Saturday, May 19, 2012

How did Tok Tok Mee (Noodles) Get Its Name - Chinese Bamboo Clapper

When I was growing up in my hometown in Butterworth, there was a mobile (bicycle typed push cart) wantan mee hawker who uses a pair of bamboo clapper to attract customers. As the sound goes "tok, tok, tok", which anounces his arrival in our area would always excite us as a kid! I would quickly ask my mom for some money to buy a plate of wantan mee aka Tok Tok Mee; that is what we called it then. My good childhood friend would run back to his grandma's grocery shop and ask her for some money to buy one plate too. Then both of us would sit outside my house and savour our deliciousTok tok  mee! Those were the good old days. The tok tok mee sure tasted really good back then and until now I could not find any hawkers that could match the taste.


I came across tok tok mee again during my recent trip to Labuan but this is a different version of tok tok me that I knew since my childhood days. The texture of this instant noodle type of tok tok mee is almost the same as wantan mee (noodles) but they cooked it in clear starchy gravy instead of the usual dark soya sauce type like wantan mee. Anyway, maybe during the olden days, this similar vendor uses the Chinese wooden clapper to market his dish.


This is how theTok Tok Mee aka Wantan mee looked liked the one I used to eat back in my hometown when I was young! Missed the good old taste of it!


This  is how a pair Chinese wooden clapper that is made of bamboo looks like......

This is another version of Chinese wooden clapper that uses a long stick to knock the piece of bamboo....

Actually the nunchaku are adapted from a pair of Chinese wooden clapper. Peasants use the nunchaku to rebel against oppressive rulers because it doesn't resemble a weapon but looked like pair of wooden clapper so they will not get into trouble when they are caught carrying one! LOL!

The one I have below is made from steel!



Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Labuan Tok Tok Mee (Noodles) at Kedai Kopi (Coffee Shop) Dragon & Phoenix

Woke up early but the sky in Labuan was already clear as sunrise here is ahead of KL. After washing up, I walked to Kedai Kopi Dragon & Phoenix to have my breakfast. An uncle at the 'Siew Char' stall recomended that I try the Labuan Tok Tok Mee.


I took a seat and waited patiently for my Tok Tok Mee! The air was filled with the nice aroma of Tok Tok Mee when it was served. Tok Tok Mee is actually flat dried noodles that have been fried till the wok hei (hot wok) smell are infused into it. Then it is doused in a flavourful gravy that tasted almost like the one used for Singapore Hokkien Mee. The verdict!.......Tok Tok mee is very delicious.....! I will be back for more! LOL! A plate cost me RM5.

A close up shot of my yummy morning breakfast dish!...photo not so clear, sorry ya, all the photos in Labuan are taken using my handphone because I did not have my camera with me that time!

I bought 2 packets of dried tok tok mee, or mee udang from the local mini market and brought them back to KL......cooked for my kids and they loved it very much......recipe coming up in my next post....stay tuned!

Map and Address of Kedai Kopi Dragon & Phoenix, Labuan

Kedai Kopi Dragon & Pheonix
Jalan Bunga Kesuma,
87000, PW Labuan


Sunday, May 6, 2012

SCR (Singapore Chicken Rice) in Labuan

Ahhhh, good to be back in Labuan again....... Scene at Labuan Airport, waiting to collect luggage.....

I decided to surprise my Singaporean guest by taking him to eat Singapore Chicken Rice (SCR) in Labuan.....he he he!
SCR is  located in the Labuan Lazenda Commercial Centre area. This is a family restaurant and they serve many types of traditional and fusion chicken dishes. It even has the Merlion looked alike logo.....  

My guest had Roasted Chicken Rice (RM4.40 + RM1.30) which he claimed was tasty........


I ordered a fusion dish, Salad Chicken Rice (RM6.50)......., very well presented.... but I still prefer our traditional roasted chicken rice.....lol!

Chessy Chicken chop, quite a large portion....cost RM16.90....

We ordered two plates of Baby Kailan with oyster sauce (RM3.90 each)...crunchy and yummy!

Ambient atmosphere for family dining........

Ok, meal time over, ......now going for Happy Hour, Labuan got duty free beers and liquor.....Yay!

Map and Address of SCR (Singapore Chicken Rice) Restaurant in Labuan, FT

Lot 9, Lazenda Commercial Center
87000, P.W Labuan
Tel : 087 410661