LANGKAWI, June 5 — When I was 12 years old, my parents took me to Langkawi for the very first time.
It was a short trip, only three days, but it has stayed with me for the longest time because of two significant milestones, or as the kids like to call them, core memories.
I had my first beer (marvellous), and for the first time in my life, I enjoyed a plate of fish and chips on the beach, sitting under the hot tropical sun and gazing at the brilliant blue waters of the Andaman.
At the time, I thought it was the greatest fish and chips I’d ever had.
But if you asked me to recall any details about the dish, from the texture of the batter to the flavour of the fish, I couldn’t tell you a single thing.
What I can tell you is the feeling of soft, white sand between my toes; the length of untouched, pristine beach that I ran up and down; the sky-blue waters that matched the colour of the restaurant, and the salty ocean breeze in my hair.
We were at Scarborough Fish & Chips in Tanjung Rhu, a name I wouldn’t forget for the next 14 years.
I went back twice, in 2015 and 2018, but last month I went back for the fourth time to find that much has changed.
The world in 2012 was very different: Gangnam Style was the biggest song in the world, Facebook held its IPO with shares closing at US$38.23, a figure that feels almost quaint today, and many thought the world would come to an end thanks to a widely held misconception about the Mayan calendar.
This end of Langkawi, too, was vastly different. Apart from two sprawling resorts, Scarborough stood mostly alone on hundreds of metres of untouched beach.
Now, it is flanked by numerous restaurants and homestays, all grabbing onto every last bit of beachfront space left.
The restaurant itself hasn’t changed much, thankfully. There’s a fresh coat of blue paint and a few new sun loungers, but otherwise the space still holds the same relaxed feel.
Time truly moves differently here, whether it’s mid-morning and the sun is still on its way up, or in the evening when the sun is setting over the horizon.
The fish and chips (RM35) still come with the same fat steak-cut chips, two golden fillets of barramundi (skin on!) in a light, crispy batter, a very decent salad, and the tartar sauce is just as I remember it: horribly sweet.
It really is the only let-down in an otherwise top-notch plate of fish and chips.
The good thing is, both the fish and chips are salted to perfection; inside the batter is moist, flaky flesh; and the salad is dressed with a basic but adequate vinaigrette.
Squeeze the thick wedge of lemon all over, or if you prefer, a drizzle of malt vinegar, and it’s the complete package, no tartar sauce required.
Add in an ice-cold beer or two (RM8 for Tiger draught), a vista as gorgeous as nature permits, and I felt like my 12-year-old self again, bowled over and dreaming of returning.
And I hope there will be a return.
Scarborough turns 16 this year, I learned from the friendly staff who served us. He’s worked there for 14 years, and he says he’s never seen tourism in Langkawi plummet as it has in recent years.
He recalled a time when people had to make bookings to get a table; now, on a long weekend, we and two other tables were the first few customers they’d had in a while.
It’s a recurring theme I see and hear all over the island, but especially up in Tanjung Rhu.
“It’s quiet,” everyone from hostel to hotel owners, bar and restaurant operators repeat to us. Too quiet.
Scarborough Fish & Chips
Lot 1388, Jalan Tanjung Rhu,
Mukim Air Hangat,
Langkawi, Kedah.
Open daily, 10am-10pm
Tel: 04-959 4667
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
* Follow Ethan Lau on Instagram @eatenlau for more musings on food and occasionally self-deprecating humour.
