Food Connection is an online food delivery service, specializing in bringing homemade food products to one’s doorstep. The web-based service covers more than 600 products from 80 brands under its umbrella. Initially specializing in cookies and snacks, Food Connection has recently expanded its scope to include breakfast cereals, coffee, herbal drinks, cakes, jam, condiments, instant noodles and cooking ingredients.

To streamline the ordering process, Food Connection has introduced two new categories on its website. Under “Homemade Chef“, there is a wide range of home-based food products across Malaysia. Meanwhile, “Half Century” lists many famous brands that have stood the test of time.

Some of the popular food products offered by Food Connection are Ash’s Homemade Spicy Mixed Veggies Pickles (RM19.40), Ash’s Homemade Mulberry Leaf Tea With Jujube (RM22.40), Choon Guan’s Klang Roasted Hainanese Coffee (RM28.00) and Nicole’s Homemade XO Sauce (RM31.00). Items are shipped in special packages to ensure that they arrive in perfect condition.

In effort to reward recurring customers, Food Connection gives 5% rebate on all orders. For example if you spend RM100.00 in one order, you get RM5.00 credit for the next purchase. Shipping fee is waived for orders above RM50.00. In addition, get a mystery gift whenever your order amount exceeds RM150.00.

Food Connection provides nationwide delivery including to Singapore. This means that one can order any product from any state regardless of one’s shipping address. To get more information on Food Connection and its latest offers, check out its website or Facebook page. For inquiries, one may contact Food Connection by phone or WhatsApp at (+60) 12-345 6901, or simply drop an email to ccchew@foodconnection.com.my.

Name: Food Connection
Address: 16, Jalan Medan Ipoh 9, Bandar Baru Medan Ipoh, 31400 Ipoh, Perak
Contact: 012-345-6901
Business hours: N/A
Website: https://www.foodconnection.com.my
Coordinates: N/A
Directions: N/A

Homey is a Penang-based food delivery service. Unlike other service providers, Homey strives to promote healthy eating by serving balanced meals. Supervised by nutritionists and dietitians, the meals contain reduced salt and sugar. No MSG and artificial additives are used.

At Homey’s website, customers can choose from a list of kitchen partners by geographic region. For instance in Bayan Baru, Feed Me is available for lunch. Meals can be ordered for 5 days or 20 days in advance.

Payment can be made online, so there is no need to prepare cash when food is delivered to the doorstep. This makes Homey a convenient way to cater food for children and the elderly.

Each meal comes with a main dish, side dish, rice and fruit. The actual dishes vary from day to day. Here are several examples.

Steamed silver pomfret with mushrooms, steamed cucumber, brown rice and apple slices.

Grilled chicken breast, fried cabbage, brown rice and an orange.

Fried yi mein (炒伊面), choy sum (菜心), stewed minced pork (卤肉碎) and papaya slices.

Ginger & onion chicken (姜葱鸡), soft tofu, brown rice and red grapes.

Homey can also tailor meals for people with specific needs like obesity, high cholesterol, diabetic, postnatal and post-surgery. If one has any allergies or dietary restrictions (for example vegetarian), Homey is able to accommodate accordingly.

Name: Homey
Address: N/A
Contact: 014-304-0711
Business hours: 11:00am-1:00pm, 5:30pm-7:30pm, closed on Saturdays and Sundays
Website: http://www.homey.com.my
Coordinates: N/A
Directions: N/A

If you have been to Kedai Kopi New Cathay (新国泰茶室) in Pulau Tikus, you might have seen a stall which sells yam cake. The yam cake is supplied by J&G Homemade, a home-based business which also takes orders from the general public. Apart from New Cathay, J&G Homemade also has a collection point in Jelutong.

Yam cake (芋头糕) is not actually made from yam, but from taro; taro is often mistaken as yam in Malaysia. The yam cake is denser than radish cake (萝卜糕) and is made in a similar way – by steaming. Besides taro, other ingredients are rice flour, dried shrimps, fried onions, red chili and scallion.

There are two types of sauces that typically go well with yam cake. The sweet brown sauce is J&G Homemade’s own blend of doubanjiang (豆瓣酱). Meanwhile, the red chili sauce carries a respectable punch of spiciness. J&G Homemade’s yam cake is priced at RM28.00 and RM42.00 for a small tray (20 cm x 20 cm) and a large tray (26 cm x 26 cm) respectively.

Glutinous rice (糯米饭) is another homemade product from this home kitchen. Raw rice needs to be soaked in water for several hours prior to cooking. Water is drained and rice is cooked by steaming. Then, rice is fried in a wok with ingredients like Korean oyster mushrooms and dried shrimps. Compared to regular rice, glutinous rice is quite filling. The retail price is RM35.00 for 500 grams and RM42.00 for 1 kilogram.

Other dishes offered by J&G Homemade are Pumpkin Cake (金瓜糕) and Creamy Fusion Spaghetti (中西奶油意大利面). The food is entirely pork-free. To place an order, contact J&G Homemade by phone (019-480-1781), email (ling060703@gmail.com) or Facebook.

Name: J&G Homemade
Address: N/A
Contact: 019-480-1781
Business hours: N/A
Website: https://www.facebook.com/jghomemade
Coordinates: N/A
Directions: N/A

Food Connection is an Ipoh-based startup venture which aims to promote traditional homemade food across Malaysia. This goal is accomplished through its online shopping portal, which is very easy to use. It is so easy, a caveman could do it. Perhaps a caveman with a computer or phone, that is to say.

Food Connection works with popular food sellers to make their wares available nationwide. There are currently over 30 brands in Penang, Klang Valley and Ipoh. Many of these brands are relatively unknown outside their home states, so Food Connection attempts to bridge this gap.

For example in Penang, Him Heang (馨香) has only one outlet to date, making it very difficult for out-of-state customers to purchase their pastries – until now.

Also on board Food Connection’s delivery network is Ming Xiang Tai (名香泰饼家), another established pastry brand in Penang.

The streamlined website allows anyone to purchase their favorite food from the comfort of their homes. Long gone are the days when one has to travel to the physical shop, stand in line, and only to be disappointed that the desired item has been sold out. With the click of a mouse, the Food Connection gets rid of this hassle.

At the checkout page, you may include a personalized message for the recipient (if the items are to be delivered to a third party). This is a great way to surprise your loved ones with thoughtful and nostalgic gifts. Payment can be made either by credit card or through online banking.

Merchandise from any seller can be delivered directly to any address in Malaysia. Delivery fee starts from RM15.60 as long as all items originate in the same zone (Penang, Klang Valley or Ipoh). Food Connection engages a courier service which specializes in speedy and careful package handling.

To understand Food Connection better, I ordered several items through its website. Here is what I received at my doorstep several days later.

Him Heang (馨香) is one of the oldest pastry shops in Penang. Its signature item is Tambun Biscuit (淡汶饼, RM17.90), which comes in a box of 32 pieces.

Tambun Biscuit is made from wheat flour, sugar, green beans, fried onion, vegetable oil and salt. Beyond its lovely crumble is modest sweetness which delights the mouth in a rewarding manner. If needed, the cookie can be reheated in an oven to improve its flavor.

Tow Sar Bing (咸豆沙饼, RM8.80) is packaged in a paper roll which contains 5 pieces. The ingredients of this cookie are similar to Tambun Biscuit.

Also included in my order are Beh Teh Saw (马蹄酥, RM11.90) and Qing Tang Bing (清糖饼, RM9.90), which come in boxes of 8 and 6 pieces respectively. In particular, I like the sweet taste of sticky molasses inside Beh Teh Saw.

As for Ming Xiang Tai (名香泰饼家), my choice is the Six Prosperity Pastry (六福酥饼, RM49.90). The cookies are packaged in a nice box, which makes them a nice gift.

There are 6 different types of pastries in the box: Shredded Coconut With Glutinous Rice Pie (年糕椰蓉酥), Durian Pie (溏心榴莲酥), Green Tea Pie (溏心绿茶酥), Peanut Butter With Lotus Paste Pie (花生莲蓉酥), Chicken Floss With Lotus Paste Pie (鸡肉丝莲蓉酥) and Pineapple With Mango Cube Pie (凤梨芒果酥). There are 2 pieces for each type. As per tradition, Ming Xiang Tai makes all pastries by hand.

Food Connection’s online portal is available around the clock. The weekly cutoff is at 10:00am every Tuesday. Ordered items usually arrive within the same week. For further enquiries, Food Connection can be reached by phone (012-345-6901) or via email. In addition, get first-hand updates on Food Connection’s latest offers through its Facebook page or Instagram account.

Name: Food Connection
Address: 47, Jalan Foo Shin Kai, Taman Victoria, 30250 Ipoh, Perak
Contact: 012-345-6901
Business hours: N/A
Website: http://www.foodconnection.com.my
Coordinates: N/A
Directions: N/A

Update: This business has ceased its operations.

People are getting more health-conscious nowadays, but often do not have time to cook their own meals. Operating from its kitchen in Chai Leng Park, Eat Fit fills this expanding niche. This food delivery service designs a menu around healthy and balanced diet. Food pricing is affordable in order to appeal to the mainstream market.

One does not need to be a nutritionist to make a purchase. Customers can visit Eat Fit’s website to view the caloric and nutritional information of each dish, and then place their orders on the spot. To allow customers to make informed choices, the website also includes a calories and macronutrients calculator. This tool is developed based on the Harris-Benedict equation.

One of my favorite dishes at Eat Fit is Cajun Spiced Salmon (RM22.90). Grilled salmon fillet is seasoned with Cajun spices and served with roasted potatoes, asparagus and cherry tomatoes. Salmon is a healthy choice of fish because it is rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

Trick Or Cheat Set (RM12.90) is a clever wordplay on “trick-or-treat”. The main component is breaded chicken breast, which is seasoned with Cayenne pepper, paprika and other spices. Served on the side is penne pasta in fresh tomato sauce. In line with its Halloween reference, roasted pumpkins are included too.

Lemon Herb Chicken Set (RM8.90) features a piece of chicken breast that is flavored with lemon, cinnamon and pepper. Olive oil is used to grill the cutlet. Accompanying vegetables are broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. This dish comes with brown rice, which compared to white rice, is higher in vitamins, mineral and dietary fiber.

As for poultry with spicier seasoning, Turmeric Spiced Chicken (RM9.90) is also available. The chicken cutlet is lightly grilled on both sides. Instead the usual jasmine rice, long-grain basmati rice is used. The rice appears yellow due to the presence of turmeric (kunyit). This dish is served with grilled onions on the side.

Lemon Garlic Tilapia Fillet (RM15.90) is ideal for people with milder palate. Premium-quality tilapia fillet is solely seasoned with lemon and garlic in order to preserve the fish’s original flavor. On the side are sautéed vegetables such as zucchini, red capsicum and portobello (button) mushrooms. This dish comes with white basmati rice.

Moving on to Grilled Seafood Set (RM17.90), this is a pasta dish with grilled shrimps and squid. The spaghetti is on the drier side of things, but this is probably intentional in order to reduce its caloric content. Cherry tomatoes and asparagus serve as counterbalance to the overall taste.

Currently, Eat Fit offers 2 types of soup to go with each main dish: Clear Onion Soup (RM1.50) and Creamless Mushroom Soup (RM2.00). The latter is served today. Creamy mushroom soup is not used due to high amount of fat.

Eat Fit provides doorstep delivery to any address in the state of Penang. Delivery charge is RM10.00 within Penang Island. For Seberang Jaya, the fee varies between RM2.00 and RM10.00 depending on locality. Delivery charge is waived for orders worth RM60.00 or more.

Customers can select any 1-hour delivery window when placing their orders. Eat Fit operates every day except Sundays. To allow enough time for the kitchen to prepare, 1-day advance ordering is required. As for payment, customers can opt for cash on delivery, or pay using a credit/debit card (RM2.00 surcharge applies).

Name: Eat Fit
Address: 41, Tingkat 1, Jalan Chain Ferry, Chai Leng Park, 13600 Perai, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-398-5528
Business hours: 10:00am-1:00pm, 2:00pm-5:00pm, closed on Sundays
Website: http://www.eatfit.com.my
Coordinates: N/A
Directions: N/A

Update: This business has ceased its operations.

To serve people without the means or the time to travel outside for meals, food delivery service is certainly handy. Food Express is one such company which operates within Butterworth (post codes: 12000, 12100, 12200, 12300, 13000, 13400), Permatang Pauh (13500), Seberang Perai (13600, 13700) and Sungai Dua (13800).

Food Express provides a wide range of food to choose from, such as local delights, Chinese, Western, Japanese and Malay food. Snacks, desserts and drinks are also available. Delivery fee of RM2.50 is levied for each order (minimum order is RM20.00), but this fee is waived for orders above RM100.00.

The online ordering system is very easy to use. Simply enter your post code, select your meal of choice and your preferred delivery window. Most meals allows some kind of customization such as less sugar or no ice. Make the payment using a credit card or online bank transfer, then sit back while your warm meal is being prepared and delivered to your doorstep! Because no cash payment is required upon delivery, Food Express is also great for delivering food to children or the elderly.

One of Food Express’ many dishes is Salmon Fish Rice + Fried Egg (三文鱼+煎蛋, RM16.50). Seasoned with Thousand Island dressing, a slice of salmon cutlet is served alongside a heap of rice and fried egg.

Another interesting meal is Rosemary Perch & Bacon (RM19.90). Grilled fillets are wrapped with delectable bacon, then served with tomato purée with rosemary leaves. Fries and salad are provided on the side.

For something lighter on the stomach, the Assorted Sushi Box (什锦寿司盒, RM13.00) is a good way to sample different types of sushi. The box includes crowd favorites such as tamago (たまご), unagi (うなぎ) and inari (稲荷).

Meanwhile for desserts, treat yourself to a hearty bowl of tong sui (糖水) like Beancurd With Ginkgo, Barli & White Fungus Soup (腐竹白果薏米银耳甜汤, RM3.50). The level of sweetness is just right for me, but it can be adjusted according to each customer’s preference.

Food Express’ service is available daily except Sundays. Nevertheless, its 24-hour website allows you to place an order ahead of time. Should you need to make recurring orders over a period of time, call its hotline (04-313-4012) to get a special quotation.

Name: Food Express
Address: Butterworth (post codes: 12000, 12100, 12200, 12300, 13000, 13400), Permatang Pauh (13500), Seberang Perai (13600, 13700), Sungai Dua (13800)
Contact: 04-313-4012
Business hours: 12:00pm-2:00pm, 3:00pm-5:00pm, 7:00pm-9:00pm, closed on Sundays
Website: http://www.foodexpress.com.my
Coordinates: N/A
Directions: N/A

Update: This business has ceased its operations.

Besides providing cooked food for family and corporate events, Bamboo also specializes in do-it-yourself steamboat packages. Apart from a cooking pot, a stove and tableware, everything else needed for a steamboat meal comes in a box and is delivered right to the customer’s doorstep.

Today’s steamboat is the “Value” package, which is priced at RM299.00 and is meant for 8 to 10 persons. The steamboat items in this package are:
– Fresh White Prawns (白虾) – 15 pieces
– Fresh Fish Fillet (鲜鱼片) – 500 grams
– Fresh Squid (鲜墨鱼) – 500 grams
– Minced Chicken Meat With Egg (免治鸡肉) – 400 grams
– Salmon Balls (三文鱼丸) – 15 pieces
– Seafood Sandwich Tofu (海鲜三文治) – 12 pieces
– Filament Sticks (蟹柳) – 1 packet
– Square Seafood Taufoo (豆腐鱼丸) – 15 pieces
– Cheese Fish Balls (芝士鱼丸) – 15 pieces
– Hock Chew Fish Balls (福州鸡肉丸) – 10 pieces
– Japanese Beancurd (日本豆腐) – 4 pieces
– Almond Mushroom (杏鲍菇) – 1 packet
– Fresh Enoki Mushroom (金针菇) – 2 packets
– Chinese Cabbage (洋白菜) – 500 grams
– Nai Bai (奶白菜) – 400 grams
– Siew Bak Choy (小白菜) – 400 grams
– Instant Noodles (全蛋面) – 6 pieces
– Chicken Eggs (鸡蛋) – 10 pieces
Note that Bamboo’s products are certified halal.

Steamboat soup is provided in sachets of concentrated chicken stock (竹林清鸡汤). The stock, made by simmering chicken bones, includes natural ingredients such as onion, garlic, scallion (spring onion) and salt.

To prepare soup for steamboat, empty a sachet of chicken stock into a pot and add water. Bring the mixture to boil and steamboat items can now be added. Each sachet provides sufficient soup for 8 to 10 persons, so I am not sure whether the second sachet is necessary.

Most of the steamboat items remain frozen upon arrival, so it is advisable to thaw them for a while before the meal. This is particularly true for the Fresh White Prawns (白虾). I learned this the hard way.

The shrimps are surprisingly large in size. Once cooked, the texture of shrimps is still crunchy, a hallmark of their freshness.

As for Fresh Fish Fillet (鲜鱼片), red snapper (红狮鱼) is used. Its refined texture and delectable flavor make the fish another commendable aspect of this meal.

The same can be said for Fresh Squid (鲜墨鱼). Its chewy texture presents an appealing sense of mouthfeel.

As for poultry, the box of Minced Chicken Meat With Egg (免治鸡肉) includes a raw egg, which is meant to be mixed with minced chicken before cooking. Unfortunately due to rough handling during shipping, the egg (as well as many other eggs in a separate box) has been broken. Luckily the container box remains chilled upon arrival; otherwise the chicken would have been contaminated and rendered unsafe for consumption.

I generally skim through processed food in steamboat meals. This is simply because these items can be easily found at supermarket stores. However, Bamboo uses several premium types which I think deserves mentioning.

First, there are Salmon Balls (三文鱼丸) and Seafood Sandwich Tofu (海鲜三文治). The former has a unique taste on its own.

Another container contains Filament Sticks (蟹柳) and Square Seafood Taufoo (豆腐鱼丸). Be careful while biting the latter because the interior can be piping hot!

Cheese Fish Balls (芝士鱼丸) contain cheesy paste as fillings. This item is quite special compared to other processed food, but I ultimately still prefer the fresh seafood and minced chicken.

Hock Chew Fish Balls (福州鸡肉丸) are shells of springy fish paste with minced chicken as fillings. I wish that the fillings were more compact so that there is less “loose” space.

Japanese Beancurd (日本豆腐) is also provided. However its delicate texture causes the bean curd to break easily in the pot. Personally, I prefer firm bean curd when enjoying steamboat.

Mushrooms are among my favorite steamboat items. In this package, two types are provided: Almond Mushroom (杏鲍菇) and Fresh Enoki Mushroom (金针菇).

As for condiments, four types of sauces are provided: special chili sauce (特制辣椒酱), spicy ginger sauce (姜茸酱), onion soy sauce (洋葱酱油), garlic oil (大蒜油).

The onion soy sauce is probably most suited for my palate, although I appreciate the special chili sauce too. Meanwhile, the garlic oil remains frozen over; this explains its peculiar custard-like appearance.

Overall, I think Bamboo’s steamboat is reasonably enjoyable by virtue of its fresh seafood and minced chicken. The soup can be overpowering, so I will make it more diluted next time. After all, the soup’s flavor tends to become richer as more ingredients are added into the pot.

I find the pricing of Bamboo’s steamboat to be somewhat similar to steamboat restaurants. There are pros and cons of do-it-yourself steamboat as compared to steamboat restaurants. On the plus side, you do not need to travel outside especially when there is a large party to feed. On the other hand, there is some preparation work before the meal and cleaning-up afterwards.

Bamboo’s steamboat packages can be ordered online. The delivery areas are Penang, Klang Valley, Ipoh and Johor Bahru. Customers can select the desired delivery time, which is anything between 8:00am and 9:00pm. Delivery is also available on weekends and public holidays.

Personally, I advise that you arrange for delivery around 3 hours before the meal. This is to give yourself sufficient time to prepare the soup and allow frozen items to thaw adequately.

Name: Bamboo Catering
Address: N/A
Contact: 04-646-9999
Business hours: 8:00am-9:00pm
Website: http://www.bamboobuffet.com
Coordinates: N/A
Directions: N/A