Truly, I am so very amazed by the number of friends that I have made over the years through blogging, people from all walks of life here, there and everywhere, young and old. As it turned out, Azura is, in fact, the daughter of an old friend of mine from some 40 years ago. Isn’t that nice?
Well, over the weekend, another friend came to town for a 1-night/2-day visit. When I found out that Melissa was going to study in Wellington, I went all out to look for bloggers in New Zealand and make friends with them…and she was one of the few who responded. She is Malaysian, pursuing her post-graduate studies in Christchurch at the time but she has since come back and is currently based in Kuantan, Pahang, with her hubby. She’s no longer blogging though but like many of the rest, we still keep in touch via Facebook.
Of course, after all this time, I was delighted when she contacted me and told me she would be coming to town and hoped we get to meet for lunch – she and her hubby and me with Melissa and the mum. So there we were that day, the five of us getting acquainted in person finally, progressing from mere virtual contacts to being actual friends.
They had had our Sibu kampua noodles already earlier so I suggested that they could have the Foochow long life noodles served in chicken soup cooked with the traditional red wine (RM9.80)…
*Archive photo*
…and they did, both of them…and they loved it, of course!
I also ordered the fried kompia, the ones stuffed with slices of pork belly (RM4.80)…
…and the ones with minced meat (RM3.80)…
– a must-try for anyone dropping by this little ol’ town.
Melissa had their sizzling chicken chop with creamy mushroom sauce (RM18.80)…
…that she had had more than once before and she loved it a lot those previous times when she had it but unfortunately, this time around, she found it a little too salty to her liking and it did not help one bit that the batter that they coated the chicken with was all soggy and not that palatable.
To go with it, she had the Mandarin lychee soda (RM6.90)…
…and it certainly looked much nicer than when my friend had it on one of my previous visits.
My missus had their kway chap special (RM7.90)…
*Archive photo*
– something that she would always order everytime we drop by this place.
I loved their sizzling black pepper beef kampua but that day, I decided to try their daging masak hitam Sarawak instead (RM12.90)…
The noodles were perfectly done…
…not overcooked and soggy and the beef was nice…
…though I would say that I had had very much nicer masak hitam beef elsewhere in more places than one. I think I will try the beef rendang the next time I drop by there to see if it is any better.
Well, it certainly was nice meeting you, Ing Chia, and your hubby, Chee Seong – we had a great time chatting and getting to know the two of you better…
…and thank you so much for the goodies that you had brought for me all the way from Pahang…
Do come again…and you really must stay longer next time.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
Yea, i’ve made a lot of friends through blogging too, certainly looking forward to meet more in the future 😀
Nothing can beat that…or to me, at least. Some are in it only for the money and prefer to stay anonymous, not in the least bothered to meet and establish closer ties.
Yes! Blogging buddies are nice! I enjoy my blogging buddies – that includes you! LOVE hearing about your family and friends and food adventures!
The mushroom sauce sound neat – it’s been a while since I made my last Vegan Mushroom Sauce…might have to attempt another one soon! Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks for your kind words. Melissa loves mushroom gravy…and me too. Not into the seemingly more popular black pepper.
Such a small world! Azura is your friend’s daughter? Haha
Yes, Noodle House. And indeed I tasted its chicken chop the last round. It was not only a bit salty, but too SALTY! I couldnt finish it. Haha.
the kuah chap is nice? Ok, must remember to try it. Maybe going over this weekend. 😉
Yes, oh dear!!!! I am so so so old. 😦 😀
Ok, chicken chop at NH is out now! Not going to have that anymore. Ya, the kueh chap’s good.
God said “Everything happened for a reason”. I used to hear about my mother taking part in the charity since I was young and never thought that you were one of her friends that she always mentioned. hehe.
Sizzling black pepper beef kampua? First time saw it. Great idea to promote Kampua noodle. 😉
Hope to get to see her one day. Always love to meet up with friends, old friends included.
Ya, they have some kind of kampua fusion here – I did not like the prawn sambal combo but I know a lot who love it. They have rendang kampua too – will try that the next time I drop by.
I’ve never eaten kuey chap before, would love to try, but dunno where is available over here.. I never get tired looking at kampua, kompia and that Foochow red wine soup noodles.. Oh my, I love the chicken chop Mel had.. Would have asked for extra gravy, yummmehh…
Used to be really good but not anymore – the chicken was way too salty and the batter was soggy. Gravy was still nice though.
Wow, wow, all looks so yummy. Yes, I prefer daging masak hitam to ayam masak merah. As always, like I say, blessed with nice friends and of course not forgetting all the goodies, hehehe!!!
Yes, so so so blessed, praise the Lord for his kindness and mercy.
Yah, this’s the fun part, a lot of people from different states different country can link together because of blogging!!! =]
Yes, one thing that keeps me going on…and on… Otherwise, it gets kind of routine, uninteresting after a while…and becomes a chore – nothing to look forward to.
wow, so many food and make me hungry already!! Foochow long life noodles served in chicken soup cooked with the traditional red wine.. fried kompia, the ones stuffed with slices of pork belly and the ones with minced meat.. sizzling chicken chop with creamy mushroom sauce.. Mandarin lychee soda.. kway chap special.. daging masak hitam Sarawak.. and goodies all the way from Pahang..
Come on over! You can have all these and more…more…more… Bring your friends, all welcome!!! 😉
The chicken chop portion looks big…
Yup.
It’s nice to get to know people thr blogging… 🙂
Most certainly is!
I like to meet up bloggers too especially those whom we have keep in touch constantly and regularly… hope next time when we stop blogging, we can still remain as friends… you know la.. as the years go by, our fingers might get “crankier” and hopefully by then, whatever we say on the screen will be “typed” out by the computer by then… hahaha…
Love the food above especially the sizzling beef and noodles!
Any of your sons into computer engineering? Can invent that… Will be rich! 😀
Drool, drool…that’s all you can do since you do not want to come over anymore. 😛
daging masak hitam sarawak looks like something I would like. 🙂
usually it’s daging masak merah here.. but that dark meat looks nice, was it tender? or too tough because usually meat done that way are a tad too tough and chewy. I did try one made from the rib-eye portion of the beef, and it was exquisite.
Masak hitam is Sarawak’s specialty and I would say it is a lot nicer than masak merah. This was very nicely done, not tough…all the flavours had gone into the meat but overall taste, there are others here who can do it a lot better. Come, come…come to Sibu and try! 😉
hahaha best…..a must drop by place
Indeed! Come, come…let’s go together. 😉
Blogging is so beneficial and it was fun to get to know more nice people.
Yes, and what is this world without friends? The more, the merrier.
Yeah me too but I have yet to meet up with the bloggers except one or two. Hope to meet all of you soon.
You sombong one, not keen on meeting, eh? 😉
It is fun to finally meet some of those online personalities in person. Hope to meet you too one day!
Looking forward to that too!
Noodle House!!
I also made some new virtual friends thru blogsphere! 😉
Yours truly included…but we eventually got to meet in person. 😉
Wah! That’s nice, I love the story behind it! 🙂
That’s kind of Azura to help out Melissa when she moved over to NZ, it’s always good to know someone or have a friend there coz moving to a new country can be quite lonely at first.
Great to see her coming to Sibu!
Oops!!! It wasn’t Azura but IngChia who was in Christchurch while Melissa was in Wellington. They did not get to meet there but they met here in the end. Some things are pre-destined, don’t you think?
now i feel like eating kompia at song kheng hai after seeing the kompia pic O.o
and yes.. blogging is still the best though at times, it is kinda dangerous if you pour your heart out on certain things O.o
I guess it’s the same in real life – anything you say or do may be taken a s evidence against you. That’s why I avoid sensitive issues – race, religion, sex…and steer clear of really personal matters, best to keep all skeletons in the closet.
you’re a great ambassador for sibu’s food … imagine the number of people over the decades whom you’ve introduced to the culinary delights here 🙂
Decades? No lah…not that long, just these few years.
Me too, made many friends through blogging though have not met any face to face. It has been fun exchanging banter via comments 🙂
I would want to meet as many as I can – at least, can put a face to a name.
it’s sad when people decide to give up their blogs & quit altogether. despite the many times i’ve said i would in the past, i just can’t seem to ever do it! guess i’m stuck blogging forever (((:
i love love keropok ikan! ultimate favourite.
& lekor!! omg.
Looks like I’m the same. Keep blogging! At least it keeps one mentally active – the idle mind is the devil’s workshop!