We did not have much information regarding the official business that my daughter had to attend – just the date and she had to be there by 7.30 a.m. There would be another group starting at 1.30 p.m. but there wasn’t anything in black and white stating all the details. As a matter of fact, all those attending did not have the slightest idea what was going on and what to expect – that’s usually how those people up there function so I told my daughter that she might as well just get used to it as this was just the beginning. If I had known that it would take up only half a day, I could have booked our air tickets to come back later that afternoon or evening and save one night on our hotel.
Ah well! It’s not like those people are in the least bothered – as long as it’s not their money you’re spending – they would much rather spend it themselves, thank you very much. Like the forthcoming convocation at national level, word has it that it will be on 28th May – where to register, how much to pay, any rehearsal, where to rent the gown, when to collect, when to return, how much…yadda, yadda, yadda…nobody knows! I’m glad we opted to go for the one in Wellington, New Zealand in December last year…so whether we get to go to this one or not, frankly, I do not give a damn. It would be more of an opportunity for Melissa to meet and get together with her friends, more than anything else. But honestly, I just cannot understand how those people can be so incompetent, so inefficient and all and they are not bothered at all to pull up their socks. Of course, it is nice to occupy those top seats, looking and acting important and throwing their weight around. Ptuiiii!!!!
Anyway, since we had one more day to spend in Kuching, we might as well make the most of it…and that morning, Melissa and I walked to this place called Sin Poh Poh for the carrot cake…
…or what they call koay khak in the northern regions of the peninsula, something that Melissa loves a lot and I hear the ones here are the best in town.
I also ordered this Kuching-style fried noodles for Melissa to try…
– deep fried till crispy like Cantonese fried noodles and drowned in the very nice tomato sauce gravy. She had never had that before nor the kway teow version either, and she liked it very much.
I had the kueh chap…
…but I did not really like it. It had a kind of smell that was not so pleasant. I think, in comparison, the one I had here or here in Sibu would be a whole lot nicer. The belacan dip alone would have won hands down…easily!
That morning, my dear friend, Vivien, was able to join us and also my cousin, Gerrie (the baker) and my aunt (her mum) and another aunt. One thing about these short visits – they’re great for getting together and strengthening ties and catching up with one another’s lives. They ordered the kolo mee…
– the favourite of some cousins of mine, it seems, but I did not think it was all that great – more or less like what I had the previous morning and I, for one, would know for sure that there are a few other places in town that serve really great ones, a whole lot better than these.
It was around 2.00 p.m. that afternoon when we took the hotel shuttle to the airport for our 4.00 p.m. flight home. We were early so we just thought we could stop by some place for some late lunch cum tea and we saw this one…
…to the far left of the departure level, right in between this branded coffee place…
…and the old colonel’s fried chicken outlet that irritated me somewhat as they kept playing this Anuar Zain song over and over and over again at full blast! Sometimes I really wonder whether some people are hard of hearing or deaf or what! Tsk! Tsk!
We ordered the value meal of our choice (RM9.90)…
…which came with a complimentary drink…
Melissa had the spaghetti bolognese…
…while I opted for the chicken chop…
…and both were pretty good – no complaints at all, and definitely not for that kind of price and especially considering that it was at the airport where daylight robbers lie a-waiting to pounce on any victims that come their way, serving not very nice food at cut-throat prices. As a matter of fact, Melissa said that what she had was nicer than what she had here.
Soon, it was time for us to board our flight and head on home…
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
Carrot cake always reminded me of my childhood where I always had it. nowadays hard to find in JB.
Same here in Sibu… Not really nice and anyway, my daughter loves it – not me…but this one that we had in Kuching was really very good.
Woo, that char koay khak looks so yummy. I’m hungry at this moment.
It was really good – I would even say that it was better than any that I had had in Penang or elsewhere in the peninsula…and definitely better than what we can get in Sibu.
That sounds horribly convoluted! I hope Melissa gets to go for this ceremony!
Oh, how I have missed that lovely red plate! Tomato crispy noodles! I like Kuching’s “wet” kueh tiaw too, which is of course, also fried with tomato. π
It’s a very Kuching thing, you won’t get tomato by default if you order “wet” kueh tiaw/noodles in Sibu or KL but it’s what you get in the cat city. I ate a lot of it when I was working there.
That was not all! See my reply to the next comment. Something tells me they were there just the spend taxpayers’ hard-earned money on an all-expense paid holiday – staying and having everything done at the Hilton, no less…and taking the opportunity to stock up on their ikan terubok and telur terubok masin and kek lapis.
Yup! I love the Kuching tomato mee or kway teow. They can’t do it exactly the same way in Sibu – the same thing with kolo mee. Don’t get me started about those horribly pale imitations that we have here! Tsk! Tsk!
It sounds like an encore of the performance they gave you last time! π‘
Sorry to hear about all that buddy.
Hilton to boot! Oh well, guess they better milk it before GE13.
Some things will never change – never mind who’s on top… That is how those people work – will just have to learn to live with it.
I’m a low class government officer and to Ptuii is an understatement. Do the local way, kkkouuooyy Ptuii.. That should do it. Maybe I’m not graphic enough. Go to sibu town, maybe around tua pek kong area and let the apekk show you the expert way. Haha..
Kuching airport sure changes a lot. When I was there ten years ago, a plate of fried rice at the airport cafe did cost a bomb! And I can’t even bare to think of its ambience.
The chicken chop looks decent enough with lots of fries. Was the black sauce super salty? One should ask the owner to come over and eat the uncooked capsicum!
You haven’t heard the worst of it yet. We came home and Melissa got a call from an officer back in KL/Putrajaya, asking her to scan all the documents and email them to her…and she said ok! I was busy in the kitchen cooking and I heard her talking on the phone but did not know who it was or what it was all about. When I found out, I was furious! No, you can’t just say yes to everything – you have to be street smart and you have the right to ask why! So I told her to get it done, call the guy back to tell him…and then ask why and that, she did. You cannot believe what the reply was – “tertinggal di Kuching”!!!!! I don’t want to say anymore – the more I have to deal with these people, the angrier I get and I have no intention of dying just yet of a heart attack.
The chicken chop was good, the mushroom gravy was just nice. No, it was not too salty. I didn’t have a problem with the capsicum as cooked or uncooked, I do not touch those. Can’t stand the “green” smell so they’re nothing more than added colour to me, there merely for decoration. Would probably be cheaper to have two thing slices of cucumber of tomato instead. I am somewhat surprised by the prices at this one, reasonable and the food tasted pretty good some more – they’re all super-duper expensive, any Malaysia Airport in the country…even at that godown-like LCCT!
Arthur, what you say about the “People up there” I totally agree. They can make our blood boil! Anyway, coming back to the food, I love char koay kak a lot!
Shouldn’t be a problem getting that where you are – not so easy in Sibu. Kuching has some very nice ones… My daughter loves it!
Char kueh & fried noodles are my favourite. You should have try Bintawa kueh chap where people are praising high to the sky. To me, it is so-so only. I prefer the ones at Poh Kwong Park where you can side order chicken claws. Yummy!!!!…
Eyewwwww!!!! No chicken claws for me. I’d stick to the ones in Sibu, thank you very much. Bintawa…where is that? How to go? No kind soul offering to take me – best I can do when in town would be to roam around and check out the places around the hotel… π¦ Hint! Hint! Hehehehehehe!!!!!
Bintawa Kueh Chap, main branch is at Bintawa but they have opened an outlet in Tabuan Jaya area. Business is good at all time.
Got smell? Here, not so many spare parts…maybe that’s why no smell…even with the kidneys. This one at Sin Poh Poh, got smell – not too bad but I would rather have no smell at all.
All the food above looks great!! Kuching is another town to be KIV.. hahaha.. but i have been there before, only not tasted the food you mentioned above…
I keep telling everybody – to go some place, you must know people there…and people who know where the best in town is. Otherwise, you will end up eating anywhere you like…and not enjoying the food and you will all go back saying that the food in that town is no good. Like if I were to go to Penang and eat at Gurney Drive, I would also go home saying Penang food sucks big time and Penang people are downright rude and unfriendly.
Just have a look at this blog, for instance: “We were extremely disappointed with all the food we had for LUNCH, TEA BREAK, everything we had in Sibu…” http://yienyien.com/foodie/ruby-restaurant-sibu/
Whatttttt!!!!! Ruby got Arthur Wee’s coffee???? You so famous hor, must have brought in lots of business for them to name the coffee after you.. Lol! Eh, how come you never order that coffee for Pakcik and the peanut barley for me??
That time, did not know Pak Cik hardcore coffee drinker mah! Next time, sure tak lepaskan him liao… Will make sure he gets to drink the best in town – even that animal shit coffee in Indonesia cannot compete one.
Loves the Kuching-style fried noodles , kaka…
Yes, I love it!
I like eating cantonese fried noodle with tomato sauce gravy.
Ohhh….food at Apron Cafe looks not bad…surprisingly the price is okay too.
Its located near the departure hall rite?
Yup, far right. I was surprised too to get anything less than RM10.00 – malaysia airports – always expensive and not nice. Oh? So they add tomato sauce too to Cantonese fried like in Kuching – thought it’s always white like wanton hor…
NONO….of cos not over here….hehe…
Oh? Not in the peninsula? They still serve it pale like wanton hor then? I actually like it like that too. Hehehehehe!!!!
Oh Koay Kak! But it doesn’t seem like any in penang though, i know some really nice koay kak around, let me show you around when you are here next round!
I’m ok with it – it’s my daughter who loves this…and this one is Kuching is really good. We’ve had a nice one at Chai Leng Park, Prai side: https://suituapui.wordpress.com/2009/11/27/on-the-street-where-you-live/ …and the one at Red Gardens’s good too – anything better than what we can get here in Sibu. Incidentally, do you know that the or chien (oyster omelette) in Kuching is different from Penang’s too? I prefer Penang’s though….
I love a good kueh khak that has a good bite to it rather than just some flour, eggs and bean sprouts. Not easy to get good ones though these days.
No no no to funny (foul) smelling kueh chap…
This one in Kuching is good…and lots of pork crusts and chai poh, crop…crop…crop. Yup, the ones in Sibu do not have such a smell – much nicer…but we do not get such a wide variety of “spare parts” – maybe that’s why not smelly.
LOL The kueh kak looks good! π I always eat it back in Penang. and about the Anuar Zain song? I’ve heard it overplaying in one of the Malay stores I used to drop by too
I love that song but not at full blast six times or more, back to back. Tsk! Tsk!
oh fried carrot cake!! i actually love this thing, but then as time goes by, it’s really difficult to find nice ones around.. most cut down on the ingredients.. the cake isn’t carrot enough but more starchy, and there are so much less beansprouts and more importantly the pickled radish.. hmm, how disappointing and even more disappointing to find the price keeps rocketing~~
Oh? Well, here in Sibu, even the lousy ones – we only have a choice of one or two only. Used to be none – in Kuching, they have had those stalls from as far as I can remember…and they’ve always been very popular. Mu daughter loves it! Can’t remember seeing any in KL…but northern side, yes! If we see, sure we will have to order – she will want to eat that and nothing else.
Everything looks yummy here! Well, there’ll be at least 1 food pict in every post of yours, right? π
Ummm…no necessarily. It depends on what I’m blogging about. π
you never fail to make me hungry,
each of your post was a torture for me hahaha
now im craving
Is that so? Haven’t you had a nice lunch yet? Hehehehehehe!!!!!
well since spaghetti is my favorite i guess i’ll
have that first haha
Come! Come! Help yourself! Hehehehehehehe!!!!!
so much fooooooood! you’re torturing me, i didn’t manage to have lunch today (too much to do at the office), and it’s still more than two hours till dinner! heheh π
Ooooo…poor thing!!! Well, have a double helping for dinner to make up for it. Hehehehehehe!!!!!!
The carrot cake looks yummy. I prefer fried carrot cake without bean sprout. I found it nicer.
I don’t think they had bean sprouts in this one – that’s why my daughter loved it. I think she’s like you – not a fan of taugeh.
Why so angry today? Never mind, I’m here to cheer you up, ok:)) My family and I including Sammy minus Roxie ( she’s Minah Salleh, born and bred in NZ ) love Char Tow Kueh extra pedas, extra garlic and extra chai por! We would have it every Wednesday ( Pasar malam day ) while we were still living in Malaysia. Sorang sebungkus including Sam. This was the only thing that you don’t have to force feed him to eat ( you know la, he’s anoxeric a bit ). The second pic of the tomato gravy crispy noodle is like calling my name.. see only you know that the dish must be very delicious. Hopefully, I would have a chance to try it one day. Hope all is settled and you don’t have to be bothered with all the ridiculous stuff anymore.Big hug to you!
Ya, Sam does not eat very well…not like Roxie. Gee! You better fry kway teow more often for his to eat then – so kesian. Ya…plan your trip here – include a few days in Kuching, 2-3 nights and we will go and eat all the nice stuff there that we cannot get in Sibu. No lah…all still hanging. No appointment letter, nothing…even her posting “interim” – can’t be reposted anytime….just to keep people employed temporarily and happy. So we just have to wait and wait and wait…. I know other scholarship providers releasing their scholars from their bonds as they cannot find jobs for them. Many staying back overseas – so nice!
Never really bother about airport food. But hey! Gotta makan also… and gotta pay dearly for them at the airport. π¦
KFC, McD’s those places…not too bad – not a lot more expensive and the food…like that lah, same as everywhere else. But this one’s cheap lah – only RM9.90…and other value meal choices in the menu may be cheaper even. Worth checking it out if at Kuching airport.
Hi, The fried noodles look really good and tempting, carrot cake look nice and the chicken chop look awesome especially the gravy.
Have a nice week ahead.
Yup, everything was pretty good that day…except maybe the kuih chap – it was nice too, just that there was a bit of a smell.
It’s interesting to see the vege in your chicken chop. Just a piece of green and red capsicum! Ppl like me wont eat those π
The crispy noodles in tomato sauce looks good though. I love tomatoes and I’m sure I’ll love that π
That’s fried mee, Kuching style. I love it! Ya, I guess that’s just like the bit of parsley people put on top of a dish – merely for decoration and colour.
Apron Cafe…that is an interesting name. Reminds me of the “peribahasa” tied to a mom’s apron strings
“The airport ramp or apron is part of an airport. It is usually the area where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refueled etc…”
Wow… Lots of frustrations, my friend! Cool it… It will take generations and huge shift of mindsets before things get improved…
For now, let’s just enjoy your posts and food! π
Ya…we just learn to live with it…and rant to let off steam – nothing much is gonna change. π
oo.. I love the look of that nice eggy and crispy carrot cake!! love to try that for sure… our version here is not crispy and less egg… π
Oh? I thought they’re more or less the same?
Love that fried carrot cake and that tomatoes noodles, looks very good.
Oh, they have starbucks at Kuching airport? Good! I wonder when it will have one in Sibu.
Not a fan of Starbucks – I like Coffee Bean though – their all-day breakfast sets, nice!
Arthur! You should order the piansip soup from the kampua stall at Sin Poh Poh! There’s a tinge of red wine in it, very nice!
And as for char kueh, I prefer the one at Kenyalang, the stall only operates at night.
I think somebody did but I did not try – I don’t like it at all like that. My missus would buy from Soon Hock, put all in a bowl and fill it with ang chiew – I would not touch it anymore after that. Drowned out the pian sip taste – I would tell her, might as well drink the red wine straight from the bottle. Kenyalang? At night? Nobody to take me there leh – so far…and nobody tapao for me… Sobsssss!!!!!! π¦