Established in 1926, the restaurant is a beloved culinary landmark that achieved nationwide acclaim, serving its signature fluffy buns, Hainanese chicken & mutton chop, and local coffee to generations of travelers. This year celebrating one century of heritage, founded by entrepreneur Kok Ee Chuan, Yik Mun has been serving its traditional, homemade Hainanese pau recipes. It has fed historical figures, including Malaysian Prime Ministers & pioneer educators from the Sultan Idris Training College (SITC), now known as Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI). Situated near the Tanjung Malim Toll, it became an essential “balik kampung” (homecoming) stop for road travelers including me on the trunk roads prior to the North-South Expressway (PLUS) was built.
Last weekend on the way back to Putrajaya after our countryside tour up north Peninsula Malaysia, my family stopped-by at Yik Mun restaurant for hi-tea. It has spacious layout and casual classic kopitiam environment which is perfectly suited for multi-generations family reunion & alumni group gatherings. Its huge food portions are ideal for family-style sharing. We could build a wonderful hi-tea spread on our table by ordering a mix of its traditional dishes.
I understand from my former colleague who's a lecturer at UPSI that “The food at Yik Mun owes its legendary taste to a meticulous blend of century-old family techniques, premium raw ingredients, and a strict commitment to authentic Hainanese culinary methods. The restaurant's steamed buns are made of a distinct texture and richness that sets them apart. Rather than using standard pre-mixes, the kitchen treats high-quality flour with a generations-old, proprietary fermentation technique. This creates a pillow-soft bun that absorb the rich juices of the filling without getting soggy. The Kaya Pau features a traditional, slow-stirred Hainanese coconut jam made from family recipe & the Read Bean Pau uses rich, imported red beans processed entirely in-house.”
Before heading home after a satisfying family hi-tea, my wife, Zarina purchased dozens of frozen paus from the counter to steam at home for AidilAdha.
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