Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
I made my way to the industrial estate of Bukit Merah in search of Wan Hao Yun Authentic Ipoh Cuisine. The food stall is located at MADDOX canteen, an obscure food spot that’s mostly frequented by customers who work around the area.
After cutting through the carpark adjacent to block 1001 and 1002, I finally spotted the elusive canteen all the way at the back— it really isn’t visible to the public eye.
The stall’s brightly-lit signboard with an adorable chicken logo grabbed my attention immediately. Chef Sam Lai is a 42-year-old native Malaysian from Ipoh who has worked in Singapore for the past 2 decades.
A couple of months back, I wrote about their range of chee cheong fun for breakfast. Chef Sam informed me that they have ceased selling those dishes as footfall is slow in the morning.
What I tried at Wan Hao Yun Authentic Ipoh Cuisine
As it was a rather chilly day with a light drizzle, it was the perfect occasion to get the Dry Curry Chicken Hor Fun (S$5). Do note that by default, the menu comes with yellow noodles, but Chef Sam recommended to have it with hor fun instead.
The bed of noodles and taugeh was topped with a viscous curry gravy of chicken pieces and chunks of potato.
I mixed all the ingredients and watched as the thin strips of ivory-hued hor fun had taken on a reddish-brown shade after absorbing the thick gravy.
The smooth and soft strands of rice noodles were scented with the dynamic smoky hints of curry powder. Almost immediately after, an intense wrath of spice permeated my tongue. Beads of sweat started to form on my forehead and I reached out for my packet of tissues to wipe them off— this dish is definitely not for the faint-hearted.
I must say, though, that despite the heat, I kept going for more— it was deliciously addictive! The chicken pieces were tender but I wished they were boneless instead. Needless to say, for someone like me who loves potatoes, the fluffy chunks of potatoes were satisfyingly good.
We then proceeded to try the Roasted Chicken Set A (S$6). It consisted of a plate of chicken rice, roasted chicken with a pile of bean sprouts and cucumber slices, and meatball soup.
I do not typically start a plate of chicken rice with the vegetables, but I did that day. I dived straight into the bean sprouts which had a light dusting of pepper on it.
[Closed] Lao Foong Ji: Ipoh-style dry minced pork udon & 16 varieties of dim sum at Hougang
It gave off a nice crunch without possessing unpleasant raw tastes and tasted slightly sweet due to its absorption of the soya-based sauce at the bottom.
I have nothing but good things to say about the chicken rice. Flavourful, fluffy, perfectly-cooked, not too oily, strong notes of ginger… I need a thesaurus for more adjectives!
The roast chicken was well seasoned and had a tasty skin. Perhaps my only gripe with it was the amount of meat on it. It was on the skinny side and had not much flesh.
It could just be the poor chicken, which was either severely underfed or had a high metabolism! Other than that, it was a good piece of roast chicken.
My highlight of the day was the chilli sauce. I learnt from the owner that the recipe is her husband’s secret concoction. He is even thinking of packaging it for sale outside in the future.
It was mildly spicy and tangy with strong garlic flavour. I also picked up something familiar; chopped ginger flower (normally used in rojak). Its unique taste made the chilli a cut above the rest.
The meatballs were generic and had nothing to shout about. The clear broth leaned towards the peppery side, and I quite enjoyed it.
Final thoughts
With the pretty fairy lights dangling at the al fresco section of the MADDOX canteen, I could envision how pretty this place would look when the sun sets.
Although there was a substantial crowd during lunch, I’m starting to wonder how many would actually head there just for a meal in the evenings. The location isn’t exactly the best as it’s quite a distance from the main road.
Well, I really hope this article creates awareness then.
Expected damage: S$4.50 – S$8 per pax
Jian Zao Ipoh Curry Noodles: Humility + secret recipe = 3 stalls in 1 year
