Traditional food in Kuching, the main city of Sarawak, is a combination of local dishes and the city’s interpretation of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Indonesian food. While the city boasts restaurants that serve a range of cuisine, when it comes to dining many tend to favour traditional local fare.

As the most popular pastime in Kuching is said to be eating, the city boasts eateries that cater to every type of budget. Local food chains, food markets, street food stalls, hotel restaurants, seafood restaurants, food courts in malls and kampong style eateries among others offer traditional local dishes and great dining options.

Dining is a casual affair where families and friends get together at the eateries found around the city. Although a wide selection of delectable savoury and sweet dishes are available, there is no real distinction between traditional dinner and lunch menus. Sarawak Laksa is one of the top local favourites both at lunch and dinner. Served in almost every food outlet this delicious dish is a combination of coriander flavoured coconut gravy, jumbo prawns and thin noodles.

Tomato Kueh Teow is another traditional dish suitable for lunch and dinner. Made with stir fried pork, vegetables and thin deep fried noodles in a thick tomato soup it is too delicious to resist. Midin is Kuching’s truly traditional local dish. It is made with a jungle fern that stays crisp even when cooked. The shoots are stir fried with garlic, ginger, shrimp paste and chilli. It is best eaten with a serving of rice.

Kolo Mee is a concoction of boiled egg noodles in a broth of vinegar and peanut oil flavoured with garlic and shallots. Usually thinly sliced barbequed pork or minced beef is added on top of the noodles. Umai comprising of thinly sliced raw fish salad flavoured with chilli, lime and herbs is another popular dinner option. It is eaten with a serving of white rice. The dish is a popular choice at the city’s seafood restaurants. Mee mamak or Indian curry noodles and the Kuching version of noodle and rice dishes mixed with meat, vegetables and local herbs and sauces are eaten all over town both at dinner and during the day as are lok, lok skewers of bean curd, sea food and pork served boiled or deep fried with piquant and sweet sauces.

Soft, moist, brightly coloured Kek lapis or layer cakes in plastic boxes in coffee, blueberry and strawberry flavours and somewhat unusually sweet and sour and cheese flavours is a not to be missed treat. Lychee milk, yoka, jelly and thin custard, cendol a desert with coconut milk and palm sugar flavoured ice shavings are some of the sweets diners indulge in as ‘afters’. Some of the popular drinks in Kuching whether at dinner or any other time is three layer tea, Sarawak coffee, sugar cane juice with coconut water and aloevera with vanilla syrup.

Its advantageous location and many modern facilities and services make Citadines Uplands Kuching the natural choice of business people and vacationers who wish to have a combination of comfort and a relaxed lifestyle. A Kuching serviced apartment comprises of a fully equipped studio and two bedroom apartments that are suitable for individuals and families. As prominent serviced apartments Kuching, guests not only have a choice of contemporary accommodation but convenience of location and access to a range of business and leisure services.

 

Nigel Walters is a travel writer, who writes under the pen name, Fritzjames Stephen. His content is based on the myriad of experiences and indulgences that the world has to offer travelers across all walks of life.

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