One morning, before we went to Kuching, I dropped by this new so-called food street in town…
…which is, in fact, not a street and nothing more than a big coffee shop with a number of stalls selling the usual stuff, nothing spectacular or at least, not that I saw. It is a branch of this place in the Delta Mall area which, of course, is very much closer to my house, just round the corner.
The kueh chap stall there is the same one as at that other place, a branch of it, so to speak – if I remember correctly, they were saying that this one was at a coffee shop in town before and they moved so somebody else took their place there.
I had the kueh chap special (RM8.00)…
…which was all right, not anything that would get me to go back all the way for and while the chili dip…
…was nice, it could do with a little bit more belacan (dried prawn paste) and chili to give it that much coveted kick – I’ve had nicer ones elsewhere, that much I would say.
In the meantime, when I was in Kuching, I went to this place that they call Lao Ya Keng, which I thought, all these years since the 70’s, meant, literally translated, a lousy place (See correction in comments below)…
…where there is this kueh chap stall…
…that seems to be the favourite of many in the city.
I had their kueh chap special (RM9.00)…
…which cost a ringgit more than the one I had in Sibu and the bowl was smaller, around two-thirds the size. The broth tasted different, nice but different and was stronger, not so diluted or watered down and they were a lot more generous with the ingredients, except for the half an egg, but I had to enjoy eating everything without touching their chili dip – it was completely different from the ones we would get in Sibu and no, it did not tickle my fancy.
Thankfully, both did not have that repulsive smell like the one I had here some years ago which probably would be an indication that they did not clean the innards properly but I do know of people who insist that kueh chap is not kueh chap without the smell.
In comparison, I would say both were all right – something one might consider having when at either of these places but not anything I would purposely go out of my way for.
CHOPSTICKS FOOD STREET (2.279983, 111.840216) is located along Lorong Aman 2A, off Jalan Aman in Sibu while LAO YA KENG (1.558573, 110.345601) is located at No. 19, Carpenter Street, Kuching.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
I also used to think that lau ya means lousy but actually the place is named after a venerable old person (lau = old) i.e. Old Ya.
Oh? Thank you so much for the correction, Dr! So I’ve been wrong all these years since those days in the 70’s when I used to frequent this space in front of the temple for the kolo mee – the stall was where the laksa stall is today and dunno if it was the same one but it was so much nicer.
Yes, “lau” means old…but how does “ya” get to mean man? I only know “lauya” is lousy but split apart, “ya” is coconut, no? Gee! So I’m a “lau ya”, eh? LOL!!!
Lau Ya Keng, one of my favourite place to go for kueh chap, satay and porridge. But sad to say, I haven’t venture to that place for donkey years as parking is such a pain. I like the lek tau suan opposite this place but I think they start late in the afternoon if I am not wrong.
Oh!!! I did not see the let tao suan, otherwise I would surely go for it. Must be the place selling pastries & steamed paos – bought some of the latter back to the room to eat, not bad the char siew pao.
My girl had the porridge, did not think much of it. Kueh chap was fine, post on the pork satay coming soon!
I like the Lau Ya Keng kueh chap. The broth was alright, not too strong. Either go for that or Sarawak laksa if I go there.
Eyewwww!!! The Sarawak laksa there! Can’t remember who I asked and they told me, not nice, don’t bother. Then one afternoon I shared a table with two young girls in Kuching on holiday, one from Kuching and the other one, an Indian, from West Malaysia was having the laksa. It did not even look good and when I asked her, she said it would be better for me to go and eat elsewhere.
I have yet to eat kueh chap. There is a restaurant near my office that sells it and I must make it a point to try.
I enjoy the chap – all themeat and the innards more than the kueh.
give me kueh chap without the smell, heheh. i’m in agreement with you 😀
Great minds think alike. LOL!!!
Oh dear, smelly innards would be a turn off for me too!
It’s the kidney, I hear. Those who know how to do it well will clean it thoroughly, no smell.
I love kuih chap! not many choices here in KL though, one that I know is actually from Sarawak. lol
Oh? That’s interesting! Didn’t use to have kueh chap in Sibu too in my younger days, quite a recent thing. It’s probably Hakka or Teochew, lots of them in Kuching.
“ya” means teeth in mandarin, maybe it was meant to mean old teeth. Yes? No?
I found the name in Chinese characters – it seems that it means “Temple of God”, probably the temple located a bit inside.