I am not really all that religiously-inclined but when we dropped by a mall in town that day, I was appalled by the decor…
…they had put up for Christmas this year.
I was not crazy about the theme here, I think that was last year, and also at one supposedly classy restaurant in town, Frozen, but at least there was snow…and snowmen and I think there was a reindeer too, things that have long been associated with Christmas like Santa Claus, Christmas trees and presents but this got me wondering as I just cannot for the dear life of me figure out the connection between Christmas and Pikachu. Yes, it is the current craze or at least, it was not too long ago when lots of people went round catching those Pokemons or the short form for the Japanese name, Pocket Monsters. I guess those business people are trying to cash in on its popularity but somehow, it just doesn’t give me the feel or the spirit of Christmas.
Prior to stopping by this place that day, we had gone for lunch here. My girl wanted the bryani rice here but it was closed – Monday is their off day every week so we decided to go for more of our own Sarawak ethnic Dayak cuisine and ended up here again. True to their word, they had entirely different dishes in their selection that day except for the tapioca leaves that all three of us picked…
…and they did it really well that day – it was always nice but we thought that day, it was even nicer. I guess it is a good thing to have different dishes on different days especially for the regulars – that way, they would not get bored unlike at some chap fan or nasi campur places here. You will see the exact same dishes day in and day out!
However, I was hoping to go for more of their kacang ma chicken with tuak (the traditional ethnic Dayak rice wine) and their pansoh babi (pork cooked in bamboo) but unfortunately, those were not in the menu for the day so instead both my girl and I picked the fish with the sourish terung Dayak (Dayak brinjal, which to me seems more like something from the tomato family)…
…and the umai…
– our Melanau version of the Japanese sashimi, which we both enjoyed.
My missus picked the chicken curry…
…and the two of us also had the pig’s intestines and pig’s blood with pineapples…
…which we thought was pretty good as well.
The total for all our individual selections, plus rice, came up to RM19.50 altogether. I wonder when they will be having the kacang ma chicken and the pansoh babi again – I sure wouldn’t mind going back there again for those especially.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
The dishes look very good! 🙂
Yes, we enjoyed our lunch all right.
I agree with you, those decorations are dreadful!
Yes, nothing Christmas-y about it. 😦 Hey! It’s December…and it’s snowing! Now that sure helps to create the mood or the spirit of the season.
Singapore no more selling pig blood for a long time…
We never eat it anymore at home, outside also – we seldom get to see it, only once in a long while…unlike when I was young. Chinese believe it cleanses the system and that was why those old-school barbers would eat once a month to wash out all those little bits of hair they breathed in…or that might get into the system through the mouth.
It would be more appropriate to have snowman instead of Pikachu for this Christmas decor. Fish with terung Dayak, umai & pig’s blood with pineapples are all appetising dishes. Has been donkey years since I last had pig’s blood. It seems hard to find them in the market these days.
I think I do see it at the pork sellers’ stalls at our market here but I never buy.
Festive season is on!! Not sure about Ipoh malls deco.. didn’t go as yet… should be very simple too since economy is no good and the crowd nowadays is getting less at the malls… only crowded in certain restaurants and famous food spots… with the rainy weather nowadays, people are staying indoors more…
Rainy there, eh? Flooding yet? Weather is ok here, rained yesterday but the weather is fins today, sunny.
I would enjoy those dishes you all had. I went to the mall near my home in the last 2 weeks and did not take notice of the decorations. LOL!
Went to another one today, very very minimal, mostly just red and green “ribbons” on the ceiling. I would hardly notice as well if I had not been looking out for it. Times are hard.
Why rah? Why uncle Arthur has issue with the cute Pikachu 😦
Never a fan of it, my girl was so into it when she was small but one thing’s for sure, what has it got to do with Christmas? Lots of people going to buy it for the kids this Christmas?
I must be getting old – I can go into shops and shopping centres and not notice their Christmas decorations at all!
Bah hambug!!! Turning into Scrooge, are you? Come, come! Be filled with the Christmas spirit and share the joy of the season. Did you notice it is snowing here? 😀
Ah, your snow I noticed!
That’s something, at least. LOL!!!
Pikachu and Christmas? I don’t see the relevance either …
I see what you did there too – it’s snowing! =P
It starts snowing automatically on 1st Dec, will go on throughout the whole month. Sure gives a Christmas-y feel to it.
Pikachu, Pokemon, they are just going with the hype. My boys will love it. They don’t know much about Christmas, all they know is Pokemon >_<
I guess that’s their target, to get people to buy Pokemon gifts for their kids for Christmas – like those Christmas adverts in the UK – they’re aimed at promoting THE gift for the year so everyone would go out and grab one.