Ipoh food is possibly the most talked about food topic. Being known for its bean sprout (taugeh) chicken, dim sum and salted chicken, very few would deny that Ipoh is a food paradise.

Despite being born and raised in Ipoh, I must admit that I’m not a big fan of the food in Ipoh. For example, I find that the bean sprout chicken is overrated. Whenever I’m in Ipoh, I don’t go on an eating spree.

But wait… there’s this one place that I love to go to for lunch. It’s my most favourite eatery and it’s none other than Nam Heong Coffee Shop, which is located at the heart of Ipoh Old Town…

Even though they’re already famous for being the true origin of the well-known Old Town White Coffee restaurant chain in Malaysia, this humble outlet still stands strong and is obviously not showing any sign of slowing down anytime soon.

Since it’s only a single shop lot, the tables and seats are limited. Therefore, it can be really crowded at times. But it doesn’t take long before you get a table and start feasting on the local “street” food.

The selection of food here is limited, it’s not a food court. They have Chinese pastries, some dim sum and a few food stalls. Nevertheless, I found my love on these few dishes…

Very common, but the char kuey teow (stir-fried ricecake strips) here is good. Look at the generous amount of prawns and bean sprouts. However, the portion could be small for char kuey teow lovers.

You know, most of the char kuey teow I had elsewhere are either plain black or just tasteless. But this one in Ipoh deserves my recommendation.

Another favourite would be the chee cheong fun with sweet red sauce. Also known as the rice noodle rolls (which have been chopped into segmented pieces), it’s a fairly ordinary dish.

But what I love about it is its simplicity. Just mix with the sweet sauce (or if you prefer, with mushroom gravy) and sprinkle some sesame seeds, it’s ready to be eaten. Simply delightful.

My most preferred dish at Nam Heong is the dry Hakka Mee. I’ll order this every time I drop by. The noodles are springy and chewy, topped with mince meat and spring onions – it’s also a simple dish, but I love having it.

Just take a closer look…

Oh my, I’m so tempted to drive back to Ipoh right this moment just to savour this wonderful Ipoh Hakka Mee!

Besides that, my typical meal at Nam Heong is accompanied by some crunchy deep-fried… stuff.

In Cantonese, I call them “liu” but in English, I don’t even know what are they called. Can anyone please translate enlighten? Yong tau foo?

Anyway, I personally love munching on them and hearing the cracking sound. Sinfully addictive. I can actually buy a big pack of those and just munch away for hours. Nom nom nom. :)

Other than that, a visit to Nam Heong is never complete without drinking its famous white coffee, the ultimate origin of Ipoh White Coffee. Some would recommend to have it hot, but I prefer cold…

A perfect glass of chilling white coffee on a hot day in Ipoh. Flavorful and aromatic, that’s the 2 words I’d describe it.

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