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CARPENTER STREET SERIES: THE WRONG PLACE

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Y
ou would not be the first to judge the rather new food establishment “Wrong Place” as just a gimmicky name. Similarly, you would not be the first to realise that it is anything but just a gimmicky name, but rather an establishment that serves to challenge misconceptions and to uphold the phrase, “Do not judge a book by its cover”.  Wrong Place you will realize is anything but the wrong place to be in.



This is, if not the first to embody the indie-rustic vibe that the new wave of cafés along Carpenter Street is known for. What does set it apart is the ever changing and evolving nature of its look and feel. It should not be a surprise if you notice something different around you in this diner of sorts from new chairs, furniture in different locations, and different artwork from when you made your last visit.

This constant change here reflects the personality of owner Ivan Chen who believes that sometimes, a different path to your destination does not mean that it is wrong. Changing and using different routes make getting to the destination exciting and fresh. In this manner, different and ever changing styles keeps your dining experience exciting and fresh as well.


Similar to its décor, the food has also gone through a few specials and changes since its inception, and the ones that are sampled in this article were recommended for its originality in relation to food that is served in other restaurants.


We’ll begin with a signature drink, the Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie. It is worth noting that you would be foolish to underestimate what RM8 could get you here, considering the fact that at that price in some cafés, RM8 could get you only a simple black coffee at best. If you are having a meal here, it would be wise to share it if you do not have a big appetite.

Why would you need a big appetite one might wonder? This Smoothie is thick. But in a good way. You would be hard pressed to find a drink elsewhere with flavours as authentic as these, with the goodness of savoury peanut butter and sweet banana just hitting you in the taste buds. Again, this is a good thing. There are of course other choices as well, and I am sure they carry flavours as authentic as this one.

Their food menu as you will come to notice is a pretty interesting mix of local and western diner and street food. Once again, throw away your ideas of a conceptualised café/diner/restaurant out the window. This is the wrong place for that kind of idea. Instead, you will notice quality throughout but for an example of uncommon Kuching food, we’ll be going through a few recommended items. These items will come with an À la carte choice or with either an addition of salad or fries for an extra RM2.

While the fries are fairly standard but the salad is rather lacklustre being a mixture of pale and purple lettuce and a couple onions while being squirted over with some dressing. It’s nothing to sing about, but for RM2 you do get what you pay for in terms of a low cost way of getting something fresh on your plate. 



The Mary Lamb Rose Stew is a hot dog of sorts that is a long bun topped with stewed lamb, carrots, potatoes, onions and some lettuce. The lamb is scented and flavoured well with the rosemary that it is stewed in, till juicy and sliced to bite sized chunks for easy eating.

The through stewing process brings out the sweetness of the onions and the carrots in the lamb and rosemary stew, making the filling even more luscious. The bun, however, doesn’t do much to add flavour and is not dense enough to comfortably hold the stew. 



The Chili Dawg is another interesting menu item as it takes your conventional hot dog and tops it off with a Chilli Con Carne of sorts (minus the heat) and beef Bolognese. The flavour is slightly sweet and sour from the tomato and the mince is still moist and fatty, which is adds well to the plump sausage hidden beneath. The bun is similar to the Mary Lamb Rose Stew, but as it does not hold as much filling as the former, it does a good job in holding in everything in.

Although obviously inspired by the traditional Chilli Dog, its biggest difference is how messy the Chilli is, which is not at all. It’s neatly arranged and in three uniformed scoops which makes for easier eating and sharing, if that’s what you’re into. That is of course if you don’t devour it before dividing it for your friends to try.



The last item we’ll be talking about is the Veggie Burger. Unique in the fact that it actually is a burger as this sandwich has a patty, but unlike most patties, this patty does not consist of meat.

The blend of shitake, tofu, long beans and carrots that are coated in panko makes up this patty of sorts. The tofu provides a soft body while the long beans and carrots provide savoury and sweet flavours respectively. It is also a delight to have the panko provide a light crisp. The patty sandwiched between two soft buns makes for a delicious vegetarian meal.

The Wrong Place overall is a delightful place to have a meal if you like being surprised by a delicious assortment of food. The concept may change from time to time here, but the goal will always be to provide the best meal possible.

The Wrong Place is open Daily from 12:00pm to 12:00am except on Fridays when it is open from 2:00pm to 12:00am.

For more information, you may head over to their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/wrongplace.carpenterst/info?tab=page_info or their website at http://www.wrongplace.webs.com/ 


 The original content of this article belongs to The Borneo Post SEED and can be found HERE. Head on there by clicking the picture below for more great content and happenings in and about in Sarawak.




OODLES OF NOODLES: HO JOO LAKSA

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I
f you don’t want to get into a heated argument in the town of Kuching, then there are a few conversations you’ll want to stay away from. Religion, politics, sports and “best” food spots are to name a few. Because this is a food article, let’s talk about the kinds of “best” food conversations you should specifically stay away from. Those kinds are the ones that concern Kolo Mee and Laksa.


Few kinds of food compare to how dearly Kuching-ites hold these two close to their heart, especially if they reside in shops that they have a special bond to. That bond is something shared and created in various ways, from childhood favourites or a special discovery. 

If we’re talking about bonds, few shops though or Laksa stalls more specifically like the Laksa Stall in Hoo Joo Coffee Shop, 3rd mile can say that they’re an expert in making bonds. They’ve been in the bond making business for 40 years and making it on a recipe that is now 90 years old. That’s a really long time to be making bonds and really good Laksa for that matter.

If she’s been selling Laksa for that amount of time and the recipe is that old, you’d be wise to ask me if I’m suggesting that this is a place for the best Sarawak Laksa. I wouldn’t blame you for thinking so, but no. I don’t believe there is a “best” place, as there are so many great kinds out there! But what you can’t run away from, from a good bowl is a really really good broth.  


The Aunty that’s been making Laksa here is an expert at it and has been providing consistent delicious tasting Laksa from the day she opened this stall. She’ll be proud to tell you that this is possible due to her making her own paste for her broth, which doesn’t make her subject to changes in taste from paste providers which a lot of Laksa stalls in Kuching are using.

What you’ll taste here may be different from what you’re used to, as the first thing you’ll notice is how balanced the flavours are. There isn’t a natural kick of flavours that is common in most stalls, but a very welcome balance of the sour and savoury while also maintaining a very smooth creamy broth that you’ll have no qualms with finishing till the very last drop.



Apart from the delicious broth, you’ll notice the most simple of garnishes that top the noodles. It’s a welcome change from the gimmick of large prawns and extravagant parts of the chicken. Everything in this bowl is modest and well thought of. The prawns, though admittedly were a bit overcooked on the day of taking these pictures were sized big enough to finish in one bite while the chicken strips used were juicy and were able to soak up the broth well due to the careful way it was stripped.


The thin rice vermicelli noodles are also worth noting as they were both springy and had a nice bite to it. It’s always a welcome addition when Laksa noodles are cooked beautifully as there is rarely anything worse than badly cooked noodles that are either too hard to bite on or too soft and slimy to enjoy.

I spoke earlier about bonds, and patrons I’ve spoken to who frequent this stall speak of how these noodles remind them of childhood. It isn’t the idea of Laksa that reminds of it, but rather the exact taste and flavour of it. This is the product of consistency and it’s consistency from being able to create what you serve from scratch and knowing exactly what you put in your meals that builds a bond and trust based on flavours. Flavours that you know you can turn to that remains like an old friend in an ever-changing world.

Ho Joo Laksa is open daily from 6am - 11pm.



The original content of this article belongs to The Borneo Post SEED and can be found HERE. Head on there by clicking the picture below for more great content and happenings in and about with Sarawak. 

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