweet as well but the peanuts moisture a bit too wet. Mochi textures is very important as its play the main role, it must be mixes well, it have to be soft but not slime and hard, it also must be moist but not watery and it must be in right temperature else it will be spoiled easily. I can say that here Mochi was well prepared, the bun was good, fulled with Pandan/Pandanus smell, moist, soft and the color was nice too, the combination was good too, not so airy and quite packed, talking about that make me miss it already,
Oh and they'rer environment friendly, either you bring your own or use their recycle bag, at first we don't know about it and we bought a lots of breads so we had to use their recycle bag and so above picture are the recycle bag, nice right? Besides that, the shop interior and environment was nice and simple also they have varieties of cakes and they make their own custom cake as well. To know more about it click the link below.

To read an article regarding Aunty Lee Cake & Pastries, please click here, thank you.

For address and contact of Aunty Lee Cake & Pastries, please click here and for Facebook please click here, thank you.

Is like a festival for us and we had so much fun, chats, gossiping and snaps. Time passes to fast, we are now parted with our own path and I hope future we can have gathering something like this again. =D

Oh ya, parking lots are available to sometimes need some luck as many restaurants and boutique located at there.

And their address is...
36-38, Medan Ipoh 1E, Medan Ipoh Bistari, 31400 Ipoh, Perak.

To have Dim Sum in Kampar Perak is not easy as not many shops selling it especially in New Town not to mention Eastlake, the most you can find Dim Sum in Kampar is at Old Town. When you're half awake and craving for Dim Sum it is best not to drive or ride until Old Town to satisfy your craving as it is dangerous because the only road to go there is Express Way where all heavy trucks will use the road, so the best is to have it New Town plus there is short cut from Eastlake to New Town/Westlake, there is no need to use Express Way. Although it is not the best but at least enough to satisfied your craving for Dim Sum, although they may not have varieties of choices but at least they have the basic Dim Sum dishes to serve your craving.

I had visited it for several times throughout my undergraduate life, and every time we ordered the same dishes, though I did not miss it but dining at there has also been part of my food story now so I'm going to blog about it.

The Egg Tart was ok but too moist or wet, the skin also easily crumble into pieces but I quite like the filling as it is not too sweet although the textures a bit hard. Fishballs was ok, soft and bouncy, juicy but the taste was too bland. Prawn Dumpling/Har Kao a bit disappointed, the skin was too thick and the filling a bit too little and less juicy as well, was unable to taste the sweetness of prawn but mostly the skin wrap. Siu Mai/Pork Dumpling was juicy, the taste not bad as well but the pork scent a bit too strong, the skin a bit sticky and messy but it is editable and just ok. Hong Kong Chee Cheong Fun/ Hong Kong Rice Noodle was good although the textures rather a bit too thick, the soy sauce given a bit too little and the chili paste a bit weird compare to Penang but if you ignore the chili and just eat it like this then it will be ok. The Century Egg Porridge is something we like the most, I would say everything just well balance, the textures, the taste although the ingredients may be too little but I think it was ok because it's really good, although it look really just too plain but it was okay for me as well because it is good, the porridge often finish early so do be there early if you want to eat the porridge, both of us usually will be there around 7am or latest 7.30am and it is the best time because the porridge just cook and hot to be serve. Boyf usually will order at least one fried foodin his Dim Sum and he usually will go for Bean Curd With Deep Fried Shrimp, I would say everything has been deep fried will be taste good so it was nice to eat just a bit too oily and the mayonnaise given also quite a lots. Surprisingly they also offer Siu Long Bao/ Xiao Long Bao/Steamed Small Bun. Siu Long Bao is another type of steamed bun originated from China, basically it is a traditional steamed bun in a small bamboo baskets and it is filled with minced pork, seafood, vegetables and some other ingredients, it need fresh, good ingredients and skillful chefs to prepare it so it is not an easy to have good Siu Long Bao to eat. Once they have taken your order they will definitely recommend their Siu Long Bao for you, but Don't order it as it is really worthless to have a try, a real disappointment, seriously not good at all even Boyf who is not fussy about food also said there is no more second try for it, if I were to give rating then it will be 1.5/10 and the price was quite expensive, if I'm not mistaken it is around RM 9, really not worth the try.

To know more about Chee Cheong Fun/Rice Noodle and Dim Sum, please click here and here for the information.

And their address is...
No, 2319-2320, Jalan Hala Timah 1, Taman Bandar Baru, 31900 Kampar, Perak.

Ever since Khuntai opened their branch in Penang Island, many Penangite's do not need to travel until Raja Uda to enjoy anymore, everyday many will go to dine at there especially weekend. Of course I must not missed that and have to go to have a try, Boyf said it's really good and worth the try he even recommended me to order few of their famous and yummy delicacy, this is also his first time to try it at Teluk Kumbar, previously he had it Raja Uda with his relatives.

We ordered Sugar Cane as our drinks, as it's refreshing and it's been very long time we haven't drink it. MummyQ like this drink very much so we ordered large one that cost RM 12.00 and it is more than enough for three of us - MummyQ, me and Boyf ---> The Driver XD
For snacks me and Boyf ordered Deep Fried Tofu With Thai Chili Sauce. We're too hungry to wait for our main dish so we ordered this to filled our growling stomach, MummyQ doesn't like it as she find it hard to chew but both of find it quite nice, not too oily, slightly crispy and the sauce for us to dip in taste sweet and a lil bit of spicy, the sauce also top with peanuts and cucumber but I prefer the topping without cucumber.
  Another side dish we ordered was Pandan Chicken. Pandan Chicken are made of Chicken Breast, Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, Pepper Powder and some seasoning then wrap it with Pandan/Pandanes leaves and tight it with Toothpick or tight it Pandan leaves itself then deep fried it until golden brown. It taste really nice, very juicy, well marinated, and the size of the chicken quite big as well, Boyf like it very much and he ate most of them, I said worth the try.
When it come to Thai Cuisine of course must have Tom Yum to complete everything, so we ordered Mixed Seafood Tom Yum with the request without squib as three of us did not eat it. All I can say is, it taste really really nice! It have its sourness and spiciness, the broth textures was thick and fulled with flavors also the ingredients given was a lots and all of them well absorb with the Tom Yum flavors and it's fresh especially the prawns, it is so juicy and sweet. Hmmm...talking about it make me want to eat it now miss it so so so much!
Boyf said their Belacan Fried Rice is a Must try, so we ordered a plate to shared among three of us, we just ordered a small plate one as we also ordered three plain rice. Belacan Fried Rice basically use Shrimp aste to fried together with rice then accompany with Chili Padi/Bird Eye Chili, Shredded Omelette, Shredded Mango, Slices of Cucumber and Soy Meats. All I can say this is the best Belacan Fried Rice so far. The rice was fluff, the belacan and rice was well mix together and the balance was good as well and most of all I like the Soy Meat, it's the best! The meat was soft, tender, well absorb the soy sauce and they give a lots too. I must say it is a Must to Order! Argh! I want to eat, I feel like eating it now. =(
We also ordered Stir Fried Glass Noodle to share as it's my favorite noodle, MummyQ doesn't allow me to order at first as she said it is not good to my health unless I have a bowl rice T.T *cry* so I have to promise her in order to eat it *sigh*. It's really nice, well cooked, seasoning was well balanced and very flavorful. It needs skillful chef's to cook it as it is very fragile and easily torn into small pieces if it wasn't handle well so I can say the chefs was good, very skillful and a good cookery as the noodle taste really nice #oops I said it twice already# but I prefer less vegetables because we don't eat vege so much except MummyQ, I refer all the vege is replace with glass noodle.

Above meal only cost us almost RM 67.00, they have their parking lot too and someone will help you to guide/take care of your car so no worries for that, their service was fast and friendly as well. There is indoor and outdoor for you to dine in and outdoor will be station near seaside for you to enjoy the view of sunset and sea breeze.
3 weeks later we visited here again for the second with more relatives, this time we did not order Onions Omelette, Deep Fried Tofu With Thai Chili Sauce and Stir Fired Glass Noodle, but Mix Seafood Tom Yum, Pandan Chicken, Belacan Fried Rice and Sugar Cane as it is MummyQ Top listed food Must order if dine at Khuntai, but is good also as we can try other delicacies they offer here.

MummyQ and Aunt's said when come to Thai Cuisine it is must try their Miaeng Kum appetizer, at first I refused it as I think it is not worth to eat it as the ingredients just simple where we can prepare by ourselves except the sauce and the price are quite expensive just for this simple dishes but since MummyQ and Aunt's insist it so majority wins, I have no choice.
Apparently Miaeng Kum is a traditional snack from Thailand and it is often sell at the street, the ingredients usually will be serve in different plate/bowl or pack in different bag (for take away). Basically the ingredients consists of Fresh Piper Samentosum/Chaplu leaves, Roasted Coconut Shaving, Shallots, Chili Padi/Bird Eye Chili, Ginger, Garlic, Lime, Roasted Peanuts, Small Dried Shrimps, Cashew Nuts, Mango and top with Palm Syrup. So here's mine Miaeng Kum wrap - you can actually choose not to wrap ingredients you don't like, like mine I don't put in garlic and ginger, actually it is up to you what you want to wrap, and I would say that it is nice to eat but since I'm not good in wrapping so I ended up in a messed.
The elders definitely doesn't like kerabu as they say it's not good for health but of course the youngster will never listen and ordered a plate of Kerabu Mango to share among us. So Kerabu is on of Thai's snacks as well, same as Miaeng Kum, the ingredients is pretty easy to prepare - Deep Fried Anchovies, Mango, Shallots, Chili Padi/Bird Eye Chili, Shredded Cucumber, Cashew Nuts, Sesame Oil, Lime Juice, Syrup/Sugar, Fish Sauce and Crush Peanuts. Just that simple and nice to eat.
We also ordered Steamed Fish in Thai Style, it was so so good, the fish was fresh that it is like melt in your mouth, so soft, doesn't have the fishy smell and the fish size was quite big also the sauce is the best combination ever! It tasted sweet, sour and a lil spicy although the sauce was like clear soup, I personally recommend this one, thumbs up for this.

And their address is...
1052, Mukim 9, Pasir Belanda, 11920 Teluk Kumbar, Penang.

Again we didn't waste our opportunity while staying in Ipoh for few months and went for food hunting, Chi's and Daniel picked us up from our rented house and headed there for dinner, double date dinner actually.  They said it is nice, good environment, the food was nice as well and the service was not bad, and both of us agreed to give a try. I would say the environment was nice IF you did not cross/overlap with their happy hour time or during peak hours, or during weekend as they're also Bistro kind of restaurant, many youngsters will be there having drinks (alcohol) so it would be noisy, and their table setting are near to each other or kinda packed, I remember clearly one of the table was placed near the staircase to the upper floor, which I find it's not appropriate location, as many people will be passing by and distracting you from eating and the noise of foot steps might as well disturbing your conversation with your mates, but lighting and serving as nice.

If I'm not mistaken above picture is Boston Chicken cost RM 27.90, alike with Chicken Chop but there is no gravy for it unlike others Boston Chicken that's been roasted, here the chicken was deep fried and glace with some sauce on top of each chicken. I think overall was nice, the size of the chicken was big, moist, and juicy, not chewy as well but the meat smell kinda sensible, the more you eat the more you can smell it, which I personally don't like it because I'm sensitive to those smell, either fish, meats or seafood, I'll feel nausea as if I'm pregnant even I'm Not! Wedges was fine as well but too lil and salad vegetables also fresh and crunchy. I personally prefer more gravy to cover the smell and I like gravy food when it comes to western.
Boyf ordered Chicken Cordon Bleu, which one of his favorite, I rather like his meal than my own meal. Although the size look smaller than mine but actually it is almost the same as it was cut into smaller size,  his plate presentation was much nicer than mine as well, more artistic, don't you think so?

Chicken Cordon Bleu or Cordon Bleu itself is a breaded cutlet meat pounded thin and are wrap with ham and cheese then it was fried. I don't know how it taste like as Boyf forgotten to give a bite, I can just remember how the vegetable taste like as he threw all his vegetables on my plate and ask me to eat it in return he will help me eat my chicken. Like carnivore right? *sigh*. The vege was nice, crunchy, sweet and juicy.
I also ordered Apple Juice, one word Nice! Two words, Not Enough! It was thick and has very fresh smell of the apple and not too sweet as well. Nice!

For Chi's and Daniel part, I did not plan to upload as the food photo have their face, although we're close friend but without their permission it is best not upload, friend P&C have to respect it.

Everything here worth the try and should come to pay for a visit also try out the food here, Ipoh isn't just famous for it Bean Sprout Chicken only, there is a lot of food worth for hunt.

For more information regarding The Secret Garden Restaurant - About,  Events. Reservation, Menu, Location and Contact please click here and their Facebook page here, thank you.

And their address is
No 42, Lorong Cheah Cheang Lim, 30250 Ipoh, Perak.