Well, he’s back in town…my friend, Philip, from the US – I wonder how many of you can remember the Guitar Man from my post around a year ago, the 23rd of July last year, to be exact. Gee! How time flies! It certainly did not feel that long ago.
At that time, we went to try the nasi bryani at one of the shops in town and it was quite disappointing. This time around, I took him to this place for the Kelantan specialty – the nasi kerabu…
The one with fish is RM4.00 a plate but if you want to have chicken instead, you will have to pay a ringgit more.
Now you can try and guess which one I had. LOL!!!
It certainly was really very good and other than the taste, if we consider how substantial one serving is, I would say that it is definitely not more expensive than the ones I used to buy here at RM3.50 a packet but they only have it once a week at this shop – on Saturdays.
That was lunch and after that, Philip insisted on going to that coffee shop at Sungai Merah here for the coffee. I told him that I had had the coffee there and I did not feel that it was that great. Even my relatives, when they visit Sibu, would make it a point to drop by…just for the coffee. Well, Philip told me to try the kopi-peng kau (iced coffee, strong) instead of the kopi-o-peng (iced coffee, black) that I normally would have and I did. Gosh!!! It was so so so good – all those branded coffees, all the lattes and what not can all go and take a back seat. If you don’t believe, just come to Sibu and give it a try – drinking coffee will never ever be the same again!
While we were there, chatting away and sipping our coffee, Philip also ordered the roti telur that he likes a lot – from the Malay stall at that coffee shop…
I had roti telur somewhere else once before and I did not really like it as it came across to me as something like an omelette but this one was pretty good as I could taste the roti and the egg separately…and they provided some curry gravy instead of the usual dhall dip. I think usually they would charge RM2.00 for an order but we wanted to share and they served the halves separately – so what you see in the photograph cost RM1.00.
I certainly enjoyed the extended lunch and the long chat that we had…and I do hope that Philip did too. Well, if I do not hear from him again before he goes back to the states, then I would get the message loud and clear. LOL!!
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
I really can’t stand the sight of rice in others colors apart from plain white and yellow,, hahah, it looks kind of weird to me,,,,,,,,,,,by the way,digress a bit,,, there is a song from Bread,, called The Guitar Man, also kan?
have a great week ahead ya
You don’t like yellow? And no political connotation here, please. I’m talking about the nasi bryani…or the nyonya’s nasi kunyit or nasi minyak/ghee – rice or glutinuous rice. I love that! This one’s just blue – the taste comes from the condiments.
Blue rice usually takes away the appetite, but there is just something sooo enticing about the mixture of the colours.
I think with the turmeric orange curry and green vege and a little black brown chestnutey charred chicken… The blue shines like the 70’s. It brings out a lot of appetising effect for me!
This is gourmet food!!!
Yes, I was also put off by the blue colour the first time I saw it…but I loved the taste so much. Now, I’m quite used to the colour. The curry as you called it is actually the sauce from fermented salted fish (budu) – they called it air budu (budu water) here. It’s so so so out of this world. I reallylove the exqusite tatses in this dish – you also get the variety of tastes of the different raw vegetables that they use for what is called the “kerabu”, hence the name – nasi kerabu…plus the chili plus the chicken. Heavenly!
I’m guessing you had the one with the chicken? That coffee of yours can beat Ipoh “pak kopi” or not? I read “guitar man” post and was thinking about what you wrote about meeting people you met online. It’s true that you wouldn’t know a person when you meet him face-to-face for the first time, either and in fact I think you’d know your online friends better because you’ve been reading a little into their souls through what they write on their blogs. But, I guess people who don’t blog will not understand that. My mom would get all worried too if I ever tell her I’m gonna meet someone I met online. Have a good week ahead!
True! After being together every day online, we get to know one another so well…even better than some of our physical contacts. So you’ve met other bloggers and online friends before?
P.S. You’re right! I had the chicken. LOL!!! Look like you know me pretty well by now… 😉
No-la, nobody want to meet me wor….But one mother did invite me for her kid’s birthday party next year! 😀 You’d be a good person to meet up with, if I ever go to Sibu. My mother wouldn’t mind that I think – meeting a decent, retired English teacher who likes to eat; and probably old enough to be my father, kakaka!!!
Come, come… you’ll definitely love it here! 🙂
No wonder the portion of the roti telur is so small… halved, u said? enough or not? I can take one whole piece! the roti looks very thin though, must be crispy as well, right?
We just had the nasi kerabu lunch…but Philip wanted it as he likes it a lot – the ones at this place in particular…
whoa… blue rice??? i mean Blue green ??? how does it taste?
Like rice. It’s just the colour… The great taste comes from everything else.
I like colours in my rice, much more interesting than plain ol’ white ones. Perhaps that explains why I like nasi tomato, nasi briyani, nasi minyak and nasi kerabu! Berwarna-warni! So long as it’s natural food colouring, I’m okay with it.
Ya…like father, like daughter. 😉 Just as adventurous when it comes to food.
never tried nasi kerabu before.. shouldn’t it be named as nasi biru instead? 😛
Gosh! I’m “overseas” and yet I’m so familiar with it. So near, yet so far, I see… The “kerabu” refers to the raw vegetables that come with the rice, hence…the name.
huahh… never really tried the nasi kerabu before… blue rice ey… im blue da be dee da be dai! 😛
Another one… Just like Ken. I guess most young people are more into burgers, pizzas and all those non-gourmet stuff. You people don’t know what you’re missing…
oh, so nice they actually allowed the one-piece to be split into two pieces and served separately.. i think most of the shops will not even want to entertain that request at all, the most they give you an extra empty plate and let your DIY..
I guess small town people are friendlier and more obliging…???
i hv tasted nasi kerabu when i was teaching in pasir mas..i love it.
Ah!!! The younger ones don’t know what they’re missing. Still have a lot to experience… I’ve never been to Kelantan or Trengganu – would love to make a trip there one day and try the real authentic stuff… Yumsss!!!!
It’s a must for Bananaz each time when in Kelantan for work and my colleague would take me to ‘The White House’ for lunch whoa sounds grand huh! Eugene izzit ‘Roti’ singing ‘The Guitar man’ or the Guitar man eating the Roti? hehe ~;).
*roti aka bread
You certainly know what’s good as well… Wah!!! Got Obama dining there as well? Muahahahaha!!!! Ya…that was one of the hit songs by Roti but not one of my favourites by them. LOL!!! 😀
wowweeee my stomach’s growling! 😦 still an hr to go till lunch time. :X
nasi kerabu is ze best!!!!!!
Aha!!! Finally somebody young. Seems that those your age dunno what this is… 😦
Never tasted nasi kerabu. Both look nice but would much prefer chicken instead of fish. Blue rice..the colour looks interesting. Guess it comes from a type of flower and not colouring.
You too? Well, I guess we’re on this side of the South China Sea so we may not get the chance to eat these stuff – like how, over at that side, they do not know what’s kampua, kolo mee…and they think Kuching laksa is curry mee…. Tsk! Tsk! 😦
Yup! Theblue’s supposed to be colouring from a flower – same as what the nyonyas use for their chang and pulut for their serimuka… Yum!
you like nasi erabu? There is one near my place here..sedap…what about nasi dagang? You like also?
I prefer nasi kerabu to nasi dagang – nasi dagang…the rice itself is nicer but it’s eaten with fish curry – nothing great about that. Never ever had the chance to eat that in KL or anywhere else for that matter… 😦
A, thanks for that fine recommendation. The nasi kerabu was most excellent. Glad you liked the coffee. It was good to see you again and enjoyed that long chat. Let me know when you’re free for another rendezvous.
Oh, I would be the one to say thanks to you for the treats. Now I would have to see whereto take you for something memorably exquisitely exotic…not something you can get easily in the states. Will see when we can go out again… Have you got those Kate panggangs yet?
Planning to get them soon, probably tomorrow. Went to Grace Cafe today, the tianmengu was very good, I think the chef is from the same family as the old alleyway outlet, recognized him from years ago.
Yup, that’s what I heard – all in the family. Not a fan of the stuff – had it once and could not manage to finish even half a bowl. I guess I prefer things with a more stronger taste. For one thing, they do not add meng ngee (dried cuttlefish) anymore and no more own-made fishballs unlike at the alleyway shop when I was young. Not as nice as before now…
ARGHHHHHHH ARTHUR!!!!!! YOU MO KENA BUNUH????????That is my heaven on earth!!!!I see already so shiok…makan lagi lar.Eh, I’ll go and book my tickets to Sibu now.Turun aeroplane only straight to eat nasi kerabu…ok!!!!I REALLY HATE YOU NOW…..SOBS!!!!
PS: Mana the budu?I tak nampak pun.
ROTFL!!!! What took you so long? Was waiting all day for you… Hehehehehehe!!!! So nice, torturing people! 😀 Now you have to make sure you arrive on Saturday – they only have that one day in a week. No budu…just the air…and I would prefer it to be stronger and smellier – ooooo….that would be soooo nice! LOL!!! Happy drooling! Make sure you wipe up the mess. 😉
So bad you,Arthur!!!…hahahahaha.I think within 20 minutes I dah bukak your blog more than 7 times just to tengok dat blasted kerabu..tak sempat to wipe the mess…dah banjir lor!!!
Hahahahahahaha!!!! 😀 Can’t wait for you to get here… Fast, fast.,..datang! The ikan masin is waiting too! 😉
oo, blue colored nasi. And I find it rather unique the chicken is more expensive than the fish? I always thought fish usually are more expensive. Hmm
It’s just a tiny kembong… RM1 can get you a much bigger one at my regular Malay food stall here.
Nasi Kerabu, saw once i think, that time i thought they colour the rice blue, dare not to try, only found out later, actually that is the colour from the flower. Hmmmm..maybe i still not so “adventurous” to try out all the colourful colourful rice. hahaha
Did Philip go for “Lian Yew” kampua?
Coffee at Sungai Merah coffee shop very good? Should check that out.
Ya, you can just stick to kampua and liver soup everyday for the whole week whenever you’re home. Eat to your heart’s content! LOL!!!
Yes, Annie, second stop Lian Yew. The kampua was good as ever, only the soup was lukewarm that day, not sure why, nothing as unappetizing as lukewarm soup.
Good grief! You had dianpianngu…and after that, you went for kampua! Gee! Where can you find the space to store all that? You’re so slim…. LOL!!! 😀
Arthur, i am trying to go on diet when i move back sibu for good but now i think it will fail -_- cos of this food blogg!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aiyor…why do I get the blame? You’re back in Sibu? Boyfriend here too? Getting married? 😉
White, blue, yellow, green, or any colors will do…janji ada nasi la 😀
Yes, and as long as it tastes good…
The blue looked kinda odd coz usually the shade is slightly of a darker shade. The whole dish looked yummy though. You ate both the fish and chicken? lolz
+Ant+
Tsk! Tsk! Just because I’m plus-sized, you;re making fun of me. I don’t eat so much lah… It’s just that I’m one of those unfortunate people who will put on weight just from breathing in air… Sobssss!!!! Never mind the colour – just eat! Not going to have that very often anyway…
@ Philip , Grace cafe near civic centre there ? If I am not wrong , they are all from Kiu family , they are my uncles . LOL . The one at Grace cafe is the youngest uncle .
Oh? They’re your family members? Small world… Yes, Grace is facing the Civic Centre…
Yes, Grace Cafe. First time there today, and the people are unbelievably nice. So he’s your youngest uncle. I recognized him from years ago. That means you have an uncle who wrote that book about Foochow settlements in Sarawak, name is also Kiu.
I only know Annie’s uncle…prominent man here but that one’s on her mum’s side, if I’m not mistaken. Btw, Philip, you got to know about Grace from my blog or you heard about it from some place else?
Everything from your blog. Got my itinerary all figured out from your posts and slowly working through them. Looks like a hot July ahead.
LOL!!! Hot as in the weather? Can’t really tell. Had some rain last week…and storm in Miri right now, I hear. Dunno if it will blow over or not…
Will try both this weekend.
I’m Sibu bound again!
Both? The fish and the chicken…or the kerabu and the canai. You’ve tried the canai before – I took you there long ago…the shop at Sg Merah. You need a chauffeur? Text me… 😉
Still have some bunga telang left at my back lorong….can try to cook nasi kerabu liao…
Aha! Can’t wait to see your post on it… 😉
OMG…blue rice..run and hide first..LOL!! Make sure u dont bring me to blue/yellow/green rice when i go Sibu one day….aahhahahah…except for plain rice.
Well, you can request for plain white rice, if you want. You don’t take yellow rice? The very nice nasi bryani? And the nyonya nasi kunyit/minyak? I would have those anytime…instead of plain white rice.
Yellow rice….if i have really no choice, i will take it but given choice, a big no…ahahaha…but my other half love all the colorful rice.
Adoi…so nice! I would be the opposite – would opt for plain white rice only when there’s no choice. Hey! Chicken rice also a bit yellowish…and some they cook it very yellow. 😉
the nasi kerabu looks good and the funny thing is – i have not tried it! It’ll be funny eating blue rice isn’t it? but then again, it looks so nice…
I also felt uneasy when I ate it the first time…plus the exotic tastes of all the condiments but after a while, I started to love it. Now, I would want to eat it whenever I can. Very nice! 🙂
yummy nasi kerabu.. hope i can try one like this if i ever visit you in Sibu… but only can try during the day, at night it’s a bit too much and fattening too 😛
If I’m not mistaken, at this place, it’s only available for lunch and only on Saturdays… 😦
Love nasi kerabu and yours certainly look yum!!!
Yes, it certainly is nice. Worth having and will certainly go again sometime…
oh i don’t like the one with curry… would prefer with budu only.
hehe i doubt it can defeat the one in kelantan.. 😛
Tak kenal maka tak cinta – belum cuba, belum tahu. No curry, that one…sambal and air budu. If curry, sesat dah tu’, nasi bryani…they give curry.