Drop by the cafe early to sample their delicious array of kuihs – bite-sized sweet treats at A Jie Cafe before they run out. The air-conditioned dining space away from Ipoh’s harsh sun makes it a perfect spot in the afternoon.
While the light bites are displayed front and centre, the cafe offers up more than that with a selection of savoury mains. Among the offerings is a classic soup Hor Fun – a silky flat rice noodle found everywhere in Ipoh.
A Jie Cafe’s broth has a balanced prawn and chicken taste compared to other restaurants’ chicken-forward soup. With the smooth noodles inside, it is perfect for slurping without abandon.
The warm, comforting broth paired with soft, smooth noodles make for a fantastic first meal of the day. The dish settles gently in the stomach with no sharp, heavy flavours present. Chilli padis are provided on the side for those looking for more heat in their life.
If the Hor Fun dish is akin to a gentle hug, the Asam Laksa here will give you a jolt and kickstart your morning. From the first bite, you get sourness and notes of the sea from the generous inclusion of Belacan (fermented prawn paste). Included with the blend of spices is Tamarind as well, lending the signature orange hue—the perfect dish to whet our appetite.
You cannot leave Ipoh without trying the famous Ipoh White Coffee at least once. The standard hot coffee order comes with a thick foamy atop a milky sweet coffee. The beans are roasted with a combination of sugar and margarine, so I recommend asking for less sugar when ordering with the standard order being way too sweet to my liking. Customisation is available such as mixing coffee with tea (Cham) or removing the condensed milk and or sugar to suit your tastes.
With a soothing ambience, you will find customers nursing cups of coffee over casual conversations at the cafe. A peaceful respite from the hot sun outside.
Ipoh’s toast comes with a thick spread of Kaya jam with a hint of butter. A sugary jam that is fragrant with the use of pandan that is heightened with a hint of butter. You can choose to dip it into soft eggs a la British dippy eggs with soldiers or enjoy them on its own. The soft bread has been toasted to give it a crisp edge that gives way to each bite yet holds up even as you dip them into the runny eggs.
The carrot cake served in Ipoh is similar to the ones in Dim Sum restaurants, lightly toasted and garnished with green onions. For the uninitiated, the Chinese carrot cake is a mixture of shredded radish bound together with rice flour and starch. Radish shares the same name as the carrot in Mandarin Chinese, thus the translated carrot cake is used as the name of the dish.
The carrot cake served here has a creamy inside and I would venture a guess that they use a higher proportion of rice flour to achieve this result. Regardless of the method used, the sloppy, almost gooey insides are a savoury treat, contrasting the crunch from the outside crust.
A Jie offers up a selection of desserts while stocks last. Ordering a selection of what is left, the favourite was the two glutinous rice balls topped with shredded coconut. A chewy affair, each satisfying chew oozing a mix of flavours that are not too sweet.
Biting into a green cloud, a fragrant tasty cloud. That is the pandan cake available at A Jie cafe. Each of the colourful offerings was a hit at the table.