In my blood…

When I was in primary school, I had three sisters in my class – Lay Hoon, Lay Yian and Lay Khim. I never did find out why they were in the same class since they were not all of the same age. Well, kids being kids, we used to tease the three of them by chanting their names…and ending with, “Lay eggs!!!” We were horrible, weren’t we? LOL!!!

I met two of them not too long ago when they were in town – they are not living here now and I asked them about someone in their bloodline – their younger brother who is younger than us, not our contemporary. A friend did tell me about some very nice Sibu kampua mee at a stall at the coffee shop to the left of the Sibu Fire Station but I never went to try – that place is always congested and parking can be such a pain. However, one day, while driving past, I caught a glimpse of the guy at that stall and it looked like him. I grabbed the chance to ask the sisters and yes, it was him but they told me he was no longer there and had moved here…

…in the lane between the blocks of shops (between Market Road & Channel Road near the Sibu Central Market) where two of the popular kompia shops are  located and I guess it was because of their blood ties that they went there every day while they were in town to enjoy what he dished out.

All this time, I had wanted to go and give it a try but I had not been in the vicinity for so long now. Yesterday morning, I decided I would go to the market to see if I could get hold of some nice seafood to stock up for Chinese New Year and as always, whenever I go to the market, I would go extra early, around 6.30 a.m. to avoid the crowd and also the heat…plus whatever fresh foods I would buy, I would be able to take home quickly and pack nicely in airtight containers to keep in the freezer to ensure that they will stay fresh.

Yes, he was open…

…and I ordered a plate of kampua mee and a bowl of piansip soup, small and got this in the end (RM3.00)…

I guess he just assumed I wanted painsip mee but with the piansip in soup instead of with the mee. That was why I got the kosong (without meat) and yes, it was very nice – not overcooked, over-soft, soggy and sticky.

But it was the piansip soup…

…that got my attention. It was so very nice with the traditional Foochow red wine (instead of vinegar like at some places) added – my missus would buy this home and generously add the wine and enjoy to her heart’s content. I would say that because of this, his turned out to be a cut above all the rest that I had had before.

I must say that I was glad to note that he was enjoying really brisk business. There were two other tables when I got there and I saw the people from the kompia shop next door coming over to order (if it had not been nice, I am sure they would just order from one of the other coffee shops in the vicinity) and some people buying to take home as well. By the time I was done, the shop was already full.

101 COFFEE SHOP (2.288055, 111.828416) is located in the lane off Jalan Lembangan that leads from Market Road to Channel Road and the Sibu Central Market, right next to the popular Seng Kee kompia shop in that same lane.