Crowded places…

I have not gone back to the Sibu Central Market even though I did see as I was driving past that they have removed those tapes that they had all over the place to prevent people from going into the market anytime anywhere they like. Customers could only go in through a few designated points after being screened thoroughly by the security guards on duty there.

For one thing, I shall have to park my car a mile away and walk all the way there and when I have bought a lot of things, the walk back to the car would be absolutely killing!

These days, I go to the wet market in the vicinity of the Dewan Suarah (Civic Centre) here. I used to avoid the place too as it was always crowded and I had the impression that parking would be near impossible there. However, I’ve found out that I can just drive into the area – there will always be people who have finished their marketing and shopping and are leaving and I can easily grab their space as soon as they vacate it.

I may not get to buy everything I want that easily here, compared to the central market, but I did manage to buy some giant freshwater prawns…

…once. I saw some more when I dropped by the other day but I did not bother to buy any. What I used to buy for RM45.00 a kilo (big but no crabsticks) are now RM60.00 a kilo and the big ones with long crabstick claws are RM75.00 a kilo. I guess I shall only buy when there is a festival or some special occasion round the corner.

I managed to buy some very nice crabs here too, RM65.00 a kilo only…

…and we enjoyed them to the max. I have only seen them selling those a couple of times since but no, I did not buy anymore either.

So far, I had the good fortune of stumbling upon some ikan buris, my favourite freshwater river fish…

…once only. All the times that I’ve gone back there, I’ve never seen any, not even once. It may be easier to get to buy these things at the central market but no, I’m keeping my distance.

Another thing that is good around here is there are so many coffee shops all around so each time I go, I can get to sample something at one of them. Believe you me, I’ve been to many and there are still some more to go! LOL!!!

Anyway, going back to things that I got to buy there recently, I paid RM5.00 for this bag of midin (wild jungle fern)…

…RM13.00 a kilo. My missus fried it with sambal udang kering (dried prawns)…

…and yes, it was so so so good! That sure made up for the disappointment…

…that we had here not too long ago! You certainly would not see me ordering that should we happen to drop by that restaurant again.

That same morning when I stumbled upon the midin, I saw some fairly large sotong (squid). The ones at my favourite fish &seafood stall are usually too small, such a chore to clean and to prepare so I never bother to buy those from there. My missus says that if they are too big, they are not nice either, too chewy and rubbery.

The instant my girl saw the sotong, she asked the mum to cook some sambal…

…and nasi lemak for our meals that very Friday, our no-meat day.

Yes, we sure enjoyed the sotong…

– my girl loved it! I don’t know why but strangely enough, for reasons unknown, she is not so into prawns and would go for squids instead any time any day.

I guess I shall keep on going to the wet market and shops in the vicinity of the Dewan Suarah here and with a little bit of luck, I may stumble upon something nice once in a while.