Kuching eating frenzy

I've been told before that before I post up food pictures, I should put forth a word of caution to those with hungry stomachs :) Malaysia is after all a land blessed with relatively cheap food, and it is in abundance everywhere for those who's mission is to try out the best food in a particular state or town.

The laksa stall there has been receiving rave reviews all this while, but strangely this time when I returned, I somehow didn't feel that the laksa tasted 'special'. Oh well, I guess taste buds change after a while :s

What would two crazy guys do on a Wednesday morning at Chong Choon Cafe? Try the gigantic uber mega-sized teh si peng of course !

To illustrate how big the cups were, they're at least 3 times the size of your typical teh si peng at other outlets.

Unfortunately, the drink tasted rather bland and lacked flavour for its high commanding price of RM 5. For those who're still interested to try it out, you may have a different opinion, but I'll still stick to my guns for the moment.

My friend Khai trying to look as victorious as possible for finishing his drink. I still had a 3rd of a glass left and didn't intend to finish it (because of its poor taste).

For lunch we adjourned to the cafe next to Cold Storage at the airport roundabout. At RM 3.50, I reckon this salted fish fried rice is one of the best in town.

The following day after returning from KL, I was brought to a kopitiam opposite Saberkas. It was one of the first eating outlets in Kuching and it was established about 30 years ago. Most of the original owners of this hawker center are still here today, and they're living legends :)

Supposedly one of the few rojak stalls which serve their dishes with fried chicken, this dish has been unchanged for at least 20 years, yet it still sells like hot cakes. Shredded vegetables and fruit are topped with a delectable peanut sauce, and served with tender and moist fried chicken.

If you're unsure what the shop looks like, it has a very prominent green signboard with the words 'rojak kucei'.

For dinner, we went to the famous Kuching Chicken Porridge shop at Nanas Road.

My uncle owns this stall with his brothers. He's taking the boiled chicken from the metal tray right now before chopping and serving it to customers. And like all good Hakka cooks, they serve great tasting and healthy food here.

This stall is friggin' popular. We had to wait for at least 10 minutes for the porridge to be served. And for those who wonder, NO, I do not get served in a special manner nor receive any discounts :)

For RM 2.60, this porridge tastes pretty darn good. The chicken taste is quite flavourful, and you can mix in some raw egg for extra colour.

Although the chicken is not as fragrant as some Hainanese specimens I've had before, it is very tender and the meat comes right off the bone. I'd put it at higher esteem compared to some boiled chicken I've tasted before in Ipoh and KL.

For supper, we adjourned to the Hawker Center at Hui Sing. Most of the hawkers from Palm Road (now Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce) have been relocated here.

This ais kacang that I've seen so far is not the best in town (for that you have to head to the temporary stall near Star Ciniplex), but its still pretty good for what it is.

White lady, a favourite drink here. Lemon syrup topped with evaporated milk, ice and fruits. A taste of heaven for RM 1.50.

Char Kuay Teow. Lacks some spring onions and fried egg, but it packs a punch for taste.

Cantonese kuay teow has some broth and occasionally some sea food.

I've seen some vacation photos of several Singaporean friends who keep raving about KL, Ipoh and Penang as food hubs for West Malaysia, yet many of them have not paid a visit to East Malaysia (hint, Kuching). As much as how good the dishes are over there, Kuching food will always be at home for my stomach provided you know where to go for good food.

Burp!