IPOH, July 20 — When one mentions “Ipoh dim sum”, images of bamboo baskets filled with steaming hot dumplings and buns stacked precariously on push cart trolleys come to mind, with occasional shouts of “Har Gau! Siew Mai! Char Siew Bao!” to announce the freshest items out from the kitchen to the boisterous morning crowd.
Back in the earlier days in Ipoh, or at least when I was growing up in the 80s and 90s, I was exposed to such manner of having dim sum with family members on a Sunday morning.
As kids we were not great fans of the “yum cha” culture and would rather sleep in than wake up at some unimaginably early hour just to fight for seats at dim sum restaurants or sometimes share a table with strangers and sip on Chinese tea while competing with my brother to successfully pick up tricky fish balls with my then limited chopsticks skills.
Give us our Milo or Horlicks, plus our Sunday morning fix of cartoons on the telly and we transformed automatically into the happiest kids on the block.
But then again, whenever my late grandfather from Sungkai came down for a visit, the entire family would be planning a grand Sunday breakfast even before the working week ends.
I did not fully realise the importance of gathering on Sunday mornings with family members then. But now, two decades after the demise of my grandfather, I recall the fond moments we shared at these dim sum feasts.
Foh San used to be the ultimate destination to go for dim sum back then. This legendary dim sum powerhouse occupied a strategic spot at the corner of Jalan Dato Tahwil Azar and Jalan Mustapha al-Bakri; the space is now occupied by Purple Cane Tea House while Foh San has moved to Jalan Leong Sin Nam.
Ever since Foh San moved from a classic dim sum house that used to be a hit with the elderly taxi drivers often seen exchanging stories over a cup of tea before daybreak to the spanking new, gorgeously-designed two-storey giant reflecting modernization and to a large extent; commercialization, the quality of the food served has drawn flak from all quarters, in particular the locals growing up with the authentic taste of Foh San’s creations.
And thus, the dim sum debate began. By trespassing upon the territory shared by Ming Court and Yoke Fook Moon; two equally renowned brands when it comes to dim sum in Ipoh, Foh San has a lot to live up to.
Not only the local folks, but the visitors to Ipoh have started to make comparisons; aided by information gleaned through the web and social media commentaries, from both professionals and amateurs alike.
At the end of the day, the diners win I guess. To each his own, everyone seems to have his favourite dim sum establishment. Some pick Foh San for the sheer dim sum experience at the Ipoh landmark. A proud #selfie moment, if you will.
But the locals know better. Some settle for Ming Court’s tastier morsels albeit these come in much smaller portions. And the incredibly annoying queue that extends beyond the sidewalk on weekends, no matter how early you wake up.
And to complete your dim sum experience, Ming Court offers an excellent rendition of black sesame sweet soup.
While the other camp would vouch for Yoke Fook Moon’s signature BBQ Pork Bun (Char Siew Bao in Cantonese); pillowy soft and does not stick to one’s teeth, the fluffy dough is how every other dim sum restaurant should make their buns.
Although Yoke Fook Moon is situated along the same road as Foh San and Ming Court, the crowd here is thinner. But don’t bet on this if you’re back during long weekends or worse, nearer to the Chinese Lunar New Year season.
And if you’re really averse to the notion of waking up early for dim sum in the morning, no fear. Yoke Fook Moon opens for dinner as well! A plus, since the number of decent dim sum restaurants that stay open beyond the lunch hour is very, very few in Ipoh.
I don’t know about you, but this story has strengthened my craving for dim sum back home. In my next article, let me share with you dim sum outlets in the suburbs and outskirts of Ipoh that are worth the journey.
You might not have heard of them before, but the standard of the dim sum at some of these neighbourhood outlets may just amaze you.
Moreover, you don’t have to wake up an hour earlier or jostle with the manic breakfast crowd on Sunday mornings.
James Tan loves good food and blogs at Motormouth From Ipoh (www.j2kfm.com)
