Calling Taufu Fah & Dim Sum Lovers – Why Ipoh Is The Destination You’re Missing

I remember back in the 90s my family (and especially my then-husband Nick) was so enamoured with Hong Kong movie culture that we thought when we finally got the chance to travel there, we would be able to soak in the atmosphere of eating Taufu Fah and Dim Sum in places that looked like they were lifted out of a Chow Yun Fat movie.

Anyway we finally had the opportunity to visit Hong Kong either enroute to the UK or on the way back, I forget now, (yes we moved to the UK for a couple of years; it didn’t take) and oops, were we in for a letdown.

We spent our three nights in Kowloon basically stumbling around like lost kids (to be fair, this was before the days of smartphones, Google Reviews, and Google Translate).

We went on a hunt for Taufu Fah and couldn’t find any. We asked at promising-looking eateries and they turned us away, yet when prompted, they refused to give suggestions on where we could go instead. 

Maybe we asked the wrong people, or maybe it is a cultural thing among Hong Kongers (ie. if we can’t make money from you, nobody can). 

Either way, it irked us.

So no joy with Taufu Fah. 

But we did find a yum cha place for our Dim Sum fix. 

And that was another disappointment – no trolleys of steaming hot Dim Sum for us to order with our eyes; instead, we had to order off a photo-less menu. When the food arrived, it didn’t taste any different to what you could find in a standard yum cha restaurant in Sydney. I’m pretty sure it was a touch more expensive too.

Maybe we went to the wrong restaurant. In any case, after that experience, we figured there was no point travelling all the way to Hong Kong for Dim Sum that we could get here at home. 

Besides, most of the restaurants in Sydney’s Chinatown back then were run by Hong Kong immigrants (I even worked in one during my high school gap year) so all the Dim Sum chefs were trained in Hong Kong.

Over the decades though, I’ve found yum cha in Sydney to be more and more of a luxury experience so eating Dim Sum for breakfast has turned into a special occasion thing (we’ve been maybe two or three times in the four years that Paul’s been in Sydney).

Our Hong Kong dream has never really died (hope springs eternal) but it’s never been fully realised – I’m guessing with the fast pace of change in the 25+ years since I was there, the nostalgic element of 90s Hong Kong cinema would be even further out of reach today.

But not in Ipoh, Malaysia’s Cantonese cuisine capital founded by Hakka miners. 

Ipoh, somehow, has been largely shielded from all the modern stuff we see in many other cities – character-free chain restaurants, QR code-ordering systems, food served in disposable ecoware and useless utensils (try stabbing your noodles with a wooden spork, where half the food is stuck on the bottom of a leaky cardboard container, or eating your laksa from a corrugated cardboard cup – it’s stupid).  

None of that nonsense. 

By the grace of God, Ipoh is still old-school cool.

Which those of us living outside of Malaysia can appreciate maybe a little bit more sometimes than those who never left. 

Case in point – 

Our latest Truly Malaysian by MOMC digital magazine’s original cover was of a kopitiam coffee cup – (click to download or view the magazine) – 

When I first shared it, waves of nostalgia swept through the overseas Malaysian and Singaporean diaspora.

But to Malaysia-based Ipohites? Well, let’s just say the nostalgia didn’t quite hit the same way (they were presumably wondering – “What nostalgia? These cups are a dime a dozen in Ipoh!”).

So I released the same Truly Malaysian magazine, but with a second cover – (Click to View or Download)

 – and this appeased the Malaysians in Malaysia.

But I digress.

Back to Taufu Fah – what’s so special about Ipoh Taufu Fah anyway? We can get Taufu Fah quite easily here in Sydney, and I can make my own at home (recipe is in our Truly Malaysian Magazine) – but the texture of the Taufu Fah in Ipoh is next-level silky smooth. 

They say it’s because of the limestone in the water – Ipoh is surrounded by limestone hills. 

Actually, that’s the go-to reason for everything from why Ipoh Kai Si Hor Fun noodles and Dim Sum skins and Taufu Fah are so silky smooth, to why their Beansprouts are so chubby, to why Ipoh girls have such beautiful skin. 

Honestly, I don’t know if that’s the reason, or if it’s because of their secret recipes or skill. I just know that the best Taufu Fah I’ve ever eaten is in Ipoh. 

Here are some of the more famous places you can get your Taufu Fah fix from –

• Ding Feng – the Taufu Fah here comes with different sauce variations including ginger syrup and palm sugar (gula melaka) syrup, gingko nuts, and their signature Teochew Taufu Fah with layers of brown sugar. Plus it’s in an airconditioned shop, so you get to enjoy it in comfort after a hot morning/afternoon of exploring.

  Address: 11, Jalan Bijeh Timah, 30000 Ipoh, Perak
  Hours: 9:30am – 5:30pm (Mon-Sun)

• Funny Mountain – serves their Taufu Fah with just one sauce option – white sugar syrup. You get to enjoy it in its simplest form, sitting on stools on either side of their stall.

  Address: 49, Jalan Theatre, 30300 Ipoh, Perak
  Hours: Opens daily (except Tuesdays) from 10:30am until sold out

• Woong Kee – comes with optional delicious mochi with different fillings – you’ll also be eating it sitting on stools outside their stall.

  Address: 32-38A (Bawah), Jalan Ali Pitchay, off Jalan Yang Kalsom, Taman Jubilee, Ipoh
  Hours: Opens daily (except Wednesdays) from 1pm – 5pm

• Lai Kee Soya Bean – we’ve walked past this place a few times but never managed to try it – it’s highly-regarded for its strong ginger syrup. Definitely on our list for next time.

  Address: 38, Jalan Theatre, Ipoh Town, 30300
  Hours: Opens daily 10am – 7pm

Now on to Dim Sum – truthfully, we avoided the Dim Sum bandwagon on our first few trips to Ipoh – because, we figured, Sydney’s Dim Sum restaurants already employ Hong Kong-trained chefs, so how could anyone top that?

The answer – well, Ipoh can, for the following reasons –

• The magical/mythical Ipoh water (again) – producing delicate Dim Sum wrappers that you won’t find in your pack of frozen Aldi Har Gows. 
• The variety – we all know steamed Cheong Fun (rice noodle rolls filled with prawns/beef/char siew) but I bet most people this side of Ipoh have never had steamed red-coloured Cheong Fun with batter made from fermented red beancurd, filled with exquisitely crispy fried prawn, served with sambal udang kering (I know, right?).
• The price – I mentioned it in a separate write-up at MalaysianChefs.com (read here – 7 Reasons Why You Need At Least 3 Nights in Ipoh) – for what you pay for one person at yum cha in Sydney, you could easily feed a family in Ipoh. It’s not a luxury feast; it’s an affordable breakfast, even among the locals. 

I have to admit I’m a bit of a creature of habit; that plus the fact that we were late converts to Ipoh Dim Sum, means that our go-to place is Zhen Hi Hao – (literally, in Mandarin, “really good”), which we visit every time we’re in Ipoh. 

I like it because of the red Chee Cheong Fun mentioned above, but also for its abundance of non-pork Dim Sums (I don’t eat pork). In fact, they go so far as to label their menu items to point out which ones do contain pork, so I can avoid them rather than get all paranoid and have to second-guess (which is what happens when we go for yum cha in Sydney). This is a small-ish place and the owner is always very friendly and personable, which we like.

Zhen Hi Hao Restaurant
Address: 28, Jalan Veerasamy, Kampung Jawa, 30300 Ipoh, Perak
Hours: 7am to 2:30pm (closed Wednesdays)

If you are looking specifically for halal Dim Sum, you’re in luck – Canning Dim Sum has an extensive range, is halal-certified, and has great reviews.

Canning Dim Sum
Address: 1, Lebuh Cecil Rae, Taman Canning, 31400 Ipoh, Perak
Hours: 7:30am – 3:30pm (closed Wednesdays)

Note: They also have a second, larger venue called Dim Sum Discovery by Canning at 26, Hala Rapat Baru 21, Kawasan Industri Ringan Kinta Jaya, open 8am – 4pm 

Of course, food is a very subjective matter, which is all the more reason why you need at least 3 nights in Ipoh – so you can eat and compare and bookmark your favourites for your next trip.

For more Ipoh and Perak food recommendations, recipes (including for Taufu Fah and Sambal Udang Kering) and articles, don’t forget to get your hands on our free Truly Malaysian by MOMC digital magazine Issue #25