Some things never change…

My young friends, Julia and Luke, are back in Sibu for the holidays from Perth, Australia and we went out for lunch last Saturday.

Initially, our plan was to go for the nasi kerabu here but when we got there at around noon, it was already sold out. I noticed that they had a lot of all the condiments left so I guessed they probably ran out of the blue rice. Hmmmm….they could have asked whether we would like plain rice plus the whole works instead. After all, the rice is nothing more than the colour from the blue/butterfly pea flower (bunga telang), assuming that they use that, that is, and it is virtually quite tasteless. Ah well…I guess some people are like that – single-track minds that are not able to twist and turn and make the most of whatever situation they may have on their hands.

In the end, we decided to drop by here instead as being home from overseas, I was thinking that they would probably prefer something Asian instead of stuff that they can get quite easily abroad. All right, the cafe people have finally decided to get rid of the horrendously gaudy decor, thank goodness, but the loud Malay rock songs were still there, blaring out of the speakers all around. I really wonder whether my ears are kind of over-sensitive or what…or some people are indeed a little bit deaf. Tsk! Tsk!

We placed our orders promptly…and like the last time around, they came back to tell us that they were out of  mutton curry so Julia had to settle for the chicken instead to go with her nasi bryani…

…while Luke had no problem getting the beef that he wanted…

Melissa decided to go for what I had ordered instead – the so-called Asia nyonya ayam penyet…

…which was more than half the price of what we had on our previous visits (from the dinner menu) and probably, half the enjoyment as well.

All our orders were only RM8.00 each – very cheap, I would say, for a cafe…but Melissa and I waited and waited and waited…and even after Julia and Luke had finished, there was still no sign of our clobbered chicken. In the end, I had to go and find out what was going on and the  waiter told me that they had run out and asked if I wanted to order something else. Well, I MOST CERTAINLY DID NOT!!!! I insisted on getting what I wanted and in the meantime, the boss appeared and I told him about our  predicament. He said he would look into it…and in no time at all, we were served!

I really do not know what is going on at this place for this was almost exactly like what we had experienced the previous time we dropped by here and I was so pissed off by it all. Ah well…maybe it’s just me as I noticed that they did seem to get  a fair number of customers and they all seemed quite docile, definitely not as if they were unhappy or anything.

We enjoyed the roti canai pisang the last time we were here and I ordered that again but when it was served, we were somewhat disappointed as it was sooooo small!!!

It tasted just as good though and though we thought it strange that it was served with the sambal and dhal dips, they actually went very well together and we certainly did enjoy that! When I went to settle the bill, I saw that this was only RM3.00 compared to RM10.90 for the big one, available in the dinner menu. Fair enough, don’t you think? And the best part was that it was nice, no complaints as far as this was concerned.

It sure was nice seeing you two again, Julia and Luke – so very sweet of you two to want to go out with this old man and thank you so much, Julia, for this…

…that you brought home from your brief trip to Malacca recently…and thanks a lot to you too, Luke, for these goodies…

…that you brought home from Perth though you did not make it back here in time before Christmas. It’s no matter really – I am sure I would enjoy them just as much. Oooo…one’s infused with brandy and the other has Scotch whisky in it! *hiccups* LOL!!!

Well, I am not sure whether I will be going back to this particular cafe again or not – I like the ayam penyet (the more expensive one on the dinner menu) a lot and as far as I know, this is the only place in town where we can get the roti canai pisang…and I do enjoy it very much. Maybe I would, maybe I wouldn’t – we’ll see…but I am sure that if I do, I would have to brace myself to expect more or less those same vexations and frustrations. Some things, I know, never change. Tsk! Tsk!!!