This is the place my late paternal grandfather used to bring a bunch
of us kids to eat on Sundays. It’s the central heart of Heng Hua Sibu
and things here have been kept relatively the same. People of all sorts
come here – white collar workers and blue collar workers all eat here,
there’s no distinction. I went there for an very early breakfast with a
couple of people just now.
It has the best coffee in town; I estimate the caffeine content as
the equivalent of a double shot of Starbucks espresso. I love the
homely feel of the place – people can bring their own food if they want
(see the photo of the tapioca in the middle). Tapioca tastes great with
coffee. The place also has the best fried-cooked noodles (char chu mien, a Foochow dish) in Sibu. It’s noodles which are fried, and then recooked in a soup dish.
Breakfast at Sungai Merah is nostalgic, and the patrons just keep on
coming in, it’s always full. Look at the industry going on with the
industrial sized cooking air outlet!
Sungai Merah will always remain as the heart of Sibu to me.
