82 and still stirring the pot
IPOH: 'I don't want to sit around at home. As long as I can work, I'll keep going,' said 82-year-old Neow Ah Cyen.
He still wakes up before sunrise to prepare one of Ipoh's popular dishes, known as 'kai see hor fun', a flat rice noodles dish.
For over 60 years, he has been serving the dish at the same spot in a restaurant in Ipoh Old Town, continuing the legacy of his late father.
Ah Cyen, a widower, recalled how their business started from humble beginnings with a tricycle.
'I started helping my father when I was 15 years old and that's how I learnt the trade.
'I enjoy cooking as it keeps me moving. Why sit at home when I can still work? My hands and legs are still strong and apart from high blood pressure, I'm healthy,' he said when met here.
His second son, Thze Choong 57, helps him to manage the daily operations, while his eldest son, Thze Kain 58, handles shopping and preparing the ingredients.
Another son, Chee Heng, 52, runs a stall under the same family banner – Tricycle Chicken and Prawn Koay Teow – in Puchong, Selangor.
His youngest son, however, is not keen on the food business. He now lives in the United States, working as a gym instructor.
After all these years, Ah Cyen's stall still draws loyal customers from across the country and beyond.
There are those from Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Johor, and even as far as Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and China.
'Customers say the flavour remains authentically old-school and delicious,' Ah Cyen said, adding that the recipe he uses was passed down from his father.
Each bowl features rice noodles in a rich, flavourful broth, topped with tender shredded chicken, fresh prawns, and garnished with garlic chives and other seasonings.
Lim Chin Kee, 57, said he has been eating at the stall since he was a kid.
'The taste hasn't changed and it's still the best.
'It has the traditional tastes and out of 10, I would rate it a 9,' said the mechanical engineer.
For Wong Phooi Leng, 52, a yoga instructor living in Singapore, the visit was more than just a meal.
'I come back to Malaysia a few times a year and always try to stop by, but traffic usually gets in the way. Today, we were lucky; it was jam-free.
'The flavours, the atmosphere, even seeing the uncle again, bring back so many memories; it's nostalgic. It truly feels like stepping back into my childhood,' she said.
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