Dinner at Exza, Padungan

I found this quaint eatery by accident last Friday when my friend, Peggy & I were driving around Kuching City searching for a nice place to eat. Exza is a western fare restaurant but with prices kind to the wallet.

Here I am back at Exza for the second time tonight with another group of friends - Irain & her husband, Andy and their baby boy Kaene, Claire, Nupat, Elizabeth (Bert) & Mildred. The girls had not seen Irain since her wedding about 2 years ago. I had the opportunity of meeting her, Andy & Kaene last year when they stopped by New Jersey for a few days.

My lovely friend Irain & her equally lovely husband, Andy and their bundle of joy - Kaene from Marysville, Ohio.

Our pretty maidens - Nupat & Claire. Claire was in the midst of delighting us with stories from her office's annual dinner. Go on, go on...

Bert & Mildred putting on their best smiles. Great one ladies!


What we ate...

Baked mussels for starters....yum!

Fish & Chips - a generous portion of 3 beer battered fish fillets, heaps of fries and side salad.

Grilled grouper served with green pea mash & creamy herb sauce.

Chicken Balltine (but I think they meant chicken ballotine) - whole deboned thigh stuffed with mix fruits and couscous topped with wine sauce.

Fettucine Alfredo - chicken, mushrooms & creamy sauce. The usual.

Dessert...

This is a must have - chocolate whisky raisin cake. Rich, moist, "just-right" sweetness & drenched in whisky.

After our "hefty" meal...

Memories of us at Exza - November 27, 2006. Time: 9.30 p.m.

A Chinese Wedding Banquet

Just came back from Philip & Lee Kimg's wedding reception at Meisan Restaurant, Holiday Inn Kuching. Burrp! A typical 8 course meal. 8 to signify "fatt" or "luck". Once again, I ate too much. I think I need some Enzyplex a.k.a. digestion pills later on.

I am struggling to keep my eyes open as I write this entry. Adrian is working half day today as tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the U.S. In 24 hours, Americans will get the effect of "tryptophan" from turkey overdose while I am having my "tryptophan" effect from the 8 course meal right now. Yawn....!

Ok, here goes.

This is our lovely emcee for the evening, Stephanie Siaw. Good job tonight!


The newlyweds listening to Stephanie's announcement after their grand entrance.


Crispy roasted chicken - Meisan style.


Steamed fish. That's our waiter's hand cutting up the fish for us.


Braised sea cucumber, fish maw & broccoli. I have lost count of how many dishes we're at..?? Sleepiness begin to set in.


Intermission...a short break from eating.

Philip & Lee Kimg cutting their wedding cake.

Here they are with their parents on stage - filling up the champagne glasses for the toast.


The big toast or "yam seng" from the guests to the wedding party and vice versa.


Several big toasts on stage is never enough for a Chinese banquet, so we gotta have our own "yam seng" with Philip & Lee Kimg and their co-workers/friends from Johor Bahru. The first table of the night to go all the way.....YAMMMMMMMMMMMM SENGGGGGGGG! My hand isn't there since I am taking this photo. Well, this photo is my "toast" to the bride & groom.

One important mention before I end this entry and crash into bed.

My Mom and Dad at the reception tonight. Married for 40 years on April 2008. Soon...soon!

Short talk: It has been 2 weeks since I updated my blog. Guilty as charged. Been busy caring for my grandparents. They are both in their 90s. Part of my coming home to Kuching is to spend time with them. Today, I did something which isn't routine. Routine being going to the doctor's with my Grandpa, doing the laundry and other house chores and mucking around with my lovely daschunds. Instead, I went to a wedding at St. Thomas's Cathedral, Kuching. Yes! Another wedding. I thought I had the last of weddings back in New Jersey. Not to be, I'm afraid. I supposed the year isn't over yet. I have another wedding to attend (Adrian's cousin) next week. *Ang pow deficit soon...sob! sob!

*Ang pow = a little red packet stuffed with money for the bride & groom.


A mid-week wedding

Mid-week weddings are rare. My Mom & I love weddings. My Dad and Gilbert (my brother) are well...typical Asian men who prefer to lounge at home while we ladies prefer a wedding ceremony over sports on satellite TV. Pity Adrian isn't here to be dragged along with us.

We love how the bride waltzes down the aisle to her waiting groom. The hopeless romantics that we are. This morning we had the chance to see one more bride do the same to the organ playing of Mr. Billy Yapp (my former Choirmaster/Organist at St. Thomas's Cathedral). Was surprised to see him on the organ when I walked into the Church. This must be a special favor for Uncle Victor. Uncle Victor was the emcee at our wedding reception a few years ago. How time flies! Now I am attending his son's wedding.


A radiant Lee Kimg & her father


Father Aeries preparing Philip (Uncle Victor's son) & Lee Kimg for the exchanging of rings


The newlyweds. Plus, the traditional kiss.


Signing of marriage documents and marriage registry at the Choir Vestry.


Uncle Victor & Auntie Nancy - Philip's parents.


Signed, sealed & delivered. Kids, you're now officially Mr. & Mrs. Philip Kong. Congratulations!


The newlyweds next to their cool pewter RR....what a ride! King and Queen for the day.


One more photo before they leave the Church (or rather slam the car door on me)... See you tonight for the reception!


Post Script:
I met Mrs. Agnes Yapp, my former teacher at St. Mary's Secondary School; who also happen to be my friend Geraldine's mom & Mr. Yapp's (organist) wife. Here she is with my Mom.

My mom (left) is rather camera shy but I persuaded her to take one with Mrs. Yapp.

Some things are better eaten and not explained...

This morning I went to the fruit market with my Mom at Petanak. The owner recommended some persimmons from China. It is very sweet and a bit crunchy unlike the usual soft-fleshed persimmons from Israel. Anyway, we bought some.


At first glance. Hmmm...very normal looking. Then, we turned to the back and started reading the literature that was printed on the package.
As with other Made in China products, the English language is usually translated in a rather incomprehensible & "beat about the bush" manner.

What "frailty"???? "Shu"??? "Se,berated"??? ( I think they meant "celebrated" as king of fruits). "Opening the bag to eat namely"??? (Eat immediately, lah!).

Some things never change. This is one of them. English translation/explanation of China-made products. Usually gives me laughing gas just reading them.

Men Who Built For Love
Emperor Shah Jahan & Rajah Charles Brooke


The saying, "Behind every great man, is a great woman" has many variations. Some serious and some satirical. Having the right partner (pardon me as we have to be politically correct these days) for a man/woman will inspire him/her to many great wonders and successes in life.


Mugal Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned the construction of the Taj Mahal for his favorite wife, Mumtaz. This monument of love and celebration of woman in marble subsequently became one of the great wonders of the world.



Similarly in my hometown - Kuching, one enamored Rajah Charles Brooke was also inspired to do the same thing although his creation didn't make it into the same category as the Taj.

Who knew that the current residence of the Governor had a romantic past. Unlike the Taj, the Astana was built as a wedding gift from Rajah Brooke to his wife-to-be Margaret De Windt.

At least Ranee Margaret got to live in the Astana while she was alive. Mumtaz Mahal was only entombed in the Taj after her death. I often wonder what's the point of lying in this great monument of beauty when you are not there to physically enjoy its grandeur???

ALL SOULS' DAY = BUSY DAY

I am really knackered (been up since the crack of dawn) but I should put up this entry before the day is over. 6 minutes to midnight. Tick, tock, tick, tock...

Today is All Souls' Day; the Christian equivalent to Ching Ming. My family's traditional routine for this day begins a day or two before. Mom bought a few dozen flowers yesterday and stayed up until one o'clock this morning doing flower arrangements for our loved ones who had passed. Since I am illiterate in floral matters, the best I could do was entertain her with some amusing stories while she worked on the 7 floral pieces.

Early this morning....

Ta-da! Mom's little floral table in the kitchen.

A close-up on one of the arrangements.

Remembering my maternal great-grandparents

And many others whom I shan't bore you all with. Pictures of tombstones can be understandably morbid to some people. I don't want to be responsible for any sleepless nights and imaginary apparitions running about your darkened bedrooms or a medley of Ju-on, Ringu and Dark Water playing in your minds.

Chit chat: A dear friend recently wanted to know what Grits is. You're right to remark that it's a Southern dish. It's similar to polenta. Also known as cornmeal mush. Just imagine Quaker Oats or rather Quaker Corns...???

MY RESTAURANT

Last night, one of my friends suggested dinner at My Restaurant (opposite Hostel Sakura, Toko Electronic) at Jalan Setia Raja, Sama Jaya. It's my first time at the restaurant. Driving towards Sama Jaya Free Industrial Zone brought back many memories of my former workplace - Komag USA. Apart from the endless commercial shophouses sprouting left & right, everything is still much the same. Fast forward 8 years later, the road is sadly still very much pot-holed and poorly lit.

My Restaurant is the perfect eating place for pork lovers. Everything is so "porkie" inside since it is their specialization.

We had the grilled pork. The mashed potato is freshly made (kudos to that) & super yummy..! The bacon & roast apple are perfect accompaniment to the meal. Five out of five for this superbly marinated grilled dish. For the very reasonable price we paid (USD6 per plate) and the generous portion served, I would definitely come back here in December with Adrian.

Crazy about Anthuriums


My Grandmother and Mom are fans of this particular type of plant - Anthuriums. We have a few species/hybrids at our backyard. Some people locally refer to it as "ladies & gentlemen" (just apply a little imagination here, hehehe!).



I think I'll just stick to "anthuriums".