childhood memories – ding dang and tora
Once we decided to try out Otak-Otak Place for lunch. The food was not bad: the roti jala was quite nice, the otak-otak was delicious (though slightly expensive. Then again I’m used to prices in Muar). I’ve returned to the establishment(s) a couple of times after so that’s testament to the food quality.
The thing that made me warm and fuzzy inside is the décor of Otak-Otak Place. For some reason, they decided to include every memory from my childhood as part of their decoration. Exercise books (that’s what we called them, direct translation from ‘buku latihan’), glass marbles, rubber band skipping ropes, ‘Happy Family’ playing cards and so on. They also sell these in jars:
Ding Dang and Tora!
Fuwah, I can’t begin to tell you how I used to go crazy over these two snacks. Not the snack itself — the biscuit covered with a layer of choc tasted quite miserable and foul. By the way I learned from my trip to the Fidani chocolate factory why it’s called choc and not chocolate; if Eiling is reading this, she’ll be able to elaborate better).
This was the 80s when marketing on television was at its best. Every day there’d be advertisements on telly (during the cartoon hours) for Ding Dang and Tora, introducing the toy of the week! There’d be happy children showing you how to play with the toy, and they looked darn happy doing it. I’d never been able to accomplish what they did (e.g. making the plastic helicopter fly) but I’d be sucked into the whole shindig and continue to buy it whenever I could. Usually I throw away the snack — even at a young age I knew what tasted good and doesn’t.
Ding Dang and Tora toys
So I bought these at Otak-Otak Place just for old times’ sake. Didn’t have any idea how to work those toys, but hey! nothing’s changed.
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Torang datang lagi, dengan permainan helicopter plastik!!!
The concept of the toys were always good, but the execution cannot make it one ahahha.
Those days, Ding Dang and Tora beats the crap out Barbie Dolls and other major toy manufacturers big time hehe.
I remember buying those from my roti man
Ahhh, good timessss.
i liked it when they gave you plastic bits to fix a robot which always look damn good on tv but looks damn crap irl. lol
ky: hebat!
yee hou: yeah so i’m not the only one!
fou: they did! along with the whistling lollipop which also tasted horrible
mell: so it stretched to the 90s also!
FA: yeah. lies all lies!
Actually, I always used to think that the Ding Dang, Tora and Kum Kum kids looked spastic (or rather in need of orthodontist care)… whereas the models for Nespray and Dumex were usually pan-asian tweens good looking enough to have been baby show winners in their past lives. I only really cared for Kum Kum, which was discontinued too early – that was a saltier, more dangerously coloured version of twisties, if I recall correctly. Also liked UFO.
The Ding Dang chocolates were the crappiest ever! But the toys were awesome.
TORA DATANG LAGI!
I just cant get this tune out of my head whenever I see junkfood:
“Sumi jeli manis, sumi jeli manis … ”
why?
OMG!!! Lol. I wrote about this not too long ago too! http://whimsicaljottings.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/baby-m-ding-dang-and-easter/
What about Hiro and Mamee and Super Ring (unhealthy as heck snack ftw!)
i gotta agree with you on the taste of the chocolates.
it really tastes like cardboard.
i never bought it though i stole one from a friend haha , but i remember seeing it always on telly
OMG – I only bought those choco for the toys and never ate those choco coz they tasted fake
suertes: i always felt inferior to nespray and dumex kids.. cos i didn’t look anything like them!
eyeris: they were awesome indeed, only i didn’t know how to work them
YK: err was that a 70s snack?
whimsicaljottings: haehahea z0mg. we are from the same era what. I LOVED HIRO IT WAS SUPER DUPER DELICIOUS! i ate it like addiction
kellster: what how can you not have tried it! you must!
cheryl: haha same reason i bought them!
aiks the food at otak-otak place was awful when i went with my mother and sister! i do agree the decor’s lovely though. i liked the metal food containers (aargh what are they called?!) and exercise book menus. it was fun arranging the happy families cards while waiting for the terrible food to arrive.
and yes, i was ecstatic when i saw the tora-tora and ding dang for sale! reminds me of the times when i meticulously counted out 30 1sen coins just to buy them biscuit balls from the roti uncle. good times. =)
ZOMG HIRO WAS DAMN AWESOME. I bet there was ganja in it.
FA: I still got HIRO now in my kitchen cabinet!!! MAU tak?
Hiro!?!?!? We kenot afford Hiro (RM 2) when I was a kid, Ding Dang was 60 cents, Tora is a premium at RM 1. :p
LOOOOVE that place. SO much thought is put into ensuring every detail is from the 80s. It’s wonderful!
lishun: really ? I loved the roti jala. only i wish they give more curry
FA: in the name of chocolate!
kellster: wah it’s still selling?
HB: Hiro was not RM2?!?! east malaysia different price kot
friedbeef: i know! everytime i go there i have this silly grin on my face