Whenever friends, or families, or even us as individuals, plan on where to eat, human nature tends to bring us towards choosing places which look clean, smell good, provide ample space for movement, are easy to access, etc. What is to become of our typical human nature, then, if we end up hearing of something so appetizing, so appealing, and so popular with locals that, despite the initial cosmetic worries we might feel, we would ultimately be led to march forward- with, maybe, eyes closed, but, mouths and noses agape?
Make no mistake about it- I love my Malaysian friends. They are some of the nicest people I have ever met in my life- the genuine article in as as far as hospitality, compassion, and openness to being one with the "richness of experience", go. Last December, I went to Malaysia with my girlfriend and some friends from Singapore, and it was then that we got to visit to Ong Lai (Goh Kee) Restaurant, a joint off of Jalan Raja Laut in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I am not iffy about my surroundings as much as other people. Hey, if the food is good, and the company, even better, then I have no problem with dining al fresco, save of course for the obvious considerations like rat on plate, or, flying cockroach on shoulder.
Based on what I recall my friends Jan, Sharon, and Steven having told me, Ong Lai's been around for over 20 years, and, as with many family run Chinese restaurants, the owner/s, in this case, the "mother", is extremely hands on with day to day operations, even with nitty-gritty stuff like taking customers orders, and handing out tabs. Typically you might not be able to tell that Ong Lai could churn out grub that's better than what you might find in a lot of fancier looking restaurants. Located in a small alley which Steven had to negotiate with some sweet, sweet, driving moves (you're the man, Steve), the place looked more like the location for a nighttime chase than the entry point to a source of glorious food. I am really glad my pals introduced me to Ong Lai, and I am glad that I chugged down a large bottle of Tiger Beer while I stuffed myself with great Chinese fare.
So, on to what we ate.
As far as I remember, we had steamed grouper, Char Kway Teow, some tofu dish, Hokkien Mee, and clams. It didn't matter in what sequence the plates came. Everything was so hot and delicious that for one brief moment, being there with my friends and my girlfriend seemed like the perfect scene. My December trip to Malaysia was a trip which I took, in part, to fulfill a promise. I told my Malaysian comrades after our tryst to Italy that I would see them again, and see them again I did. The little girl of the bunch, Natalie, seemed to have grown so much taller in 8 months' time. Well, having access to such great food all the time will help you in that department.
I didn't care that it rained on our way back to Steven's car, or that it was a bit humid in Ong Lai. That night, I got to paint a picture of real friendship, what that I think will be lasting. I feel warm and fuzzy inside whenever I recall how motherly Sharon was to me and my girlfriend every time we took a spin around Kuala Lumpur and every time we ate at a new "locals only" joint (more on Raju in a separate entry). Sometimes, like Sharon once told me, "God brings special people into our lives unexpectedly." Such is truly a welcome mystery, especially when, yes, it is shared over good food, good laughs, and in a country where the warmth of its people is a very pronounced, and very tangible, asset.
So, it turns out that the amazing food wasn't the only unexpected thing about my trip to Ong Lai in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. The other thing that came out of left field was the fact that a bond that had further been strengthened. It's not that I expected everyone to be as cold and awkward after not having seen one another for almost a year. It's just that, in a world where so many things are fleeting, and everyone is often so wrapped up in his and her own work, responsibilities as a father, mother, son, daughter, you name it- it is rare that one gets to escape the daily grind and just focus on just how glorious, just beautiful, just how vital "the ties that bind", are.
I am back in the Philippines now, and so is my girlfriend. I recently found myself scanning my calendar for the next available long respite from work. My first impulse was to fly to Penang and its environs. Why you ask?
For the exact same reasons I went to Malaysia weeks ago.
For the food.
For the culture.
For the people.
I need not look any further than that.
MC
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