Thursday, October 23, 2008

Kafe Batu Keras.

23.10.2008.

How stupid of me.

It wasn't until I reached home that it struck me - bloody hell ! It's "Hard Rock Cafe !".

My "biras" (brother-in-law lah) asked to join him and his wife for lunch at a "new place" in Seremban 2. It was only 12 noon, and I had just returned from the golf club, and having had some mee goring after 9 holes of golf, I wasn't particularly hungry. But I agreed anyway.

The place was surprisingly hidden in a wooded part of the new township, a spot one could not have seen from the roads crisscrossing around the area. The quaint thatched roof and open-walled atmosphere was a pleasant sight. It reminded me immediately of "Auntie Annie's Cafe" in old Nilai, similiarly tucked away and inconspicuous from the road. There at the entrance was "Kafe Batu Keras" - an  uncommon name, I thought.

Because we were early, the Malay cusine spread out in silver dishes buffet-style was still  warm. We were told the lunch crowd normally comes at 1.15.  The "Negeri" food was authentic. Just like Auntie Annie's. Auntie Annie's isn't overly expensive. I don't know how much our lunch cost, because my biras insisted he pay. That was a surprise.  In the past I'd always paid.

The other surprise was the proprietor.

The last time I saw her was in 1999, in Kuala Pilah. She was the Ketua Wanita for her Cawangan, but worked with her brother in KL selling superbikes.

As I walked into the restaurant's compound, a woman in apron walked out of the outdoor kitchen building and greeted me. She surprised me totally. I remember the face immediately, but could not recall the name at once, but we exchanged greetings warmly. Apparently she started selling imported lava-rock garden/home decorations and bamboo furniture about a year ago, and a few months later obtained a license to operate this cafe. When I made the comparison with Auntie Annie's she said she knows the place.

Then as I walked into the roofed dining area with my biras before ordering luch, I remembered her name.

When we drove home in my biras' car, I remembered Ita (that's her name) and her urbane taste and then it struck me. Of course, it's Hard Rock Cafe !

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2 comments:

mekyam said...

en zainal,

i'm glad you've decided to do away with that "gate" to your blog. i hope this means you now welcome the increase in traffic that's sure to follow.

i've always thought it such a shame more people do not know of this blog. your pieces are witty, well-written and extremely readable. and your terse political commentaries are smart and often have interesting anecdotes not found anywhere else.

many were the times when i stopped myself from sharing your link because the presence of that agreement clause made me think you'd rather keep a low profile. in fact, everytime i visit i've felt a bit like an eavesdropper, suspecting you meant your blog to be just for family and friends.

mekyam said...

oops! spoke/wrote too soon.

the "i understand and wish/do not wish to continue" term is back. :D