What’s the longest that you’ve had to wait to get a meal? Personally, anything more than an hour is a no no for me – but we had no choice as there were massive queues everywhere in Ipoh during the recent Lunar New Year holidays. It took us 1.5 hours to finally get a table at Dong Tai Kopitiam in Pasir Pinji, Ipoh. Thankfully, both food and service were decent.

Dong Tai serves typical kopitiam fare, including a mix of rice and noodle dishes. It has two outlets, one in Medan Ipoh and the other in Pasir Pinji, where we dined. The restaurant is spacious and spans two floors : we were ushered to a partitioned area which was decked out in red lanterns and calligraphy of auspicious sayings -– a good fit for the season.

Once we were seated, it didn’t take too long for our orders to arrive, so kudos to the staff. It’s no mean feat handling such a large volume of customers, seeing as there were groups of up to 20 people coming in to dine.

The Moomins had Salted Fish Fried Bihun (RM5.90), a simple but comforting dish. The noodles were cooked perfectly with a slight al dente texture and were well seasoned – but she commented that she wished that the salted fish had been fried together with the noodles rather than placed on the side like an accompaniment.

The Bro’s Curry Chicken with Rice (RM9.90 + RM2) was, again, simple but done well. Curry was flavourful and came in a generous portion, the ideal viand to fluffy white rice topped with a sunny side up egg. You can also choose to get bread instead of rice.

The Hubs had Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng Berempah (RM15.90) which featured a whole chicken thigh, deep fried with various spices. The sambal here is mild and sweet, with just a slight kick. While I did not try the rice, the fact that the plate was sparkling after the meal speaks for its taste.

As for my order, the Nasi Nyonya with Turmeric Chicken (RM16.90) did not disappoint. Aside from its visual appeal (the blue colour of the rice comes from butterfly pea flower), everything on the plate worked well together: from the sour and tangy achar, the sweet sambal, and the savoury turmeric fried chicken, which was perfectly cooked through with crispy skin and tender, flavourful meat. The heavy meal also kept me fueled throughout the nearly five-hour traffic jam back to KL.

Last but not least, a sharing snack of Radish Cake (RM5.50). There’s something addictive about the contrast between the cake’s crispy exterior and the soft, velvety texture within. There’s no higher level of enjoyment when its paired with chilli sauce!

Dong Tai is a popular spot for both locals and tourists, even during off-peak seasons. Our meal for five came up to just over RM100 which is very reasonable considering the hefty portions, plus we also ordered drinks and a dessert.

DONG TAI KOPITIAM

46, Ground Floor, Jalan Foo Eng Lin, Taman Hoover, 31650 Ipoh, Perak

Opening hours: 8AM – 6PM (daily)

Phone: 011-2429 5636