Touch…

We may go and grab a bite to eat at a coffee shop – we order something, get served, eat and leave. If it is nice, we may come back again but it is usually very impersonal – I don’t know you, you don’t know me. If the food is really good, we may go back again and after a few visits, the people may be more familiar with us and may start to smile or greet or even carry on some small talk with us and sometimes, we may not even need to order – they know exactly what we want. Now that we have moved to a whole new level and are getting a bit more personal than before, we may feel more comfortable going there and would go again and again and again.

I cannot understand how people are willing to go and queue under the hot sun (or in the rain) to go and buy something and then stand or squat around to eat. That is so ridiculous, if you ask me – adding insult to injury…and at times, they will scold you even if you ask one question too many! More often than not, what they sell is grossly over-rated. Ok, it’s good but nothing can be that good as to subject oneself to such humiliation and utter disrespect. Maybe it’s this thing about young people today – they see it as a whole package and think it is a whole lot of fun. Going through the motions and getting to eat what everyone else is praising to the skies give them a sense of achievement, sort of.

Likewise in the cafés and restaurants, I do not mind paying a bit more for a nicer ambiance and better, friendlier service. Some places have nice decor, service is good but on the whole, they are cold and impersonal. I may want to go again if the food is really that good but I think I would prefer going some place that makes me feel like home, warm and welcomed. But of course, what is good for the goose may not be the same for the gander! Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion on these things.

I do not usually expect freebies and discounts but I would appreciate it if, on their own initiative, they would round up the figure and waive the small change in the total. Like the other day, at this place, the total came up to RM27.30…and I forked out RM27.00 exactly. No, that was no good – I had to come out with the 30 sen, no matter what…and in the  end, I gave them RM50.00 and they paid me back RM22.70. Ok, business is business but it is just a matter of 30 sen and a little gesture like that would go a long way in building some kind of goodwill and rapport with the customers and that would in some way make them feel like coming back for more.

Another thing would be the importance of seeing to the customers’ needs. I guess the Foochow mee sua here is very popular – I have been here four times wanting to have that and three times, they were “out of chicken” – that was what they said! Of course, like me, most people would order something else instead even though it might be something that they did not really want…

…and in my case, I had their laksa (RM8.80) that I had a long time ago and I did not like it but I heard a lot of people saying it was good so I decided to give it another try…since they did not have any mee sua.

Ok, to be fair, they never state that theirs is Sarawak or Kuching laksa so the fact that theirs is different is their prerogative…and yes, I would say, I thought it was quite nice and I would not mind having it again sometimes for a change…

…but I would not want to drag anybody here and get them to order that and telling them – that’s our Sarawak laksa! That’s what Kuching laksa is like! Not at all!!!

I dropped by that morning with my ex-student, Daniel, who was home from Aberdeen for a one-week break and he wanted mee sua and since it  was not avaialble, in the end, he went for their lor mee (RM5.90)…

…but he did not say a thing so I would not know whether he thought it was any good or not…unlike in the case of their fried kompia with stuffed with stewed pork belly (RM4.80, RM1.60 each now!!!)…

He tried one and he said it was very good but he was too full to have any more – no prize for guessing who finished the other two now! Hehehehehe!!!!

I really cannot see why they cannot prepare more chicken soup in anticipation of the numerous orders for their mee sua. I mean if it had happened once or twice, it may be excusable but three is definitely once too many. Somehow or other, it came across to me like they were stalling for time – ok, no more…so order something else and when everything else is sold out, then we will start stocking up on what is finished, and you can have mee sua again then.

I know places too where they will give you a little bit extra or make yours a little bit more special than the rest…and they will come around to mingle just to say hello, how are you and hope that the food is satisfactory – all that kind of small talk but not for so long that it would distract you from the enjoyment of your meal. I think in the Bible, there is a story of two sisters, Martha and Mary, and the message there is along this same line – sometimes, the best food is not what is the most important, what may be a lot crucial as well would be that special personal touch…