IPOH, Aug 17 — Back in the earlier days of our childhood, my older brother and I sometimes had to go with our parents to a car workshop in Falim, near Menglembu.

It was without a doubt something we did not look forward; imagine having to wake up early on a Saturday morning when we could have slept in and woken up later to cartoons on TV while eating a comforting bowl of chocolate cereals with milk.

But our parents had a way of managing these objections. We would obediently get ready and endure the ordeal of that less than half hour drive from our home to Falim.

My memory seems a tad foggy but I remember this route along Jalan Lahat relatively well. It connected Ipoh old town (which has always been a buzzing hub of activity by day, without the invasion of boutique cafes and modern kopitiam back then) to Menglembu, a town made famous by the gigantic replica of groundnuts at the roundabout.

The ladies running the stall at Falim are still going strong despite the challenges of roadworks, competition from newer eateries and the younger generation shunning old school establishments like theirs (left). A lazy Saturday morning in the neighbourhood of Falim where the fish ball noodle stall is located (right)
The ladies running the stall at Falim are still going strong despite the challenges of roadworks, competition from newer eateries and the younger generation shunning old school establishments like theirs (left). A lazy Saturday morning in the neighbourhood of Falim where the fish ball noodle stall is located (right)

Falim was never a place for tourists or children; that’s a fact even until today. Compared to the timeless façade of Ipoh old town, the glitzy shopping malls in Greentown and Ipoh Garden, or the street food haven around Ipoh city centre with Lou Wong Bean Sprouts Chicken, Xin Quan Fang Curry Mee and Sin Eng Heong Kaya Puff, Falim seems dull and lifeless.

Can’t blame the small township of Falim though. The place is mostly populated by light industrial ventures, workshops and warehouses.

If you are coming here for a bite, then good luck finding a place to eat without a guide.

But there was this famous fish ball noodle stall (or what we usually call “liew fun”, referring to the stuffed ingredients or “yong tau foo” served with a basic bowl of noodle of your choice) hidden behind the foliage of some tall, shady trees; the zinc roof-covered shacks looked nondescript.

The difference between this and the rest of the fish ball noodle stalls in Ipoh? The size of the fish balls.

The locals fondly refer to this stall as the “yue dan chai” stall; loosely translated as tiny fish balls stall.

Instead of the conventional fish ball that is spherical in nature and smaller than the size of a ping pong ball, this “yue dan chai” is irregular in shape and the size of the tip of one’s pinky finger.

The unassuming look of the stall may turn a first-time customer away, but the locals know best and can sniff out gems like this
The unassuming look of the stall may turn a first-time customer away, but the locals know best and can sniff out gems like this

Served in a tasty, savoury broth with a dash of pepper, crunchy Ipoh bean sprouts and a handful of chopped scallions for the aroma, the fish balls (let’s call them that) are rightly priced at a lowly 20 sen or so. But bear in mind that here the customers do not order their fish balls in single-digit quantities per person though.

One can easily down a spoonful of five to 10 fish balls in one gulp (I am not kidding you)!

The fish paste used in the making of the fish balls is clearly homemade without preservatives or artificial flavouring, retaining that naturally sweet flavour of the fish and offering a pleasant bite with a bouncy texture.

Lest you are still in a state of shock over the really tiny size of the fish balls, don’t forget to order an accompanying portion of noodles. While you’re at it, go crazy with the selection of deep fried stuffed items as well. You may need to pacify your hunger with them as the wait can be slightly daunting when the crowd swells to its fullest capacity on weekends or even peak breakfast hours on weekdays.

The char siew served here is homemade, roasted to perfection to a caramelized finish and of the right proportion of fat to lean meat (left). Complete your tiny fish ball noodle experience with some of the deep fried items that are available at the stall (right)
The char siew served here is homemade, roasted to perfection to a caramelized finish and of the right proportion of fat to lean meat (left). Complete your tiny fish ball noodle experience with some of the deep fried items that are available at the stall (right)

The barbecued, caramelized pork (char siew) here deserves a mention as well, and kudos to the stall operators for not simply relying on boring, generic lean char siew with red trimmings. What you get is essentially beautifully marinated slabs of dark-toned, barbecued meat with a balanced layer of fat and lean meat.

Eating at “Yue Dan Chai” stall once again after more than 15 years felt like a blessing. We no longer follow our parents to the car workshop in Falim, nor do we send our cars to the same. The changes to our routine is understandable since we have gone our separate ways (graduation, career advancement, marriage, etc) and both my brother and I have moved away from Ipoh for a few years now.

But to be reunited once again with our parents at the same old tiny fish ball noodle stall... the experience is priceless.

James Tan loves good food and blogs at Motormouth From Ipoh (www.j2kfm.com)

Falim Yue Dan Chai (Tiny Fish Balls) Noodle Stall
Jalan Foo Wah Cheng,
31450 Falim, Ipoh, Perak.
Business hours : 8am – 2pm
Opens daily.