My blogger-friend of the now-almost dormant Kampua Talk, Clare, was in town again on Monday for a meeting and we went out for lunch at…
…where else but Payung Café. Only there can you get to see flowers like these all over.
She wanted the otak otak rice (RM12.00) that I had on my previous visit which also happened to be my first…
…because I was not the only one praising it to the skies. On her last visit, while waiting at the departure lounge at the airport in Sibu, she overheard two ladies talking, one of whom went after reading the feature in The Star and she was telling her friend how very nice the food at this café was – the otak otak, the fruit salad and what have you.
Clare loved it, of course…and what I had was also very nice – Payung beef rice, Thai-style (RM12.00)…
I really wonder what they use to marinate and cook their dishes as everything seemed to be oozing with flavours. They all tasted really great including this mixed vegetable salad (RM7.00) that I ordered…
The proprietor of the café, Peter, said that it was Indonesian…but I felt the taste was something like the seasoning that came with the pad Thai noodles that I had featured in my post a few days ago. I still have a packet of the noodles, so perhaps I can fry them in our usual char kway teow style and use the seasoning to make some kind of salad like this one. I certainly will feature that in a future post if it turns out nice.
Anyway, to get back to our lunch, for dessert, I had this superb banana cake with chocolate ice cream (RM7.00)…
Both Clare and I enjoyed it tremendously.
Clare also ordered the jelly pisang (RM7.00) that I also had on my previous visit…
… – the celebrated specialty of the Ban Chuan Coffee Shop here in Sibu during my teenage days but unfortunately, she is too young to know about all this.
That certainly was a sumptuous lunch and the best part was that when I went to settle the bill, Peter said that Clare had already paid when I “went out for some fresh air”. Thanks a lot for the treat, Clare – we’ll go again and it will be on me next time around.
But wait a minute! Something else happened just before we were about to leave the place. Two of my ex-colleagues from one of my former schools also stopped by there for lunch…and they were obviously curious as to who the SYT (sweet young thing) with me was and were trying to ask me via their gestures and facial expressions. I nonchalantly introduced her to them as “my friend, Clare” and said nothing more and was so amused by the mystified looks on their faces… I really wonder what wild imaginings they must have had running through their heads at that point in time as we got into my car and drove off together… Muahahahahaha!!!
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
*sobsob* Now you make me miss my grandfather. My grandfather have the most beautiful garden in the world…I believe… I saw some of those flowers in the photo in my grandfather’s garden when I was a little girl, and he would pluck them and put it in my hair for me, and tells me that I’m the most beautiful flower among all and I believe him. BOOHOOO~
Sigh…my grandfather… he loves me very much… but these few years… I cannot talk much to him… cuz he could no longer hear clearly. 😦 And the stubborn old man simply refuse to use his hearing aid… 😦 I wish he use it more often… den I could talk to him better!
Then you’ll love this place, I’m sure. Very nice with all the flowers and interesting ethnic deco…and the food’s superb! Yum! Yum! Ya…my mum’s deaf too. Without a hearing aid, no need to talk to her lah…can’t hear a thing. With the hearing aid, also have to talk loudly… It would help to face her when talking so she could read your lips… Sigh! Growing old… 😦
Cleff…maybe he purposely dont wanna wear the hearing add. Coz if not you sure kacau him hahahaha
Just had Beef rice yesterday. Yum yum
Ya…good one, Kuching! This pesky granddaughter who can never stop talking – yak…yak…yak…yak!!! ROTFL!!!
*SULK* My grandfather loves talking to me lah. Sobsob… so sayang me… that each time I get into trouble with my parents, he’ll bailed me out! I yak yak yak non stop cuz I like to talk to my grandfather ma… without me his house will be so sunyi… the rest of his grandchildren all the quiet kind…. no talk wan… go back there, all cabut do their own things… while me… uh… I kinda go and find grandfather to yak yak yak… lol… and make him eat his meds too! Sobs… miss him soo, sooo much…he’s getting older…wish he’s younger…he was like you too, Cikgu.. at your age…he can cook very well, especially tomyam and beef stew… ooo… nice la… but too bad… no more from him. He’s getting too old for that. 😦 Sometimes, really do wish I can turn back time to where those old people that I loved could still talk with me happily instead of sleeping most of the time… and to the time where they cook so much food for me and to the times when I can cha cha and twist with them too!
Hi A, isn’t that “Clair,” the song by Gilbert O’Sullivan? Love that song. In fact I have it in my mp3 player in the car. Of course the SWT wouldn’t know who Gilbert O’Sullivan was. But another great post, one more stop in my itinerary for next year. And that’s a good one, go out for “some fresh air.” Have to try that next time!
Yes, that was the song I had in mind and when you mentioned it, I remembered it was spelt “Clair”… Tried googling and found both spellings and there are other songs named “Clare” too. Never mind, I decided to change the post title anyway… Hahahahaha! “Fresh air” indeed – looks like you caught the drift! LOL!!! Ya…we must drop by here on your next trip back to Sibu…
Looking forward to it. I missed that Ban Chuan jelly pisang. The new reincarnation looks quite good. Maybe if they can just take out that blob of ice cream, it’ll be more like the real thing.
Exactly! And use grated ice… Then it will be like the real thing! I hear they have jelly pisang at a few places in Kuching. It started at Harbour View…and the idea caught on, so others have followed suit.
Ahhhh, STP is ladies man!
Chup! Chup! No such thing… Who would want this big, fat and ugly…and poor old man? Sobs!!! 😉
where is that ? in sibu ? waaa. will need to bring boyfriend there one day..kakakakah… those busybody must think u hv mistress.mwahahaha
Oh? So you’re from Sibu? Your boyfriend also from Sibu? He’s a chef, you said…right?
i am not from sibu. hahaha. but half an hour away. my boyfriend is in singapore lar. but plan to go sarawak this year end
I see… Perhaps we can meet up then. Dunno my plans right now…
Aha!… half and hour away… so that means…she’s not Peninsular people? LOL!
Looks like it. Probably from Kanowit…or Bintangor then.
hahhaa, bintangor. but now im in penisular. 4hour away from penang. cleffairy is in penang right ? hahaha.
stp, if can, sure can meet up . hehehe.
Aha!!! I guessed right – you’re from the town of the sour oranges – Bintangor. Nope, Cleff’s in Selangor, so you cannot get to meet her. 4 hours from Penang? Kedah? Perak?
The only food that interest me is banana cake. 😀
Why? You’re vegetarian?
ooooh.. the desserts!! Banana cake with ice cream.. yummy, man!! 🙂 STP, with so many bloggers and friends you have, it is not surprising that you always have a different lady each time u go out to eat.. lol…
It was really nice! Don’t mind going there again for that! Yalor…so many blogger-friends, so many of them female…
We females likes men who cook. Period. They say the way to men’s heart is thru his stomach, right? Well, it works both ways. Hahahahahahah… like me lah… just feed me some nice and tasty food, and my heart is all yours…
Bluff!!! Your hubby cannot cook leh – all skin and bone. And if a woman can cook very well, don’t get your hopes up too high… She may not go on doing that, once already married. 😉
The otak-otak looks HUGE and ‘meaty’! The otak-otak I usually see here is small and thin and scant! What a big difference… and those banana cake! *drools* What do you mean you went out for fresh air? You smoke? 😛
Shhhhh!!! Ask no questions and I tell no lies! Hehehehehe!!! 😉 Ya, the otak otak was just great and the banana cake was really well done.
STP!! HOR!!! bring cha bor out!!! lolz. oh yeahhh. i need a list of good food in Kuching!! lolz.
Hahahaha!!! No way, I’m not giving you the list. When I go to Kuching…then you will have to take me around and I will show you all the places one by one. You have a car now bah… No problem at all! LOL!!! 😀
KIAM SIAP!!!!!! LOLZ
No leh…you drive me around and we go to eat, I belanja… Where got kiam siap like that leh? And next time, you will know where to go by yourself… I’m sooooo…nice one! 😉
Wow, looks like Claire is travelling about and getting good food from all over the places :). Those food sure looks nice ^_^.
This is Clare without an “i”…in case you’re thinking about the other one, Claire with an “i”. But it seems both of them do travel quite a bit and get to eat nice stuff here and there. Yup, the food here is good…
Your plate of beef rice look very good!! Banana cake with ice cream? Usually it will be chocolate cake with ice cream or brownie with ice cream, this is something new, and it look good. I like Clare’s dessert, jelly pisang!!
Yuhoo…STP got sweet young girlfriend, sure your ex colik “jeles” of you. hahahhahahahha, next time they bump into you and see you with another lady blogger, they will be thinking, STP change another new girlfriend. hahahhahahahha, this is really funny!!
Yes, so many nice things to eat there. When you come back to Sibu again, I must take you there. You’ll love it, I’m sure. Eyew…I can imagine them going back to the school and start gossiping away with the other ex-colleagues – habis, my good name and reputation. LOL!!! 😀
Tak apa… if I happen to go out with you… I’ll tell them you’re my long lost uncle… or my godfather. habis cerita… hahahaha…you add 15 more years to your age… I will tell people you’re my grandpa. LOL.
The last time Clare attended a wedding luncheon with me, somebody asked whether she was my daughter. A group of ex-students at one table could not contain their curiosity, so they stopped me as I was walking past and asked. When I told them she was my girlfriend, they almost fainted… Hehehehehe!!! Who asked them to ask? Kay-po!!!
Banana cake is yum. Better if banana cake with walnut
This one is good by itself – all banana, very little flour…and no essence unlike those elsewhere. My SIL’s friend makes her carrot cake with lots of walnut and she doesn’t really like, so she always gives to me… I don’t mind the walnuts, just not so crazy over them…and the best things in life are free! Hehehehehe!!! 🙂
Maybe they were thinking – “perverted old man”. XD
Nah! They must be full of awe and admiration – this old man still has it in him! Muahahahaha!!!!
Blink… actually horr… elder men are easier to relate to. You see… I tend to love chatting with elder men in my family more than the elder female in my family. I see elder auntie… I would avoid them like a plague- beh tahan their mood swing and gossips… horrifying, and their story telling puts J.K Rowling to shame! But uncles and great uncles… oo… no problem… anytime can tok.
I guess most men are simple-minded, anything goes…don’t give too hoots about what’s going on or who’s doing what…and love talking crap and cracking (dirty) jokes. I think I’m one of them…. Hehehehehe!!! 😉
this otak-otak looked very different from the ones we have here. I think our version here is smaller and more orangie in colour.
A whole lot nicer than any that I have ever had. Mostly over-mashed like fish cake…and those from the Ramadhan stalls here – I threw them away after one bite. That was last year, didn’t bother to go and buy any this year. 😦
the banana cake with choc ice cream really make me drool!!! eeyerr!! the vegetable salad with peanuts is it???
Yes, the guy says that’s Indonesian-style…but it looks like Thai-style to me – all that sprinkling with peanuts. Indonesian, I would expect it to be something like gado gado. Ya…the banana cake and ice cream was really good… Yum! 😉
Jelly pisang.. i tot banana split… But I’m sure I’ll love both! I like anything pisangs.. heheheheheh.. uwek!
Aiyor…banana split is what you get when you throw a grenade into your hubby’s pants. Muahahahahaha!!!! Usually, the banana is cut lengthwise and they put two or three scoops of ice cream on it, squeeze cream on top and pour choc sauce and sprinkled crushed peanuts. I think I had one here: https://suituapui.wordpress.com/2008/08/07/listen/
Yum! Yum! 😉
now you going to be a hot topic among your ex-colleagues. 😛
Blush! Blush! Can’t stop wagging tongues…so let them say what they want! 😦
Wow. The flowers in the first picture are really nice. It is good that they welcome guests using really nice flowers.
Yes, I like the decor at this place – very natural and original.
OMG…the desserts..i guess i can finish all..heheh.Luckily last night i had something similar, instead of cake it was bread crumb goes with ice cream..yumm..too bad no pic taken.
LOL!!! You have a sweet tooth, I see! Ya…the desserts were great, everything was simply yummy! 😉