Worth the long wait: Yong Suan Coffee Shop, which sells nasi kandar, can get up to 2,000 customers on weekends. — RONNIE CHIN/The Star
WITH or without Michelin star recognition, Ipoh food is the best, so say the locals.
Self-professed foodies whom StarMetro spoke to believe that while international recognition would make Malaysian food more popular and is good for tourism, there are drawbacks.
Shop manager Michael Lim, 35, said he was relieved none of the best eateries in Ipoh got a Michelin star.
“I think if they received the rating, the owner would increase prices.“For me, whether these places receive a high rating or award doesn’t matter,” he added.
On Dec 13 last year, four restaurants in Kuala Lumpur and Penang were awarded Malaysia’s first-ever Michelin stars during the unveiling of the inaugural Michelin Guide Kuala Lumpur and Penang 2023 in the capital city.
A total of 93 other restaurants also made it into the guide, with 32 of them (17 in Penang, 15 in KL) awarded the Bib Gourmand award, which recognised “friendly establishments that serve good food at moderate prices”.
Lim said apart from food, the coffee in Ipoh was also excellent.
Coffeeshops in places like Ipoh offer diners an authentic experience that cannot be replicated elsewhere. — RONNIE CHIN/The Star
“Most of the local serve very good coffee which Ipoh is known for,” he added.
Lim said Ipoh has such a variety of great food, it was hard to choose the best.
“We have dim sum, Ipoh chicken rice with bean sprouts, and many other dishes.
“When my friends or relatives from other states come to visit, I will bring them to eat dim sum,” he added.
Self-employed Saidatul Athirah Mohd Ali, 25, said awarding a Michelin star to a local restaurant or giving a rating to traditional dishes would help boost the local economy.
“As a food lover, I think Perak’s Rendang Tok deserves recognition.
“It takes talent and experience to be able to make good Rendang Tok.
“Rendang Tok has the potential to become as famous as other dishes,” said Saidatul who usually buys the dish at a night market in Silibin.
She added the Perak government should do more to promote the many signature foods in the state.
“I also think if food here were to be given some sort of recognition, sellers will be more committed in ensuring what they serve is authentic and hygienic,” she said.
Ipoh chicken rice with bean sprouts is probably the city’s most famous dish.
One restaurant which used to have a Michelin star, is operating in the city.
Singapore-based Liao Fan Hawker Chan, famous for its soya sauce chicken rice, first opened its Ipoh branch in 2019 at Jalan Theatre, but has since moved to bigger premises along Jalan Sultan Nazrin Shah.
Its founder Chan Hon Meng, who was born in Ipoh, gained international acclaim in July 2016 when his fare became the first of two street food locations in the world to be accorded a Michelin star.
However, in 2021, it was reported that the stall, known for offering the world’s least expensive Michelin-starred meal, was omitted from the latest edition of the food guide in Singapore.
Established in 1900, the Michelin Guide was compiled by brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin for travellers in France.
By 1926, the guide began awarding single stars to fine-dining restaurants and by 1936, it had a ranking system in place for one, two, and three-starred eateries, with three stars being the highest.
Anonymous Michelin inspectors now rank eateries based on five key components: the quality of the ingredients, the mastery of cooking, the harmony of flavors, the personality of the chef through the cuisine and consistency both over time and across the entire menu.
Mohd Nihmatullah Syed Mustaffah, 59, owner of Yong Suan Coffee Shop where the popular nasi kandar is sold, said he was not aware of the Michelin Guide.
“What is more important is to maintain the quality of our food and please our customers.
“Whether we receive the award or not, we will always give our best to our customers who have been supporting us for so long.
“But if we are to be accorded such a recognition, of course I will be very happy,” he said.
His coffeeshop receives over 2,000 customers during the weekend.
Mohd Nihmathullah says it is important to maintain nasi ganja’s quality at his eatery.
Mohd Nihmatullah said many foreigners have also eaten at his shop.
“We also have tourists from India, Thailand, the United Kingdom and Europe eating here.
“We tend to adjust the level of spiciness for them if possible,” he said.
Canning Dim Sum owner Ceylyn Tay believes that the Michelin rating is mostly aimed at tourists.
Tay said while the food in Ipoh was good, it is not as well-known as that found in tourism destination like Penang and Kuala Lumpur.
“I know that people will travel for food, aside from visiting attractions.
“Even without the guide, I think people can search the Internet or social media to know where to eat in Ipoh,” she added.
Tay also said that gaining popularity may not always be a good thing.
“There is one eatery which serves economy rice and its fried chicken went viral.
“The owner decided not to open for business during weekends or public holidays as he could not cope with the huge crowd,” she said.
Chai believes there are not enough eateries in Ipoh that meet Michelin criteria.
Volcano Grill Cafe owner and chef Chai Wee Khun said there were certain guidelines for eateries to be recognised by Michelin’s panel of evaluators.
Chai said one of these was customer turnover.
“Ipoh may have a lot of good places to eat but the customer turnover is not high enough to be recognised.
“Ipoh does not have a lot of eateries that require advance booking unlike in Penang or KL,” he said.
Chai added that the spending power in Ipoh was also not as high as Penang or KL.
“Other factors include the ambience, operations and hygiene,” he said.
Chai believes that there are not enough eateries in Ipoh that meet the criteria to be surveyed by Michelin’s judges.
“I believe that there should be more starred hotels first to create a demand for more good restaurants,” he added.
He also said it was not easy to be accorded a Michelin star and to maintain the status.
“There will be added pressure if one gets it.
“If the food quality or business drops, that will impact the rating.
“I am told that a number of restaurants in Ipoh declined to be surveyed by Michelin,” he said.
When contacted, state tourism committee chairman Loh Sze Yee said several events are already in the pipeline to promote Perak food.
“Ipoh food is definitely one of our strong points.
“The state government will continue to promote it.
“In December last year, we had a four-day event that focused not only cultural shows but also local food.
“Those who are interested to know more about our upcoming events can check Tourism Perak’s website,” he added.
