Best Curry Mee in Ipoh

A family-run restaurant, Mr. Chee and wife Madam Leong are the brains behind Restoran May Sim. Bringing his homemade curry noodles to the public, Mr. Chee had not always been on the food path in his life.  While the restaurant does not have its long history that people tend to assume is the 'key' to good food, Mr. Chee begs to differ and so do we as their homemade curry paste is the real deal. It is prepared with a mixture of more than 10 spices, then poured into an anchovy-based soup and boiled for four hours. Topped with chicken, roasted pork belly, char siew, beansprouts and lime, May Sim's curry mee is unique yet authentic.

When you Google Sun Seng Fatt curry mee, the synonymous terms that show up in the results are 'heavenly' and 'best'. While the restaurant is highly hyped, it is safe to say that the owners have not succumbed to that fame. Food is consistent and lip-licking delicious. A common favourite is the curry mee that has been dubbed as absolutely irresistible. Forget the other competitors within the restaurant (no offence intended), at Sun Seng Fatt, the curry mee demands food domination.

Served with wan tan mee noodles and curry chicken on top, the Hainanese dry curry noodle at Restoran Fatt Kee is delicious and demands a spot in this list. In the morning, the curry mee dominates tables across the restaurant. With Ipoh's thriving curry mee scene, we reckon Fatt Kee is quite underrated at the moment. As most crowds head on to the more popular stalls, it is small town locals who frequent here. You know what they say... When it comes to food, go where the locals go.

Prior to its relocation, the hawker stall adapted it's 'Ma Ta Liu' nickname (Police Station in Cantonese dialect) because it used to be situated near the main police station in town. Since it moved, so did the fellow loyal customers. If you opt to come here, expect a wait or perhaps even some 'unpleasant people encounters'. Ipoh is mainly known for its dry curry noodle but at Xin Quan Fang you'll find one of the best soup based curry noodles in town. The secret ingredient in the curry noodles here is in the chili paste, so mix a good amount right into that piping hot bowl for the ultimate experience.

A pioneer of the scene for over a decade, at Yee Fatt, you'll find yourself indulging in their Hainanese-style dry curry noodles which consists of egg noodles drenched with thick, deliciously spicy curry gravy with char siew and chicken. Yes you heard that right! Curry mee with char siew. Not enough? ASK FOR MORE! Or order double portions. Either way, you might want to place your orders at one go to avoid waiting!

Located at Ipoh Old Town, Nam Chau is another tough competitor in the curry mee scene. The curry mee here is served with chicken shreds, char siew and prawns. Soaked in rich and aromatic curry gravy, the dish here is not as spicy as it looks. If that's not what you like, pound on that chili paste for that extra kick. The gravy here may not be as thick as some other dry curry noodles can be (especially Hainanese ones) but it lacks nothing in flavour. It's not an uncommon sight to see that chili oil floating atop your dish – so just scoop the oil out. No biggie!

If you're a lover of chili and spiciness, Chuan Fatt is the place to be. Known to be more spicy compared to others, Chuan Fatt is a favourite for many spice seekers. Be sure to order their fried chicken to go with your curry noodles because we guarantee you that your experience will be uplifted. The restaurant has a vintage charm to it - with tiles and mosaic all over. It's the ultimate Malaysian food experience in here. However, do note that the restaurant is humble in size and thus, you might have to wait for a seat especially during peak hours.