Still new…

Of course I was thrilled when I heard that this celebrated beef noodles place in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, has opened an outlet in Sibu…

I loved it so much and would never miss the chance to go and enjoy it whenever I was there – some say there is one that is nicer – with thick steak-like slices of beef but no, I was not impressed by the meat and I did not think it tasted better.

They told me this new place is beside a bank in that area which, of course, puts me off somewhat as it would be virtually impossible to find a parking space even if you hope to find one far far away. Nonetheless, hoping against hope, I headed into town to have a look – it was where John’s Pie was and later, it was taken over by Galilee Eatery and after that, something else so now, it is Kah Hiong Ngiu Chap, Sibu.

I managed to find a parking space on the other side of the area, quite far away but somebody in the shop to the left wanted to reverse his car out so I left and round the corner, I saw a little white car reversing and driving away. Oh no!!! There wasn’t a parking space there right outside the gate of a building that was undergoing some renovation – the gate was locked and no one was working, it seemed so I simply left my old car there. I was not the first and definitely not the last and after all, I would not be very long.

It’s not a very big place, just one shoplot, half of which is not air-conditioned while the other half that was at one time, a boutique, is. I’m afraid I can’t say much about the decor…

…either but of course, personally, I feel that as long as the food is good, that is the most important thing.

I remember at the one in Kota Kinabalu, the moment one stepped out of the car, the strong whiff of the beef soup would sweep one off one’s feet…all the way in the parking lot! I did not detect any of that awesome fragrance at the one here but when I went to the washroom, I walked by the kitchen and yes, I could smell it and the memories came flooding back. Gee whiz! I sure am gonna love it here, I thought!!!

I asked for one bowl of ngiu chap soup (RM12.80) and one bowl of kolo mee kosong (RM1.50) but this was served – ngiu chap mee with yellow noodles (RM9.80)…

…and after a while, another bowl came – ngiu chap soup with kolo mee in it (RM14.30, promotional price RM12.80).

There was only me alone so how on earth could they expect me to finish TWO huge bowls of noodles with all that meat and soup! No common sense whatsoever…but no, I did not make a scene. I think I’ve mellowed over the years so I do not throw tantrums in public as I please anymore. After all, they are still new – their first day on the job, the day of their soft opening so I just told them to tapao the bowl with the kolo mee for me to take away and I quietly enjoyed the former with their signature killer cili padi dip…

I felt the ones I had in KK were nicer – the soup was much stronger and the dip was extra hot while this one here was rather mild in comparison. Still, I would say it was very good, can give our favourite here a good fight and much nicer than all the rest. I sent the takeaway to my sister’s place for her to try and she too shared the exact same sentiments.

Before I left, I ran through their menu once again, all in Mandarin – our discussion, a lot more carefully this time and thoroughly. It seems that you can order the beef soup with the noodles but if you want tripe or tendon or beef balls and everything else, you will have to add on and of course, each will come with a price tag.

I would want to drop by again soon and bring my girl and the mum to go and try if I can find a place to park my car, of course, and the next time around, I would want to order everything, the complete works…and hopefully, they would have got over their teething problems already by then!!! After all, at those prices, I sure would not be coming here every day…

KAH HIONG NGIU CHAP, SIBU (2.293094, 111.825429) is located across the lane to the left of AmBank, Jalan Tunku Osman branch in the same block as Ruby Restaurant, at the end on the far right.