The Nirvana Bus Tour – The Tanjung Tualang Chapter

road trip

One baby to another said,
I’m lucky to have met you
I don’t care what you think
Unless it is about me
It is now my duty to completely drain you
A travel through a tube
And end up in your infection

Lyrics from Drain You, Album: Nevermind, Artist: Nirvana

map of malaysia

This is my beautiful Malaysia.  I’ve lived here all my life, but I still don’t know how to freaking draw it.   The Nirvana Bus Tour started from the city of purity also known as Shah Alam and headed north towards Tanjung Tualang, a tiny little town in Perak known only for its freshwater prawns.

Kelly's Castle
What’s with the white paint??

Along the way, our driver (aka Bald Eagle) insisted on making a stop at Kellie’s Castle, a structure built by a Scottish planter in the early 1900s.   This was the only non-food pit stop in the entire journey.   Other than pee breaks, of course.  I thus felt a need to record it.

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We saw Kurt Cobain

With eyes so dilated,
I’ve became your pupil
You’ve taught me everything
Without a poison apple
The water is so yellow, I’m a healthy student
Indebted and so grateful –
Vacuum out the fluids

– Lyrics from Drain You, Album: Nevermind, Artist: Nirvana –

tanjung tualang

We observed the owner fish out 30 freshwater prawns from the tanks situated outside the restaurant.   They were a sight to behold; my momentary pity upon seeing them leaping helplessly in the tiny green pail was soon replaced by intense hunger at the anticipation of feeding on them.   From the moment I put the first prawn (cooked “kon cheen” style, i.e. dry fried with soy sauce) into my mouth, I knew that we had made the right decision to detour to Tanjung Tualang for dinner.   The prawns (with oozing creamy roe), were sticky and tasty, the flavour coming entirely from the sweetness of the flesh with the aid of just soy sauce.  This dish was quickly followed by prawns cooked in oats, a style of cooking that I can only call genius.   The oats were flaky and crunchy, and it almost felt like I was eating festive cookies.  The third style of preparation was the ubiquitous butter prawns.  The prawns came shrouded in very fine fried egg floss.   Very, very tasty.   At this point, we thought we’d balance our meal with a serving of crabs which were steamed in egg white.  Delicious.

Chew your meat for you
Pass it back and forth in a passionate kiss
From my mouth to yours because I like you.

– Lyrics from Drain You, Album: Nevermind, Artist: Nirvana –

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I love small town fashion

Sloppy lips to lips
You’re my vitamins because I’m like you

– Lyrics from Drain You, Album: Nevermind, Artist: Nirvana –

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We’ll be back, Tanjung Tualang.

The prawns cost RM65 per kg.  Pretty good value considering the freshness of the prawns.

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Lung Seng Restaurant
10, Jalan Besar
Tanjung Tualang
Perak

Tel: 05-360 0735

Opening hours: 11.30am to 9.00pm. Reservations recommended!

Also check out: Masak-Masak, Precious Pea.

The Nirvana Bus Tour continues……to Penang.  Watch this space.

The Nirvana Bus Tour, Prologue and A Nirvana Tribute

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A tribute to Nirvana, featuring The Toy Couple and Cordon Bleu Chef (whom we bumped into in Penang), Hairyberry, Nipplesjoe, Boolicious, Bald Eagle and Lyrical Lemongrass.   Shot on location at QE2, Penang, in between the feasting.  Work hard, eat hard, play hard.

Click HERE for the introduction to the Nirvana Bus Tour.

Next post…the food.

The Nirvana Bus Tour

kurt cobain new

The Birth of an Idea

Imagine a room full of intoxicated people. One drunk starts a conversation about a funeral he just attended, and how impressed he was with the “Nirvana band” (Chinese funeral music). “They have their own bus too,” he says.

“A bus load of Nirvana musicians,” another drunk muses. “Was Kurt Cobain on board?” (An obvious reference to Nirvana, the rock band.)

“We should have our own Nirvana bus!” exclaims yet another drunk. “We can drive up to Penang and back and drink whisky all the way!”

The suggestion is met with a resounding AYE.

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The Plan

The alcohol’s worn off, but the Idea remains.  A quotation for a bus is obtained.

bus pricing

“Who’s interested?”

“Me!”

“Me!”

“Me!”

“Me!”

We can’t decide between a 20 seater and a 40 seater. The response is overwhelming.

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But There Were Glitches

excuses

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And Then There Were Five

five

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An unlikely group, bound together by the love of food.

After all, as they say in show business, the show must go on.

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Five people climbed into a Nissan X-trail and headed to Penang for a weekend of gluttony.  Not quite a Nirvana Bus Tour, but so much work had been put into it that we had to make it happen even though we didn’t have the numbers.

Watch this space for stories of our Nirvana Not-Quite-A-Bus Tour to Penang.  July 17 to 19, 2009.