The royal town of Kuala Kangsar is renowned not only for its heritage, it is synonymous with well-loved laksa (rice noodles served in a hot soup).
Established since 1990, Lubuk Dapur Kayu Laksa located at Kampung Lubuk Kuala Kangsar is among the best and must-visit laksa stalls.
The dish is called laksa pulas as its noodles are handmade from wheat flour just like how it was done traditionally.
According to the stall owner, Norain Abu Hasan, more than 80kg of laksa are sold during the weekends.
“A total of three pots of gravy is produced especially during weekends and public holidays.
“Our laksa receives overwhelming response from international visitors hailing from Arab countries, Thailand and Singapore. They get to enjoy the laksa in a rural setting, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. That is what makes our laksa special,” she said.
Equally must-try laksa stall is the Laksa Pokok Limau which serves laksa telur bersarang (laksa with nest-shaped omelette). It is run by Aziza Mat Idris since 2010.
The dish comes with a crispy omelette in a thick gravy made from a combination of sardine, tamban fish and mackerel.
Made of rice flour, the noodle is loved by foreign tourists from America, Japan and Brunei.
After a meal, drop by Arena Square and around Dataran Lembah next to the Perak River to shop for souvenirs. A plethora of fine crafts is available such as tekat (embroidery), keris (traditional dagger), anyaman bakul (woven basket) and labu sayung (gourd-shaped jar) among others.
Don’t forget to visit the Bukit Chandan Royal Palace, Ubudiah Mosque, Istana Kuning and Sultan Azlan Shah Gallery for a nostalgic trip back to the glorious past.
Laksa Lubuk Dapur Kayu – KPW Kubang Panjang, Kampung Paya, Kuala Kangsar. FB: Nora Hasan. IG: norahasan91. GPS: 40º 48’20.3112’N 100º 54’6.01776E Laksa Pokok Limau FB: Laksa Pokok Limau – Jalan Besar Utara Selatan, Kampung Bendang Susur, Kuala Kangsar. IG: @Laksapokoklimauft. GPS: 40º 48’8.10576”N 100° 56’55.55796E By Rosli Mansor