IPOH, March 18 — The Ramadan bazaar at the Sultan Azlan Shah Roundabout in Meru Raya is a must-visit destination for those seeking to indulge in more than just traditional dishes to break their fast.
The bazaar, the longest in Perak with over 100 stalls, offers not only traditional delights like rendang and ayam goreng berempah, but also an exciting variety of dishes, including Thai milk buns, churros, pizza, roasted chicken and tau foo fah.
Delicious repast
One of the must-visit stalls at the bazaar is Fusun Milk Bun, which offers 15 types of milk buns for customers to choose from, with prices ranging from RM15 to RM28.
Nur Amira Amirizal, 20, a worker at the stall, said that the idea for the pastry was inspired by the Thai milk bun and was also based on the recipe of the shop owner’s mother.
“After several rounds of research and development, our owner came up with about 15 flavors, such as tiramisu mascarpone, chocolate ganache, kunafa Callebaut bun, snow butter cheese, buttermilk, blueberry, and the most popular, pistachio flooded,” she told Malay Mail.
The milk bun, which is an ideal appetiser for breaking fast or even served as a dessert, is typically known for its sweet taste, soft texture, and slight fluffiness. The buns are often filled or topped with a variety of ingredients and flavors.
Tok Mat Western, which serves roti John and pizza, has taken their roti John to another level by adding their homemade daging dendeng-grilled fried beef chunks. — Picture by John Bunyan
Meanwhile, Tok Mat Western, which serves roti John and pizza, has taken their roti John to another level by adding their homemade daging dendeng-grilled fried beef chunks.
Muhamad Arif Danial Akmal, 26, a staff at the stall, said that their roti John sells like hotcakes.
“All our food is freshly made to order, and so far, we’ve managed to sell out almost all our food by the end of the day,” he said.
Hamiz Muhammad Termizi, 37, the owner of Mr. Churros, said they have introduced a new flavor of ondeh ondeh chocolate with coconut flakes for customers in conjunction with the Ramadan month and Raya celebration.
“For this year’s Ramadan, we came up with this special edition of ondeh ondeh flavor to dip with our churros.
“So far, the response has been overwhelming from customers for this flavor. Customers can also choose other dipping options, such as milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and caramel,” he said.
The churros at the stall are freshly fried in batches to preserve their crispiness and avoid food wastage.
Hamiz, who is operating at the bazaar for the second year, said that business is slowly picking up and hopes the weather will remain favorable for traders throughout the holy month.
“This business is okay for now, as fasting just started a few days ago, but we expect to see more customers on the weekends,” he added.
Hamiz Muhammad Termizi, 37, the owner of Mr. Churros, said they have introduced a new flavor of ondeh ondeh chocolate with coconut flakes for customers in conjunction with the Ramadan month and Raya celebration. — Picture by John Bunyan
Good reception
Another trader, Adam Zainal, 38, who sells grilled lamb, said that the response from customers this year has been good.
“Despite the current economic situation, the response from the public is still okay. If we compare it to previous years, I don’t see much difference. It’s almost the same in terms of sales so far,” he said.
Adam, who has been selling grilled lamb for three years at the Ramadan bazaar, said that he didn’t focus on adding more dishes, as preparing and cooking the lamb requires much attention.
The stalls at the Ramadan bazaar at the Sultan Azlan Shah Roundabout operate daily throughout the month of Ramadan, from 3pm to 11pm, depending on the weather and availability of food.
Unlike other Ramadan bazaars, this location offers plenty of parking, and traffic is not an issue.
The Sultan Azlan Shah Roundabout is known for being a popular picnic spot and many visitors seize the opportunity to break their fast amidst the tranquil beauty of the park.
The Sultan Azlan Shah Roundabout is known for being a popular picnic spot and many visitors seize the opportunity to break their fast amidst the tranquil beauty of the park. — Picture by John Bunyan
People were seen bringing foldable chairs, tables, picnic mats, and even tents to enjoy the experience.
The roundabout also hosts a wide range of food and beverages from food trucks on the opposite side, making it an ideal space for Muslims to break their fast.
