In my previous post, I mentioned that I stayed here…
…when I went over to Kuching over a week ago.
After checking in, I had my bath…and since I was not feeling sleepy, I decided to cross over to the other side of the road and browse around the food stalls there. I wasn’t exactly hungry but when I chanced upon this stall…
…I decided there and then that I just had to eat it!
As far back as in the 70’s, we would make the beeline to The Open Air Market to eat this and it was our favourite all those years. The last time I had it there, I thought it was not good at all and I never bothered going back there again. Since they had a stall here, I thought I might as well give it a try…for old times’ sake.
I must say that I liked how the guy wore a mask while he was cooking – that certainly was very hygienic and any effort thus inclined should be given due appreciation. This was what I had…
…the mee kosong (plain noodles), RM2.50…
…and the mixed soup, RM6.50)…
Mixed? But there wasn’t much else other than the meat in that with a whole lot of taugeh (bean sprouts) underneath!
As they say, the test of the pudding is in the eating…and unfortunately, I did not think it was nice. Yes, it was edible…but I could not understand why or how we could love it so much during those long gone days. Perhaps, it was nicer then, I wouldn’t know – I can’t remember now.
A cousin of mine from Kuching was in Sibu last week and she was not a fan of those either – she thought they were grossly over-rated and I took her here to try our version of the beef noodles…
…and she liked it a lot!
The kampua wasn’t as dry as usual that morning but still, it was good and there! You can see the tendon and the tripe alongside the meat in their mixed soup here…
…and the last time I took note of the price, it was only RM5.00 for the combo. I am pretty sure it has gone up now but I don’t think it has gone up to as much as RM9.00!!! Of course, the serving here is smaller but there was more than enough (for me) and even the chili dip here was nicer.
Anyway, that night, after I had had that brief walk down memory lane, I called it a day and went back to the hotel…disappointed.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
sometimes, good memories are best left as they are…
I guess nothing lasts forever. In fact, the very nice beef noodles in Sibu that we grew up eating when we were small, the only one in town, aren’t nice anymore. Never bother to go for those these days.
The guy was certainly hygienic in wearing a face mask.
Had the kolo mee and sarawak laksa from the same shop that you ate at. Not the best but certainly tastier than many kl shops π
The kolo mee’s pretty good – see tomorrow’s post…but I did not try the laksa. Ya, the guy took off his mask later when he was not cooking – he is actually very good-looking, I wonder if he’s one of Ah Mui’s sons…
Used to be the in-place for dinner and supper in Kuching. Now mostly crowds move to 101 Premier which is not far from where you stayed but will take you about 20 minutes walk to reach 101 Premier.
I have been to Ah Sian beef. Hubby likes its beef soup. And wow! How the price rocketed? That expensive. But I do like its kosong noodle.
Kuching people very rich mah, must pay more. Muahahahahaha!!!! Ah Sian’s soup is good – best to go earlier in the day, not so diluted. π WALK!!!??? 20 MINUTES!!!???? No, thank you. π
Ah Mui beef noodles at Open Air Market, not very consistent in their preparation. Sometimes the broth taste very good (kaw kaw) and at times so dilute but I like the chilli dip with ginger. Blends well with the beef noodles.
This one not the same? The dip wasn’t great either. Our Ah Sian’s so nice that I bought a bottle home – RM15.00!!! Open air, that last time I went around 10 something at night – the soup like salted vegetable soup. Never went back there again. π¦
I only saw meat inside the soup.. Got tendons and others like meatballs, ngau lam or tripe?
The most important element is the soup I think, so if the soup is not nice, then the whole thing is not nice liao.. The mee kosong looks hard tho’…
Not hard, just the taste – used to be something like kolo mee without the meat and everything. This one has its own taste – can’t say that I liked it a lot. Soup is also so-so, not great. Ours in Sibu a lot nicer. Yup…only meat…looked like a lot of it but actually not that many pieces on a bed of taugeh. π¦
the noodles look springy and al dante the way i like, is that some special noodles like those used in kampua and kolo, or just ordinary yellow noodles?? the boss was wearing a mask, was he wearing gloves too??
Didn’t take a look at his hands… π I think in Kuching, it would be the kolo mee noodles, firmer than kampua. That’s why kampua must never be cooked for too long to get it just right. Nope, it’s not yellow noodles…unless you order the soup version here – they’ll used yellow noodles. Not sure about Kuching – I always order soup + dry and kosong like this.
Not enough??? Hehe…didn’t order another dish?
Did I say that? Don’t think I said anywhere that it was not enough – more than enough, in fact. Just not nice – not like what I remember it to be.
I prefer the one, last picture…
That’s what you can get here…right here in good ol’ Sibu town. π
The noodles seem okay but the soup…. like watery and diluted?
All not to my liking, ok…but not the way it used to be. Sometimes when it looked thick, it’s because they did not tapis the froth plus they did not turn down the fire when simmering the bones – clear does not necessarily mean that it is diluted. The test is in the eating.
Maybe since it’s night time, some parts like stomach etc habis already ?
Maybe, maybe. Here, an old lady selling beef noodles round the corner from my house – she will tell if she has run out of those…and you will get to decide whether you mind getting beef only.
I’m sorry you were disappointed. Good food can make you feel great and average or poor food is unsatisfying.
Yes, don;t mind if it’s expensive – as long as it is very nice, value for money. Will go home happy.
Yeah, your Ah Sian Beef Noodle in Sibu certainly looks much better, from the photos. Love to eat the tripes, tendon and meatball. I think the soup base is very important, sort of determine the tastiness of the whole dish. I am a big fan of beef noodles with mixed soup, but over here very expensive! Rm12.00! And not THAT great, just ok.. π
Lot 10 Hutong? Supposed to be the best in KL? Never tried. Had some good ones at Jalan Petaling in the 80’s – dunno if they’re still there. Our Ah Sian, more or less like those.
The one at lot 10 hutong ok lah, but famous for its dry version. I prefer the one downtown near Petaling Street and Central Market. Soup version, very nice. But long time didn’t visit the stall, parking a nightmare there.
Yup! Same reason why I have not been to those parts for a long long time. So congested, so jammed, so hot and stuffy, so dirty, so everything…no, thank you! I’d rather do without whatever they may have to offer there, however nice..
That’s quite a big portion of beef in a bowl.
The one in Kuching? Yes, for RM6.50, I would expect a lot!
inflation everywhere.. i’m feeling it horribly in recent times ><
Eat at home more – cheaper and a lot healthier too!
Two possibilities – the cooking style/ingredients changed or your tastebuds changed. I have had disappointments with my old childhood favourites too. Some of the kuehs I used to love in my hometown don’t taste as good anymore. Some due to the ingredients (too much flour, less eggs) and some due to change in my preference.
Also the possibility that the old folks have died and either the younger ones never managed to acquire the skill or are not as good as it…or they take shortcuts or try to shortchange customers to make more profit.
ooo, i’m also on the hunt for good beef noodles. i have a bit of a cold this week, so i want soupy and hot stuff with lotsa protein! π
I know the one at Lot 10 Hutong is among the best in the city, not sure about others elsewhere.
I like the fact that they actually sell mee kosong. π
We can have kampua without meat too – 30 sen during my school days and that was about all we could afford then, 50 sen with meat. Now, it’s RM2.00, I think…kosong and with meat, RM2.50 or more at some places. π¦
We are now living in a world of price increasing every now and then…. nothing is cheap anymore, seriously.. in Ipoh same too.. everything has increased.. a bowl of noodles easily RM5 now..
Thank goodness we have places selling kampua at RM2.50 still… π
Ah Xiang beef noodles, yes, been there once, love the soup and the meat. Will go this trip when i am back!
I’ll follow. Love it too!!! Melissa’s favourite kampua in town!
Such a comforting and also sinfully delicious noodle soup, i guess 30 minutes on treatmill won’t paid it off,
but who the hell care then…..
If you see my shape and size, nothing can help me…so look on the bright side – nothing can stop me either. π
Time flies… the price getting high, the portion getting small and the quality become worst. huuu…
Must know where to go…or cook at home. Cheaper, healthier and a lot nicer.
I’ve certainly been in the Noodle Mood as of late. A few nights ago I did a Veggie/Noodle Teriyaki but added even more peas and asparagus to it!
It’s so strange comparing prices (and quality) throughout the years – I know what you mean! My husband likes this Pizza Place nearby and it’s not my favorite or even close to it but they do make special no-cheese/no-meat pizzas for me so I will eat it every once and a while and this past week we had it and I got Mushrooms and Tomatoes on it and I ended up eating a few pieces and tossing the rest which I rarely ever do.
We had pizza – twice! Posts on that coming right up…very soon.
Arthur, sorry that you had to be in Kuching under such sad circumstances. You are right, the Ah Mui Beef Noodle stall at RH is a big let down these days. To enjoy a tasty bowl of beef noodles, try Green Hill Corner (opposite the old Rex cinema) the next time you are in Kuching.
Yup! End of the block where Harbour View is. They say those are Ah Mui’s relatives. Seems that Ah Mui’s older son has a branch at Satok – very nice, just like how the old man used to do it.