Tea Time at Blackball, Sarikei

Update on **18 July 2015**

When I reached Sibu airport around 1 pm, we rushed to Sarikei since Mickey (5th sister) has an tuition appointment on 2.30 pm. While waiting Mickey for tuition, Naruto brought me to Blackball (i.e the dessert outlets originated from Taiwan) to kill the times.

 Although it started operation few years ago, but I missed the opportunity to visit it. 

 Like other Blackball outlets, it sold it's signature, which was blackball desserts and other options too. 

 Less people in the afternoon. Teenagers preferred to get the free W.I.F.I in here by bringing their laptops, Ipad or smartphones.

 Blackball signature. Nothing to shout about, just like ordinary desserts 

 It's lack of ingredients that made us felt like nothing to eat except black and white sago.

Cherishing the time we had afternoon desserts together by taking photos as my own lovely memories.

A Day Trip to Bentong, Pahang

Update on **17 July 2015**

Last week, Rosamond and me made a day trip to Bentong, Pahang. I got a few weeks break in my Phd journey and decided to back to my hometown, Saratok in Sarawak. It's difficult for me to survive in my university during the 1 week before Hari Raya. 

All the cafeterias were closed down and school buses were stopped their operations too. I had no choices and went to KL for few days to stay with my 2nd sister, Rosamond while counting down the days I back to Sarawak.  

In addition, Rosamond agreed to visit to Bentong, Pahang with me because of the short journey (1 hour distance) from KL. Furthermore, the short journey of Bentong was suitable for me that will leave in the next day early morning in order to prevent tiredness. 

Without further ado, let's the picture did the talking.

We took the bus of Central Pahang to Bentong in Titiwangsa train station. Rosamond's house was quite near to the Titiwangsa train station.

The timetable of buses from KL to Bentong with bus fare RM 5.60 per adult while RM 4.20 per children. It really bring the convenience to passengers to Bentong because the schedule of the buses were so frequent.

  We rode the same bus to Bentong and back to KL too

 Quite a long long long time, Rosamond didn't appear in my blog. In case you had forgotten Rosamond, here's she. 

Around 10am, we reached Bentong town. First of all, we intended to have Hooi Kee Wan Tan Mee as our brunch. Unfortunately, Wan Tan Mee of Hooi Kee were sold out once we arrived there after seeking the direction from the locals. 

Without further hesitation, we went to other kopitiam which was not far from Hooi Kee but also sold out. A lot of kopitiams in Bentong town also closed down due to Hari Raya celebration.

Both of us forced to enter any kopitiam as long as it had foods. Finally we went Cheong Fatt kopitiam.

 Had our brunch in Cheong Fatt Kopitiam, Bentong

 Vintage decorations

  Few old men were " yum cha" and chit chat their recent lives

Teh Kiam Si, one of the must try drinks in Bentong. It taste like Teh C, but not sweet all for me.

Yong tau fu soup. Never thought Kuang Si people in Bentong love Yong tau fu because I perceived it's one of the Hakka ( i.e one of the group of varieties of Chinese) food.  

Dry noodles. I was not finished the noodles. It was tasteless and oily for me. Sarawak dry noodles and kolo mee is better than B.E.T.T.E.R than it.

She was so happy when searching the foods successfully in Bentong.

Mine was equally happy too

After that, we explored Bentong's market. All varieties of stalls were displayed different products. 

Ginger powder and several canned foods

One of famous products in Bentong, ginger. I was not interested at all because it was useless for me. I did not cook recently.

Rosamond make a attempt to try it's Tou Fu drink but she told me it was tasteless.

Another famous product, peanuts according to Bentong blogs.

 

Musang king durian. 

Old tailor shop

Vintage saloon

 

1974 & 1980 buildings

1975 buildings 

Bentong town in Pahang looked similiar to my hometown, Saratok in Sarawak. The similarities were the small town that characterized with  few row of shophouses. Most of the old folks were seen in here. Their biggest hobby might be "Yum Cha" with their old friends too. Their kids sure earned the living in the big cities because lack of job opportunities in Bentong. 

Besides that, the foods stalls will shut down their operation once their foods were sold out. In such small town, breakfast seemed entitled for those early birds or the morning person. They're not interested in getting more revenues in increasing the selling volume of foods. Same things happen to Saratok too. The small income which was adequate to support the small town's living was big enough for small town people. They're lack of ambitious in buying the big mansion, luxurious cars and branded clothes.

One more thing, every shophouse in  Bentong was very older, vintage looked compared to Saratok. It was so unique for the city folks. No wonder KL people loved to visit there on weekend. Seeing vintage looked shophouses traveled me back to older time, it made me appreciated and grateful the present time.

******************************

Thank you Rosamond willing to "off study" (she was busy with her medical studies) for few days to be with me.  

I learned to appreciate the time spent with Rosamond and cherished the single moment with Rosamond because I had the limited amount of times with her.  I was not always be her side, same things went to her as well. 

It was the greatest sad feeling in the world for me when I always saw Rosamond when we lived together in Saratok and finally can't saw her face, allowed to listen to her voice through watsapps or phone call. 

Celebrating my arrival in Shabu Shabu steamboat restaurant in Festival City Mall, Setapak KL.

I insisted to have photo in her usual dining food stalls in Setapak area although Rosamond disagreed (pardon she, she was too shy).

 A great shopping day in Nu Sentral Mall, KL

Parent Day's Dinner at Saratok

Update on **25 July 2015**

Last night, we were attending Parents Day's dinner organized by Saratok Memorial Hills  (砂拉卓幸福陵园）at the SJK (C) Min Syn Saratok (only one primary Chinese school in Saratok). 

I'm quite surprise when Mama will bring us for Parent Day's dinner because Father Day and Mother Day was fallen few months ago. Then, Papa explained probably it's the excuse of the organizations in organizing any celebration dinner. Furthermore, Papa's friend was not available to go to the dinner and finally gave such dinner opportunity for Papa and his other friend. It means we shared the table with other 5 people (my family members owned 5 seats out 10 seats).  

I'm so excited and totally expected to attend such dinner with my family members. All years round, I was away from my family members, I always absent any family celebrations and dinners. I was so blessed and grateful for any occasions with my family members.

 The guards were enhancing the safety area of the dinner 

After that, we welcomed by the lion dance. 

 Registration counter. 

 This dinner attracted the crowds from locals, Roban, Sarikei and son on irrespective different races.

I wished to have our family photo but it's very "paiseh" (means embarassed) in shooting ours without concerned other dinner members. Therefore, Mama instructed to include everyone "in" the photo.

I was so disappointed after attending the Parent Day's dinner. I left the dinner half way with my sisters for the following reasons. 

Waited too long for the foods. 

The dinner time stated in the tickets was 6.30 pm but actually the first main course of foods being on the table on 8 pm. I hated their time management. For the next foods, I waited approximately 30 minutes. I'm not sure it's the intention of the organizer or the problems of the kitchen department. No matter any reason, it killed my patience in waiting the "so so" foods. Just imagine we did nothing except waiting the foods. 

Improper seat allocation

We had been assigned to table 63, which was very very far away from the stages. We can't enjoyed any dance performance. It was not clear when I viewed the stage. I only able to listen to the voices, sound and music of the performance. 

Unfair lucky draw practices

This dinner has the lucky draw session. The first biggest prize and second prize for lucky draw were Myvi and Axia cars. However, the lucky draw was only available for those who bought the cemetery from the Saratok Memorial Hills within year 2015. It was not fair for those who totally not have the business deals with Saratok Memorial Hills and attended the dinner as well. It truly hurt the people. 

Once I recalled my memories, I understood we're not necessary to put the table tickets inside the lucky draw box because we were fallen into their "disqualified groups". 

Besides that, their lucky draw also brought dissatisfaction for their old customers too because it entitled for the customers that make the business with them within this year only. I will laugh the winner of the Myvi and Axia car because in the surface he or she seemed like fortunate to get the Myvi and Axia, but after deep consideration, the organization utilized revenues earned from them to buy for them with a "professional" excuse. What a good business strategies in order to win and maintain the customer relationship!!!

Laksa Nio's Kolo Mee, Saratok

This morning, Naruto and me decided to eat Laksa Nio's (拉沙娘）kolo mee at Saratok. Usually, Papa will buy the Sarawak breakfast (e.g Sarawak laksa, dry noodles, kue chap) and we able to enjoy it while watching drama at the same time. Papa went to Hospital Saratok for blood checking in the early morning. 

Laksa Nio's (拉沙娘）kopitiam which was opposite Hospital Saratok, actually well-known for its kolo mee among the locals because it's kolo mee was very springy (similiar with Kuching's kolo mee). Laksa Nio's (拉沙娘）means the lady boss that sold the Sarawak Laksa, hence don't judge the name by assuming it's famed for Sarawak Laksa. 

For your information, the locals in Saratok prefer called noodles sold in Saratok as "dry noodles". Of course, the noodles in Saratok had different textures with Kuching's kolo mee. Probably Laksa Nio's kolo mee was different with locals dry noodles, hence it caught the fancy of the locals. It included me as well, therefore, I decided to give it a shoot.

Besides that, Laksa Nio's (拉沙娘）kopitiam also had other Sarawak breakfast options such as Sarawak Laksa, mixed rice. For me, it's kolo mee was taste better compared others. 

 Laksa Nio's kopitiam was Jia Jia Cafe. According to Papa, it earned RM 4000 per month for selling kolo mee in Saratok

 In the early morning, it was flooded with customers especially Ibans (Iban was the one of the tribes in Sarawak which loved "mee langkai". "Mee Langkai" was the Iban language for kolo mee and dry noodles)

 

 

 The mee was so springy and bouncy. It was filled with pork lard, shallot oil and char siew aroma

 The kolo mee were served with plain soups and cut chillies

 Thank you Naruto for being my breakfast companion this morning....

Dinner at Sandakanian Food Stall, Saratok

Tonight, Tay's family (exclude Rosamond & JoJo) had the dinner at the food stall operated by a Sandakanian. It was located at the back of the Chinese temple in Saratok.

We used to call it as "Sandakan" because the owner was originated from Sandakan, Sabah and this food stall did not has it's own registered business name. Papa and Mama loved to bring us over there when we back to Saratok (they're the regular customers). Tell you frankly, in fact no much Chinese food stalls in Saratok catered for dinner time. Most of the Chinese restaurants and food stalls in Saratok will operate in the early morning until afternoon.  

It's the family business. His wife, son and mother in law were the helper in the foods stalls

 

Chillies condiments

Stir fry pork with ginger and onions. It was demanded by me due to long long time I did not have pork meals in the university. For me, it smelled fragrantly and liking my taste. 

Mix vegetables soup

Water spinach with garlic. It was too salty

 

Deep fried fish with tomato sauce. Mama ordered this dish especially for Naruto, she loved it very much.

Last but not least, our family dinner photo

Postive reviews:

1. The owner was very friendly. He will chit chat with my parents. Even few times Mama was absent being there, he will concern too. I super love this "human touch" customer services.

2. Nice environment and fresh air at there due to outdoor dining spaces.

3. Reasonable prices.