These days, it certainly seems like knowing how to boil water constitutes knowing how to cook. If you enter any supermarket or hypermart, you will see a mind-boggling array of all the different brands of instant noodles in all shapes and sizes with all the different varieties. But when it comes to mee goreng (fried noodles), my favourite would be Indomie…but it seems that these are no longer available. Today, in the shops, we have Ibumie’s Always…
It looks like Indomie, it tastes like Indomie…but it’s not Indomie! Presently, it’s on offer at RM3.80 for a pack of 5, so that would be over 70 sen each…and makes a pretty cheap breakfast, and you can add slices of meat like what I did the other day…
…or if you’re a light eater, that can be your lunch. It certainly is cheaper than going out to eat…but I guess it’s not the same, eh?
I was passing by Chopsticks, my daughter’s favourite chicken rice shop, and I saw that they had curry. It was what we would call “Chinese curry” – very diluted and nothing like the curry that anyone in my family would cook or what you can find at the nyonya, Malay or Indian eating outlets. But it reminded me of what I used to have at Ang Lee Restaurant along Carpenter Street in Kuching in the 70s. I would stop there during lunch hour whenever I could for their curry rice…and for old times’ sake, I decided to tapao (takeaway) a packet home…
They were quite generous with the yummy chicken rice…
…and I asked for one lor-nui (braised hard-boiled egg) and it seemed that they had put a bit of the gravy over the rice, and they also gave a lot of the chicken curry (gravy)…
It wasn’t too bad but at RM5.80 for all that, I thought it was a bit too pricey…though it definitely beats eating those curry stuff in the cans which are by no means, cheap these days…
…but it was not the same as what I had those long-gone days at Ang Lee. If my memory serves me right, they put the chopped pek-sak kay (white boiled chicken) and sliced char siew (barbecued pork) on the chicken rice and poured the curry gravy over all that.
Well, time passes and it will never be the same again…as everything must change…
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
Wah .. here ibumie very expensive one leh .. I think about rm4 something.
RM4.80…but now on special offer – RM3.80 for a pack of 5.
of course everything has changed…
last time u can buy some thing with 10cent.
now, 2 sweets only =.=
Still can get TWO? I thought 10 sen 1 only…??? Well, sign of the times!
Certainly looks very much like Indomie. Probably they rebranded it. Btw, ur Ibumie looks like a plate of kampua….hahha, should rename it Foochomie.
So u miss ur curry rice eh? There’s still quite a few places in kuching that sells ur Ang Lee type of curry rice. Never been or heard about Ang Lee though.
Old rundown shop at Carpenter Street. Last time I drove past, it was still there – alive and kicking! I think the Malaysian company broke off with the mother company in Indonesia and hence, changed the name… Foochomie indeed!
Oh…. i think Ang Lee closed shop, moved to Hollywood and directed TOC’s favourite cowboy movie. lol
Hahahahahaha!!!! Good one! Let’s wait for TOC’s answer to that! LOL!!!
Hahahahahahaha!!! Just about to say that when I read your first comment then I saw that you already said it. LOL!!!
By the way, Brokeback Mountain is cowboy movie meh? I thought shepherd who likes to confuse people (dress sense and sexual orientation sense! LOL!) by dressing like cowboy. Hahahaha!!!
You watched the movie? Interesting! Wink! Wink! Hahahahahaha!!!
LMAO!!!! yes yes… See how famous that former restaurant turned run down coffee shop is.. that someone named their kid after it and he’s now a hollywood director.. hahahaha
Ang Lee (the Coffee Shop is still around @ Carpenter Street thought I don’t quite like their curry rice)… shall bring you to Ah Loke for their curry rice the next time you’re in town… its basically heaven with all the char siew, pek sak chicken, loh bak and such….
Well, those days, we did not have a lot of choices and our taste buds were not so spoilt and pampered yet…and Aurora Hotel was the best in town!!! Ah Loke Cafe sounds like some Ah Beng’s version of Hard Rock Cafe! Can get that on some KL t-shirts! Hahahahahaha!!!
Ah Loke and Ang Lee was one of the few famous restaurants in the old days… it used to be in Padungan, near the police station there.. but since the old man died.. I think they lost the lease to the place and they are now in Ang Cheng Ho Road.
Wow! You should write and publish a book on the history of Kuching…for gluttons! Hahahahahaha!!!
drop by to say HELLO =D … seldom eat instant noodle … so i don’t know bout the price and taste at all haha …. but i heard from my friend .. .they said Mi Sedap is nice as well =) maybe you can try =D
Ya…you haven’t been around for a while. Thanks for dropping by again and do come often. Good – not very healthy and lots of msg – they say will cause ur haor to drop! LOL!!! My missus loves Mi Sedap with all the different flavours – I bought it once but didn’t quite like it. It’s cheaper than many brands though – at that time, dunno now.
I love to eat Indomie~ler. To date I have yet to try Ibumie yet. Yeah! Nowadays a lot of promoters are trying to push different kind of instant noodles. I like chicken curry rice too. Yummy! 😀
Well, I guess you’re hairy enough so you can afford to eat all the instant noodles that you want. Hahahahahaha!
Mr. STP – My siblings (the ones in the US) and I are all crazy about Maggi Mee’s Assam Laksa – we once found one on-line for USD 3.99 for a pack of 5 but shipping & handling cost $5.99 – 35 MY Ringgit, … Mi Goreng can be found easily and costs about USD 0.25 each though.
Gosh! All that trouble to eat. Not a fan of Maggi, whatever flavour. I love Mee Daddy (made in Sibu), chicken or curry but I think it’s more expensive than other brands. Dunno why, shouldn’t be since it’s made locally. 25 cents is pretty cheap. When I was in the UK (Plymouth), it was a pound a packet and that was RM3.50 at the time…
As with regards to the Indomie.. the packaging and stuff looks exactly like Indomie packaging ho… by the way.. we can find indomie here.. but its made in Malaysia…. doesn’t quite taste the same as it was before….
ppst… you definitely know how to haramkan your mee goreng don’t you.. haha
U sure? No Indomie here now…only Ibumie. Well, “somebody” will testify that the BEST Indomie mee goreng would be those made in Indonesia! Hahahahahaha!!! I so happened to have some leftover meat lah! Normally I would fry an egg to go with it…
1 packet so little, enough meh? I normally eat 2 packets 😛
You too? And you’re SO skinny? Gee! Life can be so unfair!…..I do that too sometimes but at other times, I would add meat…or fry an egg. Otherwise, one packet not filling at all! LOL!!!
Waaa….have not “curry rice” for the longest time. The only nice one is at Padungan, next to the police station, dunno the name…but has a “Planta” (for some strange reason) on the food stall.
Dunno the police station in Padungan…just the fire station. I wonder if that’s the Ah Loke Cafe… LOL!!!
Gerrie.. that’s Ah Loke… and they have now moved to Ang Cheng Ho.. the Planta sign is still on the stall.. hahahaha…
Something told me that! My intuition…for where good food is! LOL!!!
Where where where??? I also know got fire station only.
Padungan not so big, shouldn’t be too difficult to find. But then, TOC says it’s no longer there – now at Jalan Ang Cheng Ho – which isn’t a very long road, is it? Look for the Planta! Hahahahahahaha!
Was never a fan of Chopstick’s Chicken Rice, don’t really like the taste lingering in my mouth after eating it. For instant noodle, i mostly prefer the Korean noodles like Udon Mee. I find them far more satisfying and delicious.
I love the rice there the most, and my daughter too. Those Korean ones are VERY expensive, maybe double or triple the price…and they’re really not that great – not for that price at least, so I never buy them. I’m so loyal and patriotic! Buy Malaysian!!! LOL!!!
i think they only rebrand the indomie to ibumie. the taste is still pretty the same. add lime to it, mmg kao-kao..
Lime? Never tried that! Will do it sometime… Tnx for the tip!
Mee goreng? I’ll take Saremee. It’s in brown packet, only available in East Malaysia I think. I don’t like Indomee or Ibumee hahaha, because I don’t like the noodle (too thick? taste weird?) and the seasoning a bit too ‘MSG-ish’, I don’t know how to describe that. Okay, I’ve a weird tasted bud LOL!
I tried Chopstick twice, the chicken rice quite good. But I already found my favourite chicken rice stall/shop in Miri! Damn tasty can finish 2 plates at a time 😛
2 plates, young man! Watch ur diet! High bp!!! Hahahahaha!!! Will look for the Saremee to try… Ibumie, have to cook longer or else very hard. My missus likes, she doesn’t like it soft…and I’m talking about the noodles!!! LOL!!!
My guess is that the name Ibumie originated from the Indonesian maids in Malaysia requesting from their taukenio’s “Bisa beli Mee Ibu?!” Thus… you have the name Ibumie. hehehh.
Ummm…u certainly know the Indons pretty well, don’t you? Hahahahahaha!
Haha! I’m pleased to say I can get the original Indon-mari Indomie here in Perth. 60c per packet. And all the assorted flavours of Maggi mee. By the way, you guys in Kuching should try mee 108 instant noodles. Tastes like Indomie. And cheaper, I think.
As for curry rice, I’m never a fan of it. Hate the way the curry sauce makes my rice soggy!
Then I’m the direct opposite. I love to drown my rice with the curry gravy… LOL!!! Don’t think we have 108 noodles here… The prices there seem pretty reasonable. Should be able to afford…
Aiya, so small serving, not enough for you leh! STP on diet? LOL!
Hahahahaha!!! Making fun of me, ya? Wait! One day, you’ll see me as thin as you! LOL!!!
wah.. very hungry… very very hungry… almost 10 months no proper chicken rice alreadyyy!
Next week already July and you’ll be coming home…and you can feast on the Johore chicken rice! This place was formerly called Johore Chicken Rice – the chef from Johore.
indo mee is good when you just put it in the boiled water just for a while… and put the sauces. would be good if you add fried egg!
U sure? Even with boiling, it would take longer than usual…otherwise, it will be too hard. Maybe you’ve stronger teeth. LOL!!! I do love eggs…too! Hahahaha!
Well just one packet of Nong Shim noodles cost more than RM 2, so if there’re people who say things in Malaysia are expensive how about the place where Nong Shim noodles come from? No prizes for guessing 😛
I suppose Nong Shim are Korean noodles? And those countries – they often sell their exports at lower prices to compete with the local products of the importing countries. Gee! That would make it even more expensive in their own country then…
thank you uncle for ur offer! but i’m not sure about my plan yet! I don’t dare to say i’m going to fly to sibu to visit you yet as i need to be guai zai at home for some time as well.. thank you very much!
If anything I’ll let you know! haha.
Ok…will play it by ear. Just let me know if you’re coming, always welcome.
I thought Ibumie and Indomie is the same. I think they jz rebranded it. Anyway, never a fan of both. I like my soggy curry maggi mee with egg…heavenly. Yeah, I like soggy mee. Haha…
Not into Maggi…and soggy mee! LOL!!! Haven’t seen you around for a while, jun? Welcome back!
CIKGU!!!!!! 🙂 Takkan makan maggi mee kot….hahahaha. long time no see. how have you been. ive been busy with loads of stuff, including my photography…hehehehe
Kesian…orang dah bersara, pencen tak cukup – hanya mampu makan mee maggi aje!!! Hahahahahaha!!! Ya, I see a lot of your photos on Facebook – take pics of sexy chicks only, I see! Isteri tak marah ke? LOL!!!