How good it is to be able to be together to share the joy of a happy event like a wedding or a birthday…and it sure was great last Friday that we were able to do that to celebrate my mum’s 85th.
After the delightful dinner that we had not too long ago, my dad wanted to order the dishes from the same restaurant again so of course, we had what my mum enjoyed the most that previous time, the chess or checkerboard duck…
…thus named as the squares were arranged like a chess board.
My girl came home in time that evening for the weekend and we had her favourite from the last time, the deep fried pomfret fillet with the very nice sauce…
…as well.
We also had this then – their poon choy-like hot plate with prawns and abalone and a whole lot of other delightful stuff…
…one of our two versions of the Four Seasons, the other one being the so-called leng pua, meaning cold plate and it was good so we had that again.
I loved the stewed pork belly…
…eaten sandwiched in between pieces of mantou so much that I just could not resist having two! Yum yummmm!!!!!
There was also this dish of asparagus…
…with mushrooms and some kind of snails and also this one with the huge sea cucumber…
…both of which were pretty good as well.
We had the longevity mee sua in chicken soup earlier in the day so for a change, we had this dish of fried noodles…
…and that was great too!
I remembered how my mum loved the macarons the last time so I went and bought some more…
…for dessert, my favourite two – the mint…
…and the salted caramel…
…that were not as sweet as the rest and it sure pleased me to see her enjoying it, smiling away happily.
It was more expensive this time around, RM460, a little bit more than the last time but that did not come as a surprise as the sea cucumber does not come cheap, especially those big ones and asparagus isn’t either, not here…and I am sure those snails that they cooked it with was a special delicacy as well…plus that hot plate alone would be more than RM100 already, I’m sure.
Of course, on occasions such as this, nothing beats seeing everyone’s smiling faces, all so happy to be able to be together to celebrate the special event and enjoy the scrumptious dinner.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
The “chess duck” looks nice! I thought it was the crispy Foochow red bean dessert at first.
Interesting presentation.
The deep fried fish also looks good, I like how they cut it up into pieces (but it’s of the fish itself) and arrange it around so it’s easier to get. One thing about fishes in general – there’s always someone who needs to cut it, of course, people don’t mind doing it, there just seems to be a complex etiquette as to who should be the one to do it (and it differs according to group) – is it the youngest or oldest?
This solves that problem. Haha. Also more places are cutting fish for people now e.g. Sheraton.
Usually at the restaurant, the waiter or waitress will do it but we got them to send the food to the house. Didn’t think of it – thankfully, there wasn’t anything that needed cutting…or I would just leave it to the ladies and wait to be served. Hehehehehe!!! Sexist me! 😀 I’m not so into Sheraton anymore these days since it has gone way too expensive and the quality of the food served has gone down as well.
Yeah, then it’s the same as my family, it’s the youngest who cuts it.
My uncle (youngest uncle) used to do it unless I’m around, then I’ll do it. I didn’t know that until one dinner when someone prompted me too coz I did it once with another group and someone told me the oldest is supposed to do it and it was presumptuous for me to slice the fish (although I just wanted to be hospitable).
I would think it would be a gesture of respect for the young to do that and serve the old. I appreciate that you do that all the time whenever we went out for dinner, so sweet of you and that, I must say, is an indication of very good upbringing, something getting rather rare these days.
Cheers mate! No worries at all, that’s what I thought too, but some for some people, it seems that there are differing rules about the serving of fish coz in some families the eldest e.g. dad is supposed to do it for everyone and that others are not supposed to touch it or it’ll be rude (kinda like trying to fill in their shoes?)
Oh well…
Ya, can’t please everybody so gotta please ourselves. I would just dig in and eat and enjoy – anybody wants, they can help themselves. 😀 😀 😀
Happy birthday to your mom, buddy!
Thanks. You have a great time in Taiwan, cheers!
Thanks!
Welcome.
Happy birthday to aunt!! God bless her with love, happiness and good health.
Love all the dishes you guys have. Especially that duck.
Thanks for the good wishes. Yes, the food here is always good just that if one wants to go and eat there, parking can be such a pain, very congested area. The duck is good for older folks, pulled roast duck meat used with whatever other ingredients to make those squares and deep fried. Very nice.
Great to be together to celebrate any joyous occasion. All looks good but I like the sea cucumber to cut into bite size. Nothing comes cheap these days & considering you have abalone, asparagus & sea cucumber, I won’t be surprised at the price but as long as your mum & eveyone is happy, it is all that matters. Lastly, a toast of good health & abundant blessings to your mum. Cheersssss!!!!!
Thank you! Yes, I think that is the expected price these days if you opt to “chiak tok” (eat table) or have a banquet set dinner, that is and I do know that it can be a lot more at some other places here. I wonder what the standard prices are in Kuching these days – as far as I know, it is a lot more in KL.
I’m ok with sea cucumber, big or small – not all that crazy about it but I think if they are big and served whole like that, it has a certain snob appeal. Wahhhh!!!! So big!!! 😀 These aren’t all that big already actually – I’ve seen some double the size or more. I like them stuffed with meat and braised.
Happy birthday to you mother and many happy returns 🙂 I love the food here today, especially the chess duck and poon choy.. I’ve only had poon choy once, and that was more than 10 years ago !!! I remember at the end of the poon choy, they serve glass noodles so that the noodles can absorb all the sauce/gravy at the bottom of the poon choy pot..
Thank you.
I had poon choy once in KL, somewhere Batu Caves area. The kucings took me there – been seeing people eating that and going oooo…and ahhhh over it so I guess I had my expectations up too high. I thought it was nice but nothing sensational and it was rather expensive – well, this platter here ain’t all that cheap either actually, also over RM100 at least, depending on what you have inside, more with abalone and all those.
I need to know how to make deep fried pomphret like that.
You need quite a big and meaty one to fillet and fry the slices…and you will have to find out how they make the sauce – that makes it nice, otherwise it is just fried fish fillet coated thinly with batter.
Happy Birthday to Auntie…
Love all the food you all had…
Thanks. Yes, all good, one place worth checking out if you happen to hop over.
Wow, 85 is quite an achievement! Congrats and warm birthday wishes to your mum.
Thank you. My father is 90, the year of the Ox.
What a nice feast! Happy Birthday to your dear mother! 🙂
Thanks. Ya, it sure was…a feast!
Judging from the food, I can conclude that it was indeed a joyous celebration! It is wonderful that your mum celebrated her 85th birthday. You have long lived parents and may your mum and dad be blessed with many more happy and healthy years to come!
Thank you so much. It was a great get-together and we all enjoyed the dinner very much.
Every dish looks wonderful, but my favourite would be the chess duck! Happy birthday to your mum and best wishes for many more to come.
Thanks. Yes, the duck was very good and the fish too…but this time around, the pork belly in mantou was my favourite. 😀
So fast one year already!! Happy Birthday to your mummy! Really blessed to have kids to celebrate her birthday each year and some more, so much yummylicious food and not forgetting the expensive desserts! Every dish looks delish… poon choy… fish… asparagus… and the price is quite reasonable!
Thanks, yes, another year has gone by. Time does fly, doesn’t it! Come, come…if you come over, we can go for dinner here and you can get to enjoy all the nice food, a change from the one we all went to the last time. That was good too, wasn’t it? 2012, three years already…
https://suituapui.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/all-that-is-good/
Happy Birthday to your Mom
all the dishes looks so yummy. True…the wobbly meat eat with Mantou very nice .
Thank you. I have this soft spot for the stewed pork belly…in kompia, deep fried also best! Drool! Drool!!!
stewed pork belly! my all-time favourite dish. If only it isn’t so fattening. Now I’m trying to cut down on fatty stuff, getting old, cannot simply whack any food any more.
Yes, yes! Best not too eat too often. Special occasions like birthdays and the like, should be fine. Try to avoid on ordinary days…or eat the meat, trim away the yummy layers of fat.
I have heard that patients at the hospital these days with related problems are all very young ones…and they blame the burgers and the fried chicken. Those things are just as bad. Everything in moderation, once in a while – that should be fine, not on a regular basis.
Ohh my, all looks so yummy!
Yes, very!
I am so craving with all of those seafood served in that table, yum!
This would cost a bomb over there.