Guangzhou Cuisines Ipoh: Handmade Dim Sum with a Creative Twist
We had originally set out for lunch at Sam Can Cook in Falim, having previously enjoyed a very positive experience at its Botani branch. However, as we drove past the restaurant along the main road, we noticed that the shutters were closed. It was already 1pm on a Monday, which seemed rather strange as the restaurant was supposed to be open.
We decided to drive along the road and look for somewhere else to eat. That was when we spotted Guangzhou Cuisines, a four-shopfront dim sum restaurant at Desa Rishah Indah.
The premises looked familiar. If memory serves us right, the restaurant had previously been run by a lady from China, so we wondered whether there had since been a change in ownership or management.
Since we were already on the lookout for somewhere new to try, we were game to give it a go. And just like that, our intended cook-to-order lunch became a dim sum lunch instead.
A Dim Sum Lunch We Did Not Plan For
Once inside, we browsed the menu and found an assortment of familiar dim sum favourites, together with several selections that appeared less conventional.
Rather than simply ordering the usual dishes we already knew, we sought the captain’s recommendations. With her help, we put together a spread that included some of the classics as well as a few of the restaurant’s more distinctive creations.
This turned out to be a good decision. What immediately stood out was the attention given to presentation. Some of the dim sum were shaped and decorated quite elaborately, making them visually different from the standard offerings we are accustomed to seeing.
There was also a sense of playfulness in some of the combinations, which made the meal more interesting. After all, dim sum does not always have to mean ordering the same familiar baskets every time.
Handmade Dim Sum by Sifu Sky
The dim sum at Guangzhou Cuisines is handmade, with the kitchen led by dim sum sifu Sky. A local boy, Sky has worked his way up through various dim sum establishments around Ipoh, gaining experience along the way.
With that background behind him, he now has the opportunity to put his own ideas into the food, particularly when it comes to presentation and flavour combinations.
And that creativity is evident in some of the dishes. Take the Fish Balls with Tangerine Peel, for example. Fish balls are hardly an unfamiliar dim sum item, but the addition of tangerine peel gives them a different aromatic quality and takes the dish away from the ordinary.
Then there are the Lychee Shrimp Balls, which caught our attention for their decorative presentation in a flower pot as well as their combination of ingredients.
These are good examples of what makes the dim sum here interesting. Rather than reinventing everything, Sky takes familiar ingredients and techniques and gives selected dishes his own interpretation. It is a nice balance between convention and creativity.
The more elaborately decorated pieces are especially appealing to diners who appreciate a little visual flair with their food. Some of the creations almost seem too pretty to disturb, although that hesitation does not last very long once everyone starts reaching for their chopsticks.
Ultimately, presentation is only part of the attraction. The real draw is the handmade approach and the freedom given to the dim sum sifu to experiment.
Our Drinks
To accompany our dim sum, we ordered Signature Ipoh White Coffee and Salted Lime Juice.
Both made rather different companions to the meal. The white coffee was a familiar local favourite, while the salted lime juice offered something lighter and more refreshing.
Of course, for diners who prefer to enjoy dim sum the traditional way, Chinese tea would be the obvious choice.
Guangzhou Cuisines offers several tea options, including one that is almost guaranteed to catch the attention of first-time visitors: Duck Poop Oolong Tea. Yes, that really is the name.
The unusual name refers to Ya Shi Xiang, a type of Phoenix Dancong oolong associated with the Chaozhou area of Guangdong, China. Despite its rather unfortunate-sounding English name, the tea is prized for its distinctive fragrance and complex floral and fruity character. There are several stories about how it acquired its unusual name, which only adds to the curiosity surrounding it.
If you are the adventurous sort and happen to see Duck Poop Oolong listed on the tea menu, do not let the name put you off. It is an actual Chinese tea with a serious following, and certainly makes for an interesting conversation over dim sum.
A Happy Change of Plans
Looking back, we are rather glad that our original lunch plan did not work out. Otherwise, we would not have ventured as far out as Lengkok Desa Rishah 1 where Guangzhou Cuisines is located.
For anyone looking for dim sum in Ipoh and who enjoys having both familiar favourites and something a little different on the table, Guangzhou Cuisines is certainly worth considering.
Guangzhou Cuisines
Address: 69–75, Lengkok Desa Rishah 1, Desa Rishah Indah, 30100 Ipoh.
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/MkoQncvkcA8W6z8X9
Business hours: 7am – 3pm daily
Hotline: +6010 668 6988 & +6012 298 6692
