Rural Town Authenticity

Some things never change

Those days whenever we pass by this quaint little place we will slow down and lookout for stray dogs and people crossing the haphazard street. The once rubber rich now palm oil dotted kampong town is just one main street only 2km long flanked by many 50ish's ramshackle wooden shoplots although we could see remnants of charred blackened debris where once stood some cottage industries.

We were in the Glutton Zone Unforgettable of Fuzhou Specialities in Ayer Tawar, Perak the unassuming town of disproportionate alien talking rich men, eateries at every corner & unusual food.

Ayer Tawar is just 12 km before its more illustrious Big Brother Sitiawan another 15 mins further up towards your final seaside destination. Most outsiders to Ayer Tawar are on transit save for the occassional fast talking salesmen. It does however has its own special charms and some unusual restaurants including a classy award winning cake house and cafe. And the famously amazing Chinese cemeteries some 6 km away. But for us we were tempted by the unusual dishes served in the numerous coffeeshops and Big Fries here. And oh , also amazing prices.

The red signboard and Chinese banner announcing the oft misundersood buns some 3/4 way into the town. These signature oniony and porky items made famous in Sitiawan are also easily available here.
Ok all your questions answered , for there are no less 10 BSG known versions of Kong Pian such as these. Then there are at least 3 more shops selling them here & 8 more in Sitiawan ! So take your time to admire them and see how they are made from the thouand year ( looks like it ) charcoal-fired old clay oven.

The silkiest wantons you can find in this part of the small world. Called affectionately 'flat meat' pien neet soup it is different from the typical Cantonese ones in KL and goes with the vinegar garlic provided together with the Kg Koh chili sauce.

This is the no-frills fill-it-up dry noodles kam puang omnipresent in all noodle stalls here. Quick and rough it is supposed to do its job, and no more .

Next hop over to the famous local folklore & eating institution, always featured in some national food magazine somewhere. Ancient and at least a 3rd generation 60 years old establishmant. This still stubbornly & proudly unchanged wooden shop is a specialist in all dishes Fuzhou and is still considered by the locals to be the numero uno, and a fav wedding feast caterer. If you are short of time and not that adventurous you can try at one go the alltime Top 10 Fuzhou ( Hock Chew ) items right here !

Including their notorious ( yes ! marine friendly ) fake shark fins soup , which costs a fraction of da real thing !

But for us this time we are only interested in the Hock Chew Noodles Classic loo mein ( lor mee ) which is similar to the Ulu Yam, Selangor version minus the vinegar. This double style & taste variation is also found in Yong Peng, Johore ( which has a substantial Fuzhou population like Ayer Tawar)

Hock Chew Loo Mein, classic version

Loo Mein 'fried & cooked' version

Down the road is this great shop with the cheapest seafood steamboat we have ever encountered !

RM30 for 6 ! Piping hot and stylishly flavorful ( black small flying objects )...but no complaints !

The greatest Malaysian Fuzhou dish 'kor roow' or sweet sour hot fish maw

@RM 25 for double normal bowl size. Incredible value for money and the taste...

...still lingering as V write.

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notes:

1.prices of food here are usually 70 to 80% of that charged for similar items in KL

2. the shops above are beside the Main Road ( only 2 km so drive slow and enjoy !)

3. the recipe ( & tastes ? ) for all of the above have not changed for half a century V were told

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For more read

Tales of an A Tawarian

and

Manjung Food