From stall to beloved institution: The story of Kuching’s beloved “Old Rex Cucur Udang”

1 month ago 17

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By Wilfred Pilo

KUCHING, Oct 3: When Tan Tiong Shin and his late wife Ngiam Nyet Chin took over a prawn fritter (‘cucur udang’) stall in 1967 behind the now defunct Rex Cinema building at Wayang Street in 1967, little did they know the business would grow into a beloved Kuching institution.

Their fritters today continue to offer many nostalgic memories for older patrons and most of all, have remained as popular as the day Tan and Ngiam took over.

The Tan family still makes these popular tea break and street snacks for sale at their current location, ‘Old Rex Cafe’, whose name pays homage to their humble origins.

According to Tan’s daughter, 45-year-old Siew Mei, who now helps run the family business, their current business offers more than just their famous prawn fritters.

They also serve other popular local dishes such as rojak, mee belacan, laksa, cha kueh, mee jawa, and shaved ice desserts.

She told DayakDaily that for many patrons, the snacks and the cafe’s name evoke fond memories.

“Today, we also want to ensure that former patrons who grew up during the period before the (old) stall closed in 1994 can still enjoy the same snacks when they come to the present cafe.

“To the present generation who may have not heard about our prawn fritters, we would like to share what we had during that period.”

Siew Mei who is the second generation to continue the business stated she is happy to manage the business her parents created, and she is proud that their prawn fritters are still well known.

“We welcome the flattering remarks of how people thought of us over the years and we hope we can continue to provide the friendly services that our family had given before.”

Siew Mei disclosed further that those who had known her family and were regular patrons often reminisced about the atmosphere of their stall in those days.

“Our stall was a popular hangout for people to meet for snacks before attending movies. I could understand the atmosphere in those days as we didn’t have all the technology and gadgets at our fingertips that we do now. Instead, we had comfort food, and there was plenty of it.”

Siew Mei recalled that in the 1990s when she was a young teenager, while she vaguely remembers many events from that time, but she always knew that her family’s prawn fritters were a must-have snack back then.

“My mother made the prawn fritters for eight years before passing on the torch to her younger sister, my aunt Ngiam Chin Lam, who is still with us. My aunt is 71-years-old and still comes to the cafe sometimes.”

Siew Mei revealed that her aunt took charge of the ‘cucur udang’ stall at Rex Cinema while her mother helped her father, who is 86 now, to operate their canteen at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) in Kuching.

“I thank her (my aunt) for making our prawn fritters popular and helping us until today. I think in many ways the ‘Old Rex cucur udang’ popularity was because of my aunt too,” she added.

Siew Mei said after they ceased operating in 1994, Rex Cinema was demolished for development, they then moved to premises at Jalan Rubber before their present location at Jalan Nanas in the last three years.

“My family has always been in the food and beverage business, and I grew up in that atmosphere. I am still acquainted with the doctors and nurses who knew us at SGH’s canteen and those patrons at our stall in Rex Cinema.

“They do come to our cafe here now and then. They are also important public figures coming over, as they all once patronised our stall. It is good to see them.”

Siew Mei described her cafe as one big Sarawakian gathering spot because most of the people who come to her place are of all races.

“The food we continue to serve are likeable local snacks that people can enjoy while hanging out. These patrons are not here to have hefty meals, and we always look for innovative ideas of what to serve.

“For that reason, we started to serve ABC—a sweet local dessert that my husband is making and it goes well with other finger foods and noodle dishes we serve,” she revealed.

Siew Mei who is also the youngest of Tan’s children is optimistic about the cafe’s future with her enthusiastic husband and two other siblings giving her a hand.

“The snacks we have now might not be the same as what we had in the past. But I can assure you that every time those who patronised us from 1967 to its closure will remember those days when they had our ‘cucur udang’ behind Rex Cinema.

“I’m sure it’s nostalgic for them, and I hope those who know us now will learn how ‘Old Rex Cucur Udang’ came about and that there was a cinema called Rex on Wayang Street,” she said.