We arrived in Bintulu at around 5.00 p.m. that day and after checking in at the hotel, my missus and I went on a random drive around the old town and we ended up here…
If I am not mistaken, the locals usually refer to this place as the Tanjung Batu beach. There is another one at the Similajau National Park, but we did not bother to check that one out.
It being a Sunday evening, the place was crowded and I was quite put off by the rampant littering all over the otherwise very beautiful park located at such a scenic seaside location…
There are some stalls there…
…and to put it mildly, they did not look very clean nor presentable. I only saw one stall selling satay and stuff, run by some Chinese boys so my guess would be that there should be more but they were not open as this is the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan. The rest were selling drinks, ABC and so on. I saw this man cutting a coconut…
– he certainly was enjoying brisk business selling his coconut drinks in the current hot and dry weather that we are experiencing here right now.
As I have mentioned in my previous post, I do think the town authorities should pull up their socks and take some drastic action to improve the state of affairs in this town…especially at this beautiful beach…
…which would have been such a pleasant place to relax or go for a stroll…
…had it not been spoilt by the crowd that frequent the place.
After a brief stop here, we went back to the hotel to bathe and get ready for dinner here…
My cousin’s children, the son from KL and the eldest daughter from Penang, and their families were arriving that same day and they were going for dinner at this restaurant right across the road from the hotel where we were staying and she had asked us to join them.
I enjoyed the midin, fried with garlic…
…so much as it was very nicely done – very “sweet” and crunchy, absolutely perfect. Maybe I was hungry after the long drive and the long day but I honestly thought I had never tasted midin that was nicer anywhere else, ever.
The sweet Thai chili chicken…
…was very good too and so was their hot plate tofu dish…
I hear this is one of the signature dishes of the house.
The fried bitter gourd with salted egg…
…was fine, as good as any elsewhere but I thought the salt-baked fish…
…I had here was a lot better. This was similar to what I had here and if I am not wrong, it was the salt they used. It was good on top but when one reached the lower part of the fish, it would be way too salty with all that salt around.
The so-called Philippine pork leg a.k.a. crispy pata…
…wasn’t anything like what I’ve always known it to be. I don’t think it was deep fried like in the case of the usual ones. This came across like roast suckling pig except that we only got the leg, not the whole animal. It was nice, of course, but we were already too full by then…so I just had a bit of it.
After that scrumptious dinner, it was time to head back to the hotel and hit the sack for I had to get up early the next morning to pick two aunties of mine who would be flying in from Kuching. Thank you so much to my cousin, her hubby and family for this very delicious welcome treat upon our arrival in Bintulu.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
Really beautiful beach…. and you have some nice shots too 😀
Thanks. From a DSLR-er, that is indeed a compliment. 😉
and oh! the title of this blog post… evening “cum”? 😛
You need new glasses. The spelling is in standard English not those American slang.
It’s actually a song by Cliff Richard from his musical “Alladin and his Wonderful Lamp” at the London Palladium in the 60’s, long before Disney’s. I actually won the album on a radio show – black vinyl record and it was way before the station was TraxxFm, even before it was blue network – no FM then, no MW…just shortwave. This is my favourite song from the whole album.
Well, come back tomorrow it it thrills you so much…and you’ll get the morning one. >.<
Oh dear, look at those litter all over the place.. Certainly doesn’t look very unpleasant.. Oohh I know the first food photo right away, midin! Tofu as usual can’t go wrong, especially in a hot plate with minced meat and lots of gravy..
Re. earlier comment. Somebody does not agree with you about the tofu and the gravy. I loved it! To each his own!
Typo: Certainly looks very unpleasant..
Yup, I could guess you mean that. I do think there should be litter bins everywhere but no, I did not see any…and I do think that not only should such nice places, parks and all, be well-maintained by the authorities concerned, the people should be more responsible as well…and I’m talking about everywhere, not only in Bintulu – the same in Sibu and other towns and cities in the country. Often, I see everything abused and damaged, litter all over. I guess that’s the Malaysian mentality – take everything for granted, expect everybody else to do it…and points the accusing finger at everybody but themselves. Sad, real pathetic lot – Malaysians!
Haiz…why people eat they don’t clean up…simply throw sampah everywhere
Exactly!!! Or the stall people could do that – not just earn money…and do something to make their stalls cleaner, neater and look a whole lot nicer. Why, they can even paint the place or their own stall themselves, have some decent-looking awnings for shade and shelter from the rain. Can’t wait for those people – they may not have enough money left after what goes into the pockets…to do it for you. 😦 The stalls all look so bad that I would not have any second thought about not eating there.
Yum yum.. look at that claypot tofu.. overflowing with gravy!
It was on a hot plate – very very nice.
I am eyeing the pork leg hee..hee…too bad it came last when you were all so full up.
Yes, and too bad it was not at home and I could take out my sambal belacan dip…and eat with my hands. That would be heavenly! Hehehehehehe!!!!!!
Sad to see littering all around…human being argh…. =[
Sad…very very sad indeed! Such a beautiful place turned into such an eyesore.
As always, food looks great especially the midin, thai chilli chicken & tofu. Beautiful beach but sad to see rubbish littering all around which is unpleasant to the eyes. Hey, I can spot people “pak toh” there, hehehe….
Hahahaha!!! You did that before? Bako? Santubong? Not me, no beach in Sibu. Hehehehehehe!!!!!!
Sad, more and more of such inconsiderate people around these days – it’s not my job, you do it! I pay taxes, I demand that you do everything – not me, not my responsibility. Sibu is VERY clean not because of the people but the town council has people going round early every morning to pick up every bit of litter. Just drive out of town – on the road to Selangau/Bintulu, at the very first traffic lights, look at the islands by the sides – FULL of litter, empty mineral water bottles and what not!
And I have seen so often – people in expensive luxury cars – throwing tissue paper, plastic bags and polystyrene containers after they have finished the drink or food (or their kids on their way from one tuition centre to another) So so so so disgraceful. I just cannot understand the mentality of these people. Their actions reflect what they truly are, despite their expensive cars – NO CLASS AT ALL!!!
I always told my students who hated doing their daily duties – if they cooperate and keep their classroom clean at all times (and no litter in their desks, all in neat lines), at the end of the day, there would not be anything to clean up – nothing much to do and they could go back home as soon as the bell rang.
Driving luxury car, throwing tissues, plastic bags, empty mineral bottles, cigarettes buds, etc…are all the common sight. Stopping at traffic lights, seeing people spitting out, yucksssss, digusting.
Sad, really really sad – the mentality and attitude of people nowadays. Something has gone terribly wrong somewhere. 😦
I love all the dishes you guys had!! Drooling! I am hungry now. Had muesli for breakfast this morning.
Good, good… Healthy eating = healthy living. Hehehehehehe!!!!
Looks really interesting! 🙂
It does?
Wah … The place looks very natural instead of those commercialise beaches. I’m sure the seafood is very fresh !
Seafood is very fresh – my brother-in-law would bring home some all the time (re. two posts ago)…and my cousin gave me some too – watch out for the post on that. That, unfortunately, does not mean it is cheap (“gas people” very rich, willing to fork out the money, no problem) – maybe the same as here or even more just that it is very very fresh.
I loves the beach pictures, so nice…
Came out really great indeed. It was a good day.
I’m gonna need those crispy pata!
Walked past a Filipino cafe when I was in Bintulu – they were cooking that and I could smell it from the road. Drooling away like what…but the others with me did not get the hints I was dropping that we could stop there for lunch, they did not seem at all interested. 😦
The salt baked fish looks interesting… something I would love to try… hahahaa.. do I have to fly all the way there? 🙂 It is really a scrumptious dinner for you, no doubt about that… you seem to have cousins here and there and they are so nice to take you for good food too!
They have that in KL, the Kucings took me there to eat, Batu Caves area – the first time. Nice also…but the fish was not as fresh, not so sweet. If you come, I can take you to try the one we have here – best in the world! 😀 Yes, it is best to go to places where there are friends and family members to take you around to eat what’s good in town – not just go on your own and try at random…and when things are not so great, they generalise and complain that the food in that town/city/state is not good. I’ve seen a lot of people doing that in their blogs.
I know right.. Last time when I go to Japan, I saw a tourist littering and then, a Japanese pick the litter and hand it over to the tourist back and say “I’m sorry but you just dropped this.” If I was the one who experienced that I’ll be completely ashamed of myself.
…and if we do that here, we may get bashed up in the end. I would pick up the litter – if there is just one or two pieces…and throw it away in a litter bin but there was simply too much of it there and there wasn’t any litter bin in sight. Before I retired, when I see any in school, I would either pick it up myself…or ask a student to do it and the usual response would be, “I did not throw it!” I would quietly reply, “I know you did not but if it had been a RM10 note, would you not pick it up? Would you say it was not yours, you did not throw it?” And the boy would grudgingly pick it up and throw it away in its proper place.
That tofu dish looks good la, look at the gravy!!
One of their signature dishes.
Beautiful sunset!
Food looks very good, yum yum!!
Yes, wanted to go back again, second round…but did not make it, not enough time. Another trip perhaps.
i like your photos of the sunset … with the trees in the foreground. cantik! 😀
Yeah, they came out pretty well.
I like the bitter gourd with salted egg, last time I don’t know how to appreciate bitter gourd now I simply love the dish
Same here.
My house is less than 5 minutes drive to the beach so used to go there at least once a week if not more. At one stage everyday (during SPM time to let off steam after studying). Haven’t been to that restaurant, amazingly. Lol
My brother-in-law stays in the area too, Tanjung Batu, dunno exactly where.