I was in the vicinity of the Rejang Park shops here that day as I had to go to the mini-post office there to send some stuff and I stopped by this coffee shop…
…that I’ve blogged about several times before, here and here, for instance.
Sometime ago, there used to be a stall here selling fish noodles and it was very popular. Long queues were the order of the day and after you had asked for what you wanted, you would have to stand there and wait. Once it was ready, you would have to take it yourself, self-service. The tom yam was everyone’s favourite but when I went once, I had the clear soup fish bihun and I thought it was all right – it certainly did not get me running back for more. Well, the lady has moved elsewhere and no, I have never gone to check her out at her new place but I hear the situation has remained unchanged. For one thing, she certainly is no Miss Congeniality and I certainly have no intention of patronising places with people like that. We pay them money, they make a living out of us so they should show us at least a little bit of respect. Surely it does not hurt one bit to be a little bit nice to people and I just cannot understand why people would want to keep going to such places at the risk of being scolded. Real silly, don’t you think? There are things that I can live without and I certainly can do without those things sold by this kind of people.
Well, I heard that her brother has set up his own stall at the old place selling the same things and no, he will serve you at your table – you will not have to do it yourself. Since I was around there that morning, I thought I would just check it out…
…and yes, the guy was very nice and friendly. Who says the fruits from the same tree are all the same?
My missus would probably want the zhao cai – she loves that with its sourish preserved vegetable soup and somehow, I could not get myself to go for the tom yam. Boring ol’ me, I just asked for the chin tan or clear soup with hung ngang, the big bihun (RM6.00)…
…which was nice even though I had a problem with eating the noodles using a pair of chopsticks – I’m not very good at using those. I wasn’t exactly fond of the fish either. If I’m not mistaken, it was just those frozen fish fillet, usually Dory, that isn’t my favourite. Preferably, he could use some of the local fish fillet and he can always charge more should anyone asks for that.
Other than that, the soup was very much to my liking – light and tasty and I enjoyed the minced meat balls…
…that came with it.
There used to be an old lady at the stall next to this one…
– she used to dish out some pretty nice stuff and I remember specifically her char kway teow and her pek koi. I did not see her that morning and I was not sure if these people were related to her or they had taken over that stall.
For one thing, I think the coffee here is cheaper – my kopi-o-peng (iced black coffee) was only RM1.60 compared to RM1.80 elsewhere and besides, I enjoyed the old Mandarin favourites that they played not too loudly at the place! Ahhhh!!! What sweet memories those songs bring!!!
FOOTNOTE:
I have received a series of anonymous comments, using an email address that led me to one of those food groups on Facebook but I am not sure if that Facebook page and the person concerned here are indeed related.
Well, according to one of the comments,
“…the owner have long change; The foods there is pretty delicious already; You should actually try the new foods there instead of commenting…” [SIC]
In another comment, the commentor said:
“just to add on–>I just cannot understand why people would want to keep going to such places at the risk of being scolded ; you really should find out next time before posted this…I mean I believe not only me but people that live around there like me certainly knew that the owner have change, so….do visit the place at the its busiest time: when I meant busy, it is very very busy…” [SIC]
…and in yet another comment, the person remarked:
“…I really suggest that you go and try that place again since the owner have changed totally; I am certainly surprise by the way you wrote it without finding out information as this actually decrease my credibility towards your blog… even the one who whom do the drinks for this shop have changed -.- ; For goodness sake, please go and try again…I am actually surprise and disappointed =( by the way you insult the new owner…” [SIC]
From the latter comment, as I understand it, it seems that what he/she meant is that somebody else has taken over the noodle stall and somebody else has taken over the selling of the drinks in the shop. The comments are kind of vague and I am not even sure but it seems he/she is talking about this particular shop in my post. Yes, I did notice that there are new people running THIS coffee shop – Happy Hours…and the food stalls (not too sure about the kampua stall in front and the chu char place at the back which was not open that morning)…and I did say I liked what I had and the guy was nice and friendly, the coffee was cheaper than elsewhere and I enjoyed the Mandarin songs played. Well, if we are talking about the one and the same, then I do not know what the commentor is going on and on about since I did not say anything not too flattering about this place, the place, the people nor the food.
Nonetheless, thank you for your comments whoever you are but if I may add, “It is not so much what you say but how you say it.” I am indeed thankful for any added information, correction and even personal opinions contrary to mine that anyone would like to share but it would be nice if people can try and put them across nicely or in a more pleasant manner instead of just barging in and scolding away – just like the kind of people aforementioned in the post. Thank you.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
I’ll definitely go for tomyum. I only take clear soup noodles on days I am under the weather. I have spicy tongue 😀
True blue nyonya. What else is spicy? 😉 😉 Hehehehehehe!!!!
Very nice! 🙂 I am not at all good at using chopsticks, either!
That makes two of us.
Did her brother used to work with her? I don’t get it either, be nice to others. And be ye kind, one to another, tender hearted forgiving one another, even as Christ has forgiven you. That’s great that her brother is not the same way.
Probably or maybe he was doing something else and decided that this would be better so he switched and now runs a stall of his own, just like his sister’s. Thankfully, he is very nice, not like the sister.
I forgot to add that your title made me think of this song… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cp6mKbRTQY
Yes, I like that song of theirs and also their “Wake me up”.
I like ching tong noodles too.. When I eat out, I will usually order ching tong whereas hubby will go for the dry one.. I love my noodles with lots of minced meat, liver too if possible.. Yummzzz..
That’s why I enjoy kway teow th’ng. Nice one in Jalan Alor, Foochow guy from Sitiawan but he has to cook himself. Had it once done by the Indon maid, not so nice.
I think that the stall I ordered my fried mihun the other day. That old lady stall but mend by young adults. Not nice.
Hmm. I only been there once. Maybe I will try again. I am tempted to try the tom yam.
Never had the bihun, just the kway teow and pek koi and they were quite nice – not the best in town but nice. Seems she and the rest are no longer there though – some other people are running the stall.
Definitely clear soup for me. Oh yeah, lovely song, brings back sweet memories of the past.
Sweet memories for you too? 😉 😉 Hehehehehehe!!!!
Hahha…its not easy to.eat this type of noodles with chopsticks. Use a spoon..I also like oldies but cantonese songs.
Not into Cantonese as I don’t understand a word, so some Cantonese songs, I’d go for the Mandarin versions.
That is very old song. Long time have not heard that
80’s…I think.
Beautiful song. Never heard it before and who are the two singers?
You don’t know Liu Chia/Jia Chang? Husband of Chen Chen. I bet you know her, the Taiwan actress from Lin Chin Hsia time. He’s a singer/composer – I do love some of his songs though not really fond of some of them like Mei Hua (Sakura) by Teresa Teng or Ying Her (Moon River). The lady singer is You Yia, his resident singer – like what Dione Warwick was to Burt Bacarach, sang all his songs. You probably know his songs just that you don’t know he wrote them.
Yes, big fan of Liu Chia Chang I didn’t recognize him there. My fav Chen Chen movie — Hai Ou Fei Chu. I know he wrote the music for the movie. I’ll have to check out You Yia. I’m sure she sang some of the songs on that movie. BTW, thanks for offering the Saga. That’s very generous and kind of you! Not sure if I can accept such a big favor. How to repay!
Ahhhh!!!! If I’m not mistaken, that was her first movie – took the Asian World by storm, so beautiful…and alongside the late Alan Tan, so handsome then too. Taiwan movies were so in then with heartthrobs like Chin Hsiang Lin and Chin Han and the ladies would be Chen Chen, Lin Chin Hsia, Ling Fong Chiao (Jackie Chan’s wife), Hu Yi Mong. Yup…all the songs in those movies were sung by You Yia, if written by Liu Jia Chang…but there were others too like Fung Fei Fei and the rest.
Haiyor!!! What’s there to repay? Old car! You would be doing me a favour if you agree to use it. Dunno if you’ll be comfortable with it though. I always feel “different” when driving other people’s cars – not so used to it…but ok after a while.
那首歌好听。。。
It is. Soothing, romantic.
Clear soup looks nice and I love to order hot clear soup when I am not feeling too well…
For me, clear soup anytime. Light and refreshing.
Those type of coarse bihun is quite common when it comes to fish-based noodles…it’s nice. I don’t know why but it’s always those places that do roaring business that have ‘stinky’ attitude (they think that their food is so good that we won’t mind). My husband is just like you…he doesn’t like to patronise such places (he says he’s not going to die if he doesn’t eat it…say it in Cantonese…sounds more impactful). But, I do (sometimes) when I can’t help it…coz the food is just too good to resist! I just don’t make special orders (like I don’t want this or I want more of that) so that I don’t incur their wrath 😉 !!
Your husband is just like me then. I mean…you go some place happily, want to enjoy eating…and then get scolded, sure mood spoilt already. Even when people seem unfriendly, long long faces, I will not enjoy eating anymore. 😦 Young people don’t seem to mind – stand and queue in the hot sun for so long to eat something and if end up getting scolded again, I really can’t understand why anybody would want to put himself or herself through that.
i do agree.. why pay and get scolded??!!! issshh.. not like without you i cannot go other places and eat =.=” recently i am kind of sensitive to this kind of people. Like hello??!! We are not begging or eating for free.. we are paying.. and you are getting money from us.. can’t you be a little more friendly??!!!
sorry… just had a bad morning…
Exactly! Not that they are paying us – in that case, at times, we would just have to keep quiet and take the money…if we do not have a choice. Otherwise, I would just tell them to shove their money in their you-know-where. Everyone should learn to be nice to others, respect others – we’re all the same, humans. I always tell myself – what goes around comes around and they’ll get a taste of their own medicine some day.
Too bad he used dory. I don’t like this fish though I used to cook it due to convenience. Oh, I do not like those rude and surly people and will never buy anything from them. Luckily this lady’s brother is of a different disposition.
Yes, very nice guy – wouldn’t mind going back again. Dory may be fine if deep fried first, for instance, for sweet and sour fish. That’s what they do in the big restaurants here for their grand banquets – if it’s deep fried, sweet and sour – chances are the fish is not all that fresh. The deep frying would hide the lack of sweetness in not-so-fresh fish and the fishy smell. If steamed, you can bet the fish is fresh, very fresh and sweet and nice.
Wow! I noticed all the stalls in Sibu are having these nice photos of dishes now.
I wonder when it started? I saw Aloha totally revamping their stalls and the signboards and photos of dishes were sponsored by Revive (the isotonic drink).
Haha! Yeah, I agree, I don’t understand those who are so grumpy and yet wants to be in the food service industry, it’s a disgrace to other chefs who are friendly and nice. Waitresses can be a mixed bunch too, some are real friendly and nice while others just wants to sit down and would pretend not to see you when you come so they don’t have to get up.
That’s why I love Payung – everybody is so nice and friendly and fast and super efficient and the food’s great. I really don’t mind paying a bit more compared to places where people are so aloof, much less if they’re unfriendly or worse…rude and grumpy.
I totally agree mate…
I don’t mind paying extra for service, coz eating at those places where they’re lazy or unfriendly or grumpy just ruins the experience.
Yes, we’re not the only ones, that’s for sure.
heheh, i chuckled at your description of ms non-congeniality 😀
LOL!!! I’m so bad hor. So good at passing comments and criticising others. Blush! Blush!
Lol, I too, chuckled at your description of ‘Miss Congeniality’! I would not care to patronise if the stall owner scolded me! But so far, have not experienced before.
Unlike you, I prefer the non-Ching tang noodles. Normally go for spicy noodles or the dry version, if no spicy soups.
Wah, that’s a really old song. I remember listening to it on the cassette player when I was a child. My father likes to listen to those Taiwanese singers. But I don’t know the two singers. Only know Teresa Tang. Must be during her era, too, rite? Look at the hairstyles 😉
Yup, all that same era. I think I prefer the Mandarin songs from that time. I don’t think there are any/many among the more current ones that I like.
Indeed, those people should be taught a very good lesson – boycott them, let them go bankrupt and close shop. This kind of behaviour should never ever be encouraged, really.
That’s the reason why I have never tried the supposingly most famous char kuay teow at Lorong Selamat despite being in Penang for more than 6 years. I don’t care how delicious you cook, if you demonstrate to me an attitude that says you do not need my money, then you will not get it from me. I’ll just give you the finger instead.
Oh? I went for that but my friend went and ordered so I did not see any display of that kind of attitude…but no, I did not think what I had was all that great. Very much over-rated, I would say…and I think it was not cheap either. I had much nicer ones elsewhere on the island…and even the ones I had in Sg Petani were nicer, I think.
Have a pleasant weekend! 😊
You too!
That song is really really long time ago, but it’s still nice to listen!! =]
Yes, classics are like that. Lovely, so sweet and romantic.
The tuition center in the first photo had a branch in KL a long time ago – used to work there when I had just graduated from university
Yup, gotcha the first time. Oops! That appeared in a different post. 😀 Anyway, thanks for dropping by and commenting. Cheers!