Moon De Moon @ Ipoh

We were in Ipoh three weekends ago for a day trip to attend to some private matters.  Traffic was smooth and by the time we reached Ipoh, we were just in time for breakfast.

I've heard (and read) many rave reviews of the kai see hor fun (shredded chicken kuey teow) in Restoran Moon De Moon @ Ipoh (Taman Mirindi to be exact, in the vicinity of Kampung Simee).

Being aware of their popularity and notoriety of 30 - 45 minutes wait for their noodles, I was bracing myself for the worst when I decided to drop by.  Surprisingly, the wait for a table wasn't too long, just around 10 minutes, even though there were less tables because we were still in the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) period (on normal/usual days, the tables would spill onto the road).

It took only about 10 minutes for the noodles to arrive, so it looks like I owed the shorter wait to the enforced RMCO since less people were travelling inter-state (and the lesser tables, of course).  I was here for one thing...and one thing only....a bowl of Ipoh kai see hor fun @ RM5.50 (small) that was filled with firm, sweet prawns (some were halved lengthwise), shredded chicken and chives finished with a garnishing of chopped spring onions and freshly fried shallots (not ready-made from a packet).

The translucent hor fun, of course, lived up to its highly reputable name of Ipoh hor fun that's notably velvety and silky smooth which slips down our throats with ease.  I tend to shun away from hor fun as my choice of noodles in KL since most are nothing like the ones in Ipoh.  In fact, many come with an offensive smell (and taste) that I cannot stomach though there are a handful that passed the test but they still aren't as slippery smooth as the Ipoh ones.

Besides the extraordinary quality of the hor fun which is vital, the most important factor of a good kai see hor fun lies with its broth without doubt.  And this one (as you can see) was thick, rich and sweetish, finished with a layer of aromatic prawn oil on top.

At first glance, when the noodles arrived, I realised this was no ordinary stock, not the usual clear broth I'm used to or had before.  This one was really thick and rich, judging by the bright orange hue of the broth, a stock that was obviously boiled for hours from a blend of chicken bones and prawn shells.  This one is difficult to top in my opinion...that's how good it was! ^o^

And because the robust broth had such depth of flavour that very little of it was given, just enough to cover the noodles.  I can understand (and even excuse) that since it will be a much valued, precious stock of prawny umami.

Clearly the broth was excellent, so not a drop was wasted...and an empty bowl was the best compliment I could give to this bowl of exceptional Ipoh sar hor fun! ^_*

Luckily, they also do a dry-style kai see hor fun here.  That's how my spouse likes to enjoy his kai see hor fun.  I could see that the dry-style comes with Ipoh's well-liked, fat and crunchy beansprouts instead of chives.

I didn't get to taste my husband's dry version, so I don't know how it tastes but since he didn't say much, I'm assuming he enjoyed it.  The reason I didn't try was that the portions were so small I didn't want to tax his already meagre, barely-enough portion.  I could have easily eaten two bowls myself while my spouse said he could eat three! >_<  No wonder the lady who took my orders asked if I wanted to add a bowl of curry chicken or yong tau foo on the side (I should have taken her up on her offer).

If I had known about the smallish size of the noodles, I would have ordered myself a plate of dry curry mee too even though I've never been a fan of Ipoh-style curry mee.  I reckon that their dry curry mee must be equally good judging from the fact that every table had either an order of curry mee or kai see hor fun...or both (I'll definitely have both the next time I'm here).  I envy Ipohans who get to savour these noodles on a regular basis.

When in Ipoh, of course must order Pak Kopi Ping-lah (Iced White Coffee)....hee..hee...which was frothy and decent! ;)

My Personal Opinion

Is this the best kai see hor fun in Ipoh?  Well, I wouldn't know about that since I've not tasted other good (and famous) kai see hor fun in Ipoh yet (like the notoriously busy and touristy Thean Chun which many have vouched isn't as good as the one here).  I've only had a few non-memorable ones in Ipoh coffee shops thus far.  What I do know is this.....it's the best kai see hor fun I've eaten in Ipoh thus far!  This one is already so good, I don't think I need to look for a better one in Ipoh.

The thick and rich soup that was all the rage for me, with a profound sweetness from the prawn stock, was quite unlike some of the better ones I've had in KL where the soup base is usually lighter and clearer (I'm not saying they weren't any good that way, some were).

If you're a super fan of kai see hor fun like I am, you need to seek this one out (and have a dry curry mee while you're at it) the next time you're in Ipoh.  It might turn out to be one of your best kai see hor fun experience yet.

Moon De Moon's kai see hor fun is a 'triple d' yo....definitely darn delicious...but is it the best in Ipoh?  You decide. ^_~

Restoran Moon De Moon
148 Hala Wah Keong
Taman Mirindi
31400 Ipoh
Perak
Tel: 012-516 0485