On appearance, this shop in Taman Bidara Selayang looks like an aquarium, but even the most beautiful fishes here are meant only for the chef’s kitchen.
The fish and other seafood – yes, “exotic seafood” – are imported from countries like Alaska, Canada, the United States, Australia and France, among others.
And, some of the fishes here such as Soo Mei can be priced as high as anything above RM300 a kilogramme depending on the market prices, but people come from a long distance just to pick their favourite fish.
Its proprietor, Tim Liew said for prawns alone, there are already a number of varieties, depending on the supply – from Freshwater Prawns and White Prawns, to Tiger Prawns and Mantis Prawns. “Each has its own uniqueness,” he said. “The secret with fresh prawns is to steam them to get the original tastes. They taste great when eaten with some soya sauce or chilli.”
Picking up the Australian lobsters, he added: “Even the lobsters from Australia are different from the Boston Lobsters, and the Rainbow Lobsters from Asian countries is so named because it has the colours of the rainbow. When we are talking about crabs, it is not just the usual crabs that are sold in local restaurants. Here, we have the Snow Crabs and the King Crabs from Australia, as well as Spider Crabs from Alaska.”
In total, Liew said they have over one hundred different types of fishes, prawns, clams, crabs, oysters, “live” abalone and other seafood to choose from. Some of them come by funny names, too.
“Geoducks, for example, are not in the same family as ducks,” he laughed. “The Geoducks, either from Mexico or Canada, are not known to most Malaysians, except to the more discerning diners,” he explained.
“We always recommend people to eat it raw to taste its sweetness. Otherwise, it can also be half-cooked in boiling water or steamboat. The diners especially in Chinese restaurants are beginning to like the taste, when eaten with some wasabe.”
Some regulars, like Chiang Chai Kuei, 37, from Robson Heights come here very often to pick up their favourite seafood. Chiang’s wife, Lim Siew Choo, 39, was first time at the aquarium.
“My first impression is that there are so many different types of seafood,” she said. “One has to learn the uniqueness of each type of seafood and taste it to know the difference.”
Lim said she would pick the fish based on her budget and the advice given by restaurant’s chef. “We have a regular restaurant that we go to,” she said. “The chef would let us know what kind of fish to pick. He would then prepare the dish for us. The good thing is the seafood here is alive.”
Interesting History
Liew’s story with seafood is interesting. It appears like every time the country went through a recession, the 46-year-old former boy of Sekolah Menengah Kepong keeps progressing to the next level on the ladder of success.
“But it takes nothing but pure sweat and sheer hard work,” he added. “Plus, a lot of determination!”
Back in the eighties, at the age of 18, Liew had started work selling construction equipment. “In 1985, the construction industry went into the doldrums,” he said. “I was only 23 years old, and without a job.”
A friend involved in fish farming in Pulau Ketam invited him to be a partner in the fish business. “I started supplying fish to restaurants. Back then, I was the salesman, the lorry driver, the accountant,” he reminiscensed. “Work was tough, but I managed to survive.”
Gradually, he started supplying to hotel restaurants around the country. Business became to pick up.
Then, the country was again hit by another round of recession in 1997 at the onslaught of the Asian Financial Crisis. This time, it was worse than before, and people were not eating out as much as before.
Liew had to think of a creative way to enhance his fish business. “That’s when we started cooperating with restaurants in the vicinity,” he said. “We were in fact the first ones in Malaysia to adopt this Hong Kong style, where customers can buy the fish and after we have cleaned it, we send to the restaurant of their choice,” he said. “People liked the idea, and business picked up.”
Currently, Liew said, he is working with five different restaurants within the vicinity in Taman Bidara, namely Restoran Bei Hai, Restoran Chef Tam, Restaurant Wong Kee, Restoran Venicia (Pork Free) and Restoran New Coca.
“Most of these restaurants charge only a minimum cooking fee,” he said. “Of course, customers would also order other things besides the fish.”
Will Liew survive the next recession? “Yes, of course! People love my fish, and in the worst of recessions, there will still be people who have the cash to enjoy the best that Mother Nature can offer,” he said.
JC Foodtech is located at No 9, Jalan 2/4, Taman Bidara, 68100 Batu Caves, Selangor. Tel: 03-61203333. Website: www.jcfoodtech.com
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