Plan B in Ipoh is one of the longest-standing hipster cafes in Ipoh. Their prime location right next to Concubine Lane means that they will catch the eye of many tourists.
But is there more to this café that its rather good looks and higher price point?
If you’re coming all the way to Ipoh to try this café, you should read this article first.
Table Of Contents:
About Plan B
Plan B is under The Big Group. They have several branches of Plan B in KL (e.g., Publika, Bangsar Village, Mid Valley, etc) but only one branch in Ipoh.
The menu is the same in Ipoh too.
There are Western breakfast options like avocado on toast (Avo Good Day), a big breakfast set, and waffles.
Soups and salads are part of the menu too. There are some interesting salad options with meat that you can get at Plan B. And from 11am onwards, they will start serving burgers, sandwiches, and their Asian-Western fusion food like Ang Mo Indomie and Pan Mee Impasta.
For those that prefer rice, there is the Vietnamese Rice Bowl and nasi lemak set for two. If you’re not that hungry, they do have a few varieties of fries and mini cakes including the intriguing kaya lamington and sticky date pudding cake.
Alongside their extensive drinks menu with caffeinated and non-caffeinated options, Plan B in Ipoh offers alcohol too. This can be ordered from the bar, separate from the restaurant.
Like the KL branches, Plan B in Ipoh opens from 10am to 10pm, and it’s possible to book the entire restaurant for an event as they have capacity for about 200 diners.
Ease Of Parking At Plan B In Ipoh
Don’t go to Plan B (or Ipoh Old Town in general) on an empty stomach if you can help it. Finding parking that is close to Concubine Lane can be a very frustrating process.
You might have to park as far as the Ipoh Birch Memorial Clock Tower and walk through Concubine Lane to reach Plan B.
Alternatively, there are paid parking lots close by but these are often full during lunchtime.
It is a lot easier to find parking around Plan B in the evenings. And on the days when Thean Chun is closed
Ambiance At Plan B In Ipoh
Plan B in Ipoh is stunning thanks to a sunlit atrium with towering lives trees and lofty tinted industrial-style windows all around.
You can choose to sit at the booth tables outside or inside where there is air-conditioning. Tables are well-spaced and it’s very comfortable to sit here and have a chat with friends.
One side of the café looks out onto a brick wall covered with vines and this is a beautiful spot for photos if you feel so inclined.
Service At Plan B In Ipoh
While they have many staff on hand, they are not very attentive. They do not immediately hand you menus when you sit down or inform you that the menu can be viewed through their online system.
And when we went, the staff merely stood observing us as we struggled with the online ordering system but did not come over until we asked them too.
From that point onwards, however, the staff suddenly remembered their jobs. They took our orders the old-fashioned way (our payment did not go through on their online system) and served us drinking water.
We were surprised at how fast the food came though. Except for the rice dish which took a little more than 20 minutes to come, the pasta dishes came within 15 minutes.
Food At Plan B In Ipoh
For our table of 4 (3 of us are small eaters), we ordered spaghetti Bolognese with beef (this is a pork-free eatery), their signature buttermilk chicken and carbonara, and a Vietnamese rice bowl.
As we did have the intention of getting drinks at another café later, we only got one cappuccino here (it was good).
The food was decent. Not too salty but flavorful. The Vietnamese rice bowl has a lot of garnish including fresh cut chili and a generous helping of parsley.
Both the spaghetti Bolognese with beef and buttermilk chicken and carbonara came with grated cheese. Of these, the buttermilk chicken and carbonara was tastier and had more meat with it.
For cakes, carrot cake is a safe option if you don’t know what to get. They have scones too and these are not bad.
Pricing At Plan B In Ipoh
Portions are large at Plan B – 2 small eaters can share one main happily. And while this helps justify the tremendous price points, it’s still expensive to dine here for Ipoh standards.
Mains cost around RM30. And if you’re just having eggs on toast (Eggs My Way), that’s already RM18. We find that the healthier options (with salad) are very expensive for what they are.
Nasi lemak for two cost RM38 which is too much in our opinion.
However, the coffee was affordable at RM10 and we’re not mad at that.
Still, if you plan to have a main and a drink here, prepare to spend around RM50 per person.
Conclusion
Because of the higher prices, we will not be visiting Plan B in Ipoh any time in the near future. Unless it’s for a special occasion.
But the Plan B branch in Ipoh does have obvious advantages over other Ipoh cafes. Their industrial-style exterior and interior are stunning, and their location is unbeatable for attracting tired tourists in need of a cool drink and environment.
