Something quite disturbing I found in Egypt.
They drew the guy on the right smiling. Why? Honestly, you are not supposed to be smiling when you have to go through something like this.
Don’t even get me started as to why the guy on the right has a freakishly extra long arm to pat on his friend’s head.
I’m not sure what those Egyptian characters in the red circle means, but I’m pretty sure it can be translated into “KNNCCB! THAT F@$KING HURTS OK!!!”
Miss Malaysia Universe 2007 Pageant
Taking a break from my adventures travelling, kennysia.com brings to you exclusive coverage on the grand final of recent Miss Malaysia Universe 2007 pageant.
The contest began two weeks ago after a national call to search for “real woman”.
Makes you wonder what they’ve been doing all these while. Searching for a “fake woman”?
The grand final was held at the Palace of the Golden Horse at the Mines Resort. It was a grand affair with tickets costing up to RM220 per person.
Normally when you have to pay that amount of money for dinner, you expect good food served with great wine.
Well, this must be the first time I attended an expensive dinner function that instead of wine, we were served MILK.
Then again, it’s not like we came for the food anyway. 😛
The pageant itself is as cliched as beauty pageants get. After the usual boring speech by the Datuk, it didn’t take long for the 16 grand finalists, dressed in elegant batik, to come out much to the delight of the crowd.
I must say, the line-up this year is pretty (no pun intended) impressive.
Normally when it comes to beauty pageants in Malaysia, half the contestants look like their face kena crashed by lorry. But this year, all of them look absolutely fantastic.
Maybe the search for “real woman” did work after all.
Here are some of my favourites.
Contestant #1: Caroline, a 22-year-old student from Sabah.
She later won the title of Miss Congeniality.
Contestant #4: Tanya, from Penang.
Her body is freaking toned and FIT to the ‘T’.
Contestant #11: Nai Hsing, from KL.
Blessed with a pair of huge Japanese anime character-like eyes, she’s every contestants’ favourite to bag the title of Miss Malaysia.
And of course, not forgetting our blogosphere’s very own Contestant #7 from Malacca. 😉
Traditionally, there’s never a swimsuit parade in any beauty pageants in conservative Malaysia.
This year, thanks to a swimwear sponsor, the contestants were all required to catwalk in their bikinis as part of the contest. Needless to say that certainly makes for a much more interesting show. 🙂
Kinda make me wish I were one of the judges, then I can quality examine them without any guilt. Heh.
Disappointingly, there wasn’t a talent show in the contest. Usually that’s the most interesting part of any beauty pageants. I was looking forward to Contestant #7 swallowing a live sago worm as part of her talent show.
Soon, the judges decided and announced their Top 5. Sadly, apart from Contestant #11, none of my personal favourites got in! Heck, even our humble Malaccan iguana-eating girl isn’t one of them.
The question posed to the Top 5 was “What is a real woman?”
Those girls, arms on hips, will then have to go all philosphical and answer stuff like “A real woman is one that is confident and beautiful inside and out.”
Deep. I thought a real woman is one with boobs and vaginas. Not those Ah Gua you see in Pattaya.
When it finally comes down to awarding the titles of Miss Malaysia Universe, Sue Ann Cheng (14) bagged the 2nd Runner-up prize, everyone’s favourite Goh Nai Hsing (11) ended up with the title of 1st Runner-up.
And the title of Miss Malaysia Universe 2007 goes to…
Miss Adelaine Chin.
Just like in the Oscars, the other two finalists who didn’t win have to try their best to pretend to be happy and cheer for the winner.
Adelaine will now represents Malaysia to compete in Donald Trump’s Miss Universe in Mexico City next month.
Here’s some videos I took during the pageant.
I might add, for complicated reasons, that all videos and photos here are taken by Kenny Sia, but is the copyright of Pageant Promotions. I gotta mention this otherwise they wouldn’t allow me to take any photos.
Adelaine wasn’t the only person lucky that night. I got lucky as well… when I won a lucky draw.
Fine, all I got was some cheap T-shirt and swimming goggles from Prosun. Their creative packaging rocks. 😛
But that’s not the end of the night.
After the show, Dominic and I hung around the hotel a bit to catch up with Contestant #7.
It was nearly 3am and she was hungry for supper. That’s understandable since she had to watch her diet for the past 10 days. So she called up the other girls to ask if they would wanna join for supper.
I would be happy if one or two of them to join. Maybe three, max.
But no…
There was EIGHT.
EIGHT beauties, all of whom who just competed in the Miss Malaysia Universe pageant, came down to join us for supper at 3 in the morning.
We’re talking about HALF the competition here, complete with make up, body art, fake eyelashes and fake nails still on, cramming into the backseat of the vehicle.
These girls must be really hungry.
It was like one of those Guinness Book of World Records thing where they try to squeeze in as many people as possible into the car. But we had it with beautiful women instead of a bunch kiasu idiots.
Trust me, I was dying to move to the backseat myself.
If this is not what dreams are made of, I don’t know what is.
Mamak food never tasted so good.
Good Luck, Nicole
My friend, fellow travel junkie and partner in The Amazing Race Asia (if we managed to get through lah), Nicole Tan, is one of the grand finalists for tonight’s Miss Malaysia Universe 2007.
For a girl with the personality of a tomboy who has never modelled before, never joined a pageant before and never even been in a bikini before, this is gonna be quite an incredible feat.
All these while, she’s that small town girl from Malacca who enjoys eating exotic food like snails and worms and iguanas. And now, she could be the next Andrea Fonseka. Heck, she could possibly even be the next Jennifer Hawkins.
Go on Nicole, make us proud.
I must admit, having a Miss Malaysia as a partner for The Amazing Race is definitely gonna be something to brag about. Heh heh.
Fun Facts About Egypt
Those of you who have been following my Twitter when I was travelling would know that I often update it with my observations of the quirky way Egyptians live.
For those who have missed it, these are the best ones and I’ve put them here again. This time with pictures.
There is a lot of sand in Egypt.
From the airplane, the country looks like one freaking huge sand box. These huge expanse of North African desert is lifeless yet beautiful.
The currency in Egypt is the Egyptian Pound. 1 Egyptian Pound equals 100 Egyptian Piastres. Mmm… piastres. 😉
1 Egyptian pound is about 60 cents Malaysian.
You gotta have plenty of these as baksheesh (tips), else you can’t get service anywhere in the country. They carry your bags, you pay them tips. They open the door for you, you pay them tips. Even when they pose for photos for you, you gotta pay them tips.
The quality of Egyptian banknotes is pretty bad. They feel like cloth more than the plastic kind we’re used to. My mom said they look like “kiam chai”.
In Egypt, their payphones are also called “Ringo”
They must really like Cheesie over there.
Because of my size, the Egyptians have given me a nickname. They call me “Rambo”.
Egyptians have a wicked sense of humour. I was wearing this tight adidas sleeveless top during one of my visits to a historical site and while I was walking back, I caught the attention of the tourist trap merchants. The whole stretch of them were yelling out to me “Bruce Lee! Bruce Lee!” Then one of them shouted “HEY RAMBO!” and everyone cracked up laughing.
Our local tour guide eventually got wind of it and for the rest of the trip, my nickname was “Rambo”.
I played arm wrestling with an Egyptian merchant. I lost. The bugger cheated!
After witnessing all the commotion that me (aka Rambo) had caused at the markets, one of the local guys challenged me to an impromptu game of arm wrestling.
You don’t see our two countries sizing up in many of the sport events. But for once, this is Egypt Vs Malaysia.
Early on I was dominating. With 300 loud Egyptian guys firmly behind their boy, and only 2 of my mates cheering me on, sad to say, I lost. 😛
Not to say I’m a sore loser, but he did lift his whole elbow up halfway through the match.
When I said the way Kuching people park their cars is bad, I obviously hadn’t seen the way Egyptians park.
This is one quirk I find most interesting.
Kuching people are expert when it comes to parking their cars. It doesn’t matter if it is a pedestrian walk, a yellow line or a No Parking sign, as long as there’s space to fit in a car you WILL find a Kuching car on it. Heck, if they could, Kuching people might even park their cars on trees.
But you know what? After seeing the way Egyptian park their cars, I am left speechless.
They just park sooooo close to each other. How the hell is ANY of those cars gonna get out without getting scratched?! Now THAT’S a mystery greater than the Pyramids of Giza.
I mean, I’ve heard of the term “bumper to bumper”. But this is ridiculous.
Of all the cars you see in Egypt, 99.9% has scratches on them. You have a better chance at winning 4D than you have finding a perfectly undamaged car in Egypt. For that reason, you’re almost never gonna see a brand new car in the country.
Seriously, who teaches these people how to park their cars? Mr Bean?
Gila Gila Galabiyya
The galabiyya is a type of long robe commonly worn by Egyptian men.
Normally back in Malaysia, when we wanna go out, we simply just put on our t-shirt and jeans. Most of the time, we don’t even need to think about it. T-shirt and jeans is like the “default attire” over here.
Over in Egypt, when the guys there wanna go out, they don’t put on their t-shirt and jeans. They put on their galabiyyas.
The galabiyya is the like the national uniform of all Egyptian men. They wear galabiyyas out for every occassion. And I do mean EVERY occassion.
They wear it out to smoke sheesha.
They wear it out to work as security guards.
They wear it to work in the quarries.
They wear it out to go boating.
Heck, they even wear it out to the beach!
I’m not sure how anyone could wear this type of clothing out for boating and stuff. Surely, your mobility will be quite limited right? You can’t really run if you wear a dress like that.
I must say though, it’s really comfortable. The loose fitting hides my bulges well. Without wearing jeans underneath, my bottom is really… airy. Perfect for the hot Egyptian weather. 😛
Man, I wish I could wear this thing out in Kuching more often.
Sadly the only chance I’m probably gonna get to wear it, is for a Halloween party.
If Egyptians Speak Cantonese
What is it with popular tourist spots and lousy names?
I thought Thailand’s “Similan Island” has the worst name ever for a tourist spot.
Obviously, I was wrong.
Kenny: “Taxi! Taxi!”
Egyptian Taxi Driver: “Hello my friend. Where you want to go?”
Kenny: “NIAMAH BAY!”
A New Hobby
Having grown bored of the land, it’s only natural that I feel the itch to explore the world below.
I am picking up a new sport – scuba diving.
Having passed off wonderful diving spots like Similan Island in Thailand last year because I didn’t have a license, I’ve decided enough is enough.
Five days with Kuching Scuba Centre, RM950 and some layers of sunburnt skin later, I am now a proud certified PADI open water diver.
Getting a dive license means a lot of thing. First and foremost, it means I can now insert a long hard tube into my mouth all day long without feeling gay about it.
I found Nemo!
Flood Relief
YC popped me an e-mail message last night.
“Spread the words uncle kenny! LINK
Raising funds for the flood. thanks heaps!! xoxo”
Puzzled, I replied:
Wait… Did you just say you wanna raise funds for the flood? Or did you mean you wanna raise fund for the flood VICTIMS?
I dun wanna raise no muthafrickin’ funds for no muthafrickin’ FLOOD, yo!
She then proceeded to laugh her head off at her obvious error.
Anyway, self-made fashion designer YC is doing something for a good cause. From now until February, she’s auctioning off items from her Blackjettas Jewellery and Drama Mama range to raise funds to aid the recent Johor flood victims. All her clothes and jewellery are handmade by herself and one of her kind, meaning you won’t EVER find another person wearing the same stuff.
You can find out more at her blog or e-mail yc.phoon@gmail.com
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The day before I got a phone call from someone unexpected.
Caller: “Hello is this Kenny Sia?”
Kenny: “Yes, this is Kenny speaking.”
Caller: “Kenny, this is JJ and Rudy from the hitz.fm Morning Crew!”
Kenny: “OH MY GAWDDDDDD!!!!”
JJ and Rudy are hosts of the breakfast show on radio station hitz.fm (Malaysia’s No.1 hit station!), which I listen to on my way to work every morning. These two are famous for making hilarious prank GOTCHA calls to terrorise innocent victims who don’t know better. I had wasn’t one of their targets before I realised that they actually called to ask for a favour.
The hitz.fm Morning Crew is organising a charity event, and they wanted me to write something on kennysia.com to help promote it. I agreed, but after putting down the phone I felt a little strange. See, hitz.fm is mass media and kennysia.com is just a blog. How come a mass media is asking a blog to promote their event?! Shouldn’t it be like… the other way round?
Anyway, if you want to help out some 90,000 victims affected by the water devastation in Malaysia’s south, please bring along donations to La Bodega at Bangsar Shopping Centre, Kuala Lumpur this Saturday, 27th January, between 11am to 2pm.
They wanna help the kids more than anything else so they’re looking in particular for school uniforms, school bags, shoes and stationery items, but basic necessities and food items are still welcome.
The hitz.fm crew and local celebs like Pop Shuvit, Liang, Afdlin Shauki (from the movie Sumo-lah) and KinkyBlueFairy will all be there and La Bodega will be providing free refreshments for those who dropped by.
Getting hit by the flood is bad, but getting hit by the flood twice in a month is even more suay. While we’re wondering where to go for a night out drinking, those kids affected by the flood are wondering how they’re gonna even go to school when all their belongings were washed away.
So let’s all have compassion and do something for the less fortunates instead of sitting comfortably on your butt surfing the Net, ok?
Please?
Guys’ Priorities
Friend of mine messaged me on MSN late one night.
Jane* (not her real name): Can I ask you one question?
Kenny: Go ahead.
Jane*: You’re a busy guy right?
Jane*: Let’s say you have a girl, who needs attention, who is away for vacation… Then she is online one day. But you have a friend at your place. What would you do?
Kenny: I would entertain the friend first.
It’s an easy decision. With girlfriends you can always call them later, but a guest at your place needs to be taken care of first instead of leaving them hanging. Right?
Jane*: Yerrrr… then?
Kenny: Then when the friend leaves, I’ll entertain the gf lah.
Jane*: Yerrrrrrrrrr!!! But the gf waited the whole day dy!
Kenny: I ask you lah. When you have a friend coming over to your place, are you gonna chase her out just because you wanna talk to your boy boy? Or maybe turn on Astro and ask the friend to entertain herself?
Jane*: Yea I’ll do that. lol
Jane*: I won’t chase them out but they can take it like their own place. Then I go talk to my boy boy for 10 mins. Instead of just telling her, “I have friends over. Gonna watch Man U. Probably can’t talk to you right now.”
Kenny: My gawd. Guys don’t function that way.
Kenny: If we show our soft sides in front of our guy friends, we’d automatically lose our dicks and become sissies.
Jane*: Testosterones!! Why guys so difficult one. -_-
Jane*: Would you call your friend a sissy if you were the guest and he left you with Astro?
Kenny: Yeah, I would.
Jane*: -_-
Kenny: ‘cos I only disturb him probably once a week. Maybe even once a month. And he wants to use buddy time to chat with his girlfriend? wtf man.
Jane*: It’s guys like that which makes us girls cry because bf doesn’t want to be a sissy =(
Why would any girl wanna date a sissy ANYWAY?
Kenny: Well, we put up with your many things also.
Jane*: hrm… like?
Kenny: Like… tantrums.
Kenny: Like spending money on handbags and shoes.
Kenny: Like being fussy about every single thing.
Jane*: I am only guilty of the last one. =\
Jane*: Maybe i should also be guilty for the first two to get even.
EVIL.
Jane*: Leaving the friend with Astro for 10 mins also cannot. =\
Kenny: Not cannot. ‘cos women’s clock is different.
Kenny: 1 minute is 10 minutes.
Kenny: 10 minutes is 1 hour.
Kenny: 1 hour is half a day.
Jane*: hrm… how long is 10 mins to a guy?
Kenny: Depends on what we’re doing.
Kenny: If we’re having fun, playing games, watching football, 10 minutes feel like 10 seconds.
Kenny: If we’re waiting for food, waiting for TOTO results, waiting for girls to shop, 10 minutes feel like eternity.
Jane*: No wonder last time he was late. HE WAS AT HIS FRIEND’S PLACE PLAYING COMPUTER GAMES!
The kennysia.com Kuching Food Awards
A lot of tourists come to Kuching City not knowing what to do.
Truth is, there isn’t a lot to do within Kuching City. Most of Sarawak’s natural charms are located outside the city limits, towards the beaches in Damai, the mountains in Santubong, the hot springs at Annas Rais, the caves at Bau, and the jungles at Batang Ai. Not inside Kuching City.
If there’s any reason for the average tourist to stay in Kuching at all, it is for the amazing array of delicious local food. To honour the unsung heroes of the Kuching tourism industry, I think it’s high time to give out awards that the Sarawak Tourism Board had forgotten to give out on their glitzy Awards evening.
It’s time for…
After reading this entry, I bet all those Kuching people living overseas must be desperately trying to book their tickets back home now.
Best Fine-Dining Restaurant
Magenta Restaurant, Jalan Nanas
Lately, there’s been a lot of new fine-dining restaurants popping up all over Kuching. One dish there would cost about RM40. It is so expensive but these places are never empty. Kuching people must be getting richer and richer.
The problem is, most of these restaurants don’t get the concept of fine-dining. It’s either the service is crap, or the food tastes like shit.
Magenta has been around for a long time and I reckon they’re one of the few who got it right. It’s the best place to bring a date out for a romantic dinner. The food here is delicious. What’s more, their dishes are so well-presented they look more like sculptures from an art gallery, than food you can actually eat.
Best Bar
Links, Kuching Civic Center
If you like to be in the company of a rowdy crowd, go to SoHo. But if you enjoy a relaxing and exquisite environment, go to Links. I’m not saying this just because they did a great job hosting my 24th birthday party. But seriously, where else can you find a nice bar playing sweet house music perched on top of a tower overlooking the entire city of Kuching?
Best Place To Have Breakfast
Kaya & Toast. They got two branches. One in 3rd Mile, the other one closer to the city in Wisma Nation Horizon, Jalan Petanak.
Their soft-boiled eggs are the best in town and I simply love their curry rice.
I come here so many times that even the staff recognises me. Not only that, they also developed some sort of psychic powers. I don’t even have to open my mouth and they know what I want to order already.
If they see me walking in sleepily, they’ll know I want my coffee. If they see me walking in with saliva dripping down my mouth, they’ll know I want my curry chicken rice. Damn power.
Best Food Court To Try Almost Everything Under The Sun
Jalan Song Food Court
With three major food courts packed into one area, no wonder is placed is always decked out. They are only open at night and the only way tourists staying in the city can get there is by taxi. Whenever I have friends coming over wanting to try a bit of everything that Kuching has to offer, this is where I bring them to.
Seriously, this place is so freaking huge, it’s like the 1Utama of food courts in Kuching.
Best Roti Canai
J&J Cafeteria, Jalan Setia Raja at Tabuan Laru
Roti Canai isn’t very popular in Kuching, no thanks to the longstanding rumour that Indian roti canai makers who wear big rings on their fingers may have shit stained hands. Most Indians wash their ass with their hands instead of using toilet paper, and you won’t wanna eat the roti canai made with those same hands.
Well, if that rumour is true, then the shit of this roti canai maker must taste really good. Every morning J&J Cafeteria is packed to the max.
Best Teh-C-Special
Fresh Food Court, Lorong Liu Shan Bang 3A, Kota Sentosa (aka 7th Mile)
Sarawak is the only place in Malaysia where you can get the Teh-C-Special, otherwise known as the three-layer Teh-C-Peng. This drink is served with three distinct layers of tea essence, sugar water and ideal milk clearly seperated in the glass. You’re supposed to stir it up before you gulp it down.
The delicious concoction of drink is available in almost every single coffee shop in Kuching, and and it tastes pretty much the same everywhere. If you believe in the doctrine that “Original Is Best”, then go to this shop in the 7th Mile near the wet market.
Just like how Bethlehem is the birthplace of Jesus, Fresh Food Court in 7th Mile is the birthplace of the Teh-C-Special. It’s where the citywide craze all began.
Best Sio Bee
Sin Kwang Heng, Open Air Market
The owner manager of this sio bee stall is a Kuching legend in his own right.
Almost never seen without a cigarette hanging from his mouth, the guy must have violated hygiene laws in at least 70 different countries, including Malaysia’s. But Kuching people very power one. If something is good to eat, we will risk life and death to eat – even if it has cigarette butts in it.
The owner manager of Sin Kwang Heng is also famous for shouting at you when you make your order. Try standing in front of his stall and he’d shout “LU AI HAMIK!?” (WHAT DO YOU WANT) like you had insulted his grandmother. It’s funny, but a bit ridiculous. Wanna buy sio bee also kena shouted at. Like you owe him money like that.
That aside, the sio bee here is a long-time Kuching favourite. They are so good that Sin Kwang Heng have begun mass-producing and supplying them to kopitiams all over Kuching.
The only thing Sin Kwang Heng could possibly do to make it better is if they follow those KL franchise like Strudelz and Baoz, and change their name to Sio Beez.
Best Beef Noodle
Ah Mui, Open Air Market
Another long-time Kuching favourite. With some luck, you might be able to order this dish served with bull’s penis.
I’ve never tried it before myself though. To me, eating a bull’s penis is too much like giving dead animals a blowjob.
Best Tomato Kueh Teow
Hap Hap Hin at Kenyalang Market
You can get Tomato Kueh Teow almost everywhere in Kuching, but only this stall does it to perfection. Come early, because they are so popular, they sometimes sold out before noon time.
This is what Sarawak’s Tomato Kueh Teow looks like.
Other people seems to have a different intepretation of what “Tomato Kueh Teow” means.
Last time I ordered “Tomato Kueh Teow” in Singapore, they gave me a plate of Fried Kueh Teow and a bottle of tomato sauce.
Best Belacan Beehoon
Padungan Belacan Beehoon at Song Kheng Hai Food Court, Jalan Padungan
This is my favourite dish! I always order it with extra cuttlefish and century eggs. This stall at Song Kheng Hai serves pretty mean Sotong Kangkung as well and the drinks stall next to it can make excellent Honey Sea Coconut.
The drinks stall owner next door has a pretty lame sense of humour. If something costs one ringgit, he’d come to you and ask for “one thousand ringgit.”
Belacan Beehoon is one of Sarawak’s most legendary delicacies, although it can’t reach Sarawak Laksa in terms of popularity. Nowadays, it is not so easy to find Belacan Beehoon in Kuching because not a lot of people can stand its pungent smell.
But for people like me who love this dish to death, we won’t find it smelly at all. I had it for lunch with Jojo the other day and she complained about it.
Jojo: “That’s gross. How can anyone stand eating Belacan Beehoon? It’s so smelly!”
Kenny: “I put up with your smoking all the time, and you can’t even put up with me eating Belacan Beehoon?”
Best BBQ Rice
Wan Nurn Barbecue Specialist Duck & Chicken, Jalan Padungan
They are within walking distance from the city centre, located right opposite Memories Cafe.
It takes a lot of balls for someone to call themselves a “specialist”. Luckily, Wan Nurn lives up to its name. I especially like their BBQ pork selection. Served with their sweet homemade BBQ sauce, it is absolutely heavenly. Just remember not to take too much from this BBQ “specialist”, otherwise you might have to make a trip to visit a cancer specialist.
Best Chicken Rice
Good Thumb Food Centre, Jalan Dogan, Batu Kawa
This place used to be called Big Mouth. But then the popular chicken rice stall there had a dispute with the landlord, so they moved next door and call themselves Good Thumb. Why Good Thumb? Because the Big Mouth can suck on the Good Thumb and shut up.
Regardless of what they’re called, the chicken rice there is still hands down the best of the best in Kuching.
The most important ingredient of a chicken rice is the chilli sauce. Good Thumb’s chilli sauce is so damn good, they might as well package it and sell it off as can drinks. I’d drink it everyday.
Best Kolo Mee
Ah Ping Mee Stall, Siang Siang Food Court Tabuan Jaya
There are no decent Kolo Mee stalls located within walking distance of any of the hotels here. For a real taste of Kuching, you must travel out to the suburbs.
Trust me, it’s worth it. You hadn’t really been to Kuching until you had a taste of Kolo Mee. And please, eat it like the locals do. Don’t mix it with dark soy sauce like how the KL people does, or mix it with sambal like how the Singaporeans do.
Actually, I still think Kuching’s best Kolo Mee is at KY Cafe on Sekama Road. But too much of the same thing can be monotonous. For a change, I recommend this stall at Siang Siang Food Court in Tabuan Jaya. When I was staying overseas, my dad used to “ta pao” the Kolo Mee from this stall and bring it over for us. It’s the only thing we look forward to.
Best Lui Teh
A residential house at the corner of Jalan Intan and Jalan Tengah, off Green Road
Lui Teh is a Hakka dish that normally tastes very bitter. Somehow the Lui Teh at this place is different – it doesn’t even taste bitter at all!
I wouldn’t even know this place existed if it weren’t from Francis bringing me out to lunch here.
This place so well-hidden inside the residential area it must be Kuching best kept Lui Teh secret.
It’s puzzling why the owner didn’t wanna set up a stall at a food court to attract more business, especially since it’s obvious that his Lui Teh recipe is so popular. Sometimes, his eatery can be so full that people have to wait outside to get a seat.
Even more puzzling is – why don’t he serve drinks to his customers to earn more income? I think maybe he knows his Lui Teh is so good, his customers are gonna salivate so much that they don’t need to order drinks anymore.
Whatever it is, you MUST try the Lui Teh at this place. Some people call it delicious.
I call it, Lui-Teh-licious.
Best Seafood Kolo Mee
Hong Yan, Jalan Kuek Sik Fong off Jalan Sekama
The place is two shoplots big and the only thing they sell there is Seafood Kolo Mee. RM5.50 is pretty expensive by Kuching’s standards, but Hong Yan makes every single cent worth it.
You don’t see the customers there complaining. Eating the Seafood Kolo Mee here makes them happy. Don’t come after 11am because I guarantee you it’ll be sold out by then.
Best Kueh Chap
Lau-Tee-Fang, 4 1/2th Mile Commercial Centre
We call it Kueh Chap. Other people call it “The Pig’s Spare Parts Soup”. Kueh Chap is made by chopping up every single internal organ of the pig and served in some black-coloured soup. Salty, but lovely.
Just like the Seafood Kolo Mee stall, the Kueh Chap at Lau-Tee-Fang is usually sold out by 11am. I wish they could make more for lunch, but they are open for breakfast only so come early.
Best Sarawak Laksa
Chong Choon Cafe, Jalan Abell.
These guys have been around for ages and they really know their stuff. Located smack in the middle of the city, they are easily accessible to tourists staying in the hotels here. The 8TV crew has been here before and they love it. I brought every single one of my friends from overseas here and they love it. Their laksa is so good its addictive.
Chong Choon is open early in the morning and their laksa is all sold out before the clock even hits 11am.
If you realise, all the good eateries in Kuching are only open for a few hours. They could’ve make more money if they are opened a bit longer to serve the lunchtime crowd, but these people don’t do it. I don’t know why.
Maybe Kuching people just don’t know how to do business.