I came here once before but did not like what we ate, so I never came back again…
My missus had bought a few items from here too…to eat at home and again, there was nothing that I really liked.
But that night, I received a message from Gundot saying that her hubby suddenly announced that they would be going back to Kuching the following day and asked me to join them from dinner at that place. Actually I already had dinner so I told her that but I said I would drop by just to chat and that was what I did.
When I arrived, they were already halfway through the Philippine pork leg…
*sorry for the blurry pic
I had quite a bit of that…and I found that it was very well done. The meat was juicy and tender – not overdone, hard and dry like in some other places.
As for the black pepper crab…
I had a piece and that was it. Let’s just say that if I want to eat crabs, I would just fork out the money and go for the expensive ones at Hai Bing at Jalan Maju here among the shops facing the Esplanade.
I did not touch the fried midin (jungle fern)…
…but one look at that would tell you that it was a rush job to cater to the HUGE crowd.
This place is really popular with the tables in their own three or four shop lots…and all along the pavement from one end of that block of shophouses to the other end all fully occupied and anybody coming along later would have to wait till somebody has finished and left.
I just cannot understand why so many people like to go there as the food is not that great; perhaps it is because it is really VERY cheap…plus the service is really efficient and good and the food is served extra fast? Anybody knows the reason why?
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
I think it’s because of the cheap price, so people likes to go there. Some people are fine with that. Cheap and so-so food. The food… it was tasteless or wud? Not enuff salt and not enuff taste? Fear not, I usually carry some packet salt and pepper in my bag when I go out. (you kno, those packet salt and pepper from McD… I always curi back wan)So everytime tarak cukup rasa… just sprinkle abit on the food. And can always tapau back to modify later. (Dies, I sound like some 60yo auntie… )
Ooi…I’m a 60-year-old uncle and I don’t do such things…or maybe, only aunties do that? Hehehehehe!!! If tak cukup rasa, can always complain…ask for more from the kitchen mah. The pork leg was nice…but the crab – they were small and I think they were those from the farms, not the freshly caught ones. The piece that I tried…even the texture did not feel like crab, much less the taste…plus, I never like black pepper sauce, anyway.
I kenot tahan wan, so always spare some in my bag. I hate those peppers outside, especially. 😦 Their pepper not oomph enuff, tasteless, no effect. Especially kopitiams and those Old Towns. So when I order half boiled eggs or wud will dump my own black pepper inside. I’m somewhat a hardcore black pepper fan. My I always want my black peppers to be coarsely grounded. That’s why always bully ppl from Sarawak to buy me huge bottles of em when they come visit me in KL. LOLOLOL! Jahat horr?
I dono about other aunties la.. but I always do this. Hahahaha… good thing hubby never complain, cuz sometimes he oso cannot tahan the tastelessness of the food outside, and usually malas wanna ask from ppl la. Place are usually crowded… call so many times oso tarak layan. Spoil the mood oni. 😦
Now, now…is that a BROAD hint or what? Hahahahahaha!!!! My missus no problem one – definitely will ask for more chilli all the time even though already given, must have lots…and will drown the food with the sauce. That’s the way she likes it. I always wonder how she could feel the real taste of the food anymore after that…
LOLOL…. it’s a hint, all right. I like Sarawak black peppers. The taste very strong… unlike others. One of a kind, I daresay.
Ok…ok… Just hope that I’ll go to KL soon. I prefer white though – looks cleaner 🙂
Too bad the food failed to live up to expectations. The crabs looked pretty good though …
The quality of the crab sucked and not with black pepper… Don’t like anything with excessive pepper! How ironic, don’t you think? I come from Sarawak – the pepper state…and I don’t like pepper. LOL!!! 😀
Oh yea…. happy Zhong festival. LOLOL…ppl feed me chang changs til I so damn happy liao. LOL… and there’s more to come. *PENGSAN*
ps: I dowan changs, can anot? I wan cake cake!
Sobs!!! What happy? I did not even get ONE to eat! My missus can’t make…every year, her mum would make but she went for an eye operation…so not very mobile at the moment and not allowed to cook…so she can’t make any this year….and the ones sold in town – expensive…and the meat smaller than what I can korek out of my nose…and small – one gulp habis…for RM1.80 (last time I bought, dunno now) – might as well go and eat kampua kosong, same price and nicer!
Aiyohh, so cham ah? I tink ppl will give me summore tomorrow. *wide grinZ*
*glares angrily at Cleffairy…. 😦
I thought crabs esp in s’wak shld be great done anyhow. Hve tried the philippine pork leg before on my previous trip,still prefers our foochow ones. Over here the crabs cooked with noodles cantonese style is real yummy but the texture of the crabs not as firm compared to back home…
These crabs are from farms…somewhere Limbang or Lawas area and they send lorry loads in the middle of the night…arriving the next day. They’re small, the flesh texture is not firm… Last time only RM6-8 per kg, now probably gone up to over RM10. The natural crabs…you buy at the market RM30-40 a kg and if you eat at Hai Bing, it will be very very expensive, I tell you. Better buy and cook ourselves at home.
Wow…the crab so huge. 😀
Eeee…where got huge like that? You should see the ones at the other place – the more expensive ones! And so much flesh – very firm and thick.
hmm.. it’s sibu.. anything cheap there will be people eating there.. LOL.. I’m gonna go back to Kuching soon.. but not sibu.. lol..
Not me. I don’t mind paying a bit more…as long as the food is nicer and the place is comfortable – air-conditioned and preferably not crowded and so noisy, can go with friends to sit and chat.
When they first opened, the crab, Philippines too kha and some other dishes were very nice and of course, cheap! Somehow, when I revisited, the crab became smaller, didn’t taste that good anymore and the too kha skin was very rubbery. Never went there again ever since and that was like more than 3 years ago.
PS: And no, not going to include this in my must-eat list 😛 If I want crab, I can always go to this cluster of restaurants next to Kuching Port Authority and have all the seafood that I want and they are really cheap! (Just had those last Sunday. LOL!)
You wouldn’t find me going there either. A Penang friend came last year and somebody took him there – he was praising the food and said it was unbelievably cheap. Well, I still don’t think it is a place worth dropping by…
it’s been a long time since i last have crabs and your posts on midin is killing me! Can courier some to me? hehe
You’ve had midin before? I’m sure there are lots over your side… Maybe nobody to go and pluck and sell – after all, we have the same climatic conditions or perhaps, all cleared already for oil palm plantations. Come on over to Sibu – you can have all you want. 😉
ERRR.. The 1st one looked nice but the crabs doesnt look attractive to me. lol! hmm people will go for sure if cheap,can save more money ma. 🙂
No point, if cheap. If I want cheap, I’d cook my own and eat at home – nicer! When I go out to eat, not only the food must be cheap and the prices reasonable…I will also look at the place.
1 more place to not go then. comes to show that cheap doesn’t always equal to happiness. I’d rather sacrifice my wallet than sacrifice my taste buds! mwahahahaha
Somehow, I just don’t feel the place is nice… I would much sooner go to Sweet Family in the corner of the block right behind this one. Somehow I find the place more conducive to go and have dinner even though it is not air-conditioned as well.
The pork leg looks nice! Seems like the only nice thing there eh? I’m so hungry!! 😦
I just had a bit of the meat and it was nice. I have heard people saying that there are a few nice dishes there too…but I can’t remember what. Whatever they may be, they should be available elsewhere at much pleasant, nicer places…
where is this place?
Yes, agree with you, Hai Bing got the best crabs. Everytime talk about crabs, we will go to Hai Bing. Yummy!!!!
The bus terminal area – the other side where UOB is, not the same side as Rasa Sayang. Ya…but Hai Bing is very expensive. Imagine RM35-40 a kg…and one plate will be around 2 kg or more. Ok for special occasions…or when entertaining friends dropping by Sibu, but I wouldn’t just go there and eat on any ordinary day.
I only like the tu kah! The price has gone up!!!
Me too! Didn’t try the midin though…but I must say it did not looks that appealing. Gone up? And still so many people? Gee!!!
Never taken black pepper crabs before.. always sweet sour or just steaming..
btw STP, the last dish, midin.. what is the brown thing sticking out? 🙂
Sweet sour? Never had that before for crabs – chilli crabs, salted egg crab, fried with ginger and soy sauce and egg, steamed crab, baked crab, cheese crab, Mongolian crab and black pepper – these are those that I have had. That is a chilli… If I’m not mistaken, it looks like dried chilli…. I hear chilli here not in season, so very very expensive.
I guess it is people attract people…..LOL!
Dunno… And they keep going back? Maybe like some commenters said – people here, as long as it’s cheap…they will go – not really discerning gourmets.
EEEEEEEEEEEEK! There’s an eel peeking out of that friend MIDIN! Yikes ! 😀
What eel? If got eel, I’ll be the first one to eat? Yum! Yum! You need new spectacles, I see…like Claire! LOL!!! 😀
Again brother…. it’s location!^-^
No lah…there are quite a number of nice eating places even in that same vicinity – also crowded but not as crowded.
that crispy pata and crab give me hunger pangs… i am missing home more after seeing all those
Oh ya…you’re from the Philippines! Like they say, there’s no place like home…