eating char kway teow at zion road




those days after drinking at apollo or kings, we would sometimes adjourned to the riverside zion road food centre for some makan and some more drinking. the seasoned beer drinkers are all the same; they will say that they will have just one more for the road but it is never one more. it is usually one and many more.

i am known to the group as the one-mug man. one mug is my limit. actually, i do not enjoy drinking beer. i drink because of the company. while they are drinking, i will be busy topping up the beer for them because i do not want them to replenish my mug. they know my style.

there were a few stalls that we used to patronise at zion road. the char kway teow with 'koo chye' was one of our regular orders. usual waiting time was about half an hour. the other stall from which we regularly ordered food was the cheng tng stall. it was a stall that practised self-service. we sometimes ate the sliced fish bee hoon from 28 seafood and fish stall.

the scenario was always the same. we were there ostensibly to satisfy our hunger but it would not be wrong to say that the main purpose was to continue drinking more beer. they would order two or three bottles, 'polished' them off in double quick time. then somebody would offer to buy everybody another round - two or three bottles - of beer. when they got 'high', they might go for another round.

one thing i credit them is that they know their limit; they know when to stop ordering and drinking.