What else is there…

Last Saturday, we went back to this coffee shop for lunch.

I went around the stalls to have a look to see what else there was that we had not tried and I came across this…

– roti canai with kuchai (chives). That was RM2.00 a piece and it came with the bowl of dhal dip, and no, it was not chewy or rubbery, not stretchable like roti canai as we know it. In fact, it was crusty and crispy, something like the Indian pancake or aloo paratha that we had once here. The texture was more like those frozen roti canai or paratha that we can buy at the supermarkets and pan-fry them ourselves at home to eat. It probably would have been nicer if they had used butter or ghee, at least for the frying part, and no, I would not say that it swept me off my feet even though it was quite nice – something one may consider when thinking having something different for a change.

My girl’s colleague/housemate/friend ordered the curry mee (RM4.00)…

…expecting to get something like the ones in the peninsula, with the curry gravy but no, it turned out to be something fried, something like mee mamak but with curry powder added. She said it was all right though and she quite enjoyed it.

My missus had the Foochow fried noodles (RM4.00)…

…and no, this was not done in the same style that I grew up eating and would prefer a lot more – the gravy was kind of clear so even though it might be nice, it was simply not the same. This and the curry mee were from the chu-char (cook & fry) place at the back portion of the coffee shop…and I noticed that they had rounded up the price, instead of the usual RM3.80 at some other places. That is perfectly all right though, I would say, considering that we did see a lot of ingredients like the meat and green vegetables in my missus’ order…unlike many other places around here these days.

Needless to day, my girl wanted the beef noodles (RM6.00)…

…that she loved a lot and I also ordered a bowl for myself. I don’t know whether it was the heat (it has been very very hot here lately) but I thought it was not as nice as before – the broth did not seem as thick and rich but when I asked my girl, she said it was the same. I do wish they could have an option though – one that has beef tendon and tripe added…at a price, of course. I would go for that one, that’s for sure!

I also ordered these dumplings (10 for RM6.00)…

…to share, knowing that my girl loves them too…and that was our lunch that day.

Incidentally, an old friend from Penang flew in on Friday night but of course, like on most/all weekends, with my girl home, I was kind of tied up with her weekly visit to see her grandparents, driving her here and there to stock up on their rations for the week ahead and to buy any necessities that she would need for school and on Saturday night, we would have to go for the sunset service in church and come Sunday, I would have to drive her back to her school.

This friend and I were involved with some work for the ministry along with the couple who came from Trengganu that day so we would meet quite regularly, once a year, at least, during those days prior to my retirement. He was busy Saturday, anyway, as he was here on a working trip but I really felt bad that at such short notice, I was not able to make time to meet up. He was so sweet and thoughtful as to bring these celebrated tambun biscuits…

..all the way from Penang for me and he sent them to me through a friend in that same line of duty, so to speak.

My sincere apologies to him…but I did tell him that I hope he would come back someday, not on a brief working trip like this time around, and stay longer so I would be able to take him around like what I did for our Trengganu friends last year…and he would have to let me know way ahead of time.