By D’Drift Team
BETONG, March 4: Hidden in the dark shadow of an extend awning at an eatery at new Betong township, in an inconspicuous corner, a noodle stall quietly serves some of the most authentic and delicious pan mee in town.
Located at Sweetee House, just next to Medan Hotel, the stall is run by Ah Siang, who has been faithfully serving his specialty—pan mee—to Betong residents and visitors for the past three years. Yet, despite his dedication, his craft remains largely unnoticed by the locals.
Pan mee, a dish originating from Peninsular Malaysia, is a rarity in Sarawak and even more so in Betong. The noodle, similar in size and texture to fettuccine, is traditionally served in two styles—dry or in soup.
The dry version comes tossed in a thick, flavourful sauce and topped with crispy anchovies, mushrooms, minced pork, and cangkuk manis (a native leafy vegetable known as “sweet vegetable” in direct translation).
While the dry version is less popular, the soup-based pan mee is a heartier option, featuring the same core ingredients but with an added poached egg—an element missing in its dry counterpart.
Pan mee also comes in two sizes: you pan mee, which is similar to fettuccine, and kuo pan mee, which resembles pappardelle.
However, Ah Siang’s kuo pan mee is uniquely his own—double the width of pappardelle but much shorter.
A soft-spoken man from Peninsular Malaysia who married a local, Ah Siang takes great pride in his craft. He meticulously prepares his dough in advance, allowing it to rest before feeding it through his trusty old pasta machine only upon order—ensuring every bowl of pan mee is freshly made.
Despite being one of the only vendors offering pan mee in Betong, his stall has struggled to gain traction.
“Business is just okay because the locals here don’t really know what pan mee is, so they don’t order from me. Most of my customers are Chinese,” Ah Siang told D’Drift Team. — DayakDaily
