I received a call from a friend inviting me to dinner at this place that I’ve been to a few times before…
…but the last time we were there, we had a not-very-pleasant experience so I stopped going altogether.
I decided to put on the All Blacks’ official Rugby World Cup 2011 jersey that my friend had brought all the way from New Zealand to give to me when she came to town…
…and on the way to the restaurant, while I was waiting at the traffic lights, I noticed the handsome and nicely-built young guy in the Hilux next to my car giving me the look. I turned to look at him and he quickly looked away. No, it wasn’t one of those “looks”…but the who’s-this-old-fart-wearing-the-All-Blacks’-jersey look! I think I must be the envy of the town that night – eat your hearts out, guys! LOL!!!
Well, like what they used to do in the past, once we were seated, we were served these special keropok (prawn crackers) from Mukah…
They were nice no doubt but they did not come free. You would find these in your bill later even though you did not order them. I do wish they would give a bit of acar timun (pickled cucumber) to go with the keropok – I love eating them that way.
We had the Melanau delicacy – the umai…
…or thin shreds of raw fish with thinly-sliced onions and chilies drowned in calamansi juice. Now, where was the sagu‘ (sago pellets)? I thought they always go together? Humph!!!
When this was served, I thought it was beef rendang…
…but no, it did not taste anything like that. To give it some due credit, I must say that I did like it the way it was – this much I would say about it. Imagine my surprise/shock when I found out that it was supposed to be daging masak hitam (black-cooked beef), our very own Sarawak recipe. Heavens forbid! Imagine a visitor coming to town and eating that…and leaving thinking that was masak hitam! Tsk! Tsk! It was nothing like it at all – I would say that it was not much better than my failed attempt at cooking the dish, not at all.
This seems to be the restaurant’s pride and joy – the lokan…
…and they claim to be the only restaurant in Malaysia to have that on the menu. They mix the meat of the clams with minced meat and other ingredients for the filling and deep fry them so when you open them up, you will get something like this…
Personally, I feel that it isn’t too bad and some people may like it a lot but like how I’m not all that fond of the favourite of many – the xiao lung pao at all, I don’t think it would get me jumping up and down with delight – in my opinion, it is quite forgettable and not one of those must-eat things when in Sibu.
I’ve always loved the paku (wild fern) at this place cooked with sambal udang kering (dried prawns) plus a hint of santan (coconut milk) and with the extra prawns added, I truly enjoyed it that night but unfortunately, the photograph came out blur so I would not be including that in this post.
Now this was around RM15 a bowl…
…but considering that everyone got one huge udang galah ( freshwater prawn) or what we call tua-thow hay (big-headed prawn) in Hokkien, it was quite worth it as these prawns, especially the ones this size, do not come cheap at the market these days…
I quite enjoyed it…especially when I drowned my rice with the soup but if I were to cook it myself, I would add more serai (lemongrass) and kunyit (tumeric) and also extra chili to make it a bit spicier and give it a stronger taste plus a little bit more assam (tamarind) as well so that it would be slightly more sour. But I guess they have to consider the general taste of the diners around here and the way I would like it may not be to the liking of some of them.
If you click the link to my earlier post on this restaurant, you would have seen that it was in fact featured in that TV3 food show – “Jalan jalan cari makan“…
…and besides, it is one of the few restaurants in town that are halal and serve those very special ethnic local cuisine. So if that is what you want, this is the place to be…
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
Oh yeah, I remember the lokan, it’s one of my ex gf’s parent’s favorite places to go and it. Personally, I don’t think the lokan is all that great.
The freshwater prawn looks good though and Fisherman’s Restaurant has some other great dishes.
You certainly look good in the All Black’s tshirt. 🙂
Thanks for the compliment, buddy – I certainly have the size, too bad the muscles are all in the wrong places. Hehehehehe!!!! 😀 Ya…the lokan seemed like all minced meat, not much taste of the clam…but then again, each clam doesn’t have much inside so I guess they have no choice but to use more meat to stuff it with.
I mean it used to be quite good, but I think the lokan has dropped in quality somewhat.
Oh and I got Fisherman’s Restaurant confused with Fisherman’s Pub. Haha.
It’s the one and the same. They’ve closed down the old place and moved to this location…a few doors away from CafeCafe and they’ve dropped the pub bit from the name. I guess they no longer operate that…so as to make it a completely halal place – no booze.
fooweet!! suituapui was being stalked by a hunk, or maybe you just look like one of the rugby players?? hahahaha!! hey, the clams look very special, but i guess nobody else is doing it over here huh??
Wah! Wolf whistle… Muahahahahaha!!!! 😉 Too bad all my muscles around the waist or I would definitely look like one of them. 😀 Dunno if they are sold anywhere else… Used to be sold at another place here when my daughter was small and I used to buy regularly as she loved it a lot…but eventually the quality dropped, not nice anymore so I stopped buying. Dunno if they still make those – never been back there since…
You look great in that shirt – it makes you look slim 😉
Black colour and standing in the shadows – that did wonders! LOL!!! 😉
I like the All Blacks T, Shereen gave you, you truly look like one All Blacks player, more to Richie McCaw, hahhahah have a great week ahead ya
Ya, so proud of the jersey. Not into rugby…but now I’m a fan. Must support them and hope they win so I can put on the jersey and flaunt it. 😉
It’s a very nice shirt! I’m so gonna drop hints to my dear friend who posted so many remarks on fb yesterday on the All Black’s clash with the Wallabies.
+Ant+
Good luck! Hope you get a jersey too… Ya, they thrashed the Wallabies 20-6, good game that one… 🙂
The All Black T is cool man slightly too tight on you, think for me ngum ngum ho so when you gonna pos-laju it…muahahaha.
Sorry, people give one, cannot give to other people. Doesn’t fit also have to keep and appreciate it. You can order online…no problem! 😉
Wow, you look sharp in that shirt! Those food don’t look as impressive as the earlier ones lah. Enough of virtual feast this morning, now I got to go get some real food in my stomach! Have nice week my friend.
Perhaps it was the poor lighting at the place so the dishes don;t look that great – maybe next time around, I’ll use flash…. Ya? I look good in the jersey eh? Hehehehehehe!!!! 😉
Sir, you definitely look good in jersey. You should wear more often….**you look so much younger** Hhehhehehehe
Thank you, thank you. How much younger? Like in my 30s? Or 40s? Muahahahahaha!!!! 😀
You wore the right jersey. Congrats to the All Blacks! hahha
Yup…they beat Australia yesterday and are through to the final next Saturday against France. Hope they emerge champion so I can go on wearing their jersey proudly… 😉
Overall, food looks good. 1st time heard of lokan. What is so special about the lokan?.
You look impressive with that shirt. 2 Thumbs Up for you.
Thank you, thank you…. I can look good if I bother to dress up nicely. Hehehehehehe!!!! 😉 Lokan’s nice…but to me, nothing really special. I saw a lot of people dropping by to tapao home by the dozen – seems very popular.
looks good la . Think i would enjoy the umai
Yes, umai is nice… Local specialty! Yum! Yum!
That looks like yam paste rather den meat.
Which one? The lokan filling?
Yeap~
Must be the dim light… It’s minced meat…and probably they used food processor, so too fine – chicken, I guess, plus the light-coloured clams…that’s why so white/pale… Next time, I’ll take another pic using flash…
LOL… no wonder say I will like this post… patutla… got umai and keropok… ooo… both oso sedap. 😀
…and the assam udang galah. Yummmm!!!! LOL!!! 😀
the lokan is special!!! it’s like yong tau fu, stuff some meat paste inside and fried…hmmm
i luuuuuurve umai wei 😀
Meat paste plus the meat of the clams… Oh? You love umai? Come, come back to Sarawak and visit Sibu some time and I can take you jalan2 cari makan here. Jangan buang batu, ya… 😉
Wow…must find a nice background to match with your cool all black jersey ya? Look smart and good. Eh, i am more interested to know which flower shop is that, look very nice. LOL
Fisherman, very well known restaurant, since young, i already heard about it, but never been there, (how sad ya?) hahahha. Oh, they moved?
What is lokan? Never heard of it. I am more interested to eat that mukah keropok with acar and that daging masak hitam looks good too.
I think you will love this place – everything toned down to suit Sibu people’s taste. I prefer it stronger and spicier… 😉 The flower shop’s next to this restaurant and two doors away would be Cafe-Cafe. Now you know where it is… Next time you come back to Sibu. I’ll take you there to try the lokan… 😉 No lah…not a choice of background – night time, and I needed light for the photograph (I don’t like using flash)…and the flower shop was bright enough. 😉
Wah, STP look handsome and young in the all black T shirt…..
Yalor…boleh tahan hor, this old man? Masih ada gaya sikit! Hehehehehehe!!!! 😉
No doubt about this… I WANT TO BE THERE!! Lokan… yes! Paku pakis, YES! Udang Galah, YES! YES!
So when is the YES trip??? very near…. very near… hehehee…
What YES, YES? Yes or No…wait till you are here in the flesh, then baru we talk. Say only you’ll come, shadow pun tak nampak… Talk so much, also no use. Humph!!! 😦
Be patient la.. i m “suffering” over here.. just imagine how torturing it is for me.. now can only drool and not taste… lol…
Good! Suffer! Suffer more… Who asks you not to want to come? Hehehehehehe!!!! 😀
Looking like a young man there, Arthur…seriously you look very good 🙂
If you did not say that the food is just okay-okay saja, I could have been fooled! The masak hitam especially looks so darn good but the umai tak looks authentic la…looks more like a normal salad saja. Payung’s presentation lagi class. Anyway, is this a malay restaurant or Chinese? Even in Sibu need to tone down,meh?…I thought only in overseas restaurants will do that…which of course I detest as rasa dah tak kaw!
PS: What type of soup is that? Tomyam?…the udang galah will be wasted on me..hahaha
Sibu, if traditional Foochow, they would be more used to very mild (= bland) food…and no chili, no belacan…but nowadays, the taste has changed. This place is Chinese-owned but serves local Malay and ethnic cuisine, all halal. Quite nice…but I would prefer a bit more ooomphhh!!! That’s assam udang – the more soupy style…We also cook it that way in our Melanau-style, also very nice but I prefer it a bit more sour and maybe, with a stronger lemon grass fragrance.
Of course, you do not like the umai – no colour… Just wait till you taste it! You wouldn’t want to eat sahimi anymore for the rest of your life! Yummmmm!!!!! Ya, definitely Payung’s classier and the food’s nicer…but their menus are different.
Hmmmm…I look young eh? Must wear the t-shirt more often then… 😉 LOL!!! 😀
You see I was right, so many of us telling you that you look so the very handsome with the All Blacks T………..I must disagree with Bananaz, I think the tighter the better for you, more power that way. kekekekekekeke
With body like yours, ok lah… Can wear tight2 one… With body like mine, better a bit loose so will not see all the curves at the wrong places. 😦
hey STP, sexy ma… can see all curvy curvy.. hahaha….
Your curvy curvy, ok…mine all in the wrong places… 😦
That All Blacks top would be in demand now…but it might fetch more next week if All Blacks win the World Cup.
Ya, hopefully… I would have expected Wales to beat France in the semis but things didn’t work out to well for them.
Pheeewwwiiittt leng zai oh 😀 The jersey certainly looks good on you!…. Hmm…I never been or heard about this restaurant before.
A few doors away from Cafe-Cafe… I’m sure you know Cafe-Cafe? Not very impressive-looking or outstanding though…but quite well-known.
I saw the All Blacks jersey in Australia!!! Thought of buying one but I thought I have a lot of black tops in my wardrobe already so I did not buy it.
We’re the same – I love eating keropok with acar timun! 😀 Ooooh~! Long time didn’t have Melanau sashimi already. Droooools!!!
They have in Kuching what…no problem getting umai at the Malay makan shops.
Waaahhhh… A hunk in All Blacks jersey!! Am a fan of the All Blacks for a very long time. The food looks nice but the daging masak hitam??? Pure blasphemy that one! *gasp*
Have you ever been to Restoran Kasturi? Went there when I was still working in Everly Hotel Sibu (now RH Hotel) with my Boss. Loved the umai there and the Ikan Bawal Goreng Sambal was, according to my Boss, better than s*x… LOL!!!
Hunk??? Blush! Blush! Muahahahaha!!!! Ya! Sacrilege! That masak hitam… I loved the hitam and merah at Kasturi, not so much the terubok goreng…but lately, if you want these special dishes, you need to order in advance. Went there once…and they said they had ayam goreng kicap, goreng kangkong and I told them that if I wanted those, I could just cook and eat them at home…no need to go to their restaurant. Tsk! Tsk! Hmmmmm….must go and try the bawal hitam one of these days – either it is really very good or your ex-boss’s sex life sucked. ROTFL!!!! 😀
really?! hmm… whatever happened to them? ya la, if setakat goreng kangkung, I’m sure yours could put theirs to shame..
LOL!!! Yeah, you tell me which one applies to my ex-Boss… Ha ha ha… But the sambal was good back then. Dunno if it still is now…
I can’t remember the last time I dined there…and after the last visit and the disappointment, I never went back. Don’t think I will be heading there again soon…
the shirt looks good on you. it reminds me of starting to get fit again 🙂
too spicy dishes in restaurant is not really recommended unless of course the customer specifically ordered it to be spicy otherwise it’s best to make it a little bland so customers can have a choice to add spices 🙂 can you ask for food to be specifically cooked the way you like it? or you would be asked to pay extra? hehe 🙂
LOL!!! Oh dear! The sight of me is such an inspiration for you to keep slim eh? If the things are pre-cooked, then I suppose you will just have to eat them as they are…but dishes that are cooked upon ordering, we can request for this or that…or we do not want this or that, no problem. No extra charges. I think most of the things at this restaurant are pre-cooked e.g. the masak hitam.
Nvr have lokan b4, but the fresh prawn soup sure looks great!
Come on over to Sibu and you can try all these…and more! A lot better than Pulau Ketam, I’m sure! 😉
I scared putting on weight … since u always stuff your guests with mountains of glorious food! It was like hvg a marathon of buffet! >_<
No lah, we did not eat a lot – most of the time, we ordered a bit for everyone to try – just sampling only…as many things as possible. Go to a place must try all mah…as far as possible.
Never heard of lokan before. But I think it is quite tedious to fill the fillings into each and every shell ? I love to eat keropok with cilli sauce. Nice too
Aha! I like that too! Next time I’ll ask for chili sauce… 😉