Little Getaway...Part 1

We got quite a bit to chew during the last 2 weeks and we wanted to do a quick getaway. We did the craziest thing like driving to the East Coast, about a thousand Kilometer for a day trip. We packed up some stuff and our little girl Xiao Mei (a Shih Tzu) and drove away in our little SUV!

This blog is going to be quite lengthy but we have placed it in two parts. Promises plenty of interesting pictures of food, drink and places! Enjoy!

KEMAMAN




Took a crazy day trip up to Kemaman, Cukai in Terengganu exactly last Sunday. It was a long drive on one of Malaysia's new Expressway. The round trip took 12 hours.

The last time we were there was about 10 years ago, on a Treasure Hunt Trip. Way before that,about 30 years ago, it was our meeting point for Deep Sea Angling in the South China Sea.

Boy, this little port have changed. Really Changed! Those days, there were only a row of wooden shops, a Government Rest House by the jetty and a row homes of ship stevedores and chandlers' warehouses. Also along this narrow main street, were many chinese restaurants and quaint little kopitiams. We would sleep on the floor of one of these till we board our fishing boat in the morning. The drive from KL would usually take seven hours!!!!

Last week, we left Klang at 9am. The new Expressway was good and fast. We arrived Cukai in time for lunch. We had our long awaited favourite Baked Crabs and Coffee!
You see, Kemaman is famous for this style of baked crab.

The ones found here is the original and is made from the deep sea 'blue crab' (aka. Blue Manna.. ref.Australian..) Ketam Bunga (Mal.), Chiik(Hokk.). Unlike the usual "muddies", this crab is big and the taste & texture of the meat is different..

The way they prepare it, according to the oldest restaurant, the Restaurant Malaysia Seafood, is that all the flakey meat is cooked, removed and onions, garlic and seasoning are added before being placed back into its shell. It is then coated with egg white and left to be baked. It is served with a special chilli sauce. It used to be RM3 each but now, it is RM7 a piece!
Yah! This is the Best part! Adoh! Wah Korh (Teow.)!
Yummy! Special Chilli sauce! Sedap nya!
Other time tested dishes from this restaurant are also available. We tried the Garlic Fish and it was great! Fresh steak of a large Garoupa (Sek Pan in Cant.) are deep fried and served with sliced garlic which is also deep fried and served without sauce.

This shop IS historical and the Original.

How to get there.

There are also four other shops offering baked crabs.

Of course, the other main attraction here in Kemaman is its coffee. The famous Hai Peng Coffee.

....on to Part 2 tomorrow!

Little Getaway ......Part 2

Besides baked crab, and other lovely seafood, this second part of our trip focus on another Kemaman's pride. Coffee.

KEMAMAN

Of course, the other attraction here in Kemaman is its coffee. Kedai Kopi Hai Peng. Not to be missed.
It is so famous that it is also featured on Google Earth!

This 'old bird' have been making, fomulating, blending and brewing its own coffee since 1940.In one of my trips back in the 70s, we had it at their little old shop but now, they have got their own new building completely serving meals during the entire opening hours.
The business have been handed down and Elaine is running the show.
The coffee is, in our opinion the best in Malaysia. Still is.They now come in vacuum packs for per cup.

We bought 20 boxes! We usually bring packets of this brand where ever we travel. We prefer the one with just coffee and sugar. We sincerely wish they can pack minus the sugar. Eat less sugar lah!
We even brew it in our car when we make any stops at the lay-bys.

They also sells Nasi Dagang, Nasi Lemak, freshly fried keropok, Keropok Lekur, curry puffs, toast and butter, half-boiled eggs.
Yummy! Just add the curry gravy! And ready to go!
Being a main port and a fishing village, fresh fish is the order of the day. Our fishing trips during the hey days, witnessed good to excellent catches. Here was the place I caught my first
"Lo Shee Pan"or also known Kerapu Tikus. This is the "King of Garoupas" in term of eating. That was way back in the late 70s!!!

The Kerapu Tikus/Lo Shee Pan.......(Cromileptes altivelis) Picture
from Google Images

Kemaman, we will be back soon!