Restoran Tonny.

The search for more wild frogs for dinner continues at Restoran Tonny and we were in luck !

The abundance of wild frogs this CNY was because of the hot and humid weather and partly because the Orang Asli has no durians to pick.

Restoran Tonny is located in a double storey shophouse along the Bidor-Tapah road just about one km before the Tapah Police station.

Parking is ample.

Chef Tonny with a net full of fresh wild frogs for us-only to cook upon order.

Steamed wild frogs with finely chopped ginger/spring onion/soy sauce and Chinese wine-fresh, sweet and tender.

Steamed Trapia fish (Farmed Tilapia fish)-with soy sauce/sesame oil and garnished with ginger and cilantro-fresh, meaty with high Omega-3 ?

Braised water Terrapin with sliced ginger/spring onion-meat was firm and i love those gelatinous parts-have curative properties.

Homemade Tofu, Chillies and Brinjal stuffed with springy fishpaste-tossed in a fabulous Tau cheong (preserved Soybean paste) gravy.

Stir fried Padi field Eel (koong poh style) with lots of sliced big onion/ dried red chillies/spring onion-the sliced eel meat was springy and tender.

Paku choy (wild fern) with Sambal Chillies-i like these vegetables because it's pesticides free.

Some glasses of good old Chinese tea to wash down all the oil.

Total bill:Rm125/
Location:from Bidor-Tapah -double storey shophouse
right hand side-1 km before Tapah Police Station.
Tapah, Perak.

RESTORAN TOON YOON

This Hainanese kopi tiam is situated at the lobby of an old and nostalgic budget hotel known as Toon Yoon, in Tapah town center, Perak.

Restoran Toon Yoon serves only halal food and opens from breakfast onwards.

Their customers are truly 1Malaysia.

Three major newspapers are provided for your reading pleasure and hot drinks like Coffee Tea..etc are available with food like Nasi Lemak Bungkus, Mee Siam, Toast Bread or Western breakfast.

Here, everybody knows each other.

The marble topped tables and wooden black shellac chairs, sure bring back memories of olden days!

This antique grandfather's clock is still keeping time.

Loafs of Bread use for Butter toast or Roti Kahwin.

Banana leaf and paper wrapped Nasi Lemak-Rm1/

Hard boiled Eggs to go with the Nasi Lemak.

Butter toast bread with runny fried egg and oven grilled Chicken sausage-Rm4.20/.

Butter toast with over grilled Chicken sausage and Ham-Rm4.70/.

A cup of Milo after the meal-Rm1.40/.

Focusing on which breakfast set is theirs, lol !

Location-Tapah Road (same row with Pejabat Pos)
Tapah, Perak.

CHAR KWAY TEOW-KAMPAR MORNING FOOD COURT.

About ten years ago, there was an old lady, who did what this man does i.e. sat on a small and low home made wooden stool and fried Char Kway Teow that was tasty and delicious on a flat griddle beside a Dim Sum shop, in Kampar, Perak

I wondered whether this guy is related to her?

Recently, we went to the morning Food court situated next to the Kampar wet market for our breakfast of Char Kway Teow.
The nearly half an hour's wait was terrible, the digestive juices in my tummy made it turned and growled !
When it was finally served, the first mouthful taste of it, was worthwhile waiting for!.

The CKT man about to pack a takeaway with a Banana leaf/newspaper wrapper.

Char Kway Teow-Charcoal fried with lots of "wok hei" was not too oily with scrambled egg, finely chopped preserved Radish and garlic, Chinese Chives, crunchy Beansprouts, lard and served on the side was hot and fiery Sambal Belachan (Shrimp paste chillies) and a green Lime-simple and no fuss -one of the very best-Rm2.30/

RESTORAN YAU KEE (ROTI AYAM)

Kampar a former tin mining town in Perak is famous for CB Chicken biscuit (cookies), Roti Ayam (Chicken Curry in a Bread) and recently a new university-Utar.
During the recent holidays, we went to Restoran Yau Kee (Roti Ayam) for dinner with my relatives after a scrumptious afternoon lunch in Tanjung Tualang.
In the night, the exterior of the restaurant looks small but it's interior was spacious and air conditioned.
Service was fast and prompt.
Their signature dish of Roti Ayam was ordered by most diners in the restaurant.

Side view of the restaurant in the night.

Roti Ayam-Min Pau Kai (Chicken curry in a Bread)-the cooked Curry Chicken are wrapped in a few layers of waxed baking paper, covered with dough then oven baked -the Curry Chicken was salty but full of Rempah and Curry leaves flavor-the bread was soft, sweet, pillowy and perfect to dip with the Curry Chicken-I'd prefer the Restaurant Hua Xing's version-Rm25/.

Claypot Yam (Taro) and Duck Mee-came piping hot-the Sang Mee (thin Yellow noodle) was covered with thick, creamy and salty flavorful brown gravy while the cubed Yam and bite sized Duck meat complemented it very well-Rm18/.

Salt baked Chicken-Portion was too small as it was a "Kampung" Chicken nevertheless the meat was firm, muscled and fragrant-Rm20/

Wong Tai Mee (Emperor Mee)-Fried with strips of Mushroom, Prawn and Pork -flavored with Oyster sauce, light and dark Soy sauce, Sesame oil and garnished with chopped Lettuce-the Mee was tasty and springy- Rm15/

Baby Romaine Lettuce-stir fried with Foo Yee (Preserved Beancurd)-was overcooked and soggy-a big letdown-Rm12/

Total bill:rm110/.
Location:55 &57, Jalan Idris,
Kampar, Perak.
Tel:05-465-1738-H/p-012-519-3873-019-408-7380.

FRESH LOTUS SEED (LIANZI)

Twenty years ago, I had my first taste of fresh Lotus seeds (Lianzi) while fishing for Haruan fish in Lotus ponds and disused mining ponds around the Batang Padang District in Perak.
As most of these ponds are far, off road and remote, the fresh Lotus seeds was a good snack to sustain my hunger while waiting to reel in the vociferous fish.

This is a Lotus pod of the Nelumbo species which i bought for only RM0.50/ from the Tanjung Tualang market.

The Lotus seeds are used in most Chinese cuisine, traditional medicine, dessert and mostly sold shelled or in dried form.

To eat it fresh, break the individual green seeds out of the cone shaped Lotus pod head.

The fresh green Lotus seed with it's skin peeled.

Before eating it, crack it into half- remove the thin membrane and the bitter green germ in the middle-the fresh Lotus seed was crunchy with a nutty flavor, some sweetness and nutritious too!

Do try it, if you have the chance.

POH LOONG SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

On the fourth day of the CNY festival, we had lunch at Poh Loong Seafood Restaurant in Teluk Intan, Perak, before proceeding to visit a relative's house. The restaurant is located near the traffic lights junction of Jalan Padang Tembak and opposite of a Chinese school-SRK(C) Chong Min. This lunch date was at the invitation of my b.i.l Peng and his family. Like most Chinese restaurant, Poh Loong is divided into two sections-open and air conditioning dining. They are one of the more established restaurant in Teluk Intan (20 years history)- caters for wedding dinner too! The food was tasty, generous in portions and a bit expensive for a lunch meal. Parking is ample and service was acceptable.

Steamed Garoper fish head garnished with sliced ginger, spring onion, carrots and light soy sauce lends a pleasant sweet taste to the fish-was fresh, smooth and fleshy-loves the meat around the fish's cheek and under the egg ball-rm46/.

Buttered Mantis prawns- some were filled with red roe-was crispy with a irresistible gorgeous buttery aroma-rm20/.

Stir fried beansprout with scallion, red chillies and salted fish-must tuck in when it's hot-crunchy and refreshing! goes well with all the other dishes-rm10/.

Golden Brinjal (Aubergine)- cut into chip sizes and deep fried then tossed with chicken floss-more suitable as a snack-rm15/.

Hot plate Japanese Toufu-came sizzling hot with a layer of egg omelette as the base and filled with shrimps and smooth, thick delicious gravy-rm20/.

Deep Fried Soft Shell Crabs-lightly battered, meaty and crispy-transported to gourmet heaven in a bite-rm52/.

Claypot of Assorted Seafood- had this dish for yesterday's dinner-this was better and filled with prawn, squid, fish maw, calm, sea cucumber and mushroom-lush and wholesome dish!-not overwheming-rm80/

Total bill:rm258/
Location:201-204,Malaysia Park,
Teluk Intan, Perak
Tel:05-622-4252/012-510-8097

RESTORAN HAO YI LOU

Restoran Hao Yi Lou is a modern Chinese non- halal restaurant. As it is located in Tapah, Perak, I would rate it as a 5 star restaurant. From the Tapah interchange, turned left at the traffic light junction and drive for a about one kilometer, the restaurant is on your right just opposite of Kg Baru, Kg Pahang. It is a two units double storey shoplot with air conditioning upstairs. The restaurant is sparkling new, clean and well designed with aquariums for live fishes and crustaceans and an "island" for preparing beverages. The main kitchen is at the rear so that you won't get a smoky atmosphere while eating.The owner and Chef Mr.Leong constantly update and create new dishes to satisfy his hungry and loyal customers.Tonight, the second day of CNY my b.i.l. Chor and his family invited us here for dinner. We did not get to sit upstairs as it was fully booked. The place was packed with diners and was a bit chaotic as expected during CNY. Many people without reservations were politely turned away. The price were reasonable and not "cut throat" as in most restaurants! After the delicious dinner we placed another reservation for tomorrow's dinner (air-cond upstairs).

The front facade of the restaurant.

Aquariums filled with live fishes.

The Island for making beverages.

Chef Leong (center) with his team of chefs.

Hungry diners.

Stir fried Sliced De-boned Eel with dry chillies, scallion and big onions-fresh with a soft texture-lots of "Wok Hei".

Stir fried Water Spinach with sambal belachan-all times favorites.

Deep Fried Chicken with Thai sauce-garnished with sliced big onion and fresh lettuce at the base-crispy, hot and tender meat.

Stir fried Mixed vegetables-very well balanced dish- lots of nutrition.

Braised Water Terrapin-very rarely available-meaty and gelatine-like texture, my favorite.

Stir fried "Pak Koo Choy" (Wild Fern)-too salty because of too much anchovies-i'd prefer La La Cheong's version with tuna..

Steamed River Prawns with egg whites-was the best of the night-fresh, juicy and succulent.

Steamed River White Whisker Catfish-flesh was fresh, white and fine in texture.

Total bill:rm120/
Location:1 & 2, Persiaran Tapah Indah 1/3,
Taman Tapah Indah 3,
Tapah, Perak.
Tel:016-532-8678/012-463-5590/ 05-401-8148.