Ipoh is famous for its dim sum. Instead of jostling with
herds of tourists at the famous dim sum street in town, you can opt for one of
the lesser known, but equally good dim sum joints away from the town centre. One
such outlet, Restoran Chooi Yue Dim Sum is located in Ipoh Garden South behind
Pantai Hospital, nestled among tuition centres and boutiques. The area itself
is not big, but it is crowded and full of one way streets, making it quite hard
to search for the restaurant.
The interior is open-aired and simple, typical of most street style dim sum shops with plastic chairs and rattling celling fans. It is not air-conditioned, but definitely comfortable enough for patrons to hang out and chat while enjoying a scrumptious meal. Upon entering, you’ll be greeted with the yells of staff members and dim sum carts that are being pushed around. They have quite a vast array of dim sum, including some that are not carted around for choosing. There is a huge signboard with their menu though so you can order from the comfort of your seat.
Their deep fried snacks are delectable and aromatic with a
crunchy batter. Dipped with mayonnaise, it will definitely fill your taste buds
with delight. The prawns in their Har Mai and Har Kao are fresh and juicy and
will leave you craving for more. Apart from the usual dim sum items, do also try
their Shanghai Xiao Long Pao. Consisting of tender pork mince held together by
thin dumpling skin, it is delicious and succulent. If you are looking for
comfort food, do sample their Pork and Century Egg Congee. This tummy-warming
concoction has a thick and creamy consistency with bits of broken rice grain
for texture.
