Louis J and I went to the Secret Recipe outlet here in Sibu the other afternoon and it was really crowded. Luckily, we were able to find a table but unfortunately, it was not properly cleaned…
There were water rings on it and also some crumbs, probably from the pastry of their Chicken Cornish. When people have to pay those prices, they would certainly expect something a lot more than this. I think we can get much better service at the much cheaper local kopitiams round the corner, if you ask me!
Thankfully, the service was quick…and when the waitress came with the menus, she also brought along something to wipe the table clean.
Still, somehow or other, there seemed to be a lot of flies around…
Good grief! Boston at the back was quite open…and so were all the coffee shops in town and yet we do not get to see so many flies. Don’t tell me they brought them over from the LCCT in Sepang!
Another thing I noticed was that there were so many ladies – the guys were simply outnumbered…and I saw this mother at the next table eating her bowl of whatever so very slowly, taking her sweet time, while the poor hubby was cradling their sleeping baby son and walking all over the place while his Irish lamb shank was getting cold and the flies were having a ball all over it. For goodness sake, woman…can’t you eat faster? Don’t you ever consider your husband or for that matter, anybody else at all? Tsk! Tsk!!!
Anyway, to get back to our table, I had the shepherd pie…
…which was a disappointment. The mashed potatoes were quite tasteless…and the pastry base was hard and equally bland. The filling was just so-so, nothing to get excited about either…
…and for a long time after I had finished it, the only taste that stayed lingering in my mouth was that of the onions in the salad by the side.
Louis J had the Irish lamb shank…
…which he liked and finished it all though he hardly touched the bun, I wouldn’t know why. Maybe he just isn’t into bread…like me. I had that same thing in the outlet at Central Square in Sungai Petani, Kedah in 2007 (I remember positively it was called Irish stew there!) and I thought it was really good. I have not had it since as most of the time, I would go for the cakes.
Hey! Come to think of it, this time around, I did not have the cakes. Hmmm…looks like I have to go back there again soon. Anybody wants to tag along? LOL!!!
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
Hohoho, 1st!!!
The early bird catches the worm. LOL!!!
Its a woman’s world now~ Man are poor creatures T T
Who knows, maybe man in the future stays at home more than going to work~
Ya, role reversal. Long ago, the father would just sit there leaving the mother to struggle with the children. The world could turn upside down but the father would not even bat an eyelid – like nothing was happening. Look like it’s the other way round now.
The lamb shank is nice! The last time and also the first time I had it was during my wedding anniversary last July and hubby and I were in KL. He ordered a black pepper chicken while I ordered the lamb shank. Why? Because I read from superman’s blog! It’s nice, but hubby finished half of it!
Been to Sibu’s with Chris the other day, he craved for a cheese cake. We did not know what to choose, so we decided that we should buy the one most sold!
Ssh…keep it a secret too!
I think I would like to try their no-sugar chocolate cake one day!
Do they have no-sugar cake? Hmmm…must try one of these days. I love their tall cakes, not so much the cheese ones, but they’re all too rich and sweet. Can’t have them too often. Can’t remember superman posting on it…but then again, at my age, I can’t remember many things. Hahahahaha!!!!
maybe the wife had been doing the cradling every time they eat out and it’s only this one time she let her husband do it.. LOL.. or.. the husband wants to pamper her and it’s her style of eating slowly.. LOL…
Nah!!! This is not an isolated case. I’ve seen that happening before. Of course, I do not expect things to be the way they were. If it’s the hubby eating first, he too should consider the wife and eat quickly, not dilly-dally like that. Life is no longer the same once you get married and once you have kids – it is no longer “I” but “we”…and it is no longer “me” but “us” – I wonder if they ever think of it that way.
On the other hand, these food are my kind of cooking. So not too jealous here. 🙂
Hahaha… I am a fast eater too and yeah… some people just eat like a snail trying to hatch an egg ay.
I eat real fast too…but why are you so slim? They say people who will slowly will get the signals to the brain – that they are full and they will stop eating, so they are slim. Fat ones eat so fast that by the time they realise they are full, they’ve already over-eaten. That’s why I’m fat! Hahahahaha!!!!
Welcome back, Pierre. Was wondering when you’ll be back from your wandering! LOL!!! Ya, you get lots of that kind of food over there.
I used to love the shepard’s pie from Secret Recipe . The last time I had it was years ago though so perhaps the standard has dropped .. the fillings look pretty different already..
Ya…I thought the filling for authentic shepherd pie is not supposed to be like that. Really disappointing, even the mashed potatoes and the pastry! I will never have that again! 😦
whoaa so not hygiene ler nowadays, dats y so many ppl food poisoned. :p
aiya i was tempted by the shepherd pie but after read u wrote thr not that nice, i dnt crave for it dy. lol! but the lamb shank really tempted me by it looks! :p i wanna go! bring me! =p
Usually we do not get to see so many flies anywhere here… First time here, a place with that many…and considering how expensive the things are – supposed to be more high class, they should make it a point to make sure the place is maintained super clean and the service super good!!! This is really a disappointment! We do not even see such things at the relatively cheaper KFC, McDs, Pizza Hut or even our local franchise Sugar Bun.
You want me to bring you? No problem at all! Anytime! Just come over to Sibu!!! LOL!!! 😀
aiyo, how come got flies? It will put off the customer appetite.
AH!! I want to “protest”! I don’t agree with “it’s a woman world now”, how i wish it is true, but it don’t apply to me. Hub get to eat with the kids first, while i have to take care their meal, i am always the last who ate my meal and it always cold already!! Now at least “better” a bit, my boys can eat their own, but on off they will tell you i want to go “shi shi” la, i want to go “poo poo” la. How i wish men can do that while we woman can enjoy the meal in peace.
Maybe sibu woman more “lihai”? LOL!!!!!
Ya…I wanted to say that your case is very different. Dunno what it was like when they were babies and toddlers but I noticed that you could handle to twins all on your own, your hubby just relaxed… Very good boys, the two of them – well brought up. Some that I’ve seen – so big already and still the parents have to take turns to jaga – fighting lah, make a mess lah, cannot eat on their own lah…all kinds of problems!
My missus is also a very slow eater – so when my daughter was small, I ate first lor…. If she ate first, she would take so very long…and sometimes I did not have time to eat anymore e.g. when travelling by air or going somewhere.
yeah the mashed potato no taste wan.. never order that in a cake shop.. lol.. =)
Must be those from a box – can buy at supermart…but then again, I saw on AFC, they also use that at hotels and posh restaurants…but theirs taste o.k. Maybe they kay-liao – add extra ingredients.
Ya, the price is on the high side but the service is not up to the mark.
During Mother’s Day, I had the lamb shank, and the bread was nice. Gulped it down with the gravy.
Hey, I ate the fantasy ckt last Fri. Went on Thurs during lunchtime, but it was already sold out. Erm…the sambal cili ckt was nice, but the normal ckt was average. A bit disappointing. There were only tiny bits of prawns, not even a whole piece inside. Maybe biz shot up after ur review, and they were ill-prepared for the volume surge.
LOL!!! Somebody went for the ckt too and complained that not only were there no prawns but he was charged RM3.80. But that was the price stated on the sign at the stall in Chinese which I could not read. Maybe she gave me special because my face more sui – sui-tuapui mah! Hahahahaha!!!! Ya…the lamb shank’s nice and I love some of the cakes too but for those prices, they should make sure that the service is excellent – at least, have a bit of class.
i never liked Secret Recipe’s food….just their cakes. Oh, and their apple-somboi drink.
I may have tried that before, can’t really remember… I had iced lemon tea that day as they had this add RM2.00 promo for a free drink going on, either that or the usual Coke or Sprite…
what a disappointment 😦
Yup! I always believe that if it’s expensive, it must be really worth it. In this case, I feel short-changed…. 😦
for me, i will only go there and buy their cakes only,
never like their food…
🙂
to be honest, their cakes is really nice, worth to spend on the cakes
I liked the lamb shank when I had it long ago, then called Irish stew…and I love their tall cakes. Should have just had cake that day! Tsk! Tsk! 😦
Their meal portions are quite large… i tried the shepherd pie before once.. but i still prefer the sweet desserts over these main meals…how come both of you never ordered cakes?
We went there solely for the purpose of trying what they have to offer. I guess the lamb shank was ok…but if I had known the shepherd pie was that bad, I would have gone for something else….or even just settled for the cakes. 😦
Seems like you are somewhat disappointed with the shop that you went here eh. I believe that they should double the effort to please their patrons.
Ya, business is so goods so they should do all they can to keep everybody happy…otherwise, don’t be surprised when the number of customers starts to dwindle…😦
u look not happy with secret?
i am leceh customer too. if not good service, not more next time.
Maybe better at other outlets. This one’s the dirty table and the flies were the problem… As for the food, the shepherd pie was not worth the calories…nor the price. Can’t expect much from these franchise places…
I only visit Secret Recipe when craving for cakes. I love carrot cakes! We have one near our place and that day I walked in wanting to get some carrot cakes but it was sold out! ;(
They have carrot cakes? Didn’t see that. I usually go for white choc macadamian – relatively not as sweet and I like the taste. They do not have the durian cream ones here – love that!!! Not the durian cheese cake though…
Pay 4 star prices and get 1 star treatment. That’s why I don’t like secret recipe. It’s not worth it.
Precisely. We get those same prices at the hotels here…and we get better food, better ambience, better service. Don’t think I’ll go again – maybe just to buy the cakes, take away!
wow look at those photos… they’re like magnets that attract me…
what a good presentation of the pie
That just shows that we cannot judge by appearance… We can get nicer stuff elsewhere…and at cheaper prices.
lol, i remember i went there for the first time buying mother’s day cake, havent try out any other dishes yet tho. thanks for the early warning! so i stil prefer Brunei Secret recipe after all ^^ Clean utensil and delicious food and dry table!
Dunno about the other dishes…but for those prices, I would rather go to a restaurant in one of the hotels in town. At least, got more class.
Only like their cakes. Food a little overpriced!
Our local hotel standard…and come to think of it, I’ve only featured one – Garden. Maybe should drop by the others one of these days and feature what they have. Definitely nicer, classier and clean!
I had it once for dinner at Secret Recipe..after that i dont. Probaly the foods..hmm..i guess u know better now. I only love to take away the cakes..hahaha
That makes at least two of us then…or more, I’m sure, judging from all the comments on this post.
All the more reasons not to go check this place out =s
nice blog btw! I’m sure you get that a lot. Can i link you up on my new blog?
Ya…for that kind of money, it’s better to go elsewhere. Thanks for the compliment…and a warm welcome. Nice of you to drop by – sure you can link me, and I’ll link you in my blogroll too.
I still prefer their cheese cakes rather than the foods(whisper: It’s blood sucking expensive and doesn’t worth it at all!!), my favourite selection are chocolate chips walnut, durian durian, chocolate indulgence and durian cheese! Die die must try!(it’s extra tasty with the fresh one)
Have nice day!
Not a fan of cheesecakes anymore…not after being fed nonstop by my students – everytime, any occasion, they would buy me cheesecakes. Now I wouldn’t mind not ever seeing a cheesecake again in my life. LOL!!!
LOL!! You are such a lucky guy! I don’t mind if anyone could constantly get me a piece of smooth creamy cheese cake!:p
That’s why they gave me the nickname – cheesecake! I used to love it so much…but not anymore. Too much of a good thing, in the end also got sick of it.
As much as you detest cheesecakes now in general, I wouldn’t mind a slice or two. Just NOT the ones from SR.
Sorry, quality getting from bad to worse. And lets not talk about the overpriced mains.
Ya…I have had some cheesecakes at some restaurants in KL and they were really very nice – some of them, at least. I prefer the Japanese baked cheesecake – ala Uncle Miki (available in KL at Isetan supermarket, Lot 10).