By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Dec 8: Noodle connoisseur, 62-year-old Liza Low, embarked on an exciting culinary adventure, mastering the art of authentic Foochow cuisine. Having moved to Kuching over three decades ago, she had brought the rich flavours of Foochow dishes to the local community.
Hailing from Kapit, Low, a Foochow herself and former kindergarten teacher, had honed her skills in making these authentic dishes, namely, ‘Kampua’, ‘Mee Sua’ Foochow Sour Bee Hoon soups, herbs pork mee Sua and noodles and ‘Kong Pia’ and others with her brother-in-law for 25 years in Sibu.
She told DayakDaily that she and her 64-year-old husband, Simon Chen from Kuching, opened their stall after their children had grown up.
“It has been eight years since we operated here at this cafe, and we are glad business is still brisk, especially during the mid-morning rush and weekends,” she said.
Low mentioned that she strives to make all the dishes authentic, but she occasionally gets comments comparing her dishes to the ones in Sibu. However, it did not bother her and she used it as an opportunity to improve her recipes.
Despite that, Low said she still gets good reviews from locals, most of whom end up becoming regular patrons.
“It is natural to get such comments from patrons, and every food operator doesn’t mind as it is part of any trade,” she opined.
Low shared that some of her children have followed in her footsteps, using the culinary skills they learned from her to run their own noodle businesses.
“We are competitors, but it’s healthy competition. It’s a challenge, and we hope that one day someone will continue our legacy,” she said with a chuckle.
Low’s husband, Chen, who assists her, said he met her when he was working with a timber company in Kapit.
“I was used to Foochow cuisines since I worked in Sibu and Kapit. Having my wife prepare these dishes means I no longer have to worry about missing them.
“I am happy to help my wife. We work together as a team, and I am proud of what we have accomplished,” he said.
Chen said the stall serves ten dishes mainly, ‘Kampua Mee’ and ‘Mee Sua’ as the basis of the Foochow dishes, and customers can have choices of dry and broth-style dishes with dumplings, pork liver, sour soup, and herbs.
Chen said he and his wife are pleased to see Foochow cuisine being embraced in Kuching, with more outlets and cafes offering dishes like ‘Kampua Mee,’ which has become synonymous with Sibu’s noodle dishes.
“With eight grandchildren, we hope some of them would be able to continue the family business. It would be nice, as we are one of many food operators serving these dishes. Foochow cuisine is part of our food culture and heritage,” he said.
Low’s Kampua Mee and Mee Sua noodle stall is at Megabite Supreme Cafe Kuching City Mall. It operates daily except on Fridays from 6am to 1pm. For more information, call 016 236 8858. — DayakDaily
