Island girl…

She’s my friend on Facebook and she married an ex-student of mine and I saw some posts of hers about a family venture selling ethnic delights…

…here at this coffee shop (2.293072, 111.836789) right behind the Rejang Medical Centre…

…starting at around 5.30 p.m. every day. I did go one Sunday evening to check it out but the shop was closed and likewise, the stall and I never went back since until the other evening.

For the uninitiated, Anak means child and Borneo is the island where Sarawak, Malaysia is located so Anak Borneo means child of the island of Borneo. You can’t possibly miss their stall by the side of the coffee shop as they are all dressed in black, wearing black aprons with the name stitched on it.

Of course, if it is our local Sarawak ethnic cuisine, there has to be pansoh ayam or babi (RM15.00 each)…

…chicken or pork cooked in bamboo over hot burning charcoal. I did not feel like having chicken that day so I opted for the pork…

…and boy, it was so very very nice!!! For want of some vegetables to go with our orders, after we were through, I spotted my friend and the hubby at the stall and I asked why they did not serve the daun Bandong/ daun ubi (tapioca leaves) with the meat. After all, they would have lots of those since they use them to stuff the bamboo. According to the latter, they would serve the leaves should any customer request for it, otherwise, they would not. I certainly would do that the next time I drop by here as I do enjoy eating them.

Among the things that they sell at the stall are these babi panggang (barbecued pork) slices…

…and this plateful is only RM10.00…

…for so much meat. Try buying RM10.00 worth at the char siew/siew yoke stall and see how much you will get…and yes, that was really very nice too!

There are also these clams, lokan we call them…

…also cooked over hot burning charcoal and then one of the guys will open them up and garnish with spring onions and chili…

…and serve (RM10.00)…

Yes, they were very fresh, so sweet and juicy and succulent…

…and we sure did enjoy them very much.

I saw some chicken wings as well but no, I would not be into those and just as we were leaving, I saw this…

…slab of barbecued pork ribs! No prize for guessing what I would be ordering the next time we drop by here. Slurpssss!!!!

From what I heard, they are going to start a fast food nasi campur/chap fan (mixed rice stall) serving all the lovely ethnic dishes for lunch as well as dinner. All this while, I have been grumbling that despite the Rejang River basin being the central Iban frontier in Sarawak, we do not have any stall selling their traditional delights. They have more than one in Kuching and I certainly enjoyed what I had here…and also in Bintulu. You can bet your bottom dollar that I would make my way there once they have started the stall. Care to join me there, anybody? Come! Come!