…some things change, others remain the same. This is the Masland Methodist Church along Island Road here in Sibu…
It used to be a small, wooden church, but it underwent a facelift and ended up looking very different from before. Right now, they are carrying out further construction around the place but I guess the church itself will retain its present appearance for the time being, at least.
Across the road, to the right, was the Borneo Company (subsequently after independence, renamed SEBOR) premises. You cannot get to see it now as they had demolished the whole place sometime ago to build this tall building that used to house the Hock Hua Bank and later, after the merger, Public Bank.
Don’t ask me why…but Public Bank vacated the place eventually and now, it has become the office of everybody’s enemies…
…the Inland Revenue Department! Right or not, Faisaladmar? Your office in Penang just as nice or not? LOL!!!
But what has not changed is the row of shophouses to the left. Yes, it is still that same row and I would say that it looks more or less the same as it did years ago. There is a kampua noodle shop there, still going strong, it seems…
The kampua was very popular, reputed to be among the best in town. I did not like to go there because of the heavy traffic due to the primary school located beside the church and later, because of the presence of the bank. However, when I went yesterday morning, the roads were not really busy and there were ample parking spaces.
Some people would refer to the noodles as Dr. Xavier’s kampua because at one time, there was an Indian doctor by that name in Sibu and his clinic was a couple of doors away in that same block of shophouses. Well, the stall seems to be enjoying brisk business still. You can see the noodles on the counter and I’m sure they had some more stashed away some place else…
The coffee was good – thick and strong, the way I like it. Some places may have nice food…but the coffee is usually such a disappointment. I had the kopi-o peng kau-kau (thick iced black coffee), of course…
The kampua has not changed either! You still get the same generous sprinkling of fragrant fried onions as before…
…but personally, I think I prefer the ones at Soon Hock or Rasa Sayang. Ah well! As time goes by, some things change and people change too! What do you think?
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
Is this the See Hua Kampua as people call it?
Yup, the See Hua office was somewhere next door too in the 50s and 60s…
My uncle said people call the guy ‘amolong’ (zero in Foochow). Hahahahaha!!!
I didn’t know that but ur uncle should know as his shop where he grew up was just around the corner…at Blacksmith Road.
of course, people and things change over time! I totally agree with that!
LOL!!! I’m
neverseldom wrong!!! Hahahaha!!!aiya… i dont prefer anything atm… if can get kampua oredi cukup.. wallap all … haha…btw, that methodist church.. have u seen the interior ??? dont look like church..more like a conference hall.. got aircond and nicely carpeted.. compare it to our church… so inferior.. lol…and next to it.. the primary schooll..walao they just renovated it right and it looks more like a higher level institution… ppl will never guess its just a primary schooll.. where they get all this money hor…
It looks mighty impressive. I heard some political thingy going on too about how they have built this huge, impressive place so that the govt can’t take over the land…as they will have to fork out a fortune to pay the compensation! Dunno true or not…kopitiam gossip!
OOoh!! Dr. Xavier’s kampua!! Heaven!! That used to be the hangout of the late Uncle Chieng… still remembered one trip, when KNB, JC and I went to Sibu and we were having breakfast there, Aunty Helen was there… (hmm.. come to think of it, she didn’t even go on.. she just wound down the window and ordered.. talk about Sibu’s own drive through restaurant)anyway.. she picked up her order and went… “Put in on Chieng’s bill “(in Hokkien lah) and KNB and I went.. “hmmm.. shall we also say.. put this on Chieng’s bill?” hahahahah
In answer to Gilbert’s Question on where do they get the money… simple.. the top timber tycoons in Sibu are Methodist… simple… need I say more?
Many rich and generous people here…just needs one proactive individual to pass the hat around (and maybe twist some arms as well). Like SHS and the Catholic schools and kindergartens in Sibu! If not for that and the generosity of the Sibu people, SHS would still be what it was in the 90’s – kapal sink…the Titanic! If you wait for money to drop down from the sky, you can jolly well wait till kingdom come.
Now I know the place. Hiok kept on telling me Dr Xavier kampua but I saw a mechanic shop there.
Not worth the trouble lah…I prefer Soon Hock or Rasa Sayang and those areas not so congested.
Oh yeah…. Dr Xavier’s kampua, where the late Mr Chieng had a buku tiga 5. hahah. TOC and I were very tempted to try to charge our food bill to his account. Now probably u can try to say “charge to helen’s account”. hahah
You can try that. Any possibility of u hopping over? March 7-9 long weekend, so you can take the night flight on Friday… Heard MAS got some cheap fares? Ask Gerrie…
For the life of me, I cannot remember Dr Xavier’s kampua, in fact, I cannot remember any of the kampua shops.
I only remember “dian miang ngu” (or however it’s spelt) near the old bus station. It is still unbeatable, and even though I’ve tried so many in Kuching, they pale in comparison!!
That’s because you grew up in Kuching…so you will not know Kiaw Siong, Ban Chuan…, not even Ah Tor kway teow from Kok Cheng. But you do know the market’s vegetable pao!! Drool! Drool! Hahahahaha!!!
Ya, the pau I am most familiar with. I think that’s mainly because of Aunty Gertrude. I still do miss her, even after all these years.
Don’t really care much for it…or the meat version. I liked the egg in the latter…but I think they no longer put that anymore.
that shop used to have one of the best laksa when i was a kid.
Yes. That stall’s no longer there. I never tried it, so I dunno how it actually tasted like compared to the laksas available today. Every time I went there, I just had to eat the kampua…
Re. your reply to Gilbert. I think there are some truth in it because St. Joseph Cathedral here is doing just that. According to Fr. Albert, they want to build a pastoral center near the cathedral because if they don’t do anything to the vacant land, the govt will confiscate it. So they are having sale of coupons (RM50 per booklet) and charity dinner (RM300 per table) or something to pool all the fund they can get.
Well, lots of rich Foochows now living in Kuching, hopefully they will be just as generous!
Might have to do a trip to Sibu this year. But not sure when yet la. March 9 is too soon i think.
Good grief! This is like asking you to get married! LOL!!!
i think i patronized da Dr. Xavier’s kampua before…i thought da kampua is very oily…i think all da kampua is very da oily sorry if i offense u, sibuian
This time around, I thought it did not have enough oil and tasted a bit bland. Well, what do you eat that has no oil? I really wonder…Fried kway teow in Melaka? After eating, the plate glistening with the excess oil!!! Wanton mee, you can see the oil floating on the black sauce! And it does not even taste nice!
should drop by there and try one day!!
I just tried E-Cafe Kampua this afternoon, Not Bad!!
It’s not that nice lah…and I didn’t think the one at e-cafe is that great either! The Sarawak laksa there is yummy though. Btw, at what time do you start work? Maybe one of these days, we can meet up some place for breakfast?…U belanja? Hahahahahaha!!!!
as time goes by…..my belly gets bigger and heavier… 😛
Don’t worry…mine too! So you’re not the only one! Hahahahaha!!! Wait a minute! Isn’t it Rachel’s belly that’s supposed to get bigger and heavier? Haiyor…how to have Calvin Jr like that? LOL!!!
So Dr. Xavier’s kampua still exists! I wanted to go there on my previous visits to Sibu but someone told me it is no longer there n then another source says parking very difficult so I never get to find out if it is there. I still think the kampua there is one of the best especially with lots of onions.
Actually my last visit there, many years ago,with siblings, we bumped into Aunt H. n hubby so I reckoned that must be their favourite kampua hangout.Their ‘tu kua’soup also yummy!
If I’m not mistaken, the hubby’s casino was upstairs!!! Hahahaha!!! So…now you’ve got a reason to fly back to Sibu from Down Under!!! It may not be there much longer….*dangling carrot in Stella’s face!!! Hahahahahaha!!!!!
Kampua…oily…*count one to ten*
Telling self: This is not my blog, no vulgarities, this is not my blog, no vulgarities, this is not my blog, no vulgarities, this is not my blog… 😛
Hahahahahaha!!! I see you have the patience of a saint!!! Good, keep it up!…I wonder where Kpenyu is! He’s no angel! I’m sure he will not mince his words!!! LOL!!!
Any kampua that used plenty of pork oil wins my vote (though not healthy, but yummilicious!) ^^
I know the one at Soon Hock uses lard (pork oil). I asked the lady already. No wonder so nice…!!! My daughter loves the pian sip/kiaw/wanton…dry! Hahahahahaha!!!
Anti vice and gambling police must be raiding the shop on top of the Kampua shop by now. Hahahah
Oops….no lah! They play for fun, no money one! Hehehehehehe!!!
Sibu? Wow nice. What’s in the kampua noodles? I’ve never seen anything like it in JB.
PS: You’ve been tagged.
It’s a special type of local made noodles – very simple dish with lard, light soy sauce (or dark soy sauce, if you so prefer) and msg, but nice. Have to come here to try, like going to Kuching to eat kolo mee. We get that here but not the same – pale imitations of the real thing, like the kampua in Kuching!…Ummm…tag??? Hahahahaha!!!
No Lah! I don’t go to that type of ‘casino’,that type no ‘kelak’ one,I prefer nice ones with chandeliers n carpets n no smokin n hopefully no ‘ah bengs’ n ‘ah liens’ ones. Spore one I will definitely consider!LOL!
Talking about the kampua, not about the casino lah! Wah! You big-time kaki judi kah? Singapore one already open? Got casino on the sea cruises as well…
If my recollection is correct…the reason why some of the old shophouses are so run down is a legal issue..something to do with the condition of title..like if they rebuild the owners stand to lose a lot..the tenure and what not. Sibu lawyers should be able to clarify this one.
Long weekend in March? Common Knb..even if you start walking next week can still make it ba..what too soon.
The older Sibu folks will know that there is more to Dr Xavier’s kampua..there was also Dr Xavier’s son. That one heard he studied till Siaw Siaw
The son used to be in Kuching. KNB’s pa used to give him money.
The shophouses ok lah…this one I think renovated earlier, so floor using mosaic. Nowadays most of them use Italian tiles, so look very much nicer. They do repaint the shops regularly…but those using cheaper paint will look old sooner. Better than many shops over in SP or Penang e.g.
Kpenyu, what has the son got to do with kampua? Plus, the actual kampua shop was a couple of doors away from Dr Xavier’s clinic, according to STP.
So really, there is nothing more to “Dr Xavier’s kampua”…
Night already, must have been drinking…so kind of delirious!!! LOL!!!
I think gerrie is too young to remember…because the son buy kampua from that shop too..that’s the connection hahahahahahahahahaha.
I used to eat the kampua there, why not call it STP’s kampua then? Ummm….but in my younger days, I think I ate Ah Kow’s kampua most of the time…or the one at Ban Chuan.
I think this Kampua is vv dry. I still prefer Ah Kow kampua – next to the fire station.
I grew up eating that but I have not eaten it for a long long time. Maybe I should go back there and try…to see if it’s still any good.
we shud all go and have some real kampua soon..yr recommended stall
Which one? Soon Hock? Or Rasa Sayang?
Gerrie – you ask TOC dad -maybe he has some interesting story.
I don’t think there is any interesting story regarding the doctor and his family, not that I know of, anyway.
yeah..i changed a lot..
but whatever the changes are,we are what we are..
Yes, and as the song goes, love me for what I am…
Don’t mean to be a wet blanket, but there’s nothing entertaining about talking about someone who has/had mental condition. It’s not as if he had the choice.
Yalor. I think he was ur dad’s classmate and studying hard to be a doctor, following his father’s footsteps…but he had a nervous breakdown and that ended his dream! Something many over-ambitious parents should take note of…
kpenyu….unless the dots you’re trying to join is…eating the kampua had side effects, which explains a few things now..
😉
Good grief! For all the kampua that I’ve eaten since small, no wonder I’ve got a few screws loose! In that case, I’m sure Kpenyu and TOC had had very much more…!!! Hahahahahaha!!!
Gerrie; Normally…it’s submission…then reply…then reply to reply. ..then ruling…and you cannot reply to reply two times. …ooiii..how to make yellow faces …never mind la… I write down SMILE.
Not in a court of law bah!!! And you know women, where got full stop one? Hahahahahaha!!!! Aiyor, old man! Type colon : and close brackets ) and you will get this 🙂
P.S. Btw (By the way), the yellow faces are called smileys! LOL!!!
Haiyoh. Penang IRB building waiting for the right time to collapse. Guess you know about it right? 😛 By the way, who said everybody’s enemy 😛 If we don’t exist, we will be the next India or Indonesia. I don’t think you want that STP 😛
I love instant noodle even though I know it’s not good for health. Sometimes human is strange, we still doing thing that is unhealthy especially smoking. Ops! Hahahahahahaha.
Aiyor…u people in Penang so kesian kah? Premises so teruk one! Apply for transfer here lah! Nice office…and got nice 4WDs too (I wonder what they need transport for – just sit in office and squeeze out all our money!!!)…
No IRD, that will be something like Brunei? Or Switzerland perhaps? Anyway, I’ve retired…so u people not going to get a single cent from me anymore! Hahahahahahaha!!!!
And hey! Who has told you that? Must be Ajil! Just wait till he comes to town again! Bocor rahsia!!! Hahahahahahaha!!!!
That’s weird. Kpenyu didn’t say anything about people insulting the kampua ler…Bahahahahhahahaha!!! Eh, now I join Kpenyu liao, since that someone said kampua oily…wtf! No more benefit of doubt 😛
Maybe age has finally caught up with him, toned down liao…or he was not sober enough to realise what people were talking about. Hahahahahaha!!!!
How to type that yellow smiley face, STP! Hope u can tell me,for I only know how to comment! I can see u very techno one like your sms can have lots of musical notes like the CNY ones,even my sisters all can sms techno style but I still can’t figure how to do so. All my kids can do the smileys faces,shld ask them to show me one day! But for now, I just say ‘bin chio chio’! I think the supplier for all the kampua mee used to be the stall opposite the fire brigade,not sure still there or not! I remembered buying from there one day, n the ‘AH Pui’ who made the noodles,was in singlets,sweating like nobody’s business,nose runny,n he half wipe his nose n kneading the flour at the same time,so maybe that is why everyone who eats kampua all a bit ‘sikit sakit kepala! Maybe we should all go bite some panadols,wear our car and take look at doctor!LOL!
Aiyor…and you are much younger than kpenyu!!! *shakes head in disbelief! I already told him in my reply to his comment how to post a smiley. Oh…that shop opposite the fire station, no more lah! Dunno where they make the noodles now! I guess you haven’t heard of how they used to make mee sua in the past! Hahahahaha!!!!
Yeah… i know Dr Xavier’s son. Should be still around. He used to walk around town smoking 2-3 ciggies at one time. Super stressed out must be…heheh.
Nervous breakdown. Studied too hard…
lol i use to come here for breakfast after sunday mass.. haha.. nice and big plate ..~
My time, I used to go to Ah Kow – now next to the fire station but that time, it was opposite – across the road from the present place.
Nah! 🙂 😦 :-O 😎
75%! One tak jadi! Hahahahaha!!! Lucas taught you that?
Eh, the fresh kampua opposite fire station no more there meh? My mum used to buy from there all the time. I heard they have something like a ‘student’ making kampua noodle behind fire station, near a florist. The noodle is the same as the fat sweaty guy in singlet (sometimes shirtless) wan. They also got sell dried kampua noodle (ala mee sua, dried under the sun in sanggul shape) at their house near YMCA building at Brooke Drive.
It’s now next to the fire station…on the other side of the side lane to the left of the station. Last time, it was across Central Road…at the corner near Jumbo Record Store. Dunno where and I wouldn’t wanna see. Just eat! LOL!!
Hi STP! Me virgin here lah. Read somewhere that Kpenyu going to bring u big prawns soon. I think he’ll bring u a lot more cos’ KK got red tide and prawns now cheap, haha! Chiak ka lau sai….don’t worry, kon chio saja! If u free, do join us for kam pua in April when me and KP balik kampung. Cheers!
Oh dear! Now you’ve lost ur virginity!!! I guess this must be PS, but not Play Station. LOL!!! Red tide? Eeee…does that mean that the prawns are not safe for consumption? Now I’m not too sure about getting him to bring over the prawns. Kampua…of course, anytime!!!
bukitassek bay tahan already. Aiyo no lunch time liaw.
You two coming in the morning kah? Not taking Friday night flight kah? Then can have supper…and breakfast… Yum! Yum!!! Hahahahahaha!!!
wah, u pandai lah! This’s indeed Pai Say! U more “sui” than before lah. Must be all the good food that u’ve been taking, haha! Prawns ok bah. Only see-ham and other bivalves cannot amp lah. If u scared, why not u cook and I get to eat 1st. No guarantee ada leftovers lah! Incidentally, yr kampua photo with those luscious fried onions makes me feel wobbly and feverish lah, “lau-noir” too much so dehydrated lo,ha!
LOL!!! Of course lah…always so pandai what! Hah!!! Dunno when or where I saw your pic or something – also very “sui” liao…and hairy too! Still looking like that or not?
Oooo…so I can expect Kpenyu to bring a few kilos of prawns then!!!
KK also got kampua bah! But Kpenyu took me to try once – no lah! Not the same, and not nice! Made by Sibu Foochow but never made kampua before, and gone over there to bluff KK people…like Kpenyu! Hahahahaha!!!
me definitely tua pui juga but sui? macam danny de vito lah, reach yr belly botton only! ha. Hairy? Aiya, only hairy between cheeks to a foot above knee lah! I think all goodness from the food I eat settles in that region only. Wah, today just got curry assam fish recipe from neighbour’s wife. Experiment olady, i mean the recipe lah, and pai say lah, the taste was great! Better cook again and let KP try oso. Sure he’ll like it, effect will be like how he felt abt english teacher who taught us Bathsheba Everdene. Those days,KP’s sharpener (the one with mirror on the reverse) always put to good use, always kena wiped clean clean, haha
Reach my belly button? Eyew…the mental picture! And which cheeks are you referring to? Hahahahahaha!!!
Curry fish? Use AI Mountain globe curry mix! Oops…forgot! Kpenyu said not available in KK. Must buy some to stand by – give to him in exchange for the GIANT prawns he’s bringing! ROTFLMAO!!!
Ummm…why have to wipe the mirror all the time? He always dirtied it kah…everytime he saw that “male” (re. her surname) teacher? Eeee…like that, have to go toilet to rinse it off lor! Wiping only will only make it even more blur! Hahahahahaha!!!!!
I prefer ABC coffee shop Kampua and the soup campur. that is nice. should try it out.
I wonder where ABC is. Somewhere along Lanang Road?
Liang Yew’s, the best kampua in the whole wide world, well maybe not. On a good day, Penang Cafe’s is better. Looks like I’ll be sampling it soon and don’t worry about parking, I’ll drive you there.
LOL!!! I met a Kanowit resident and she said that Penang’s quality has dropped. Dunno how true…and there was a mobile stall – only at night. The guy would push it out and park in front of one of the coffee shops – I loved that! Had a unique way of cooking Foochow fried noodles. She told me the stall’s still in business, theguy’s still doing it after all these years. Yum… LOL!!!