I met up with friends for pre-partying dinner on New Years Eve at New Malaysian Restaurant (where I’ve had Ducks Blood) in the Chinatown Arcade on Bowery. Yes, start off with Roti Canai. I like it! …pancake roti bread with lovely curry chicken sauce.
I also ordered the Ipoh Rojak appetizer, which I was thinking was this Malaysian Popiah. Turned out totally different, but really good. It was cucumbers and butternut squash with peanut and some kind of sauce that made it taste a little sweet.
Marcellus ordered the Indian Mee Goreng. He asked the waitress if there was meat in it. She said no. When he got it, there was shrimp all in it. He asked the waitress again. “I thought this had no meat?” She said, “Yeah, no meat. Just seafood.” That’s funny. That reminds me how some restaurants you order Vegetable Fried Rice or Lo Mein and there is no vegetable in it. They just call it that because there is no meat.
I liked my Curry Hainanese Chicken Noodle Soup. Great creamy broth. Took a long time to get. I think they forgot.
The prices are good if you stick with the Noodle Soups, Fried Noodles and Lunch menu (which you can still order at night).
New Malaysia Restaurant - 48 Bowery (btwn Bayard & Canal St in the Chinatown Arcade) New York, NY 10013
After dinner, we made our way to separate parties. Some of us headed to my friends Dave and Janet’s party. That was a lot of fun. I saw a black and white movie on the TV and I asked if it was “My So Called Life,” when you know I meant “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
After the party, we went downstairs to the bar where I came across the Williamsburg Empanada guy. I couldn’t believe he was out on doing his thing on New Years Eve. I guess it’s a good night for business, but I hope he got some partying in himself. I got a beef empanada with hot sauce ($2). It did good.
On my way home, I passed by a couple of groups where there was one drunk asshole who seemed to try to harass me for either being a hipster or Chinese. That’s weird. Don’t they know they’re partying in Williamsburg, Brooklyn?
When I got home, I looked in the mirror and noticed I was wearing a stupid glow necklace that whole time. Shit. I would’ve harassed me too.
Another thing happened when I was walking home that night. I don’t know if it’s appropriate to talk about on a food blog, but it’s been in running through my head the last couple of days and you guys know this website is pretty much my Livejournal. Here goes…
As I passed by this garage, I heard someone talking, like whispering. Then I saw a guy on all fours, back turned to me, in a corner next to a car. I thought that was weird. So I walked back and this time, the guy turned around to look at me. I had to walk back again to get home and he was still looking at me.
I thought that was just weird. Then I heard some more talking. I knew in my gut something wasn’t right. Like maybe there was a girl under him? It took a few seconds to get the nerve to walk back again, but it felt like minutes.
This time, the guy and a girl were standing up. Okay, there was a girl there. I asked, “Everything all cool?” The guy said, “Yeah, it’s all cool.” I wanted the girl to respond, but she said to the guy what sounded like, “Can’t I just get a hug?” …as if they were having an argument and she just wanted it to be over. From that point, I assumed they knew each other and left.
It still bothered me that night and the next day when I told Rusty. Then he went out to the bodega and called to tell me that there is crime tape and police guarding that very spot in the garage. I went to talk to the cops and detective. I don’t know the whole story, but it seems like the girl is telling a story that doesn’t quite fit with mine. Actually, they don’t know who the guys is, which is weird to me because I thought they knew each other, like they were a couple.
So it still bothers me that there was an incident and I don’t know if I could have done more or what. The cops and detective seemed to be very thankful that I came forward. I know my friends think I did a lot more than what a lot of people would do in that situation. I get that. But it still bothers me.
[Update: The TV News said the guy had a gun.]
