Inside Ipoh Damansara Uptown

Among the new restaurants that have opened in Damansara Uptown/Damansara Utama during the RMCO is Inside Ipoh which I briefly mentioned in this post.

I thought to myself, ah, this must be another place that is capitalizing on the state of Ipoh. Ipoh and Penang always attract attention when it comes to food.

So one Saturday I decided to visit and see if they are really Ipoh mari though I am no Ipoh expert. 

At the time of visit (that was around 11:30am) I noticed that the staff at the counter appeared flustered. There were just a few tables taken and I was not sure if I had to order at the counter and pay or just take a seat first.

After a few seconds of me standing in front of the cashier (he looked very familiar), he asked if I was dining in or ordering take away. I was told to take a seat and that I would be attended to. After waiting for some time, I got up and helped myself to the menu.

Something on the table looked very familiar.

Upon closer inspection, eh? Annie 1?

Oh! This restaurant must be an extension of Annie 1. No wonder the guy up front looked so familiar.

On the menu you have Ipoh Hor Fun, Dry Curry Noodle and Soup Curry Noodle....

.... Nasi Lemak, Ipoh Beansprout Chicken Rice, Yong Tau Foo....

.... and the lighter stuff. That's not all, there is also a breakfast menu and beverages.

Ordering is done via an order chit and I got myself an iced White Coffee and Soup Curry Noodle with Curry Chicken. 

The coffee was very good, just like the one at Annie 1. It was thick and not too sweet (as requested). That was a great coffee fix. I hoped that the curry noodle would be just as good.

I opted for mee/meehoon (my usual order at Annie 1 is hor fun). I took a sip of the gravy and yes, this tastes exactly like the curry laksa at Annie 1 but a little thinner in consistency. So confirmed lah, this Inside Ipoh is Annie 1's sister hah..hah...

There were generous chunks of chicken in the broth but I admit that although this curry noodle did not disappoint, my exposure to Annie 1's Curry Laksa Supreme made this one feel very stripped down and bare. 

Overall that was a positive experience and I wanted to return to try the Ipoh Hor Fun as I read good (but limited number) of reviews on Google.

The soup appeared light and I wondered if it would pass the taste test. I am no expert on kai see hor fun but I would know if a broth is robust and flavorful.

I'm afraid the broth could be better. It was also a tad salty.  And they could have been more generous with the fried shallots.

Maybe I went on a wrong day. Who knows they did not have enough prawn shells and shallots that day hah..hah... But on a positive note, I got shredded chicken thigh meat and they were (too) generous with the hor fun. 

In all honestly, I have had better Ipoh Hor Fun.

The iced White Coffee was too sweet (although I specified less sweet) and it was a bit diluted too. Hmmm... quality not consistent. 

On another visit I ordered the iced Kopi O (no sugar) and yes, it was very good. Made me fell all perky suddenly with the shot of caffeine heh..heh...

This time I wanted to try the Ipoh Beansprout Chicken Rice. I chose 1/4 chicken (and specified the leg part) with fragrant oil rice and beansprouts.

The first thing I noticed was the very big serving of rice. This meal that I ordered can be comfortably shared by two small eaters. I tasted the rice first and it was very fragrant as oil rice should be.

I was happy with the chicken - fresh and succulent. I loved it. The beansprouts were a little overcooked though some of them still retained a crunch. I did not find the beansprouts outstanding.

The ginger and chili dip could be better.

As for the soup, it was just like plain hot water, devoid of any flavor or taste. It left me speechless. Two sips and I was done. 

This chicken rice was a hit and miss experience. If you want serious chicken rice, Seng Kee Chicken Rice is a better bet.

On my way back to office, I discovered that Judy's Hakka Lei Cha is still around and is situated at Restoran 111 (Bee Fatt). Yay!