Food binging in Open Air Market

It was a Tuesday, the 3rd day of business. After closing shop at 3pm, we went home for a quick shower and then headed to Open Air Market to collect our order.

We made order of 200 sio bee (Kuching siu mai) with this well known Sin Kwang Heng in Open Air Market. And minimum order for delivery is 500 but we decided to try with 200 numbers first. So we needed to collect them from the stall in Open Air Market.  

Hubby and I went to pick Jan from her school as she finished around 345pm that afternoon so we headed straight to Jalan Power. Lucky star on our side as we managed to find a parking spot in ever packed area. 

As we were early and the order wasn't delivered from factory yet, we decided to take a break and enjoy some food while waiting for the sio bee to arrive for collection which was 430pm. 

As you could see, some stalls were opened while others usually later in the evening. Not many crowds too but somehow hubby bumped into his old primary school classmate who happened to be in Kuching for holiday with her family. They were looking for local food but not all stalls opened yet at that time.

I used to order my drink from this stall when I was young. Surprisingly it still there. Few selection of dessert drinks such as white lady, cincai sarsi but I settled for the matterhorn. 

My Matterhorn for RM3.50!! Good and refreshing to take on a hot afternoon. Cendol, glass jelly with a lemon slice and some longan in a bowl of chilled shaved ice!! 

We shared this RM9 sotong kangkung from a stall next to Lock Ann. And bought a pack and a fruit rojak (also RM9). 

And we also ordered ourselves few Sim Kwang Heng sio bee to enjoy while waiting for our 200 wholesale sio bee to arrive. Of course not forget its fresh soya bean as well but I didn't took shot of it. We bought few bottles of soya bean so could enjoy at home. 

Hubby saw a stall across from where we seated, a lady was making, wrapping and selling chai kueh so he was tempted to buy. Ended buying 2 packs!! 

After done talking to hubby's classmate, collected our sio bee and food binging in Open Air Market, we took our leave as needed to pick up Jay from school. By then the rain started to pour. It was a wet Tuesday evening when we drive away from this part of the city. The history, the old times. Felt good to go back to the place I patronised as a kid. We used to hang out at Electra House, enjoy food (mostly dinner) at Open Air Market which is just across the road. 

 

Our coffee shop

Well, it started just after CNY, when hubby and I had a good talk on our current family financial status and economy crisis. It wasn't that good. Hubby's job isn't going anywhere, a lot of pressure and he will be stuck in Sri Aman for time being. And with only one income, hubby can't support the family financially without concern of any sort. So after much talk, we decided to try something different. Something to change our status and also a better opportunity for advancement. A business venture. 

Everything felt like it was an answer to our prayer (thanks God for the right timing) as we found a shop right away. In my area, few minutes drive. The old coffee shop moved away and we found a good deal, and the rest was hard work and persistence!!

Attended online food handling courses, dealing with contractors and relevant authority, I learnt a lot along the way. Long days and nights of works in the shop by contractors and many days of scouting and shopping for necessary equipments and stuff. Thanks to my mil for helping out as she used to operate a hospital canteen for more than 20 years. 

After few months of planning and preparing (March till June), we opened up our coffee shop on 18 June!! Of course we got people to choose good date and time for the opening.  More or less, a good date and time to hang up the coffee shop signboard. Jia Hao Cafe is the name. Literally means "good family". 

We opened around 545am, heated up the water, getting ready the drink counter and preparing the tables and chairs. I got myself 3 workers, all young guys and not from Kuching but we provided hostel for them nearby. Kids came to help out too. As it was a Sunday, we had a bit of hiccups here and there. Everyone tried on getting used to the ordering and POS, we had a busy morning that day. Many customers came but mostly familiar faces that used to patronise the previous coffee shop. And my parents as well as other friends and associates also showed up to show support. Thanks everyone for the congratulatory, gifts and support!!

We have 2 stalls operating right now. The Kolo mee stall from this coffee shop, which we enjoyed a lot in the past. Kolo mee business was as good as ever with many customers came to support and dine in. 

The other stall was chicken rice that is selling steamed chicken, char siew and curry rice.  Super fragrant and soft rice with tasty chickens. So far I have tasted its steamed chicken rice, haven't try other dishes yet. 

As for us, we are in charge of drink, and breakfast (toasts, sandwiches and steamed baos). So that is a handful for us, but we are slowly get used to it. 

It has been a week since our opening. Latest update, Sarawak laksa stall will operate next week and there is an interested party taking up our economy rice stall.  I will blog more on the food when I have time!! 

Location: Papillon Street Mall (shop is below Level Up Fitness MJC, facing Courtyard Sanctuary Apartment)

Lunch in Tasty Delight

It was last Sunday. A busy weekend for us as final preparation for my coffee shop venture. Yes!! I am going into f&b and for the past 2 months and so I have been doing the planning, preparation and setting up. Trust me, it isn't easy but a learning curve for me as I do most of the stuff by myself. Of course my man helps me in whatever he could. Thanks to him for supporting me in doing this business. 

Last Sunday, we went to the local hypermarket to buy stuff, non perishable for the shop. Everyone took part in shopping, unloading and filling up at the shop that day.

Since we were at Emart, we walked over to Tasty Delight for lunch. We tasted the Teochew oyster omelette in our previous visit so we had that. RM15 for this delectable omelette. 

There are so many stalls to choose from, you are definitely spoiled for choice. One must try one by one to decide which is nice and which is not. I for the first time, tried the Penang char kway teow stall and surprisingly it was good. RM9 for my prawns, clams and Chinese sausages char kway teow.  

Jamie and mil shared this lovely claypot chicken rice. We bought home on our previous visit, hubby and I enjoyed it very much. 

Jan and Jay each had buttermilk chicken rice (RM8 per plate). 

For the record, my shop opens today, on 18 June!! Got someone to calculate a "good date" for the shop. So, first day of business today!!

Wouldn't be much updating from me from now onwards, but whenever I am free (which would be in the evening as my shop only do breakfast and lunch), I shall visit your blog. So, to all my blogger friends and readers, thank you so much for the support and comments. Maybe when my business has settle down and I find some times, I shall pen my journey of starting this business and of course, promoteling my little humble coffee shop and food stalls. Till then, see you guys around. ❤️ 

Durian flowers

Everyone knows durian, the king of fruits. But do you know that its flowers are also edible?? Yes, they can be eaten and they are really taste good!!

Surprisingly only in Sarawak, we eat durian flowers (liu lian hua). It is unheard of to consume durian flowers in other states in Malaysia. Maybe in other countries in Asia, people do consume the flowers but in Sarawak, we treat it as a local delicacy. And like durian fruit, when the season comes, you will see people picking and collecting the flowers at the roadside. Usually you can find it sold by the natives in pasar tani but now the durian flowers in Kuching has been commercialised with people selling on the social media. I was one of those who bought the durian flowers from Facebook. I rarely buy stuff through social media but the craving for durian flowers kicked in last week when few people promoting and selling it online.

This lady that I contacted grows durian tree in her backyard in Stapok area. Since it was on the way when dropped my boy to school, I decided to collect and buy from her. RM7 for 500g. That was reasonable. It has been ages since I tasted it!! I did bought and cooked it back in 2019. I have been eating durian flowers stir fried with belacan and dried prawns, never tasted other recipe. That is how my mum cooked so I just follow suit. You can check out my stir fried durian flowers recipe.

Durian flowers

Okay, back to last week. I was happy to collect it and brought home. My mil also love durian flowers. Together with her, I sorted out the durian flowers. Make sure your hands are dry, otherwise the pollen will stick to your hands. The petals, just directly throw in a bag. The pistils (flowers with pollens), you need to pull the pollens away and then keep the pistils in the bag with the petal. Easy right??

After done with them, we divided them into 2 packs. The next day, my mil took out one pack from the fridge and made stir fried durian flowers with curry powder and dried prawns. This dish was delicious, something I never tasted before. Salty, with a bit of curry flavour to it. No, she didn't overcook it so it still have that crunchiness to it. 

Just soak the durian flowers in water for few minutes after added a teaspoon of salt. Rinse few times. Then, fry some garlic, and ginger. Add a tsp of curry powder and some dried prawns. Stir fried till fragrant before adding the durian flowers. Fry for few minutes till the flower withered. Add a bit of salt and water if prefer. Dish out. 

Tasty Thai Delight

It used to be Nanyang Food Court but it has changed name (and maybe ownership) not long ago. Cleaner and tidier with better setting. Tasty Delight as the food court is called, directly opposite to Emart Hypermarket Batu Kawa. 

Hubby and I dropped Jan to her friend's house for Gawai open house on 1 June in Malihah Matang. We didn't felt like going home, so we stopped by at Supersave store which was next to Tasty Delight. After we were done with our shopping, we dropped by next door for an early dinner as hubby was hungry then. 

A Thai food stall that was in front of the food court attracted us and we decided to give it a try. 

They also selling chee cheong fun but it wasn't available that day. We ordered pineapple fried rice and tom yum soup from a girl which we believed wasn't local due to her accent. She spoke Mandarin but not that fluently. 

She got our pineapple fried order correctly. And wow!! Fit to be shared by 2 persons!! RM10 for this tasty, appetizing fried rice. We liked the flavour. 

And then this came!! Tom yum fried rice!! We immediately asked the girl to pack this fried rice (RM10) for us. We reordered the tom yum soup (without noodle or rice). Luckily this time the order was correct as a Chinese guy came and took our order.  By the way, the stall was operated by few young guys, including the cook. 

We requested for mild spicy so the soup was nice for us. RM12 for this bowl of tom yum goong.

Hubby and I were happy with the dishes. We will definitely come back for more when we are craving for Thai!! The address of this food court (above) if you are unsure of the location. 

 

Egg crepe

 It was 1st day of Gawai. Super hot day. 

Hubby and I went to Pines Square to shop at Eco-Shop, which was a block away from Siang Man Lou. After we were done with our shopping, we walked over to Siang Man Lou for lunch. 

We seated right in front of the laksa stall. So I automatically ordered a bowl of Sarawak laksa (RM8) for myself while hubby went for steamed chicken rice (RM8) which was next to the laksa stall. My man was too hungry that I didn't have time to take his food photo. 

My Sarawak laksa (small bowl). By the time we almost finished our food, our drink just came. Probably it was holiday and they were short of manpower, so the drink came late. 

Hubby saw this crepe stall when we walked over, so he was tempted to try. The China egg crepe style. 

We ordered the normal egg with lettuce crepe for RM6. Not something that I fancy though. 

Breakfast at Fu Rong

Finally, I dined at this pan mee shop, on the last weekend before Gawai. We were early so not many customers that day. 

Seremban pan mee as it claimed and family business. The taukey took our order; it turned out to be a Facebook friend of my man. 

Our order came pretty swiftly. Hubby ordered their special fried pan mee. It did looked good especially mixed with their dried chilli. 

I had this Hakka pan mee set which I rather liked. Cangkuk manis with meat ball soup to go with my dry pan mee.  Loved the crispy anchovies!!

As we were eating, more and more customers came in. The place soon was packed with patrons. Luckily we came early and didn't have to wait so long for our breakfast. 

The new Kim Lai Heng

This coffee shop have been in Green road for quite a long time. Kim Lai Heng has closed and revamped end of last year and opened up after Chinese New Year to a new, modern, cleaner coffee shop look. 

Same stalls still operated at the shop such as the kolo mee, chicken rice, economy rice, salad chicken and Penang fried stall. 

My Jay in particular liked the kolo mee (RM6) served by the kolo mee stall. He tasted the kampua from the kampua stall but he didn't enjoyed it much. 

There was one stall that I always wanted to try, and that was Penang fried kway teow. I did managed to taste it for the first time last Wednesday morning. 

I opted for the normal fried kway teow (RM7) from the Penang fried stall. And yes, it was good!! I really enjoyed it very much!! Will definitely order again. Many dishes on their menu, another day to try them out. 

Before leaving, my mil bought tau fu fah from the stall next to Penang fried stall. Not sure how much as my mil paid but should be around RM3.00. Tau fu fah with black syrup. Nice to take on any warm day. Syrup wasn't too sweet and the tau fu fah (Soya pudding) was silky and soft.