I first wandered into 22 Grill on a friend’s casual nudge — “Eh SeeFoon, come try this new place lah.” Expecting a typical smoky barbecue joint, I walked into something entirely different.
Minimalist. Calm. Zen.
And astonishingly — no smoke. Their clever exhaust system pulls aromas downward, so you grill in utter comfort. I reviewed their barbecue setup when they first opened, but today’s story is about something more:
Why I keep going back.
An Ipoh Boy With Global Taste
Owner Tai Hung, an Ipoh boy with 30 years of restaurant experience in China, cooks with an ease and refinement you don’t often see in the city. His dishes feel familiar yet elevated — contemporary Chinese cooking with soul.
Yes, the menu boasts Miyazaki A5 Wagyu and other glamour cuts, and many assume the whole place is expensive. Not true. There are plenty of simple, affordable gems — and now, excellent set lunches — which make 22 Grill one of my favourite regular haunts.
Here are the standouts.
Must-Try Dishes
- Braised Belly Pork with “Thick Squid” — RM88 (4–5 pax)
Not your usual braised pork.
He uses Wong Gai Lon — those thick-fleshed premium arrow squid prized for their springy bite — adding an incredible deep-sea umami to the pork. A must-order.
- Stuffed Morel — RM18
My personal weakness. A large morel, now widely cultivated in China, stuffed with a pork-and-prawn farce and gently braised. Earthy, elegant, addictive.
- Salted Duck (Steamed-Chicken Style) — RM28
I’m not usually a duck fan, but this one is tender, mildly salted, and wonderfully clean in flavour — like a kampung roasted duck reinvented as a steamed chicken.
New Value Set Lunches
These are genuinely worth exploring:
Set Lunch A — RM98 (4 dishes)
Celery with smoked duck
Mapo tofu
Stewed mutton
Sai Pang Xie (will confirm name)
Set Lunch B — RM78 (4 dishes)
Stir-fried long beans
Lu Rou (braised pork)
Wasabi fried prawns
Mala baby octopus
Both include side dishes + rice.
Barbecue Smart Lunch Set — RM38
Excellent value. Two options:
Set 1
Pork belly rolls with enoki and Smoked duck
Set 2
Fried pork belly
Salmon
Tiger prawns
Tofu
For RM38, these lunch sets are a steal.
Other Personal Favourites
Mala Roujiamo — RM16
A Chinese pita pocket with a crisp exterior and juicy mala pork filling — aromatic, mildly spicy, very moreish.
Wagyu Fried Rice — RM28
Fragrant, full of wok hei, and dotted generously with wagyu.
Beijing-Style Pan-Fried Dumplings — RM25 (10 pcs)
Handmade, authentic, and served with a proper dipping sauce.
Dan Dan Noodles — RM18
True Sichuan flavour — aromatic, slightly numbing, deeply comforting.
Why You Should Revisit 22 Grill
If you were put off by the flashy Wagyu items on your first visit, come again. It’s now a relaxed, affordable spot for:
a quick weekday lunch,
a light, refined dinner,
or a treat-yourself barbecue (the Angus alone is superb).
22 Grill has grown into a place with heart, finesse, and real value — and I’m delighted to shine the spotlight on it again.
Address: 22, Persiaran Greentown 6, Pusat Perdagangan Greentown, 30450 Ipoh
Hours: 12 pm – 10 pm
Phone: 05-2411370
