KUCHING, 4 September 2023: Kuching gained the status as Malaysia’s first-ever Creative City of Gastronomy back in November 2021 and lived up to the title with its abundance of traditional food bazaars and indigenous ethnic cuisines.
As the most populous city in the state, our food heritage is extremely diverse, with multi-cultural influences originating from the 31
Sarawakian ethnic groups. This means that we have food that caters to people from all backgrounds and religions, including our Muslim friends. Enjoy these eateries, which have Halal certifications as recommended by the Sarawakian Islamic Board.
Serapi Corner
Start your journey by enriching your taste buds with iconic Sarawak cuisine by visiting Serapi Corner, located at the Rich Commercial Centre at Batu 7. At this restaurant, you will have the chance to order all the Sarawakian must-try dishes. That includes Sarawak Laksa (rice noodles drowned in a spicy broth), Mee Kolok (savoury egg noodles with sliced meat served with a bowl of soup on the side), Crispy Tomato Mee (Crispy egg noodles, fish cakes, vegetables and meat slices coated in an appetising tomato sauce), and Midin Belacan (wild Sarawakian fern stir-fried with an authentic Malaysian shrimp paste). Serapi Corner also serves other Peninsular Malaysian cuisines in their extensive range.
Topspot Food Court
Arguably, Topspot Food Court, located in Jalan Padungan, is the most popular hub for seafood fanatics in Kuching. Customers can enjoy a vast seafood selection at affordable prices. Some unique Sarawakian seafood dishes are buttered fish fillets, salted egg crab, cheese-baked prawns and steamed fish. Alongside that, you may enjoy refreshments such as whole coconuts and sugarcane that is freshly squeezed. Two stalls are recommended. They are Ling Loong Seafood and No. 25 Bukit Mata Seafood Centre.
Pending Kuching
Next, Babaganoush in Pending Kuching is a perfect option for those who would like to share a feast with friends and family. This restaurant offers Malay and Halal Chinese cuisine, but they are famous for their seafood dishes such as crispy oyster pancake, obor-obor (jellyfish leg umai), fried fish roe and salted fish fried rice.
Bumbu Cabe
You can find Bumbu Cabe a short drive away if you have a craving for some Indonesian Sundanese cuisine instead. Their sambal is so well-loved that you might have previously spotted some of their homemade sambal products sold elsewhere. If you are not a fan of spicy food, you can leave a remark for the kitchen or have a pick at their non-spicy options. Some of their most popular dishes would be their crispy fried whole tilapia fish, nasi liwet ayam taliwang (Spicy Grilled Chicken with coconut milk infused rice) and Crispy Bayam.
Lepau Restaurant
For the native flavours of Sarawak, it is highly recommended for travellers to eat at Lepau Restaurant at Jalan Ban Hock as they brand themselves as a Sarawak Ethnic restaurant. Their menu consists of dishes inherited from the Orang Ulu and Dayak ancestries. Most customers favour their variety of dishes, which include their Manok Pansuh. This chicken dish is infused with a palette of flavours stuffed into a bamboo tube and roasted over an open fire. Aside from that, customers should also order their Sup Terung Asam Ikan Salai, Dried Chilli Fish and Fish Umai.
Kuching Raintree Restaurant
Complement your meal with a view at one of the best-reviewed restaurants in Kuching, Raintree Restaurant. Diners can admire the scenery by overlooking the Sarawak River from the Borneo Convention Center Kuching. Suppose you are travelling with others and cannot seem to decide on a single type of cuisine. In that case, the Raintree Restaurant covers local, international, European and fusion dishes.
For the full foodie report, visit Hornbill Trail Newsletter: https://sarawakgo.com/the-perfect-kuching-halal-food-crawl/
For travel information visit: www.sarawaktourism.com
(Source: Sarawak Tourism Board)
