Sarawak Laksa has its advantage aesthetically compared to its Peninsular counterpart though. A traditional bowl of Sarawak Laksa usually served with rice vermicelli, then topped with omelette strip, prawns, shredded chicken, beansprouts, coriander and lime. Poh Lam Sarawak Laksa (RM 7) has everything on the essential list of a decent Sarawak Laksa, and comply perfectly to both taste and aesthetic factor.
Here's the location.
I visit this cafe mainly for the Laksa Sarawak of course, and waiting for a table is worth it. (Although you can also opt to share tables with strangers if you don't mind). RM8 for a big one and RM6 for a normal size one. Go for the big, recommended, because the difference is only a shrimp or two.
I went to Sarikei (about 1 hour from Sibu) just to eat this Asam Tom Yam Big Prawn Noodles in a Coconut. I always try to go when Iām back.
The coconut pudding is very popular ā almost every table ordered it, and we wanted to check it out too. Itās made in-house with coconut milk and coconut juice and itās not the same thing as the coconut jelly that we have in KL and Thailand. Itās sweet and the perfect counter-balance for the tom yam big prawn noodles.
If you were expecting the sweet and sour spiciness of the famous tom yam soup of Thailand, you would be disappointed because this was a home made version. Nevertheless, the thick broth was fragrant, the local big prawn was fresh and the thick noodles were tangy.
The outcome was a real shocker, the coffee has a strong aromatic coffee bean smell which we have yet tasted before (weāve been told that this is pure Sarawak Coffee Bean Brew), very mild bitter aftertaste which makes it easily acceptable for an amateur like us, overall very smooth and we keep craving for more on the next coming days! š
I just asked for the char kway teow, dryā¦and asked for chili to be added. Unfortunately. that seemed to fall on deaf ears ā there wasnāt any chili in it nor was I given any chili sauce or freshly-cut chili in soy sauce. It tasted all right but no, there are others elsewhere a whole lot nicer
The nasi was NOT lemak but the sambalā¦was good, if only they were a little bit more generous with it and Iāve always liked the salted fish but I do prefer the traditional. more authentic own fried peanuts, skin and all with a sprinkling of salt instead of the ones I got.
We enjoyed the fried kway teow from the Melanau/Muslim stall right next to the kampua mee stall in the coffee shop so I went and ordered the special (RM5.50)ā¦and for that, I got one fried egg and one chicken wing. Other than the fact that both of them seemed rather small, the egg wasnāt exactly fried the way I would like it but on the whole, itā¦was all right.
My girl wanted the porridge (RM4.00)ā¦which I would say is my favourite in town. Yes, she did try it before and it was very much to her liking as well except that she would not touch the three bits of intestinesā¦and the two thin slices of liver in the porridge so of course, I helped myself to those
Taste wise, just average. It's expected because it's pretty much like SOP recipe.
Eight Treasures (pek ting eyok) mee sua It came soon enough (RM6.00)ā¦and yes, it was very nice. I was expecting chicken but no, it did not matter that it was pork trotter instead. I was fine with that.
Nasi lemak (RM4.00) No, the rice might as well had been plain rice, no santan (coconut milk) taste and fragrance at all and eyewwwā¦the heads and the insides of the ikan bilis (dried anchovies) were not removed. Thankfully, the sambal was very nice, very spicy, probably with the addition of dried cili padiā¦in the making and the eggā¦was fried the way I would like it, just that I thought the edges could be a little bit more golden. All things considered, I donāt think itā¦would be something I want to order should I happen to drop by here again in future.
My missus had the fresh fish tom yam hung ngang, the big bihun (RM8.90)ā¦from the second one, the one on the right, and yes, it was very nice, especially as it wasnāt Doryā¦I donāt know what fish that was ā they said something like āhai lianā but as far as I know, if it had been tapah, a plate of noodles with that would set one back by RM12-15.00.
The pian sip, soup (RM3.00)ā¦was very nice. The skin was very thin and the clear soup was just right on all counts and what I liked best about it was that there was no msg overdose. I donāt know why it is 20 sen more expensive than the kampua mee though ā at all the other stalls, these two items are usually priced the same, no difference at all.
I had the nasi lemak special with beef rendang (RM7.00)ā¦The guy kept saying that they only use Australian beef but I did not think that made much of a difference as the rendangā¦was not that great, nowhere near what I had here. Even the so-so one that I had here was nicer but of course, this one here is a whole lot cheaper than the two aforementioned places.
It was good ā there were lots of ingredients including a few prawns and bits of sotong (squid) , a couple of fried fish slices and some vegetables plus the pork fat crusts (bak yu phok) but I would not mind a stronger wok hei fragrance. Yes, they do not use plastic here too ā a pat on the back for that.
I ordered their fried noodles, moon and sat there and waited. Boy! For reasons unknown, it sure took a mighty long time like that time when I was there for the kampua mee and when it was servedā¦I must say that I was quite disappointed. It sure did not look all that enticing. However, when I tried it, I thought it was quite goodā¦but for RM4.50 a plate, I sure wouldnāt mind a few thin slices of their char siew or roast meat. This place is famous for those or perhaps I was too early in the morning and they were not ready yet ā the cabinet at the stall designated for those was still empty
I had no intention of joining all the cars moving at a snailās pace so I decided to stop by the aforementioned coffee shop for the kampua noodlesā¦I was delighted to see that they used real char siew (barbecued meat) instead of those wannabes ā boiled pork coloured red, and the char siew was really very nice! All this while, I had been grumbling that I could not get very nice char siew here, nothing like those in KL or elsewhere in the peninsula, but this one here wasnāt too bad. Now I know where I can go to should I happen to have a craving for it.
Mamaās Laksa Special Rm10 Mamaās Laksa Rm6 D2D Laksa is available at Hock Kopitiam too!!
D2D Laksa is now available at ē¦č®° Hock Kopitiam located at the heart of Miri City Marina Bay Phase One.
Mee udang (prawn mee) I thought it was very nice and for RM9.00 while others are going for RM15.00 and above for one not-all-that-big prawn (medium), some places RM45.00 for one and a half and others even more than that where you will get one giant prawn (RM60.00), just one, I sure would not mind coming back again for this when I feel like it.
Gosh!!! It was just as crowded and as busy as before, years ago. Well, this time around, I just asked for the regular (RM4.00)ā¦and no, it did not taste like kampua mee disguised to look like kolo mee. I would say it was good and I certainly was glad that it came with the chili soaked in vinegar dip like what one would get when going for the noodles in Kuching.
I ordered the kolo mee special (RM5.00) Yes, it had the minced meat and char siew, real char siew and not the boiled meat coloured red that you will find at most kampua mee stalls It tasted great, not in any way like kampua mee disguised to look like kolo mee like some that you may find around here but of course, I added the vinegar and chili that came with itā¦
Anyway, I asked for a plate of the mee (RM3.00)ā¦which, at best, was just all right and I definitely could not see nor taste whatever everybody else saw or tasted in it.
However, when we heated it upā¦to eat, we were somewhat disappointed. No, it was not supposed to be that way, nothing like rendang as I know it to be and definitely not like one of my favourites that I had enjoyed before. It wasnāt really like curry either but it was closer to that than rendang ā letās just say it was their version of curry, not the best, of course, but it was all right, that much I would say. One thing I would give them due credit for would be how the meat was very tender.
Now, the moment of truth ā the noodles (RM5.00)ā¦Yes! It most certainly got my nod of approval and tasted exactly like how I would cook it at home. I sure enjoyed that! Even the fried egg was done the way I like it, the yolk still runny and the golden fringe all along the edges.
The mum had the char chu (fried and then cooked) mee (RM7.00)ā¦our soup version of the Foochow fried noodles, from the stall next to the one selling the Bovril mee and she loved it! It had intestines in it and that accounted for the higher-than-usual price tag.
I had the roti canai kosong (RM1.20) and the roti telor (RM2.00)ā¦and yes, both were as good as before and what I liked most about this place, compared to the rest, was the dhal dipā¦and yes, that too was very nice still ā thick and rich with lots of dhal and it was a little spicy which made me enjoy it all the more.
The sambal was good and the prawns were fresh. I like they removed the gut thoroughly. But the portion is really small.
My girl had the hung ngang (the big bihun) in the egg in traditional Foochow red wine soupā¦and she said it was very good
Yes, the skin was just rightā¦thin and smooth, not overcooked till over-soft and there was not too much meat plus the guy seemed mighty generous with the chopped spring onion and the fried shallots so those added to the fragrance and the taste of the dish. I wouldnāt say the same about their complimentary soup though, if you get what I mean.
Well, if it is the original kampua mee taste that you are looking for, the authentic old school flavour that we grew up enjoying, I would rank this one here (RM2.70)ā¦as among the best in town. There was that very much coveted fragrant shallot oil (lard) and the generous garnishing of spring onion and fried shallotsā¦sure contributed towards my enjoyment of the dish.
Lor Mee However, to be fair, I would say it was quite nice even though it did not taste like the regular lor mee anywhere else. The broth was something like what one would find in stewed five-spice pork leg or duck, slightly thickened with cornflour but unfortunately, I would not say it was anything that I would want to go for again the next time I drop by here.
The noodles had its own unique taste, not quite like the regular kampua mee but I would say it was very nice ā personally, I still like this ladyās kampua mee more but I wouldnāt mind coming back here again for this one with the extras by the sideā¦and perhaps, they may have other things for me to pick and choose or other dishes that I may want to try.
I asked for the kampua mee (RM3.00)ā¦which was to my liking as far as the texture and the taste went but I wouldnāt mind a little bit more oil/lard as it was a little on the dry side.
The kway teowā¦was pretty good but I think I would stick to the very much cheaper sambal kway teow here and if I want some very nice Penang char kway teow, I would go to the coffee shop across the road as it does have an edge over this prawnless one.
However, the kway teow in itselfā¦made up for the disappointment. It was super yummy, so very fragrant and very spicy and Iāve always loved the ladyās very nice own-made chili dip.
My missus stayed steadfast to her sambal kway teow (RM4.00)ā¦and yes, both of them enjoyed their orders very much.
