Beef Tripe Soup was part of many Sibu people's memories of their youth in Sibu. The most famous coffee shop run by a Hainanese family was called Nan Fang , situated at High Street Sibu, just opposite the wet market in those days. In fact, it was just opposite the Malay (Halal) beef stall.
In those days, frozen food was not part of the social scene so no one was selling frozen beef yet. So probably it was by a kind of political coincidence that frozen beef came to the market when the Gurkhas and the British army came during the Confrontation period (1962). It was Kim Guan Siang which obtained the contract for food supplies and started to import frozen beef. Later several other Cold Storages were started.
The first generation of the Ngu Niik Mien family was lead by the hot tempered master noodle maker. He made the noodles from scratch and would start boiling the soup, beef and tripe as early as four am. By five thirty he had his first bowls of noodles (no tripe) ready. The best tripe noodle soup would be ordered at the tables by 8 according to an elderly aunt who used to live nearby. They also did delivery. In those days delivery by a young boy was the normal. Today the new normal is delivery by Grab or Food Panda.
By 11 the towkay would be quick in temper, scolding every assistant he had as he ran out of ingredients. But by then every one knew that it was a sold out moment and money had been made. It was a very obvious behaviour. Overt. Loud scolding and banging. But his staff laboured on. And of course his long suffering wife and children took every thing with patience and without question at all.
In family business, it was common for the head of the business to be hot tempered, loud, and even physical. Perhaps it was frustrating for him to see his assistants not quick in the foot, or not able to remember who to serve first, as he himself had to stand in front of the hot stove with very tired arms after 7 hours of hard work!!
Some of the family members are still in the beef tripe noodle soup business today.
Amazing name too. Southern Beef Tripe Noodle Soup. This brings a lot of memories of the past. But the flavours and tastes are not quite the same any more according to my elderly aunt. A few of my peers, now in our 70's also said the same
In Sibu a whole generation still smile when they think of beef noodle soup. And the name of the coffee shop would be Nan Fang, second to none.
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