In the previous post I described how I met Calvin, the owner of three Chinese restaurants in Ipoh, who invited me to lunch in one of them. Today I will show you what I could try in it!

At the beginning it is worth mentioning that Chinese cuisine is very wisely arranged. It provides all the vitamins and minerals needed for proper functioning of the body.

Soups in particular, prepared in a traditional way on the basis of different herbs and broths, have a beneficial effect on the health of the Chinese people. Cough, muscle pain, fever and many other problems can be cured by eating properly composed soups. Chinese soups are such a wide subject that I'm going to write a separate article about them.
Because both food and drinks have pro-health effects, the Chinese do not take any vitamins in pills. They provide everything they need for health in a natural way during their meals. So no wonder that the dishes we had the opportunity to try were fresh, colorful and extremely tasty.
See for yourself...

Coconut soup with scallops served in the coconut shell

Absolutely fantastic form! Frankly speaking, I have never seen such a practical and beautiful 'bowl'. The pulp is not removed from the inside of the shell, so not only it looks phenomenal, it also has excellent taste values.

Only 100 such bowls a day is available.
There is a chicken broth inside, but it is not prepared on the basis of an "ordinary" chicken - it would be too simple! This unique broth is cooked on black chicken! I've heard about it before, but I've never had the opportunity to try it. The meat is not marinated at all, this is just an unusual, natural colour.

The soup is served with seaweed "pasta", scallops and vegetables. Its secret ingredient is a mix of herbs and berries, which cause the soup is antibacterial, improves eyesight and prevents aging!

It has a beautiful brown colour and the taste of the broth is so rich that it is impossible to leave something in the bowl. It is very clean at the same time and you can taste that the cook, who makes the soups in this place has a lot of experience.

Steamed Tilapia served in a spicy sauce.

RThe fish is steamed in one piece, which makes the meat tender, juicy and it simply melts in the mouth! I tried tilapia before, but I never had the opportunity to eat it that fresh and beautifully served!

It was so fresh that I chose the one that landed on our plate.
The colourful chilli and ginger sauce takes the whole dish to the next level! It is spicy, clean, refreshing and perfectly fits to the taste of the fish.
I can say it for sure - that was the best fish I had on the plate. Something wonderful!

The pork belly slowly cooked in fish sauce.

"Mei Cai", this is how the name of the dish is pronounced in Chinese, is a kind of pork stew, which is a real bomb of taste!
Thanks to the fact that it is cooked slowly and long in fish sauce, it is so delicate that you can eat it with a spoon! Literally! I never had the opportunity to try a piece of meat with such a delicate and creamy texture before.

A characteristic addition is Mui Choy, a kind of Chinese cabbage, which in consistency reminds mushrooms or seaweeds. However, it has a slightly mustard taste and that is very surprising. This was the first time I have tried this vegetable and I think it's fits fantastic to pork.

The whole dish doesn't need many spices because its ingredients have their own, intensive flavours. That’s why it is seasoned only with light and dark soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil. You simply have to try this dish and see for yourself what kind of perfection you can bring to preparing "ordinary" pork belly.

Frying ginger pork with vegetables

Again, pork in the main role! This time served with vegetables and seasoned with ginger. Its addition gives the dish a fresh, unique taste and aroma!
The firm and juicy pieces of fried meat were served with carrots, mushrooms and another type of Chinese cabbage "choy sum". It has a very clear taste and fits perfectly with other ingredients of this dish. The name of this type of cabbage in Cantonese means 'the heart of the vegetable'. Now I understand it because you will find a lot of taste inside!

All the elements of this dish created something special on the plate. With the addition of spicy sauce, ordinary pork gained a refreshing character and taste, which I will remember for a very long time.

Homemade fish balls and fishcake

One of Calvin's companies is producing fish paste, which is used to prepare both of these two delicious dishes.
I have seen the whole process of making the paste (I will soon publish a short movie about it), so I know that for its preparation they use only the highest quality ingredients, and thanks to this the ready meals have a fantastic taste.
They are different in form and method of preparation, but each of them in taste is stunning. They have a distinct, fresh taste of fish, a delicate texture and they are wonderfully juicy.

The fishcake is prepared by forming from the paste a quite large ball, which is slightly flattened and then fried in deep oil to a golden colour.

The fish balls are cooked in the broth and prepared in this way they are simply amazing! They are so delicate and juicy that they literally explode with taste after biting.

I had the opportunity to eat fish balls several times in Thailand and Malaysia, but none of them were so clear and fresh.

Little, sweet dumplings from potato, pumpkin and yam

"Tang Yuan" is the Chinese name for the dish, which means "a happy ending" or "gathering together".
It is a kind of dessert that is usually served on special occasions. It is not in the regular card, but we had the opportunity to try it.

The cooked vegetables are mixed with rice flour and then shaped into small colored balls, which are shortly boiled. They are served in water and sugar syrup and put on the table in one large bowl. Then each of guest takes a portion for itself.

They are not only look beautiful, but also have a surprising consistency! This is a kind of warm jellies. I've never had the opportunity to try anything like that before and I've been delighted with this dessert! It was a fantastic culmination of the whole dinner.



The visit in "Restoran THE BEST" was special for me! After two weeks in Kuala Lumpur, where we ate little and poorly, we had the opportunity to taste traditional Chinese cuisine in a delicious version!

All dishes were fresh, local and prepared by experienced chefs. I felt it in every bite and I'm very grateful to Calvin for the opportunity to try all these delicacies.



The standard of the restaurant is deserving to be highly appreciated. He personally takes care of deliveries, directs the crew, and at the same time he is a smiling host, who will find a moment to talk to every guest of the place. He impressed me very much with his approach and I strongly respect the way he runs his business.

If you are in Malaysia and come to Ipoh (which is a fantastic place not only for foodfans), you should definitely visit this restaurant! You will not only taste the original Chinese cuisine here, but you will also have the opportunity to meet a great man!

Dinner in Calvin restaurant was a very inspiring experience for me and extended my culinary horizon. As usual, I have more luck than brain and even with empty pockets, thanks to his kindness I could try so many delicious dishes and at the same time prepare for you such unique content.
The universe has an interesting sense of humour.

@the.foodini

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