The next morning, I was excited as L had mentioned bringing us to the best kang paun noodles in town. Mee Kang paun is Fuchow's version of kon lou (dry stired) noodles. Waited patiently and refused to eat anything from the hotel. She drove us to Jalan Ling Kai Cheng (sorry don't know Sibu at all so can't tell you whereabout was that, only managed to jot down the street name). As soon as we turned into this street the shop is right ahead. 
To L, noodles are not worth eating if they are not handmade. She mentioned the noodles being made in the shop and I was eager to take some pictures to show but when we arrived they had already finished making the morning batch. Sadly, this picture is the only one I took. Couldn't wait to taste the noodles as the aroma from the fried shallots and the lard used made me drooled all over and my hands were quivering with hunger and anticipation. I was a little dismay when the noodles arrived at the table because the serving of noodles was about the size of my fist and the slices of meat were paper thin.
All that became immaterial when I took my first mouthful. A simple dish that begins and ends with the noodles and the fragrant oil that brings it together. Using K's words - light, smooth without being oily and flavors that hit all the right notes in the palates. This noodle is not springy like wanton mee, it is soft and smooth but still with a bite. So different from our kon lou mee that is drowning in gravy. Love this.
Of course when K sees laksa on the menu he just couldn't resist. Had a taste of the gravy. Preferred the one at Taman Cantik, KK anytime.
Spotted these kompia at the entrance of the kopitiam and L ordered 1/2 dozen. These little buns are very similar to bagels in texture and taste. They are one of Fuchow's famous eats. Look at the transformation of these little humble buns in my next post. Stay tuned.
8 comments:
Are these kompia the same as those that I've seen in one of the kopitiam in Taman Cantek, filled with oysters, sold by a guy selling laksa ?
Looks like I have something new to look forward to when we come back! :D
Kompia and Mee Kang Paun? Really unique...I've never heard of it! (jakun eh:p)
ganache: the laksa guy in tmn cantik has kompia? i'm going there now! ah, the famous tmn cantik--so much good food there!
jo, i love their mee kang paun (which we call sarawak kon lao mee here) even tho it's tasty bc of the pork oil n msg :) y didn't u bring some back for me??
ganache, which one? filled with oysters too??? d guy tt sells kuching laksa next to the thunder rice?? I am heading there...
anony, hah? who is I and we?
christy, I was just as jakun, L our foochow friend had to repeat the words slowly so I could write them down. It is the foochow dialect, kang puan is just kon lou (dry-stir) and kompia is kong pian (shining biscuit).
terri, sorry lah flight left at 7pm and almost all kang puan stores closed oledi then. when r u going to stuff d kompia?
Oh, since kompia is shining biscuit then it's not what I am talking about ? There's a kind of foochow fritters or whatever you call it, filled with oysters & oh ya peanuts, I've seen it at the corner kopitiam that sells pan mian in the day nite time there's char kway teow, the uncle sells laksa too. Oh which one r u referring to when u say best laksa in KK, is it the '弹弓面' shop, let's say you're facing the row of shop, the 2nd last on the right ?
ganache, kompia do look like fritters once they r deep fried...they used to sell them in d stall at the foochow building.
I blogged bout the best kuching laksa a while back, he has since move to d second shop (if coming fr Lido market), just next door to the old premises.
Kampua or in Foochow, kang-puang = kon lou. Kam = dry and puak = tossed (in the ingredients). This is one of the most popular shops here...but I find it somewhat bland. I think there are a few better ones e.g. Rasa Sayang.
Post a Comment