Laksa Leaf Cafe

I have always loved Laksa, in all its various manifestations be it Asam (tamarind), Lemak (coconut) or even Fried, as offered in the newly-opened Laksa Leaf Cafe in Jalan Canning Estate.

“Fried Laksa?” I exclaimed as I looked at the menu, “of course we must have some.” And have some we did, including Lemak, Penang (Asam) and just about everything else on the menu!

The Penang Asam Laksa was tasty, the gravy with enough of a fish base to make it robust and the garnitures of mint, shallots, cucumber, very crisp and fresh – regular RM7; large RM9. The Fried Laksa was a variation on the soupy one, fried with the same base spices RM8, and very attractively garnished with a topping of fried bean-curd roll, Fu Pei (which can be ordered separately RM1 a piece).

I loved the Laksa Lemak which is more of a Nyonya laksa, the soup base very ‘lemak’ (coconut-ty) and served with generous slices of fried fish paste, slivered chicken, bean sprouts, cucumber and two large prawns – RM10/15 R/L.

Blue (from butterfly pea flower) Nasi Lemak was unusual served with pan fried chicken satay instead of the usual rendang, a generous helping of fried ikan bilis and peanuts and a thick not too spicy onion sambal – RM10.

Desserts deserving of praise are aplenty including a yummilicious Cendol where the coconut milk was not watered down, the Cendol (real vs the plasticky stuff one finds) RM5; Ais Kacang with red lima beans, cincau (grass jelly), sweet corn, peanuts and sweetened with Gula Melaka (coconut palm sugar) which is my favourite; RM5 and add RM1.50 for ice cream. Yuzu Aiyu Ping is a jelly made from the gel from the seeds of a variety of fig called Wan Tau Long and flavoured with Yuzu Japanese citrus fruit with its own special piquant taste. This was delectably refreshing and a wonderful end to the ‘lemak’ richness of the other menu items – RM5.

Drinks were interesting with names like Explosion (Blue butterfly pea flower, Lemon juice), Grape Blast and Peach Sunrise at RM7.

Do go to Laksa Leaf, for breakfast, lunch, early dinner or pop in for a snack. They also do Kaya Toast the traditional way, complete with two soft boiled kampong eggs which is many Ipohites’ favourite breakfast.