By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Nov 23: For more than two decades, 70-year-old Wong Sing Ging and his wife have combined their culinary skills to perfect the Foochow delicacy ‘Ding Bian Hu’, delighting patrons with its authentic taste.
Since relocating from Sibu to Kuching in 2000 in search of better opportunities, the couple has consistently served genuine Foochow cuisine shaped by years of dedication and hands-on practice.
Wong explained that crafting Ding Bian Hu requires regular training and precision, as the dish involves creating soft, wide, flat noodle-like strips from rice flour batter.
He said the method includes pouring batter around the hot rim of a wok, allowing it to cook into a thin crepe.
“The crepe is then scraped into the broth. I usually serve it with pork, fish balls, cloud ear fungus, garlic, ginger, and pepper. The dish is often garnished with fried onions and spring onions.
“Even the garnishing takes skill, and we use fresh ingredients tailored to our customers’ tastes,” he told DayakDaily.
A former salesperson at a well-known department store in Sibu, Wong transitioned to the food business after leaving the corporate world, learning the trade under the guidance of an experienced operator.
He spent ten years mastering the craft, and his wife did the same, both viewing it as their future livelihood.
“I didn’t dare venture into the food business on my own at first, so I worked and learned from a good operator who honed my skills. We decided to specialise in popular Foochow dishes familiar to locals, particularly Sibu’s iconic noodles: Kampua Mee, Ding Bian Hu, Chicken Mee Sua, and Zao Cai Bee Hoon.
“These are the dishes we serve at our stall. My wife and I prepare them ourselves, and we are happy whenever orders come in.”
Wong said they rent two stalls to run their business, and most regulars recognise them as a team.
“I suppose it’s better to ‘departmentalise’ our dishes, but customers can see the menu right in front of the stall, so ordering is easy,” he laughed.
According to Wong, their dishes tend to attract older customers because of their familiar textures and flavours.
“They are mostly my regular patrons—they grew up with these dishes. Younger generations have different palates,” he noted.
He recalled that when they first started, Foochow dishes were limited in Kuching. Although they remain popular, he acknowledged that more eateries now serve similar cuisine.
“For me, healthy competition is good. It pushes me to maintain the authentic taste of these dishes,” he said.
Wong added that many regular customers are Foochow natives from Sibu, and he can easily recognise their familiar slang.
“Those who know I’m from the riverine town will greet me in Foochow. It’s nice to be acknowledged.”
He said their food is well-received by customers from all walks of life, especially older Sarawakians who already enjoy Foochow flavours.
“It motivates small operators like my wife and me to keep doing what we do,” he said with a smile.
Wong’s Foochow Special stall is located at Sing Garden Cafe in Hui Sing Garden. It operates daily from 6.30am to 1pm, except on Mondays. For more information, call 019-888 5078. — DayakDaily
