Kao Lee Dim Sum @ Ipoh, Perak

Ipoh is a city that has a lot to offer when it comes to the food scene and this is one such restaurant that is famous for it's Dim Sum. Located in Ipoh Gardens, this restaurant has been around for decades now and has made a name for itself as the top two Dim Sum places in Ipoh. 

Restaurant Kao Lee Dim Sum in Canning Gardens, Ipoh

Entrance to the Restaurant

Interior of the restaurant

Interior of the restaurant

Occupying three shop lots, business is always good here and at any point in time, they are mostly full house. The restaurant has a high end look to it in design and it is fully air-conditioned. 

The Menu

The Menu

The Menu

The Menu

The Menu

The Menu

The specialty dishes here include their Wan Ton Noodles and Satay. It is said that their noodles are imported from Hong Kong although the Wan Tons themselves are homemade. Besides those, their steamed and fried Dim Sums are definitely good too. Inside the restaurant, you would see a number of newspaper write ups adorning the walls. This is definitely a family run joint and due to their capacity, it may take a while before they come and take your orders. Do note that all their items are made to order and hence, it would take a while before you get your orders. On average, it takes approximately 30 minutes before your orders arrive. 

Coca Cola @ RM 2.00

Chinese Tea @ RM 6.00 per pot

They have a long list of various Chinese Tea that is offered here. Tea lovers would definitely not be disappointed by their offerings. 

Fried Yam & Char Siew Balls

Closer Look Into Their Dumplings

Their Fried Yam & Char Siew Balls were definitely good. It was definitely better than the ones that I have tasted in Kuala Lumpur. I would rate this at 9.3/10 .

Yam Cake with Dried Shrimps

This dish was heavenly. The Yam Cake was soft and delicious and the shrimps added on to the taste making it a taste to remember. Definitely very good and it was one of the best Yam Cakes that I have tried. I would rate this at 9.7/10 .

Loh Mai Kai

Loh Mai Kai

Their Loh Mai Kai is another dish that is worthy of mention here. I have never seen any Loh Mai Kai that has so little oil. Most of the ones that you commonly find are usually very greasy. This one had very little oil yet it tasted equally good. This dish deserves a rating of 9.7/10 .

Fried Prawn Dumplings

This dish was nice too. The Fried Prawn Wan Tons were fresh and went well with the Mayonnaise dip provided. I would rate this at 8.5/10 . 

Fried Fish Balls

Yes, there were only two Fried Fish Balls in each basket. The Fish Balls were fresh but it was just above average in taste. Nothing to shout about. I would rate this at 6.5/10 .

Prawn Dumpling

This was good. The Prawn Dumplings were nicely wrapped in a very thin skin and had a juicy and well filled ingredients. Definitely some good stuff and I would rate this at 8.5/10 .

Steamed Fish Balls

These Steamed Fish Balls were excellent. Besides fish meat, there were other vegetables that were stuffed into it. Definitely one of the best that I have tried and would rate this at 9.5/10 .

Pork Rice with Black Bean

Another very satisfying dish. The Pork Ribs were soft and succulent and they were well flavoured by the Black Beans. I would rate this dish at 8.8/10 . 

Shrimp Dumplings

This was excellently prepared. The Prawns were fresh and they had some salted egg toppings that went really well with the prawns. I would rate this at 9.8/10 .

Chive Dumplings

This was just above average and was not in any way mind blowing. I found it to be very bland in taste. I would rate this at 6/10 .

Custard Buns

This Custard Buns is one of my favourites but I was a little disappointed with the taste here. It had very stingy amount of custard in it and that made this a flop. I would only rate this at 5.8/10 .

Crab Meat Dim Sum

This was very well prepared. The crab meat was somewhat minced and prepared in a sweet and spicy sauce. Definitely an excellent dish. I would rate this at 9.7/10 .

Although there were some disappointing dishes, the rest were quite good and it is unfair to pull their ratings down just for one or two of these dishes and overall, it was quite good. Most of their dishes were very satisfying and some were really excellent. Most of their dumplings are priced between RM 4.20 to RM 6.00 . Our total bill for the day was a mere RM 68.40 and this included a number of the above varieties and we had few trays from each variety. Definitely a place worth dropping by when in Ipoh. 

Address: 48 - 50, Lengkok Canning, Ipoh Garden, 31400 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.

Telephone: +605 546 5384

Opening Hours: 0700 - 1500 Daily (Closed on Tuesdays)