A Visit From Two Californian Expatriates

FROM THE STRETCHES OF FOUR SEAS
IT’S A LONG TIME NO SEE

Richard Harvey: An American Peace Corp serving in Sarawak’s Agricultural Dept as a Technical Advisor during the 70’s Kennedy Administration married to one Sarikean friend of mine.

Habibah Harvey: My sarikei childhood friend and classmate at St Anthony’s who worked as a qualified nurse in California till both her husband and her decided to retire back to Kuching in Borneo a few years ago. I was then only eight years old. My dad was her Maths teacher too.

Picture Of Harveys’suburban Parkland in Petra Jaya Kuching  Borneo

Currently, they are residing at Kasuma Resort condominium (Apartment) in Petra Jaya just next to the golf course overlooking the Kuching city in Borneo but frequently they return to San Francisco for a short home visit and charity work.

They are touring Australia and shall be going back to Kuching & Sarikei in a few weeks time. Habibah has relatives in sarikei just like I have. They have been to Melbourne for a week and spend a few more days in Hobart before proceeding to Sydney for another week.

We took them to an Indian restaurant first and then a Japanese one for the second. Just as well Ah Yien can take some time off for such an auspicious moment.  Here It’s not the pictures quality that is of any concern though the photographer could do a better job. But it’s the company we keep and the quality time we spend together that is of paramount. So the saying goes.

The last time when I met Richard in Sarikei was in the 70’s when painting on the local Kopitiam cafe (local term for the coffee shop) was still fresh and had hardly peeled off. So it is with this that we chanced to meet again after more than twenty years of separation and absence.

Frequently Sail cruisers from round the world came to Hobart. It just so happened that another Sail Cruise came by on the days when Habibah & Richard visited us from Kuching. Richard quickly took a photo or two of the big boat for his trophy memory.

INDIAN RESTAURANT

It was the Indian restaurant we booked into called The Tandoori Kitchen in the city at Harrington Street. We ordered Basmati rice and Naan Bread to go with 5 mains . Lamb Rogan Josh, Buttered Chicken, Cheesy Mixed vegetables, Chili Shrimp, and Curry Fish.

Lamb Rogan Josh, Cheese Parkhoras.

Buttered Chicken, Prawns Chilli. A Brown Fish dish. Side dishes include Mango Chutney, Goat Cheese yoghurt, Banana desiccated coconut and raisin,

 Ever popular Garlic Naan Bread to share.

MIDORI JAPANESE

At The Midori Japanese restaurant in North Hobart We go for the most expensive Bento fbecause of the variety the dish offers. Really it was’nt expensive by Aussie standard at $23.00 per set. This includes Miso soup, tempura, Inari , one side salad , plain negiri rice and sushi (raw Salmon),Sashimi, and wakame seaweed the smell to which I found too strong.

 I forgot to mention tonkatsu & Teriyaki Chicken we additionally ordered. This is part of the Bento set. My Tonkatsu sauced Chicken is on the left.

 Large serve of Teriyaki Chicken and Japanese Spring Roll.

One extra Japanese fried Rice added.

They are leaving for Sydney today. So we are going to see them off at the airport in the expectations that we will stage similar reunions this time in Borneo that is to say either in Kuching, Sarikei or both.

 

GOING VIETNAMESE

By the way the Vietnamese do celebrate Lunar New year too. But that is not to say that I do ever. Come to think of it even this years Christmas and English New Year has gone rather amiss. I know its all hype about Valentine Day and may I say more so in some quarters of Malaysia. But who is going to bombard you more with this Western meaningless gibberish gobbledygook Trash!

Anyway, Ah Yien had just managed to get the night off from work, which is rather rare when you know how restaurant hours generally operate. So we decided to track off for a nice moderately priced Asian meal instead of cooking at home all the time. Think we all deserve a treat sometime…

Fresh pork dumplings made on the premises. Its quite nice

The pork dumpling is $(A) 8.00. Ah Yien likes Dumpling so she has most. But we share the rest as the food is just right for us.

Quarter Roast Duck. Can’t afford any larger portion. Waiter Says:  Whole Duck (A)$40.00 Half a Duck $26.00 Quarter Duck $(A)15.00. You want to eat Duck? You Pay.

In any case apart from excessive price I have a hunch that this is sent in frozen form all the way from larger City like Melbourne or Sydney. A city with Chinatown and a a larger Asian population who could do all the roasting procedures since they have all the facilities.  probably churn out  by the thousands with roast birds like this in factory situation.

 

Why I chose this? Because it very much reminds me of Malaysian Nasi Goreng, except that this is much hotter and spicier than the former. It is reeked with Galangal and over powering lemon grass flavour.

For this large bowl of spicy and fiery hot fried rice it costs us $14.50.( Ingredients include few nice pieces of Char Siew,4 median size prawns ( I counted them), egg,green beans shredded carrots and fresh bean sprouts). But it is enough to feed the two of us tonight.

This is a very popular business premises as most Asian students use the place as their regular haunt since the Cafe is such a short distance away from the University and their menu prices is very reasonable and student friendly apart from a few dishes like Duck and others that they sourced from somewhere distance..

That’s all we had. But we share them cheerfully and it is plenty. Anymore will be gluttony. Australia has a fair share of obesity (very fat people) too just like I have seen quite a few in Sarawak!