Menglembu Famous Chinese Big Apom - Apam Balik @ near Menglembu Market
A Cold War spy novel usually features a spy with many faces and names. Here is one big face with many names. Apam Balik, Bang Ching Kuih, Dai Gow Min.... But through the years it remains essentially the same. Good ole pancake-style dough, with sugar, margarine and crushed peanut.
And the flat copper brass wok is humongous. The thick heavy pan retain heat and make the cooking fast, even and consistent. Lots of ingredients have to go in to make one big face cake. Dividing it up will get 10 slices of rather large Apam Balik.
Times have changed, from Cold War to Detent and the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1991. And now there is another Cold War brewing, this time over trade, annexation and human rights. An Internet check of other floggers for the price in 2010 for this particular Apam Balik was RM7.00 for the pan. Now its RM11.00. But then its still cheaper than many in KL.
There were customers waiting for this hometown favourite. And they have only one fire! Most came for the whole pan and each pan takes about 10 mins to turn around. Inside knowledge told me that they actually cook it faster than norm to make sure the lines were cleared quickly and not choked up the queue. Otherwise, customers will be deter to join the line or bring make to wait too long.
This little compromise would generally make it slightly less chewy and the texture and feel are slightly mushier and the sides less crispy. Anyway, I was still very happy with mine. Lots of margarine. They literally slathered thick sloshes of it on the pancake. And crushed peanut was aplenty. That's made my day. Just live and love it!
Address:
Menglembu Famous Chinese Big Apom
6A, Jalan Kledang, Taman Menglembu, 31450 Ipoh, Negeri Perak
https://maps.app.goo.gl/NMb4BDdxKaPwBm3Z6
And the flat copper brass wok is humongous. The thick heavy pan retain heat and make the cooking fast, even and consistent. Lots of ingredients have to go in to make one big face cake. Dividing it up will get 10 slices of rather large Apam Balik.
Times have changed, from Cold War to Detent and the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1991. And now there is another Cold War brewing, this time over trade, annexation and human rights. An Internet check of other floggers for the price in 2010 for this particular Apam Balik was RM7.00 for the pan. Now its RM11.00. But then its still cheaper than many in KL.
There were customers waiting for this hometown favourite. And they have only one fire! Most came for the whole pan and each pan takes about 10 mins to turn around. Inside knowledge told me that they actually cook it faster than norm to make sure the lines were cleared quickly and not choked up the queue. Otherwise, customers will be deter to join the line or bring make to wait too long.
This little compromise would generally make it slightly less chewy and the texture and feel are slightly mushier and the sides less crispy. Anyway, I was still very happy with mine. Lots of margarine. They literally slathered thick sloshes of it on the pancake. And crushed peanut was aplenty. That's made my day. Just live and love it!
Menglembu Famous Chinese Big Apom
6A, Jalan Kledang, Taman Menglembu, 31450 Ipoh, Negeri Perak
https://maps.app.goo.gl/NMb4BDdxKaPwBm3Z6
Comments