It was Mother’s Day last Sunday and I went to church with my missus and my mother-in-law. After the service, I thought of taking them for dimsum but the two of them had just gone recently, so I had to take them elsewhere for brunch. I would not want to take them to some coffee shop though, as it was a special day for mums. In the end, we wemt to the Garden Hotel cafe.
My mother-in-law had the claypot noodles…
It was something like the Foochow char-chu mee or fried and cooked soup noodles, except that it came simmering in a claypot and they were very generous with the prawns and other ingredients added. My mother-in-law liked it a lot but she could not finish as the serving was huge.
My missus had the crispy seafood tomato kway teow (rice noodles)…
She enjoyed that very much and as she could not finish all of it, she gave me some of the tempura-like prawns and fish fillet. They tasted great, but I wondered if they were those sold in boxes for over RM11.00 at some supermarkets. We had bought the fish fillet before and it was pretty good. When my daughter comes home at the end of this month, I’m going to get the box of assorted seafood to fry and try.
I had what they called the “Garden porridge” and was served one giant bowl of plain porridge together with these condiments…
There were meat fried with soy sauce and ginger (It didn’t taste like beef, so it was most probably chicken), salted fish and peanuts, canned fried dace with black beans, preserved lettuce, century egg…and fermented tofu (which I did not touch as I never like the stuff).
So that was our brunch, basking in the nice ambience of a hotel cafe and air-conditioned comfort…, just a little something special for Mother’s Day.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
STP, we went for dim sum on Mother’s Day at this place called Causeway Bay at Crown Square. They serve what they call Hong Kong’s dim sum oh. Not bad lah, but there’s another place that serves equally (if not better) good dim sum, in my opinion. It’s called After 3.
Garden Porridge ah? Looks like Teochew muey to me oh. They sure know how to name their food. To make it sound more tantalising eh?
Yup, it is Teochew porridge. I hated porridge before as I had to eat it whenever I was sick, so much so that everytime I ate porridge, I felt ill! But these days, I love it so much! Old age maybe! Been waiting to have some since I saw someone eating it at Kpg Nyabor Kopitiam – see my earlier post on that place…
Oh. I have porridge sometimes 4 mornings in a week oh. My Mama will either cook minced pork porridge or just plain porridge. And if it’s plain porridge, we’ll sometimes have omellette to go with it or anchovies fried with lots of big onions and a little chili padi. On the day that I crave for Bovril, I’ll add a dollop of it into my porridge. It’s heavenly. 🙂
4 mornings in a week? Gee! Yours must me the typical traditional Chinese family? Rented a place in Kanowit when I first started teaching; the landlord had porridge every morning! I wish I could have the same…
Nope, not a typical traditional Chinese family at all. 😛
I see… It’s just that you take porridge so often like those typical Chinese families.
I think Periwinkles has moved with the time. At times she appears to live on porridge for weeks but that’s an exception rather than the rule. The rule is fusion dishes pepper their daily meals. Right, Peri?
Very flexible tastes, I see. Not the old folks! My dad had problems with food whenever he visited my brother in NZ… He must have rice.
Absolutely, Higgins. This morning, I had oats. Remember my oats with a layer of dragon fruit on top? It’s yummy. And I did show you the pic of my oats with a mountain of mangoes on top, didn’t I? And STP, I like to have my oats with ikan billys fried with ginger which has been finely julienned too. My Papa eats his oats with bananas and sometimes, raisins. Hmmm, so we’re not that traditional lah. 😛
Eyew…I’m not into cereals – cornflakes and what not. I may take oats with condensed milk once in a while for supper.
When I was in Limbang, I had either Nestum or oats practically every day for breakfast and dinner oh.
You know, STP, sometimes I have porridge not only for breakfast, but lunch and dinner as well. Haha. My siblings don’t come home for lunch, so if there’s porridge left after breakfast, usually I’ll be the one to lick the pot clean. Haha. 😛
I used to like Nestum…but these days, I prefer them in biscuits! LOL!!!
STP, in that case, I shall share with you a simple recipe. Simple but yummy oh. Just mix a few cups of Nestum with some melted butter. Do mix well. After that, pour the mixture into a baking tray and press the mixture flat, and refrigerate it. After a few hours, you can eat it liao. That’s the recipe for the base of a chilled cheese cake actually. Do try ya… 🙂
I know that base thingy! Tried making once, not very successful…and most didn’t like that kind of cheesecake – too rich, so I never made it again! Not that crazy about Nestum…or other cereals
STP, did you know that I once chanced upon this German and he told me that porridge is meant for the sick? Apparently their porridge isn’t savoury.
I like plain porridge too but with condiments, and maybe Bovril or Marmite. Maybe with our Bario rice and other fragrant rice in the market, our porridge tastes better? I wouldn’t know…
You know, Higgins, when I’m sick, I don’t like to eat porridge oh. I crave for those I can’t eat, like KFC lah, char kuey teow lah… you know sinful food which will make you even sicker.
Don’t tell me you’re like me. When sick, I eat like a horse. I feel more energetic after eating and able to recover faster! LOL!!!
As they say, forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest.
Somehow that brings extra-marital affairs to mind! LOL!!!
Haha. No, when I’m sick, I just don’t have the appetite to eat, but I’ll crave for this and that which I can’t have. For example, when I was down with flu and a terrible sore throat once, I craved for Penang char kuey teow with extra chili oh.
Not me! Whenever I’m sick, I would eat and eat and eat…and put on weight! Hahahahaha!!!
this year nothing special for me so i didnt post anything… nothing special means i didnt go for special food but special greetings from my love ones is enough to brighten up my day… hahaa…
Your kids still studying, not working yet mah!…But did they buy presents and take their other halves out for dinner on Valentine’s? Awwww…… LOL!!!
I wonder what they’ll get you on Father’s Day? Perhaps you’ll all eat in for a change?
I always tell myself and others that when you want to give, just give in all sincerity…and never expect anything in return. Btw, I clicked the link to your blog already. Nice poem…but why was it that when I clicked the link on your sole commentor’s name I got back into your blog again?
Higgins must have fallen into a deep slumber. Boh sia one.
As long as it’s not “bohsia” in Malay! Hahahahahaha!!!
Haha. He a guy, should be ‘bohjan’. 😛
Whatever! One thing’s for sure, he can claim he’s “bujang”!
Hmm…so sexist. See what happens? Over here, really bohjan—bo hujan ah.
It rained here this morning but by afternoon, it was hot…hot…hot again!!!
Any commentator who doesn’t provide his/her blog with a url will be assigned a link. And that link is of no use. Does that help? And glad you liked the poem.
If it’s of no use, then why bother? I used to type people’s urls for them when they did not do so…but now, I can’t be bothered anymore. Maybe they choose not to type it as they do not want people to click the link to go to their blog, so I just let them be.
Hmmm… I think the link is assigned automatically by wordpress. Why they bother at all, that’s a good question.
Sometimes it’s automatic, sometimes once you’ve commented, ur details will always be there but in some blogs, you’ve to type everytime you wanna post a comment. Is that way your comments and Higgins are not linked? In your cases, obviously, it’s not automatic…
I think you’ve got it.
She hasn’t…or at least, I wouldn’t think so!
Ice-cream, ice cream. 😛
Huh?…Suddenly I’ve a craving for Sunny Hill’s! Hahahahaha!!!
Garden Hotel laksa and hokkien mee are not bad. Never tried the porridge before. So many small plates come with the porridge. Nice. The tempura fish fillets and prawns look tempting.
I would say that everything they serve is nice but after the renovations and facelift, it has become a bit too expensive (but less crowded)…so I would just save it for special occasions.
eh, i like fermented tofu!! It’s one of my childhood favorite. only that i stop taking it ever since the melamine case 😦
Yes, my missus loves it. She’ll buy a bottle and feast on it everytime we have porridge. Even the doctors said she should not eat that stuff…
The tomato koay tiaw looks good. Non Sarawakians will be wondering what on earth that reddish dish is. heheh. Introduced it to some of my West Malaysian friends when they came over to Kuching. Almost all of them have never seen that dish before. Some found the taste rather strange. Guess it wont be as famous as our Kolo Mee and Laksa.
Tomato kway teow is Kuching-style…along with the deep-fried crispy mee, then the pour the sauce over the mee. I love both…but we can’t get the mee anywhere in Sibu, just the kway teow at some places.
And in KL or Penang right, I tried ordering tomato kuey tiaw just to see what they have. I got the usual char kueh tiaw and a bottle of tomato sauce. WTF?! And West Msian friends who came here said tomato kueh tiaw doesn’t taste like food for human consumption. Oh, and those friends are struck off the friends’ list. No more bringing them out to eat anymore. MuahaHahahaha!
What I know is many Sibu people do not like the fried mee in Kuching with the tomato sauce gravy. I love it! But then again, I love virtually everything. Hahahahaha!!!
LORL!!! Ms Clare, that’s funny! 😀
Now which comment are you responding to? The putumayam?…Kpenyu! You started all this! Grrrrrr!!!!!
unlike you my mother was fully booked by her new grand daugther in law, so i guess i have to do it other times,then.
hey STP, take care and have a great week ahead
Wow! So lucky to get such a good grand-daughter-in-law! Ya, you too! I’ll be in KL this weekend… Will let you know should I be going to Penang anytime in the near future.
My MIL cannot finish …..so I did. My missus cannot finish …so I did!!!! No wonder you ordered porridge only!
Well, as they say, it’s a sin to waste…
Hahaha… STP is trieneken hahahahaha
Anyway.. I always felt that tomato kway tiaw is created by some smart chinese chef who tried to imitate their colonial master’s version of pasta sauce.. thus they added tomato sauce into what would have been a cantonese noodle sauce if they throw in an egg into it…
Ya, I’m sure tomato ketchup is not typically Chinese, unlike soy sauce…
Pasta originated from China what. What imitate? You should say the Italian imitate our tomato kueh tiaw! Hehehehehe!
Never mind, just eat! LOL!!
Only available in sarawak… could be lakia chef ler. heehhehe
Chesh! Racist! Come to Sibu…I take you to eat Indon kampua! Best lah! And she’ll ask you, “Puak lak mor!” and you a Foochow, can’t reply in your own dialect! Shame! Shame! The pot calling the kettle black, but I think I’m a bit better! Hahahahahaha!!!!
P.S.:
Btw, you ate Garden’s claypot mee before on one of your earlier trips (not the one with TOC and JC)…when the place was dark and horrible and had noisy Filipino bands, but the food was nice and cheap! I think you loved it!
Wow! You really treat both your ladies to a very nice brunch! I guess either your missus and MIL are small eaters or the portion are huge. Which one? I love when restaurants serve huge portion! I will most likely finish it all if it’s nice : )
The portions are very big. So are you going to treat me to something special when I go to KL this weekend? Wink! Wink! Hahahahahaha!!!!
Sir, you must go to Fish Head Noodle in Taman Desa, Old Klang Road. I know for sure u gonna love it. It’s the best in KL!
http://sumukeyes.blogspot.com/2008/11/my-cold-cold-kitchen.html
p/s: Don’t be intimidated by the milky looks. It’s not santan. U can opt for clear soup too. *wink*
Old Klang Road? That’s where Pearl International Hotel is. I don’t think I will be going to those parts. Most likely, just around the Bukit Bintang area, that’s all.
Ask Clare to bring you to Fata Cafe (Fata Hotel) in Kuching for their porridge! Available even in the afternoon and evening! Just love that. But the Garden’s looks good too. But it will be quite a while that I can try that there! Will be leaving for KK tomorrow and won’t be back until end of the month. Sibu will be a place for “holiday” for me for the next few months. 😦
Gosh! The very busy professional lady! Jet-setting here and there. I stayed at Dormani once, next to Fata…but didn’t hear anything about the porridge. I’ve yet to try the one at Kpg Nyabor Kopitiam. It looked good…maybe tomorrow morning! LOL!!!
Fata Hotel is the one next to St Thomas primary school la. Next to Dormani is Arif Hotel (if its still called that). Fata hotel memang famous for porridge. But i’m not a porridge person. The only porridge i eat is bak moi at Muk Kee, open air market. The one that caught fire not too long ago. heheehe.
Ah yes! Got lost for a bit! The one opposite Ting & Ting. Well, you did not like steamboat either when you were young as you were not that herbivorous! LOL!!! I used to have porridge at the Open Air Market in the wee hours of the morning after dancing the night away at Jubilee Hall, Longhouse… Hahahahaha!!! Those were the days!
Fata Hotel sounds familiar. Anyway, I am not a porridge person too so never tried it there or anywhere. I prefer noodles to anything else. Hahahaha!
They say porridge is slimming as it’s all water! So how’s that for motivation? Hahahahaha!!!
No thanks! Hhahahahahaa!!! Want instant slimming effect easy lor. Stand next to you when taking photos can do the trick liao. Hahaahhahahahaha!!!
*whacks her head with rolled-up newspaper, BP no less! Hehehehehe!!! Yan will be pleased with the special mention! LOL!!!
Ooh I love porridge with all these condiments! Yummy especially if there’s salted fish or the black bean canned fish! Lol
Ah! Another one who shares the same taste. I often had porridge with all the condiments in hotels at the buffet breakfast….
Since everyone out of context I campur also la..Clare see comedy court ..find “Indian food”..very relevant to your comments..
We’re all talking about porridge and food. Where got everyone going out of context? Don’t bluff! Hahahahaha!!!
Nacho is papadam! ROTFLMAO!!!! Bahahahahahahaa!!!!
I would say that nacho’s more like our “kueh kereta” but this one’s sweet. Anyway, I guess you don;t know what I’m taking about.
..ie in youtube
Gee! Looks like I’m not the only one with nothing else better to do than to browse through the video clips on youtube…
spaghetti is from Chinese… but come to think of it they learn it from the Indian…putumayam! BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
Eh, I like comedy court. Very the funny!
Chesh! You go and listen to them. That’s about the only thing in Indian cuisine that looks like noodles…, right or not?
ermm…colonial master and pasta sauce…darn it!!..were the italians also here? The only pastas the english back then knew was of the macaroni variety, if I’m not mistaken. I also read somewhere that tomato based pasta sauces only became popular recently.
I only know that Marco Polo brought noodles back to Italy from China. I think I saw that in National Geographic or Discovery…can’t remember liao! I’m not that keen on tomato-based pasta sauces…
yup, don’t like the tomato based pasta sauces as well. My favourite is actually the very simple aglio olio, but it’s not easy to get it right.
I like carbonara…but can’t take too much! A bit too rich…I wouldn’t enjoy it after a while. Small servings, ok. Not like Foochow fried noodles…can eat one basin! Hahahahahahaha!!!
Arthur, u free? Im leaving on Thursday. Wanna come out for a meet? Maybe we can go Garden again? ahahha
This comment was at 11.25 p.m. Now, was the invitation for last night? LOL!!! Get Alexallied to call me; he’s got my number.
P.S. Oops! Not tonight! It’s American Idol night – semi-finals tonight and the grand finale next week. Another time perhaps… Who knows, I may just pop over to Miri one of these days?
i like the garden porridge…had it a few times..the place is less crowded now..i like it that way, not noisy…good place to have a date…hahaha STP, we can go there on a friday 2 have the porridge…the chicken and the tofu u pass 2 me…hahahaha
Aiyor! U say good place to have a date and then you ask me to do! You trying to date me kah? Eyyyyeeeewww!!! Hahahahaha! What I do not like is sometimes there are customers who smoke inside! Must be those regular ones who used to go there when it was not so nice and presentable.
“Simple” fare for Mother’s Day, emphasis on the dittos. LOL
Why the emphasis?…We could have gone for a full 10-course sit-down dinner! LOL!!
Woah, that means I underestimated the simple indeed! 😆
Or overestimated? Well, if you see my size, you’ll understand why…that is considered just a simple brunch. Hahahahaha!!!!
Youtube is A1 for companionship …esp if you’re an All By Myself person….esp. when Mr J Walker is a companion no more.
Sad,…real sad! Start blogging! You’ll be so occupied writing the posts and responding to comments you won’t have time for anything else! And you’ll make a lot of friends. LOL!!!