The Ending

Unfortunately, we were drawing close to returning to Kuala Lumpur. We had tried everything there was to try (with the exception of chicken rice; our stomachs were too full to eat anymore rice at this point), and we felt rather accomplished with our overall "food coverage" of Ipoh. But of course, we were not completely ready to head back home yet.

Before we left, we stopped by Concubine Lane, an area known as the heart of Ipoh's nightlife. Although we weren't able to witness the Lane in its most happening state, we were able to see a more quaint, modern side of Ipoh that seemed to cater to the younger crowds.

Concubine Lane had lanterns hanging from thin wires throughout the walkway, and it was very much Chinese-inspired like the rest of Ipoh. Not many places were open for drinking yet, but there were many interesting, odd little toy shops and candy shops that were intriguingly strange. The artwork along the walls of the Lane were also very intricately crafted, and it was plain to see that the Lane intended to take visitors back to olden Malaya.

After walking for a few minutes and taking everything at Concubine Lane in, we decided that we had to sit down and relax before we officially headed back to Kuala Lumpur. So, we entered a daint, little cafe situated at the opening of Concubine Lane: Saffron Bistro. The bistro was extremely casual, and the interior decor was worldly and inspired. The food items on the menu were rather expensive (as were the drinks), but the ambiance of Saffron Bistro made it worth the money.

The only thing we ordered at the bistro were a few expensive beers (after all, we did have two beer enthusiasts in our team: our very own Alo Roy and Aaron Lian. In addition, a bucket of three was RM36.00). To their delight, it was very much a needed pick-me-up that put a good end to our day. 

After taking our time to chit-chat and finish our beers, we decided that it was time to finally head back to Kuala Lumpur, and thus, this brought us to the end of our glorious one-day Ipoh food hunt. From visiting Ipoh for the purpose of trying local foods, we were able to learn more about the local culture there than ever before. We now understand that it is not solely about the food - it is also about the stories and legacies that the recipes and ingredients carry. To top everything off, we realized that the utilization of all six senses is important in order for us to truly experience anything that comes our way, and as far as gastronomic tourism goes, this will only be one of the many destinations we seek to cover.

Come find me!
Saffron Bistro
Address: 24, Concubine Lane, 30000 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia
Phone: +60 16-787 8825

Saffron Bistro

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The Arrival

Having arrived at Ipoh, the first thing we noticed was the very Chinese-influenced architecture of the buildings and the relatively Chinese-dominated nature of the area.

The locals walking about in this area (most of whom were enjoying their lunch at this time as it was already around 1.00 pm) consisted of a majority of Chinese, although there were a few Malays and Indians we spotted as well.

The other thing we noticed about the area were the beautiful murals and street art scattered around the city. Very much locally inspired, the street art and murals seemed to tell the tale of Ipoh in a way that captured the essence of the creative and artistically-inclined nature of the people.

Journey

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The Beginning

Before we knew it, we were on the road from BERJAYA Times Square to Ipoh.

Of course, Malaysian timing was present, so our initial "let's meet up at 8.45 am" became "let's leave by 9.30 am". 

Nonetheless, we were marked for Ipoh, and the smooth traffic on the way there was something that allowed us to really savor the mountainous views along the way. 

The drive was long and we had some emergency stops to go to the restroom and buy some beers before we began our big food hunt in Ipoh.

Journey

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