Choose…

If you come to Sibu, you would certainly be spoilt for choice when it comes to kampua noodles. Some will tell you that one would be the best in town while others would beg to differ and insist on their own choice. Well, this is another one of those that I’ve heard people saying is among the best around…

…and it’s at this corner coffee shop at the beginning of Channel Road here…

You can see Kingwood Hotel in the photograph so it is actually within walking distance. Perhaps you would be somewhat amused by the sight of one of those old buses that we still have on our roads here – I guess they’re not seen pretty much elsewhere these days in the bigger towns and cities in the country.

When I was growing up, my father ran his business in a shop a stone’s throw away (around where I was standing to take the above photograph) and he would telephone this particular coffee shop to order drinks as and when necessary and they would record everything in one of those little 555 notebooks and he would pay them at the end of the month. I don’t think we ever ordered anything to eat from there then but I particularly remember that every afternoon, there would be some old men sitting around playing their traditional Chinese musical instruments. I’m not too sure but I guess one would not be able to see anything of the sort anymore these days.

Anyway, back to the kampua noodles, I would say that what I had was very good. The fact that my friend, Philip, when he was home from the US, went there after 10.00 a.m. and they were all sold out would be enough evidence as to how popular the noodles are and how good people here consider them to be. The one I tried that day certainly had the fragrance of lard and fried shallots – you can see traces of the oil by the side of the plate and though I would say it was good, personally, I’m more a fan of the hybrids here…

…or here…

…which some people do not like as they think these are not really authentic, not the original kampua noodles that they grew up eating.

Ah well! As I always say, one man’s meat is another man’s poison. You’re free to choose whatever tickles your fancy…