Sunset dining
On Pangkor Island, the ambience and wide selection of food at a seaside restaurant entice Ewe Paik Leong to return one day
THE ocean breeze kisses my face when I step out of a jalopy, sweeping stress away. When I start to amble on the sand, I am pleasantly jolted as I feel like I’m walking on a carpet of candy floss!Such is the softness of the sands.
A waitress from Daddy’s Cafe leads my family and I to a pavilion far from a string of bulbs. I am a touch disappointed because it’s dim here. The waiter also abruptly goes away.
Looking around, I see a full house since it’s a public holiday and my expectation of quick service flows away with the ebbing tide.
In the distance, the sky and the sea are stitched into a single grey line. After a long time, the menus arrive and we switch on the flashlights in our mobile phones to read.
The selections, without photos, are many and are divided into appetiser and salad, lunch entrèe, dinner entrèe, soup, local specialties, dessert and beverages.
The offerings cover Western food (lamb chop, black pepper steak, pizza, tortilla, etc);Malay goodies
Indian fare (pita bread, fish head curry, dahl vegetable curry, vegetarian fried rice); and Thai staples (seafood tom yam).
The names of some dishes catch my attention.”Fire twister” is grilled mackerel in spicy sauce with rice and crackers; “monkey love”, fish fillet in sweet and sour sauce with pineapple and veggies.
After another long wait, a carnival of scents heralds the arrival of our orders.
The mutton curry embraces gutsy flavours. The mushroom soup needs stronger seasoning. First, I snap a piece of garlic bread into two and dredge one half through my mushroom soup. The milky-flavoured soup is pleasant but not terrific. Heavierseasoning will rectify this fault.
My plate of skin-less chicken pieces comes with carrots, cabbages and long beans, and a puddle of barbecue sauce. The chicken meat is dense but the barbecue sauce lifts it a notch above the ordinary. The veggies play their part well in providing textural contrast.
Next, I eat as much of my daughter’s chicken chop as she allows me to. The soft fibrous texture has a tinge of saltiness that tangos well with a deep and robust garlicky flavour.
A lingering powerful finish from the barbecue sauce makes this a delicious dish.Crisp fries act as a perfect counterpoint to the tart red cabbage.
I now try my wife’s gremolata chicken. Under the dim light, I don’t scrutinise what I’ve carved with my fork and spoon but pop the morsel straight into my mouth. A zap of tang from lemon, a caress of aromatics from parsley and a
Garlic bread is almost greaseless.
gentle punch from pungent garlicwork in harmony.
Since the chicken dishes merely pass muster, I order mutton curry with rice. It arrives in a clay pot brimming with aromatic coriander and fresh red chillies. The mutton and spices are on excellent nodding terms with the perfectly cooked rice.
Meal over, I quaff my fruit punch, declare my love for this place and air-kiss the setting sun, and vow to return-but not on a public holiday.