Laksa Good

My first taste of the Singaporean laksa was at Jurong Bird Park. When we came in it was about lunch time so we went directly to the Hawk Cafe.

I was intrigued by the laksa on the menu so I ordered one. Good choice! Leni, our host and guide, made a thumbs up sign.

Laksa is a spicy noodle soup popular in Malaysia and Singapore and its origin can be traced back to the Chinese and Malays combining noodles and Asian spices. It has two varieties, the coconut milk-based and the tamarind-based. I usually go for the coconut-based varieties.

Since my first spoonful, laksa became my favorite Singaporean dish so that wherever I went during my Singapore trip, I would order one to see if there was one peculiar flavor for each restaurant.

Now that my Singapore trip has become a memory, my craving for laksa has become more of a want rather than a need.

I ordered a large bowl of that soup at Spice Fusion in SM City Cebu because they do not have individual servings. Despite its watery blandness I devoured the whole bowl.

My foodie friends told me to buy the best instant laksa in the market today- the Prima Taste Singapore Laksa La Mian. Indeed, their laksa is very near to the fresh laksa I have tasted in Singapore. The distinctive smell of the paste would bring me to outdoor restaurants in the streets of Singapore. The fusion of chili, dried shrimps, curry and other Asian spices kicking me in every dollop of this creamy soup. Incidentally, lamian in the Visayan language means delicious!

The Singapore Laksa La Mian I prepared

Another friend, Moni gave me Teh Tarik (milk tea) from Malaysia. Now that is a good complement to my laksa.

You can now call me Captain Hook.

Another spicy experience

No matter how bad is the service at Spice Fusion at SM City Cebu, we always go back there. The food is not the best but sure it is good.

But then again, it is always the service that counts. Like tonight.

When we went in, I suggested we stay at the table near the cashier and the kitchen for obvious reasons- so that we can be readily seen. Indeed, my suggestion bore fruits. We were served just in time when a customer fumingly walked out because she was seating in a corner for almost an hour and no one took notice of her. I even heard from the waiters saying that even if she ordered, she would not be served even for an hour because everyone forgot about her. What a shame!

Another group, a family I guess, wanted to seat inside. The waiters insisted they should take the tables outside, even if there were vacant tables beside us. Just an additional chair and I am sure they would stay there. But no, the waiter would not gave in. Like they do not want customers to come there.

You can even observe that the waiters would stay closely in one place- the counter near the cashier. Why? Did the owner specifically advise them to focus their attention at the cashier?

What is happening Spice Fusion?

The nasi goreng is exactly what I want: not oily, no pork and just as spicy.

Before that, we already were having a confusion at Spice Fusion:
• Spice (con)Fusion
• Bigby's: A pleasant surprise

Spice (con)Fusion

I really was so hungry that Gilda's description of good food at Spice Fusion in SM City Cebu made my mouth water. Aside from the fact that I do love Asian food, it has been a long time that I haven't tasted one.

I was dreaming of nasi goreng and some other spicy food for dinner even before we arrived in SM.

We sat down at Spice Fusion. 

At first the waitress was very eager to take our orders even if we have not opened the menu yet. It was a good sign. She came back when we signal her we were ready. She took my order of nasi goreng, baguio beans with garlic chicken instead of pork, avocado shake and a hot calamansi for Gilda. Gilda also ordered the grilled squid.

Minutes come and go and my really hungry stomach started to complain. Thirty minutes the first batch came. I eagerly ate the plateful of nasi goreng (250 pesos, good for 3-4 persons). Then came the beans with chicken (190 pesos, I think) and I devoured them because it was cooked deliciously in butter and was temptingly green and crisp. The chicken on it has this distinct flavor I could not determine.

It took time for the grilled squid to come. I reasoned out that because the squid was artistically cut into small and thin pieces, maybe the cook spend more time on it. But it was delivered to another table who protested it was not their order. Gilda told the waitress it was ours but she returned to the kitchen to find out if we were telling her the truth.

Glocel and Leslie joined us and were very late due to some office problems. They ordered chicken wings and glasses of hot calamansi too. While the a waiter delivered their calamansi, I asked for chili powder and a can of Coke Zero. But we have only Coke Light, sir, so I said yes. No Coke came. I called our waitress to tell her I need a can of Coke. Light.

I already finished my food and was kind of sick due to the immediate intake of the food. I went to the comfort room twice but my Coke did not arrived. I have to call the yawning waitress back and she apologized for the delay. The Coke Light refrigerator was a table away from me and if I have the energy I would be the one getting it. She was just standing near the counter.

I noted down that my chili powder still has not arrived.

We talked more. Minutes came and went, we were almost two hours talking in our table. We asked for our bill. We paid. We separated ways towards home. Now it is almost 12 midnight and still my chili powder did not materialize. Not that I wanted to sleep with it.

But still.