"Julie Song's modern-European table in a 1940s Ipoh mansion: she cooks the Chinaman Spaghetti herself, and the boutique-hotel rooms upstairs make a night of it."
About Indulgence
Indulgence began in 1996 as a small cake-and-coffee cafe in Canning Garden and grew into one of Ipoh's best-known restaurants. In 2005 chef-owner Julie Song moved it into a 1940s colonial Tudor mansion at 14 Jalan Raja Dihilir, where it now combines a modern-European dining room with a seven-room boutique hotel, Indulgence Living, upstairs.
Song is both the owner and the head chef, an unusual hands-on arrangement that has made her something of a local cooking personality. For the wider field see the Ipoh dining guide.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is modern European with Song's own signatures. The best known is her Chinaman Spaghetti, a cross-cultural pasta that has become the dish people travel for, alongside a roast rack of lamb and a salmon main that runs around RM68. Menus change with the seasons and with what Song is cooking, and degustation menus are offered for a fuller evening.
The wine list is broad for a town Ipoh's size, and the mansion setting gives the food a sense of occasion. See more of the region's modern-European tables.
The Room
The dining room occupies the ground floor of the old mansion, with high ceilings, period detail and a garden setting that feels a world away from Ipoh's shophouse streets. Each of the seven hotel rooms above is themed differently, from Moroccan to English country, which makes the whole house a destination rather than just a meal. The mood is romantic and unhurried.
What to Order
Order the Chinaman Spaghetti, Song's signature, and the roast rack of lamb, and consider the degustation menu if you want the full range of the kitchen. Staying overnight in one of the themed rooms turns dinner into a small escape. For other options, see the fine-dining picks across the region.
Best for a Proposal or Anniversary
Indulgence suits a proposal or an anniversary: a romantic mansion dining room, a chef-owner cooking her own signatures, and themed rooms upstairs if you want to stay the night. See more proposal tables and the Ipoh dining guide.
Not for
Not for a quick casual bite or a budget night out: Indulgence is a special-occasion mansion restaurant, and the setting, the degustation menus and the boutique-hotel rooms are built for a slow evening, not a fast one.
Frequently Asked
Who is the chef at Indulgence in Ipoh?
Indulgence is owned and run by Julie Song, who is both the proprietor and the head chef. She started the business in 1996 as a cake-and-coffee cafe in Canning Garden and moved it into a 1940s colonial mansion in 2005. Cooking her own modern-European menu has made her a well-known local cooking personality, and her Chinaman Spaghetti is the signature plate.
Where is Indulgence Restaurant in Ipoh?
Indulgence is at 14 Jalan Raja Dihilir, Ipoh, set in a restored 1940s Tudor mansion away from the town's shophouse streets. The same building houses Indulgence Living, a seven-room boutique hotel above the restaurant. The garden setting and period architecture give it a sense of occasion, and it is one of Ipoh's best-known dining destinations.
What should I order at Indulgence?
Order the Chinaman Spaghetti, Julie Song's cross-cultural signature pasta that diners travel for, and the roast rack of lamb. A salmon main runs around RM68, and degustation menus are offered for a fuller evening. The wine list is broad for a town Ipoh's size. Staying in one of the themed rooms upstairs turns the meal into an overnight escape.
Is Indulgence good for a special occasion?
Yes. Indulgence is built for occasions: a romantic dining room in a 1940s mansion, a chef-owner cooking her own menu, and themed boutique-hotel rooms upstairs for couples who want to stay over. It suits a proposal, an anniversary or a milestone birthday far better than a quick casual meal, and the setting carries much of the evening.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Indulgence
Via indulgencerestaurant.com - Ipoh
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Practical Information
Address14 Jalan Raja Dihilir, Ipoh
NeighbourhoodJalan Raja Dihilir
CuisineModern European
SignatureChinaman Spaghetti
PriceSalmon main around RM68
Chef-ownerJulie Song
Established1996 (mansion since 2005)
