My Singapore friends spent the whole afternoon at the shopping complex…and while they were there, they did go and eat some of Colonel Sanders’ fried chicken – somehow or other, they thought ours were nicer. Perhaps that was because they were hungry since we did not really have a proper lunch earlier or unlike old folks like me, they are more into this kind of fast food franchise stuff. When evening came, they went to the pasar malam (night market) again and ate some more…including the durians there and they did pick up a few items before heading back to the hotel on their own.
It was New Year’s Eve so I stayed home to have dinner with my girl and the mum, just a simple one as we did not plan to whip up anything fancy. The most important thing was that we got to sit down and eat together to say goodbye to the old year and ring in the new.
Later, past 9.00 p.m., I went to get my friends from the hotel and took them to the Sibu Town Square for the New Year Countdown bash…
There were not many people around…
…but there were performances on the stage…
– people singing and dancing and since it was still early, we decided to go some place else first.
I took them to this old school restaurant (that I’ve blogged about here and also here) for the Foochow-style Sibu sio bee…
…and the Foochow fried noodles…
– the ones here are definitely nicer than what they had the night before and to go with these, we also ordered another plate of fried midin (wild jungle fern)…
If I’m not mistaken, that supper for the five of us cost RM26.00 or SGD10.00 only.
Unfortunately, when we headed back to the town centre, there was a massive traffic jam with all the cars heading in the same direction. In the end, I decided to make a detour and took them back to their hotel…to enjoy the fireworks and firecrackers all around the vicinity when the clock struck midnight (and even before) and that was one thing that delighted them very much – everyone was into it in the confines of their own homes, not just the official one in the city square or wherever, and that was something they would never get to see in their very disciplined island republic…(to be continued)
P.S.:
Thank you so much to my cousin in Perth, Australia for the very pretty Christmas card that you sent me, Hallmark no less…
Talk about our extremely sluggish postal service via snail mail, this only reached me a couple of days ago but it’s no matter. As they say, it’s the thought that counts. Hope you and your loved ones Down Under had a delightful Christmas and a wonderful New Year! Cheers!!!
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
Not much people here in Penang too, for those countdown events, i am too old for that, went to bed freaking early that evening LOL
Exactly what I would have been doing if I had not had guests in town.
Oh? I thought Penang is such a happening place – my friend used to be so worried about his son as he would insist on joining the crowd…and the roads would be completely jammed, and all the Mat Rempits would be out and about…and everyone would blast their car horns and all that. Never seen it myself, never on 31st December – I was in the island one year, Chinese New Year only – the city centre was as dead as a door nail…and nothing to eat, just KFC and McD and the nasi kandar shops.
That is a beautiful night shot in your first photo. 🙂
Thanks.
Very nice of you to take your friends out on new year’s eve for dinner, love that sio bee and noodles.. So you ate second round? But at 9pm, the food you’ve eaten at home already digested la, hehe..
Let’s say that was supper… Hehehehehe!!!!
Nice shot of Sibu town at night. Love everything you posted today. Have a great weekend.
You too!
I remember I was sitting in front of this laptop, blogging and reading blogs while counting down hahaha 😀 ! Seems like you were having more fun that I was!
Indeed. Always love to have friends visiting – keeps me busy and so much fun, not caught in the same old routine, day in day out.
Yes. The xmas card is so beautiful. Keep it.
You stayed for countdown??
Yup, I keep all my cards. Sweet memories…and no, we could not get back into town to join the countdown at the town square, roads all jammed…so we just went back.
what happened to the midin…somebody curi makan ka before camera makan?
Old school, kopitiam chu char place…no class one, no time to bother about presentation but very cheap and very nice. Looks nice, not nice and expensive, what for? Pay for gaya only.
Christmas cards must be late all over the world; we’ve just got one from Bangkok.
I did send something to Oz and NZ not too long ago. It arrived in a week or two, not too bad. Maybe more mail, Christmas season or mailmen on vacation.
the supper is cheap!
I would love to try that sio bee~
Must try, traditional Sibu Foochow ones…something different for a change, not the same as the usual dim sum ones though personally, I prefer those din=m sum siew mai.
it’d be interesting to somehow be able to do a side-by-side comparison of sibu’s and singapore’s kfc and to spot the differences in taste, texture, etc! though unfortunately that wouldn’t be possible, heh 😀
I’m sure they’re all pretty much the same, all the outlets around our country and theirs, and it was because they were hungry.
However, despite being an international franchise, there may be differences between outlets – would need better quality control. Had some jelly-like chicken from one near my house – we have 6 in our little town. I know their sister company, the pizza place – the one in town here is all right but not the one at another place in the suburbs…and the one at the Village Mall in SP, Kedah is ok, the one at Central Square was a far cry from the usual we would get here.
But friends and ex-students home from overseas would make a beeline to the place and eat the chicken – they say ours is nicer than the outlets abroad. I wouldn’t know…not into these franchise places all that much, anyway.
Thanks for driving us around so late at night(especially when you sleep early!) Very nice food here.. No fuss, just pure foochow flavours. Would love to return to try other items on their menu.
Lots more to try. Can’t wait for your next visit… We’ll go round and feast on what’s good in town one more time.
I’ve tried KFC in Sibu and boy, it tasted much better than that in Miri. The chicken was fresher and juicier. It could be true that the Colonel Sanders version is better in Sibu.
Is that so??? Golly gee! Maybe I should go and try then – not into these franchise places, can’t remember the last time I had anything from one of their outlets.
Countdown or not, I still went to bed at 9pm LOL! 😀
Very kwai (good girl)! *pat on the head* Hehehehehehe!!!!
The sio bee is so nice, don’t think can get such nice sio bee over here…
The dim sum siew mai is also very nice.
Sibu style siobee! Wohooo!
Happy New Year suituapui! Keep on blogging about food! 🙂
Same to you. Sure will, thanks.
So happening… and so nice of you to take your frens around… though I know you are an early sleeper, am I right? hahaha… Anyway, I am sure they appreciate your taking them around Sibu.. making it a memorable trip for them!
They most certainly do, very very nice people – loved having them here and looking forward to their next trip. My friend will be here again soon, that’s for sure, those few nights not enough really. We’ll be going round for more of the best in town!