Hock Chew-ness, Part 1

Another day trip.. 06 October 2012, Setiawan... via PLUS going out at the Changkat Jering exit, then another hour or so of trunk road, longer if you are stuck behind a heavy vehicle.

Reached Setiawan around 1.15pm. A hot day, was told it hasnt rained there for quite some time.

First stop, Kong Piang.. at the Sitiawan Cheong Cia Gong Pian. Just shortly after the Setiawan crossroad, the stall at the backlane is just behind Public Bank on the road heading to Kampung Koh. There is a yellow building besides, which I have read used to house Courts Mammoth, but is now used for bird nest rearing.

I still remember, first time I have heard about Kong Piang or Gong Pian, depending on your dialects, from the in flight Magazine on board Airasia. Since then, I have been yearning to taste the delicacies of the Hock Chew people. At 1.15pm, the store has just opened, we are asked to come back at 1.45pm. We being such nice people were offered from the first batch from the oven without the need to queue up, if we are back at 1.30pm.

So, with time to kill and the sun scorching, Setiawan's famous James Cendol is our next destination. Its just a short drive away.

Location, in front of an Indian temple near The Store supermart (on the road heading to Lumut). Was looking foward to James's wife in her uniform and bright red bowtie, but the stall was manned by two teenages in t-shirt. There goes my photo ops.

Anyway, back to the food. The stall, I note sells Ais Kacang and Cendol. James has been selling here since 1974.  We are there for the cendol. You can ask with or without pulut.

The cendol is so fragrant. You can taste that the coconut milk (santan) is very fresh as well the flavourful gula melaka. Sadly, the portion is pitiful.

 The famous royal advertisement at the stall, James serving the Sultan of Perak. 

Was told James has branched out and is now operating a stall in KL at Old Klang road.

For RM4.00 for one bowl each with and without pulut, I will say its expensive, especially here in Setiawan. Nevertheless, it is good chendol.

Then back to Cheong Chia for our Kong Piang. Will write about the Kong Piang-ing in another blog.

After that it is almost 2.00pm. Went for a drive to Kampung Koh, to look for the other famous Kong Piang outlet there. Found it but its closed.

Nothing else to do, decide its lunch time. Researching about Setiawan pointed out that this place is quite a seafood paradise. Drove towards Kampung Cina, where at least 10 seafood outlet lines the whole road.

We went to Restoran Ah Pek Lee Hou Hock. I have read the dishes here are more special.

Ordered the Sar Jiau Yee, aka Garfish, deep fried in batter.

Marmite stone crab

And Siong Tong Lala (Lala in supreme soup)

Ordered only 3 dishes, since there s only the two of us and to check out the price here too.

Kampung Koh garlic chilli sauce is a must here.

The Sar Jiau Yee, with its white flesh are so fresh. Not fishy at all.

Nice soup, with decent size lala.

The marmite crab on my plate of rice. Check out the roe. 

We were told that this style of cooking will result in the dish taste somewhat bitter. That we can accept, however, the crabs were slightly under-cook, making the flesh not firm enough.

The 3 dishes, with white rices and 2 glass of keatla peng, cost us RM74.00. The seafood are definitely fresh.

Read this outlet is famous for its gigantic scallop. Must and will try that the next time.