Breakfast and tea time outlets are popping up everywhere in West Malaysia and it’s just a matter of time this culture hits the shore of Sarawak.
Kaya Toast is a local, brand new, breakfast concept shop originated from the capital Kuching. It now has stores spreading all across the vast state, including 2 in Miri, and another one in Bintulu.
This is the outlet in Miri’s CBD.
Apart from the annual flood, Sibu’s Tiong Hua Road has other hidden treasures for travellers to discover. Just ask any Siburian about the direction to Tiong Hua Road’s kompia house, I’m sure you’ll have the answer.
Don’t worry, it only floods during the Chinese New Year.
A lot of us tends to get hungry while flying on board, especially the long-haul flights to international destinations. So this smart CEO of AirAsia knew this could be yet another way to net in more profits, following many additional charges that were already implemented.
The free tickets or low-fares were actually meant for those really, really, early birds who can get them. For those who’re late, they might be paying at normal fares, or sometimes even extra to get a ticket. You do the math, when you span average the total fees collected, they pretty much got it covered and then earning some.
Anyway, today, we’re looking at this very hot franchise brand in Malaysia, it’s franchises are spreading nationwide that even Sibu has it! Ya, Sibu. It’s weird because there aren’t much Siburian who’ll fork out premium price to savor just a piece of ordinary chicken sausage wrapped in the middle of a long bun with sesame on top of it. So much so that they even had a franchise opened up in the air, thanks to Air Asia.
But there’s consequences with opening so many branches and having the ingredients rushed through the catering deck. This is my experience of having the 1901 on AirAsia.
The hotdog arrived pretty promptly after the order in a nicely packaged paper container.
Wrapped and microwaved hotdog. Seasonings and sauces are readily provided at self-service.
The wrinkled buns and hot dog. Very disappointing.
Spreading the chilli sauce and mayonnaise over the sausage.
There you have it. A plain hotdog with chilli and mayonnaise. That would be RM8(?) sir. WTF?
Thumbs down for the hotdog. Ask your kid to spot the difference between the leaftlet and the real hot dog. What’s missing?
Being ripped off here.
When it’s raining, get under an umbrella. This is yet another fine dining place popping up like mushrooms after the rain.
This is Payung Cafe @ Lanang Road. It’s a few blocks before Fat Mum Restaurant if you’re going from Upper Lanang towards the town area.
This is Payung Cafe from the outside.
The typical, laminated menu.
Mango Milk Shake @ RM5. Tasted okay, but adding some mango bits would certainly boost the taste.
Springroll.
Chicken Rice. Lots of bones and the chicken is tasteless.
Pamelo Salad, Thai style.
Guava Salad, Thai Style.
I’ve to say their Thai style salads taste great. Probably the best dishes of the night.
Not to be mistaken with the Little Umbrella Cafe (Xiao Yu Shan) at the end Brooke Drive, this Payung Cafe is located at a shoplot beside shipyards and timber yards along the Lanang Road, a few blocks away from the Fat Mom Restaurant. They serve mainly exotic Asian dishes and some western dishes. It’s not easy to spot, if you need directions, please contact me!
12km from the pineapple town of Sarikei is the Jakar Rest Stop. The rest stop consists of a few rows of shophouses and an awkward monument to symbolize the place’s main produce – Sarawak’s pepper.
Jakar (Zakar), is a Malay word that carries the meaning of a man’s sex organ. It’s still a mystery to what makes the pioneer in choosing such term to their little township, but I guess they’re just following suit. I mean, there’s fucking roads in Austria, why can’t they name their town Dick? right?
Or maybe it’s just the pepper plantations…
Will Chua was kind enough to guide us here for a peanut soup stop, at the expense of his working hour at his family-owned motorbike store.
The peanut soup. Will Chua’s favorite during his free time. Erm, someone said there’s better peanut soup elsewhere, I’ll review it when I had the chance to taste it.
Peoples stop-by here enroute to Sibu from Kuching, or vice versa. That’s why it’s called a rest stop. Usually they’ll get quick food here before continuing their journey.
The coffee shop even has its own mini mart!
The eggs and pepper. Still seen in some old kopitiams, some will put pulut panggang, some put karipap. But as for this one, it seems like their pepper is free. Put in such a big bottle. But it’s not surprising anyway cause they can always get from the Dick when they run out of pepper.
I went on a food hunt trip to Sarikei a couple of days ago. On the day the fuel was 40 cents cheaper than it was 2 months ago, the car was refuel-ed to the max and off we go to Sarikei, in search of the great Sarikei’s Asam Tom Yam Prawn Noodle.
Approximately an hour later, we found ourselves at the Saratok-Sarikei junction. Turn right to go to Sarikei with 9 more km to go. Jakar Rest Stop will be our next stop!
You won’t miss the welcome sign!
Welcome to downtown Sarikei!
Mirians might be familiar with this coffee shop’s name. Ya, the one just opposite of Boulevard Shopping Complex. It even has its own motel in Sarikei! I heard they’re of the same business proprietor.
Paris Hilton was here okay? Don’t play play.
Glory Cafe’s Asam Tom Yam Prawn noodle. Highly recommended by a few prominent bloggers in Sibu, I’ve gotta go taste it for myself. For something that costs RM14 a bowl, it better be good.
This is the typical kampua stall, guaranteed to be in every kopitiam (coffee shop) throughout Sibu and Sarikei. But we’re not here for that. Maybe next time, uncle.
As usual, the drink comes first. We ordered “San suan” (Three sour), a type of drink with combination of 3 acidic fruits, lemon, lime, and pickled salty plum. Good for washing away those fats after heavy meals 
The tom yam soup (gravy?) is perfectly cooked with the essence of prawns, lemon-grass, tomatoes, onions, and a pinch of lime to enhance the flavor.
Generous portion of the River shrimp (Udang galah), sliced in half for easy consumption. Do handle with care if you’re wearing bright garments as the prawn juice will spill all over you, literally. But it is almost impossible to prevent even with extra precautions. Prevention is better than cure, so wear dark next time you’re here.
The tangy egg noodle.
and after a few moments…
We’re done. I’m sorry but I’ve to say this classic travel lines, if you haven’t tried this dish from Glory Cafe, then you haven’t been to Sarikei yet!
Oh ya, next stop will be Jakar Rest Stop. Stay tuned!
Che-Cheh
