Sunday, September 30, 2007

Our Sunday Laksa Ritual

Laksa is the first thing that comes to my mind when I wake up on a Sunday morning. It's the first word I utter when my eyes open.

Both Nee and I like simplicity and consistency. Simplicity and ease in deciding where to eat. Consistency in sticking to the same thing when it's good. Another word for that is just being plain lazy.

So every Sunday has become our Laksa day. It makes things simple because we don't have to think about what to eat and where to go. (How to blog like this. Eat also lazy.)

I don't know where the word Laksa comes from. I've always thought because it was spicy hot (Lak), you'd stick your tongue out and go 'sa sa'. Silly I know.

Nee says: Laksa is very Sarawak Kuching dish. The most authentic ones are here. Similar to curry laksa from KL. But our Laksa is more reddish and generally lighter than the curry ones. This Laksa practically has no curry.

This is the laksa stall that we go to every Sunday at Fat Cat coffee shop. The price just shot up by 5o cents a few months ago. I'm sure you can see that in the picture. Bloody petrol prices is affecting everything. Even laksa uses petrol.

This is the laksa lady who 'mans' or should I say 'womanises' the stall. She has a very good memory. Don't even think of playing memory game with her. You will lose.

Hawkers in general have very good memory. They actually remember what you wear and not your face. So next time, wear something flourescent flashy and the food will come fast.

Legend has it that the laksa here descended from the original grandmaster at Chong Choon cafe (Abell Road). From there came two descendents, one opened at New Chong Choon (Green Heights) and the other at Fat Cat. The earlier one sucks.

The Fat Cat laksa here is the best that we've tasted so far in Kuching. It is the only one where we can have many times without feeling jelak.

The beehon is just nice, not over cooked. It seems to have been drawn out as soon as it reaches the cooking point. Therefore it still maintains a certain degree of elasticity and bite, instead of being soggy soft.

We find the original Chong Choon laksa too spicy. The laksa soup here at Fat Cat is just nice and well balanced, in taste, texture and colour. I usually drink until got 'sook sook' sound come out. Drink until dry dry. Maybe it should be called LakSook.

The only drawback here is that the lady give too little condiments (meat, prawns). But maybe it's because laksa doesn't need a lot as it can kill the taste. By the way, I find that big prawns do not go well with laksa. It doesn't absorb the laksa well enough. So we don't usually order the special.

I also hate prawns with its shell, head and legs attached in a laksa soup, like the one at Golden Arch. Some people like it. I find it too strong, intrusive and overpowering. If the laksa soup tastes good on its own, then it doesn't need too much of anything else like santan or curry spices like the one at Foody Goody.

By the way, if you plan on eating at Fat Cat, you might want to bring your own drinks from home. A lot of times, the food arrives first before the drinks. Even when you've finished your laksa, and the snails have gone home, there's still no sign of the drinks.

We got fed up waiting for the drinks last Sunday. I approached the lady owner but she no hiu. She was busy doing the drinks herself and didn't even look at me. So we just took off. Maybe they can drink our Teh-C-Peng Special and soya drink themselves.

9 comments:

CK Ng said...

Heay, I haven't tried the Fat Cat Laksa ler...

Greg Wee said...

What? You travel round the world oredi but haven't tried Fat Cat? I want to say you ulu but cannot also!

Anonymous said...

hi, i also haven't try Fat Cat laksa. I usually go another place for nice laksa, that is a single storey detached house at 4 1/2 mile which opposite Kim Shien Development/JKR road maintenance section. The tea c or tea c peng there also very nice.

Anonymous said...

Me too! I am Kuchingian/Kuchinger but never try Fat Cat laksa.

Anonymous said...

I LOVE sarawak laksa. Can you please post Fat Cat's and New Chong Choong's respective address and/or give directions please? Want to try both when i'm next in Kucing,

Anonymous said...

thank you for the directions. Will save and keep for use when in KCH.

Anonymous said...

Your blog about Laksa is so funny and I do enjoy reading them. Where is Fat Cat? I plan to go to Kuching next year. I used to live at Abell Road before the split. That was during the mid 60s. Boy, do I love Kuching Laksa. Please tell me.- Jungle Walk

Anonymous said...

I have tried the Chong Choon Cafe laksa, it really tastes very delicious and I would say it is the best in Kuching. However, this Fat Cat Laksa, I never try before. Can you please show me the direction to go there?

For the Chong Choon Cafe Laksa, I have shared my review at http://www.gourmetsharing.com/v.aspx?p=72754796-7f10-43ac-a430-bbc08ed02871.

I enjoy sharing of food very much. Hope you all too. :)

Greg Wee said...

Hi Sarawakia,

We've been to your posting. You are a food fan! :) The directions are here http://gregwee.blogspot.com/2007/10/google-earth-laksa.html

Hope you'll be able to find it! And remember to let us know if you like it!

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