Revisitations (2)

The Ultimate

Mee Bandung Muar

Along Jalan Abdullah stands this humble coffee shop which serves the authentic cuisine ; Mee Bandung. As far as my memory can stretch, this is the place where the noodles cooked in thick beef gravy originated. Having lived at the next unit for a good 15 years, my siblings and I were privileged to taste them anytime the crave came. This crave is still around till this day. Fong Min is no exception. She kept asking for it and so I accompanied her to the place where Mee Bandung is cooked the way it should be done.







The moment I stepped foot there, the Mee Bandung guy burst out in recognition , " Eh, dah berapa tahun tak jumpa ! Ayah dan mak awak masih kuat dan saya selalu nampak mereka. Mana Ah Lee, Ah Wan dan Ah Choy?" (Hei I haven't seen you for agood many years! Your dad and mum are still strong and I do meet them. Where's your other siblings?)
He was so warm and cordially asked us to take a seat and taste his Mee Bandung.






We virtually grew up together as his dad was a real champion in the business and he has certainly taken over his skills well.




Somehow the beefy gravy concoction is difficult to emulate and the secret recipe is well kept within the family. Fong Min ranted that her stay in Muar was made complete with this authentic concoction. Nothing like this in London. After 40 years in London, Mee Bandung Muar is a dream come true. You must come here when in Muar. Taste it for yourself.




He sat with us and started recalling the days of old and kept repeating ; " Lu punya mak orang sangat baik. Orang tak siuman pun dia bagi masuk mandi dan bagi dia makanan. Saya nampak mak awak sangat murah hati , orang tak boleh lupa." ( Your mum is so gracious ever willing to help others and on one occasion even allowed a mentally challenged guy to take bath in her place and after which fed him. Your mum is so generous , I can never forget.)




My mama is so gracious and opens her doors to friends, friends' children, church members and even treats Chin Loy and family as her own. She loves to have people around her and keeps feeding her guests. Ask Fong Min. Mama even says Fong Min is like a daughter to her. You see, everyone is her son and daughter. She is grace herself.




So this entrepreneur kept telling us how his Mee Bandung has reached the eyes and ears of near and far and almost every local paper has stories to tell about it.

This Johorean Deputy Prime Minister is also his fan.

The Menteri Besar of Johor cannot be excluded from his chain of famed clients.

Even Chef Wan sees it fit to pay him a visit. Did he learn anything from him? Was the family secret let out?




He was insistent that I took a shot like the rest with him. So why not? I am no celebrity though.



Finally, he recommended that I get his paste and cook at home. Will it turn out the authentic way ? I did not get them as I was too disturbed by preservatives that might be added though he vehemently denied putting any. I will taste them fresh each time in town. Sufficient.




By the way, besides Mee Bandung , the stall next to it sells satay and Mee Soto that are equally unforgettable. If you prefer soupy stuff, then the Soto is really good too. Fong Min , a picky and small eater finished all the satay ordered leaving none for me. So you should guess the taste of the satay.

It was a good experience for lunch... another best shot.