Husband and wife team: See (right) and his wife Ng Siew Peng putting meat fillings before wrapping up to form a pau.HOCK Guan coffee shop in Jalan Tenang, Labis, Johor offers more than just tasty pau with coffee.
Its owner, See Tai Wee, 46, is known for his good hospitality which has made him popular among his customers.
One of them, a regular customer in his 60s, said See would always serve with a smile.
“His pau is very popular in town.
“ I come here all the time whenever I make a trip from Kuala Lumpur,” he said, adding that the See family recipe for the pau is unique, it can’t be found anywhere else.
See, a father of five, his maternal grandfather started the coffee shop business more than 60 years ago.
He said the trade was handed down to his mother and after his grandfather, who originated from Hainan Island, China, had passed away.
“We have no special recipe.
“We try to do the best we can and if my customers are happy, that really makes my day” he said.
When it comes to producing the traditional Chinese pastry, consistency – said See, is important as the ingredients must be fresh.
Hock Guan kopitiam offers meat, bean paste, peanut and vegetable pau.
In order to start the day, See said he wakes up as early as 4am to prepare the pau filling and would be kneading the dough and pau by 8am.
“We still use the traditional way by mixing flour with our hands and stream the pastry with wood fire,”he said.
The pastries would be served fresh by 10am.
And when it comes to pricing, See said he kept it affordable as Labis is a small town.
“It is not a problem for me as long as I can sustain,” he said.
Speaking on his experience, See said he learned the art of making pau since he was old enough to go into the kitchen to help his mother.
His mother Wong Kok Fang, 83, said she felt sad to see fewer young people involved in the traditional coffeeshop business.
“Its plenty of hard work and one have to sacrifice plenty of time.
“I guess that’s why young people are not interested in the trade,” she said.
She also advised coffee shop owners to provide their customers with good coffee and tea besides serving pau to them.
Wong added that majority of the patrons at Hock Guan coffee shop are smallholders and rubber tappers who would come in the afternoon for a well-deserved break.
“Normally, only the men would sit in the coffee shop to drink, eat and chat with their friends while their wives will stay at home to take care of their children and do house chores.”
~News courtesy of The Star~
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