A brief Ipoh detour

We had a bit of time on our hands earlier this week and hence decided to head off to Sitiawan with another friend on a three-day holiday. But why Sitiawan? It's because my wife had received some discount coupons from Maybank for a hotel stay at the Swiss Garden Beach Resort in Damai Laut, Perak, which was about 25 to 30 kilometers from Sitiawan. So we decided to use the coupons before the expiration at the end of June. And, well, since it was the school holiday period and her boss was vacationing overseas at the same time, why not?

So on Tuesday, we set off for Sitiawan but decided to stop by Ipoh for lunch. Of course, it meant a long detour to our destination but nevertheless, we were looking forward to visit the Thean Chun Restaurant for their pork satay and egg custard. Heard so much about them and we had missed it on our last visit to this coffee shop some two years ago. Plus, I had remembered that Concubine Lane was just opposite the coffee shop. We had missed it last time too.

Turned out that the pork satay and the egg custard were well worth their reputation. They were completely agreeable with us. But not the curry mee, which we agreed was a little too tame for our taste buds. then it was a walk through Concubine Lane, a narrow street which has grown to become like Penang's own Armenian Street. Lots of new eateries, new businesses and boutique hotels had sprung up on this narrow lane, and lots of local tourists walking up and down and gawking around. Except for the eateries, I don't think many people were into buying any of the other stuff on display. But I could be wrong.

The rather tame Ipoh curry mee

 As pork satay is such rarity nowadays, we were quite happy to order some from the satay stall. We found the meat quite tender. And we were really taken in by the pork intestines. Crunchy.

Thean Chun's specialty dessert, their egg custard, which is also prominently featured on their signboard (see below).

Concubine Lane was the place where the rich men of Ipoh used to hide their second wives from their principal wives but today, the narrow lane's packed with tourists.

Trinkets and toys to trap the tourists.

Some boys enjoying their time in the lane.