Sarawak Laksa At Chong Choon and Madam Tang's
In Kuching,many people rave about the Laksa at Chong Choon Coffee shop and Mdm. Tang's Restaurant. To justify whether they lived up to their good reputations, I went to dine in the two eateries.
Situated on Abell Street, Chong Choon is a single shop building behind Long house Hotel.It has been operating for more than half a century. On the other hand, there are three outlets of Madam Tang's Restaurant in Kuching. I dined in the one beside the famous Min Joo noodle shop on Carpenter Street.
Eating Laksa is addictive. Over the past few months, my love of this noodle dish has swung from a mild one to a fervent infatuation.
In a bowl of Laksa, you can see blanched rice vermicelli aswim in a reddish coconut-milk based soup.Arranged atop the noodles are blanched bean sprouts, blanched shrimps, omelet strips and a few sprigs of cilantro leaves. Sarawak Laksa is normally eaten with Sambal Belacan. Tartness is also added to the noodles with a squeeze of lime. It is quite similar to the curry noodles in West Malaysia but curry powder is not part of its ingredients.
Hearing that Chong Choon Cafe was always spilling over with people, I went there quite early at 7.30am.However, the coffee shop was already jam-packed with customers.I shared a table with a young affable Malay couple and their two kids. While waiting for my Laksa to come, I ordered two pieces of taro cake to quench my hunger. They were savoury and tasty.I had never eaten any taro cakes as soft-textured and fluffy as this one.I had an urge to order more but thought better of it. I had to leave enough space in my stomach for the Laksa.
(Laksa at Chong Choon Cafe)
My order came after thirty-minutes. Its spicy aroma wafted into my nose and intensified my hunger.Unlike the ones in Miri, Chong Choon's Laksa had a dark-brownish hue. I scooped up a spoonful of soup and sipped eagerly from it. Rolling the liquid around my tongue, I could identify the flavours of Daun Kesum(Polygonum Leaves), lemon grass, galangal, coriander powder and chicken bones.It was piquant with a generous dose of chilies. The soup was also not oily. There was only a hint of coconut milk in it. The Laksa had a soft, sweet edge too. Had yam beans and anchovies been used in cooking the stock? The noodles were moderately soft, and the tang of spices infused each strand of them well.The shrimps and beansprouts complemented the noodles perfectly with their freshness and crunchiness.Every bite and sipping culminated in an explosion of flavour! This delicious dish cost me a mere RM4.00.
Although Chong Choon's Laksa was great, I found one ingredient, turmeric, missing. The soup would have looked yellowish had it been used. Anyway, that was not a defect.
After eating, I did a little shopping. When I returned to my hotel, I slept and woke up around 10.50am. Feeling hungry again, I decided to go for an early lunch.I had actually planned to have chicken rice but the moment I walked past Madam Tang's Restaurant, I was itched to try Laksa again.
(Laksa at madam Tang's)
The Laksa at Madam Tang's Restaurant had a rich yellowish red colour.Obviously, turmeric had been used. The soup tasted more like curry, and had a tinge of nutty flavour. It was creamier because of a thicker amount of coconut milk. However, it was too salty for my palate. At a more expensive price of RM5.50, it had only two shrimps compared to four at Chong Choon Cafe.I found it quite disappointing. But those who enjoy typical hot, spicy food would have chosen this version.
The best laksa I have hitherto tasted is the one cooked by my mother's Malay neighbour in Brunei.
Nevertheless, Chong Choon Cafe earned some brownie points with me for its good Laksa.I will definitely visit the coffee shop again the next time I come to Kuching.
Situated on Abell Street, Chong Choon is a single shop building behind Long house Hotel.It has been operating for more than half a century. On the other hand, there are three outlets of Madam Tang's Restaurant in Kuching. I dined in the one beside the famous Min Joo noodle shop on Carpenter Street.
Eating Laksa is addictive. Over the past few months, my love of this noodle dish has swung from a mild one to a fervent infatuation.
In a bowl of Laksa, you can see blanched rice vermicelli aswim in a reddish coconut-milk based soup.Arranged atop the noodles are blanched bean sprouts, blanched shrimps, omelet strips and a few sprigs of cilantro leaves. Sarawak Laksa is normally eaten with Sambal Belacan. Tartness is also added to the noodles with a squeeze of lime. It is quite similar to the curry noodles in West Malaysia but curry powder is not part of its ingredients.
Hearing that Chong Choon Cafe was always spilling over with people, I went there quite early at 7.30am.However, the coffee shop was already jam-packed with customers.I shared a table with a young affable Malay couple and their two kids. While waiting for my Laksa to come, I ordered two pieces of taro cake to quench my hunger. They were savoury and tasty.I had never eaten any taro cakes as soft-textured and fluffy as this one.I had an urge to order more but thought better of it. I had to leave enough space in my stomach for the Laksa.
My order came after thirty-minutes. Its spicy aroma wafted into my nose and intensified my hunger.Unlike the ones in Miri, Chong Choon's Laksa had a dark-brownish hue. I scooped up a spoonful of soup and sipped eagerly from it. Rolling the liquid around my tongue, I could identify the flavours of Daun Kesum(Polygonum Leaves), lemon grass, galangal, coriander powder and chicken bones.It was piquant with a generous dose of chilies. The soup was also not oily. There was only a hint of coconut milk in it. The Laksa had a soft, sweet edge too. Had yam beans and anchovies been used in cooking the stock? The noodles were moderately soft, and the tang of spices infused each strand of them well.The shrimps and beansprouts complemented the noodles perfectly with their freshness and crunchiness.Every bite and sipping culminated in an explosion of flavour! This delicious dish cost me a mere RM4.00.
Although Chong Choon's Laksa was great, I found one ingredient, turmeric, missing. The soup would have looked yellowish had it been used. Anyway, that was not a defect.
After eating, I did a little shopping. When I returned to my hotel, I slept and woke up around 10.50am. Feeling hungry again, I decided to go for an early lunch.I had actually planned to have chicken rice but the moment I walked past Madam Tang's Restaurant, I was itched to try Laksa again.
The Laksa at Madam Tang's Restaurant had a rich yellowish red colour.Obviously, turmeric had been used. The soup tasted more like curry, and had a tinge of nutty flavour. It was creamier because of a thicker amount of coconut milk. However, it was too salty for my palate. At a more expensive price of RM5.50, it had only two shrimps compared to four at Chong Choon Cafe.I found it quite disappointing. But those who enjoy typical hot, spicy food would have chosen this version.
The best laksa I have hitherto tasted is the one cooked by my mother's Malay neighbour in Brunei.
Nevertheless, Chong Choon Cafe earned some brownie points with me for its good Laksa.I will definitely visit the coffee shop again the next time I come to Kuching.
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