Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Highly Recommended)
Address: 34, Jalan Ban Hock, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia (Located within Choon Hui Cafe)
Google Map Link: https://goo.gl/maps/L2abZCFLEwvd7uJQ8
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)
"Breakfast of the Gods".
This was how the Late Anthony Bourdain described Sarawak Laksa in his Instagram Post. 🍜🤔 And Choon Hui was the exact place where he said this. Sarawak Laksa is very unlike the Conventional Reddish looking Laksa that we're accustomed to. 🤔 Its more Brown in Colour, and for the ones I had in Singapore, I thought it tasted like a Very Earthy and Mildly Spicy Chicken Soup. 🐔🤔
Choon Hui is actually a Kopitiam and Sarawak Laksa is just one of the stalls within. It's run by what looks like a Mother and Daughter team. 👩💼💁 The stall starts at 7.00am and seeing them set up the stall and prep is certainly not easy. 🤔 Despite being famous, the Elder Lady don't hire any extra help when she cooks and prepares the Laksa Gravy in the Morning. 🍲 Watching them work was Fascinating. 👍
Credits to Banijay Documentaries Youtube Channel for this Video.
You can see this Kopitiam featured at the 11:05 mark where Anthony Bourdain features it.
No joke, this place fills up very fast. If you did not pre-order from them by 6.30am, you would already be in quite a long waiting list by 7.00am. 😳 On a Weekday when I was there, there was a queue, although it is still acceptable. i'd say about 10-15 people deep. 🤔
Simple but Beautifully presented, the Main Carb in this is a Slightly Thicker version of Beehoon and is QQ but not Super QQ here. 🍜🤔 Portion given is acceptable. Protein is Chicken Breast Strips. 🐔 They're not Dry and I tasted some Salt Marination in them. 🧂🤔 The Main Veggie is Crunchy Taugeh with 2 Plump and Juicy Prawns 🦐 and finally topped off with a Sprig of Parsley Leaf. 🌿
The Soul of the Dish is definitely the Gravy. 🍲👍 Even though it does still have a familiar "Chicken Soup" Aroma, Compared to the Sarawak Laksa I had in Singapore, this Chicken Soup taste is very much more Subdued here. 🐔🤔 It is also very mildly spicy and I spotted bits of Pepper Flakes too. 🌶️ Perhaps Sarawak Pepper is used here?
In addition to this Subtle Chicken Soup taste, there is an Additional, very noticeable Coconut Milk taste undercurrent which I don't taste in the ones I had in Singapore. 🥥🤔 It is also not overpowering but very subtle and yet it also gives the Gravy a much Richer Overall Taste. 🍲😋 The little swig of Chilli on the side has a Very Sharp yet subdued Haebee taste. 🦐😋 Haebee is not overly strong but you can absolutely feel it's presence. Mixing it to the Laksa completes the Transformation giving it an Additional Subtle Sourish taste. 👍
After tasting this, I now understand why Anthony calls it "Breakfast of the Gods". 🍜👍 He is probably complementing on how both Simultaneously Simple and Complex this dish is. 👍 The ingredients are simple, yet the Dish tastes Complex and Every ingredient within does not clash and works with each other in sync and in Harmony. 👍 I'm not trying to Brown Nose here, but I agree with Anthony. 👍 This is a Well Made Bowl of Sarawak Laksa. 🍜 The Keyword throughout is "Subtle". Nothing in here tries to upstage each other.
After finishing the Meal, I walked over to the Friendly Stall Owners and gave them a Big Thumbs Up. 👍 They appreciated the gesture. Looking at how old this Stall is, this is probably Decades of Experience distilled into a Bowl. Truly Excellent! 👍
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