Restoran Wan Li at Taiping (万里中西饭店）

Hainanese have been running a long history of business in food and beverage industry, ever since the Colonial times, where they served as cooks for the British or coffee shop operators. Authentic Hainanese restaurants are not easy to find these days, however Wan Li is one of them which are still operating today, ever since the year of 1997. 

1). Situated in the middle of Jalan Kota, same row with the famous Kok Beng Chicken Rice & Taiping Magistrate Court, easily missed the signboard if you're not closely looking on your left.

2). As lunch time approaching, the restaurant starting to be filled with local folks taking the economy rice from the front stall at the restaurant, makes you wondering whether you're in the right place for Hainanese food.

3). Looking closely at the menu at the side of the restaurant, there's the food we are looking for! You can have a choice of Chicken Chop or Pork Chop in Hainanese style or black pepper, at an affordable price!

4). The best drink to have in a hot sunny afternoon, is a cup of Iced Mocha Coffee, priced at RM2.00 per cup. The overflowing foam definitely excites your taste bud! And indeed it was simply nice but ordinary.

5). The highly anticipated Hainanese Chicken Chop has been served! It was topped with a brown gravy, filled with sliced onions, peas, carrots and not forgetting the potato fries. The meat itself doesn't tasted special, however it was marvelously paired with the gravy, which bring out the flavours, especially taking together with the sliced onions.

6). The chicken chop is made out of boneless chicken thigh and drumstick, marinated with herbs and spices, then pan fried into golden crispy and lastly topped with the signatured Hainanese gravy. Priced at RM7.00 per plate, and the portion was generous and it's a steal at such an affordable price!

7). The second dish we ordered was the Pork Chop in Hainanese style. The presentation was exactly resemble the chicken chop, except there were two thin slices of pork chop. In comparison, the pork one tasted a bit dried and the the portion was rather small. For the same amount of money, I'll rather place my bet the chicken.

8). Lastly we try out the traditional Spring Rolls, priced at RM2.50 each. The spring rolls were stuffed with minced meat, carrots and Chinese turnips, which renders the chunky taste; and there were wrapped around by a deep fried bean curd skin, which gives it the crunchiness. The rolls was served hot and crispy, freshly made from the oven. The other specialties at the restaurant which you can give them a try are dumplngs, lamb stew, and assam fish as well. It might not worth the drive to Taiping just for the chicken chop, however there are no better place around to try some authentic Hainanese cuisine.

Restoran Wan Li at Taiping (万里中西饭店）

Address : No.48, Jalan Kota, 34000 Taiping, Perak.

Tel. : 05-8086092, 019-5774616

Business hours : 8.00am - 3.30pm, 6.00pm - 10.00pm
                         (Closes on every fortnight of Tuesday)
GPS coordinates : N04 51.161 E100 44.557

View Larger Map

Yut Loy in Kuala Kangsar (悦来餐室)

The nature of my job takes me throughout the state of Perak. It has given me an opportunity to try out the gourmet wherever I go. This time let's find out what Kuala Kangsar, our royal town has installed for us!

 1). Restoran Yat Lai is situated at 51, Jalan Kangsar, same row as Farmasi Kangsar.

2). The name "Yut Loy" appears on their entrance, as opposed to the one on the blinders.

3). This is how the inside looks like, a classic Hainanese coffee shop. Jam-packed with customers during lunch hours!

4). The menu and price list is hung on the wall, however lunch starts from 1pm, as stated on the wall.

5). If you happen to pass by the shop after 2.30pm, then you are lucky enough to have a taste of their signature pau, which comes with chicken and beef, 2 flavours. This is one of the favourites of our Royalties!

6). This is what it looks like when you open up the Chicken Pau, filled with chicken cutlets and gravy, just like a Char Siew Pau.

7). The REAL reason we are here, is for their Hainanese western food, which is only available after 1pm. The Hainanese Chicken Chop is priced at RM15.00, slightly more expensive than offered else where.

8). Freshly made chicken chop are deep fried and topped with signature Hainanese sauce, tasted almost like Oriental Style without the tomato paste. Crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside!

9). We also try out their Beef Steak, which offered a smaller portion than the chicken, but with the same sauce and same price at RM15.00. Taste different than our usual American / English grilled steak.

This is my usual place for lunch, whenever I am in Kuala Kangsar for a job. I really wish that this kind of traditional food will be able to continue for generations to come and taste for themselves, and also brings back fondmemories for the older generations too!

Yut Loy Restaurant (悦来餐室)

Address : 51, Jalan Kangsar, 33000 Kuala Kangsar, Perak.

Tel No : 05- 776 6369. 
Business hours : Morning until late afternoon (The pau are served after 2.30pm)


View Larger Map