Old Skool Kampua
Oct 3rd, 2008 by Clare
Teochew Roasted Meat Flat Mee
I bet the younger generation (i.e. my generation and so on) might not know how (in)famous this particular stall came about or where did it come from before they moved here. Those from Suituapui’s era a.k.a. my dad’s era (maybe Wuching’s era too) know this shop as Ah Kia Mee.
The noodle tastes like Kampua but slightly different. The mee is flat like mee pok but slightly thicker. And the roasted pork is the original roasted meat and not some pirated version with red colouring one.
Anyway, the stall has existed since the 1960s. It operated behind Standard Chartered Bank at night by a guy named Ah Kia (and hence the name Ah Kia Mee) and his wife. The business was very very good when people went for supper after dating, according to my uncle lar. After some time, rumour had it that Mrs Ah Kia had TB and a lot of people started to avoid the stall.
Now they moved to the Central Market 1st Floor, Stall No. 102, their business is quite good despite the bowl of noodle being priced at RM2.60. Ah Kia only starts to serve the customer at 8.30pm (or later) so no point you go early because you still have to wait. If you want to avoid the crowd, go at 10pm to reduce your waiting time or else expect to wait at least half an hour before you get to eat. When you order your noodle, just tell him how many bowls you want. Avoid being fussy, for example one add chili sauce, one big, one small, one don’t want chili, one want meat, one without meat, etc. the old man will get confused (as in very very confused!) 
The stall is operated by Ah Kia’s son in the morning (about 9am onwards) but for reasons unknown, the taste is just not quite there! And you still have to wait equally long.
The soup that came with the noodle is different from the “ching mu seh kah tong” (a proverb in Foochow means tasteless) of Kampua. First of all, it was huge. The bowl is bigger than the bowl for noodles. It is tasty because tang chai (a type of vegetable) is used and you can actually taste it.
Overall, this is the nearest Kampua of the 60’s you can find in Sibu now, taste-wise.
i always ate that when i was young. i remember waiting in the car behind standard charted bank and my parents would bring an aluminium container to fill in the soup. i loved it a lot but haven’t eaten it for almost a decade now. can we go there when i go back home? if you are willing to accompany? ehehe
Yes, sure! No problem my dear
I don’t really want to go there because you always have to wait quite long…and the other thing is Ah Kia and his wife never talk or smile at you. May be they are always too busy.
That’s true, they never smile! Heheh! I don’t really like the waiting part too and I only go there once in a blue moon
This stall came into being in 60s. New taste, nice soup and special chilli (with seeds!) and became very popular! Think it was the mum who had tb, one old lady helping out at the stall. The original kampua would be places like Ah Kow at Kiaw Siong - dead liao, now the son l think- cafe next to fire station.
Yupe! No place make it Ah Kia does! The Ah Kow wan I really haven’t taste before, will do it next time
This is one of the closes version of kolo-mee (minus the vinegar) that I can get in the “Kampua Land”. But is a bit salty.
Kolo mee not like this wan lar, Mee Pok with dark vinegar u mean? This mee is not even anywhere near mee pok. Sibu got place selling kolo mee ler, Yummy Cafe opposite Ngiu Kee is the only place I know, other than that have to ask Suituapui if he knows
We call char siew bbq pork here and roast pork is siew yoke.
We call it Char Sio (Hokkien) also but the roast part is to illustrate how the pork is cooked only, it’s not siew yoke. I love siew yoke by the way
Yeah, I know this stall…had to wait for quite a while when I was last there. You still in Sibu?
Thanks for the info and i always want to find a noodles with a tasty soup!
You’re welcome! Thanks for dropping by
oh, that one ah..dunno lah coz I never used to go eat there myself. I guess it wouldn’t be too bad either since it has survived thru 4 decades! ok next time I go to sibu will go try it out (minus the TB that is) ;-P
WHAT?! You never eat it??? Aiyo, how can lar! Hahahaha! Yeah, next time when you’re in Sibu make sure you try this out lar.
Ah… as I’m in Sibu… I’m gonna try it out when got chance.. hehe…
Eh Clare, I haven’t meet u before leh.. when come out?? haha…
Walao eh! Just when I’m not in Sibu then you want to meet!
How long will you be there?
i’ll be stuck here for quite a long time as I got myself a job here… haha… don’t scold me la… hahaha….
I see
No scold you ler.
i miss KAMPUA!!
this is one of my favourite kampua in sibu but getting there is quite troublesome..
Never mind. End of the year will be going there with Elaine so you’ll get to eat too
HELL YEAH!!!
:-D
How come I dun know got such store? Should go there and try one of these days!
You don’t go out at night that often eh? This one really old school lor
[…] My brother and Alvin had dark soy sauce version of Kampua. I like the dark version because the common version seemed a bit dry but taste delicious nonetheless. Besides, the soup that came with the kampua was tasty as well. The soup taste suspiciously similar to the soup for Ah Kia Mee. […]