Best Laksa Sarawak review pt 2: Laksa Sarawak udang galah ...

My Top 10 Best Laksa Sarawak places is still valid, but I have found yet another BEST LAKSA SARAWAK in Kuching! And to tell you the truth, this is by far, on the top of my list.

The place? Laksa Chef Ahid at the new Benteng Kubah Satok, next door to Kubah Ria. I came across Laksa Chef Ahid via an event I attended where he opened a stall for Sarawak Kitchen. I fell in love ever since. Not just because he serves mighty big and fresh tiger prawn (just the way I like it in my laksa) but also because his laksa gravy packs a punch. And what made history is that on the same day I discovered this guy, the YAB Prime Minister went all the way to sit at his table the same evening (it made the news lah of course) but it was coincidental. 

Chef Ahid operates a stall each at both New Benteng Kubah and Kubah Ria, with different operation hours. You can request for 'biasa' which is the normal portion you get with tiny shrimps and all for RM5, or you can request for 'udang galah' or special (why go for less) in which the price will differ according to weight/size of the udang galah. That means, in one average seating, I could be paying between RM10 - RM30, and I don't mind it at all. =) You can't really put a price on yy love for Laksa Sarawak.

The best thing about Chef Ahid laksa? I can have them at any time I want (unless past 10pm i.e)! And the second best thing? It's close to home and that means I don't have to drive all the way to Stutong for Fat Cat's laksa!

 

A whopping Rm25! - This one is at Kubah Ria, the stall at the end near the BBQ stall.

  

And another version! - This one is at Benteng Kubah Satok. 

Operation hour (if I'm not mistaken): 

Benteng Kubah: 8.00am - 2.00pm

Kubah Ria: 11.00am - 10.00pm

Caffeine therapy at The Coffee Clinic, Kuching...

Well Hello December! My favourite month of the year!

Today's routine trip to the obgyn stresses one thing only: that I should be actively mobile and spend time doing rounds at all the malls in town for Christmas shopping and buy things we don't need, since we still have a few more days before the EDD. A good therapy, that. 

A session with the doc and the ultrasound adventure always make me feel like celebrating. So that's how we ended at The Coffee Clinic, another new coffee place opening up in Kuching. Well they have been around a few months earlier, it's just new to me because I haven't been living up to my namesake expectation of late... but let's not go there.

Overall outlook. Photo: Coffee Clinic Facebook

This place is really pretty, for lack of a better word. Kinda like what I imagine my dream coffee place will be like someday (if I ever I get to relive that dream, ever). Small, cozy, tastefully decorated, a little homely, and a lovely setup for a first coffee date or meet-up or get-together. There wasn't any loud music at the time of my visit... just some low melody barely heard playing in the background. 

They have a range of coffee brew and flavor for you to choose from... served either hot or cold, ice-blended, or straight from that little tube-like lab glasses that oozes off steam and dripping off black concoction. (Sorry no demo pic). And they also have fruit flavored tea and classic branded tea. Ask for the flavor of the day tea! It sounded like fun! Except I already ordered my latter, so perhaps next time.

Front counter...

They also have cakes and biscuits and biscotti to go with your drink. The cake selections may not be as elaborate as Secret Recipe's or Starbuck's, but they have quite a lovely range to feast your eyes upon. 

The cake counter...

Meanwhile, the hot caramel latte macchiato I ordered was exquisite and looking really fine, served with a really creamy and melt-in-your-mouth almond cookie...

Caramel latte macchiato... a pretty one...

... To go with my cheesy chicken panini. They also have pasta, burgers, finger food... but for this time, nothing too heavy, after all it's just mid morning. The toasted panini was not bad either, since I wasn't expecting anything fancy. It was enough to assuage the morning hunger pang.

Cheesy chicken panini...

My partner in crime on the other hand, decided to order their Meal of the Day -- Ayam Penyet -- knowing full well it might be a gamble. And a gamble it was... in which they lost. I had a taste and all I can say is... If you had called it Grilled Chicken Rice instead of Ayam Penyet, my system would learn to accept and appreciate it better. Because in fact the dish is okay, it's just the name that would make you expect more.

Ayam Penyet, menu of the day...

Anyway, I didn't manage to snap a few other shots of the interior and exterior as I was too busy trying to settle my big belly down. Haha. But credits to blogger Dora for this lovely shot of the upper bunker seats, kinda like an attic seating setup, with contemporary handrails, and seats a maximum 5. 

Photo: Blogger Dora Yeu

Overall, I'd say getting your dose of coffee fix at a clinic like this may be a little pricey, but hey... once a while, when it's worth the drink, why not? My blood type is coffee, it says. 

The midmorning damage...

Hey listen, I won't recommend coffee for pregnant ladies, but talk to your doctor first. I got my clearance at just a cup a day (including coca cola, tea and all other caffeine intake) since I began, so don't judge me. =) This is the only clinic legal to give you the kind of high you need in a cup. 

Location: Refer to the receipt above. It's at Jalan Song. Next to The Bedroom, same row with Secret Recipe. Right opposite the road from CityOne Mall. You can't miss it.

Have a great December everyone! 

Celebrating 36 Weeks at The Cozy Cafe, Jalan Song

Pre-Note: Here are 2 stories for the price of one! Hope you don't get lost reading them...while I'm a bit rajin...

Hellooo!

It's been awhile since I last found a good place to hang out at that has good food, cozy atmosphere and nice music. Me, being the kind of person that doesn't really 'hang out' anywhere per se, but rather what I would call spending quality time not rushing to get full but to idle the hours away watching the world go by.

So we stumbled upon this cushy little café, aptly called 'The Cozy Cafe' when we were driving around looking for a place to celebrate the 36th Weeks milestone. Apparently the routine visit to  the obgyn that morning gave us too much to gush and be excited about that all I wanted at the time was a good dose of a celebratory drink -- a fancy coffee or some expensive tea.

Well ... if you saw your baby yawned for the first time inside your womb, you would be very very moved to the point of tears too. Who knew the little one could yawn in there? The little sleepyhead just opened that small mouth with eyes closed, made a tiny yawning motion, then rubbed a tiny palm over one closed eyes. Wriggled out of the scanning monitor, then proceeded to sleep. All in real time!

It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. My heart stopped that minute, then melted. I can't quite describe the feeling. Won't water go into the mouth, people asked me after I told them? I asked myself that too, but the doctor seemed to read my mind and simply said "babies learn a lot of those natural habits in the womb. Who can explain the miracle of conception?''

When we got home, I did a little Googling, and it seems that that is possible. My baby looked kinda like that picture below too. Except with chubbier cheeks. So after witnessing that with my own eyes at the 4D scanning, oooooh yeah that IS a very good reason to be joyful!

4D scan shows a fetus yawned in the womb... Reported SkyNews

 

So sakai ho. But sakai happy what. Haha. Anyway, back to Cozy Café...

With jubilant mood... we saw the exterior of the cafe and immediately decided to just check it out instead of wasting time driving around. This place has been around for awhile but is new to me because the last time I stayed within the area (about 11 months ago) it was not there yet. It looked pretty comfy the moment you walked in. Clean, classy, cushiony and soft looking, exactly what I imagine a part of my entertaining room would look like someday.

Drink counter... an impressive collection of coffee and tea...

Part of the cozy interior...

 

I initially just wanted coffee and maybe something light... like a piece of apple pie or cake, but when the menu was handed over, I switched to pizza instead. They have 8-inch and 12-inch serving, so for a 2-pax, an 8-inch would be suffice. My opinion? Probably one of the best thin-crusted pizza I've ever had, if you ignore the look, that is. They have a few variety of flavors to choose from.

Bacon cheese pizza...

 

And a pot of hot strawberry mango flavored tea for me. Yeah well... it felt like a tea moment anyway. In a tiny twist of drama, le hubby ordered iced latte for himself and it almost made me regretted ordering tea in the first place. =)

Switching roles...

Meanwhile my significant other ordered the beef steak medium rare. Yes we both thought we wanted to just snack and go... but the menu seems to have changed our minds a lot. So this steak was looking pretty awesome on its own. Perhaps a heavier dose of black pepper sauce would make it slinkier (but you can always ask for more). The chef left a thin line of fat on the side of the meat and that makes it taste almost like pork chop. I should totally order this next time...

 Beef steak medium rare...

 

A blissful fare. One heck of a midmorning to celebrate the 9th month along. I'm pretty sure baby was happy with the food too because right after that, I was nodding in the car like a stalk of reed blown by the soft wind.

And just to add in a point, the next time I came back here (a few days later) I ordered this garlic and egg spaghetti that was served with a long chicken sausage. My my... creamy and very fulfilling. They have this king prawn pasta too, but I should warn you that they might serve the prawn a little bit rare for your liking, so if that happens to you, just call for the waiter and ask them to do the prawn 'well done'. Otherwise sayang bah membazir kena engkah ke tepi sebab rupa gik mentah...

Garlic and egg spaghetti ...

There you go! My review on the café. Service is usually fast and they'll pre-inform you should your order be a bit late. Staff is courteous and friendly. They also have a variety of cakes for dessert. Price-wise is not too bad, can come across as cheaper to some, compared to other similar cafes. And oh one other thing... It's Non Halal. (but if you're ok with ordering something else non-pork, then you're fine.)

Location: Jalan Song 4, Tabuan Heights, 93350 Kuching. Just behind Oinks. And next to One Jaya mall.  

Post Note: This post is backdated so that means I am now 37 weeks along. Wohooo!

Review: Best Laksa Sarawak in Kuching...

According to me, that is.

Street food, hawker's favorite, uniquely Sarawak... whatever it is called, this dish has always been my favorite Saturday morning breakfast. Laksa Sarawak is easy to find all over Kuching compared to other parts of Sarawak, but whether you like what you're being served is very subjective and entirely up to your taste buds. Or if you're a little industrious and diligent, then hey you can also opt to fix a bowl on your own!

But in case you're new in town --- and remember this is a review based on MY taste buds only --- and is looking for some awesome Laksa Sarawak experience, here's MY Top 10 places to have the best Kuching.

1. Fat Cat Cafe, Stutong 
- same row with J&J Cafeteria Stutong and next to Ambank
- RM6 for a big bowl. Steamed chicken as per photo below is additionally ordered from the chicken rice next stall (cause I like my chicken in big pieces instead of shredded)
- Very consistent in taste.
- Opens daily but they normally finished serving by 11am, so wake up early man.
- This Cafe is usually crowded in the weekends but not so bad on other days
- My rating: 10 star!

Fat Cat Laksa...

 
2.  Chong Choon Cafe, Jalan Abell
- same row with Air Asia sales office; Raja Ayam Bakar)
- Around RM6 - RM8 for a big bowl
- Also consistent in taste. And they also have a very big glass of teh C peng to go with it.
- Normally finished serving by 11am, so if you're late, then it's your own fault.
- This cafe is almost always packed with customers so sharing tables with smiling strangers are almost always a necessity too. Food connects people, yes?
- My rating: 9 star

 Chong Choon Laksa...

3. Sin Chong Choon Cafe, Green Height Commercial Centre

- just right behind the Cold Storage

- very crowded during peak breakfast hour at any time of the day so if you mind waiting, you can nicely ask to share table, although waiting for an empty table won't be that long

- Around RM8 for a big bowl

- We usually order steamed chicken drumstick (no rice) from the next stall to add in to our laksa (the chicken rice is also not bad weh)

- My rating: 7 star (or 6.5 if they don't have the coriander leaves which I love so much in my laksa)

Sin Chong Choon laksa...

4. Foody Goody Cafe, Stutong/Jalan Setia Raja
- the next block of shop before Kuching Specialist Hospital; in fact it's also almost at the same area with Fat Cat Cafe, just different blocks of shops
- reasonably priced for a big bowl, although sometimes the prawns are not so big even when you ask for a special bowl (which they make up for with quantity)
- Business is brisk and the good news is they normally finish by 12pm, if you're lucky, which is convenient for me in case Fat Cat laksa is gone, I can always opt to come here as a second choice
- My rating: 6.5

 

Foody Goody Laksa...

5. Mom's Laksa, Jalan Semarak or at any location
- This cafe has a few branches in Kuching, just watchout for the logo (with the same name)
- The one I normally visit is at nearby Gita/Matang area, opposite Bemmers Cafe, because it's closer to home. There's another one at Jalan Astana, Petra Jaya
- Opens daily (7am - 11pm)
- The gravy is slightly thick and creamy and sometimes they have king prawn to go with it, if they don't run out of stock too fast
- My rating: 5.5

Mom's Laksa...

6. Fu Xiang Food Court, in between Rubber Road/Jalan Satok
- I might have missed the road signs but this food court is right opposite Hong Leong Bank in Satok (this side of the road on Rubber Road) before you pass by the Original Car Wash
- The laksa here is not bad, in fact if they also serve it with the green soup leaves (or coriander), I might've frequented it more often since it's not that far away
- The gravy is consistently nice
- We also usually order extra steamed chicken meat from the next stall just to add more bites to it
- My rating: 5 (also because the lady owner is sweet)

Fu Xiang laksa...

7. Madam Tang's Cafe, Jalan Petanak, Padungan
- ah king prawn, the 'big special' is priced at RM12, last time I ordered
- The gravy is nice but not always consistent, sometimes it's a bit salty and sometimes slightly bland but I supposed I can forgive them for the amount of garnishing they usually put
- Laksa is served throughout the day although lunchtime would be very packed and you won't be able to find an empty table for awhile
- My rating: 4.5

 

Madam Tang laksa...

8. Ciak Pa Boi Cafe, Jalan Datuk Tawi Sli
- Near 3rd Mile roundabout and Jua Joo Park, you can't miss it on your coming down from the flyover heading to Boulevard Mall
- The good thing about the laksa here is that it opens from morning till late at night
- A special order would have the red pork meat in them (so this makes it non-halal)
- The gravy is not bad (although can be better) and the portion is big
- My Rating: 4.5

Ciak Pa Boi laksa...

9. Yee Ho Yan Cafe, Matang Jaya
- Is a new cafe, same block with a discount score
- Now this place was introduced by an avid food critic on FB.
- Overall I'd say it was ok
- Gravy slightly lacking in the creamy department but the presentation is nice; the lady selling it was also friendly. If all else fails, I'd probably make this the second last resort
- My Rating: 4; but you gotta try it to rate it yourself

 

Yee Ho yan laksa...

10. Garden Cafe Laksa, Golden Arch, Hua Joo Park
- right at the 3rd Mile roundabout, can't miss it
- Finding a parking would be a slightly challenging task
- The laksa sarawak here used to be the talk of the town due to its big prawns and real creamy gravy.
- Lately I found the gravy getting spicier, like hot spicy, the kind that can make your nose run.
- The service is fast and the waitresses are always friendly especially to regular customers, so points scored for that.
- On a normal craving day, this would be my last resort
- My Rating: 3.5 

 Golden Arch laksa...

So there you have it! You either take my word for it or you don't, that's entirely up to you. And there are actually a lot more other places selling really nice Laksa Sarawak, but probably I haven't discovered them. These ones above have been tested and tried.

 

And if you noticed, most of these cafes have Chinese names, but that's Sarawak for you. And don't be worried about its state of halal or non-halal. Most Laksa Sarawak do not have pork or lard in them (otherwise you would be informed about it). Or to be safe, you can always opt to visit Muslim cafes selling laksa. :-)

 

ON THE OVERALL FRONT... And this goes without saying...

Of course, I still prefer my own home-made laksa sarawak (below) because I can customised however I want, add more prawns than I dare and play around with the garnishing according to my own taste buds. You can read about that little laksa adventure HERE.

Coffee Girl's home made laksa...

Bon appétit and have a great laksa ahead people! :-)

Little adventure in charming Marudi ...

When life hands you an opportunity for an adventure, pack your bag and go with an open mind and a ready spirit. Even if you're actually there for official tasks, that is. Killing two birds with one stone what. So here I am this Sunday morning, in charming small town Marudi, encrypting my short journey via an unstable network, while it's still fresh in my mind, before my flight back to Kuching this evening.

Marudi is a quiet homely town, about 2 hours plus drive from Miri via logging roads, or about 15 minutes flight from Miri Airport via Twin Otter , or about 2 hours plus via Express Boats from Miri to Kuala Baram. Marudi used to be tourists gateway to Gunung Mulu previously, and it still is until today for those who crave more adventure.

 

 Bound for Marudi...

Every time I board the Twin Otter, my adventure senses go on overdrive. Imagine that. And it was my shortest flight ever because I remembered I was just about to warm up the seat when the pilot announced "We will be landing shortly..." Since the plane flew low the whole time, I thought he was kidding until we actually touched down. Sweet short ride!

  

Clear low view...

 

Was it scary? Well only if you think about it. Sometimes when it rains or during thunderstorms, I'd like to say it's still relatively safe. Which is why you should never leave home without praying first. =) But the view from up there is really breathtaking man! You'd be too busy snapping photos and admiring the greenery to even feel scared. The Baram river looks tiny from above and you can see the stretch from end to end.

 

 Up the Baram river...

Here's a bit first-hand info on the rural town: Marudi is located along the Baram river up north of Sarawak, and is mostly comprised of highland tribes folk, collectively called the Orang Ulu. They even speak Bahasa Malaysia a little differently, more pronounced and with a soft lilt. Same like folks in other parts of the State like Limbang, Lawas, Bekenu etc. where you can hear the uniqueness in their accent if you really listen.

I have been to other small towns in Sarawak and I can safely say Marudi is smaller than Lawas but bigger than Julau, slightly the same size as Lubok Antu. Perhaps as big as Bekenu maybe?

 Marudi airport...

Standard facilities are available, except for well ... fast food outlets such as (even) Sugarbun. But why look for fast food when there are other available awesome stuffs here? Thanks to friends hailing from Marudi who told me all about the famous Marudi Char Kue Tiaw upon noticing my FB status ... and all this while who knew such delicious fare actually exist? They also recommended the Marudi steamed bread (or was it freshly baked home-made bread? I can't be sure...) but I didn't have enough time to actually look for one.

 Managed to take a pic with the indulgent proprietors...

Anyway, I googled where we could have the best Marudi fried kue tiaw and found this small kopitiam called Lai Lai Coffee Shop, right next to Mount Mulu Hotel (along Lorong Empat, if next time you want to try it out lah). The unique thing about this dish is the noodle (kue tiaw) is home made and therefore home-cut, so the result is unlike your normal flat and white kuetiaw, but rather fat and thick and cut not accordingly (some short some long some thicker than others). I had the feeling of eating fried carrot cake + kue tiaw all in once. Goes well with a hot cup of coffee (with milk).

Arguing ... No... Savoring life's little treasure...

However, if you must know, mostly Chinese coffee shops sell this fare. I have yet to find a Halal version (we even asked around) but probably there is, we just didn't have time to explore. Perhaps next time? Or perhaps if you do find one, do let me know.

Oh by the way, if you're taking the Twin Otter from Marudi, make sure you check in an hour or so earlier than your scheduled flight back to Miri. Business is brisk and sometimes really slow over the weekend in Marudi little airport, but they're efficient as ever. So they know you by name here. =)

Hey, this just reminds me of all other visits to other small sweet rural towns of Sarawak. Hopefully I'll find the time to write about those soon. Till the NEXT adventure!

 

Note: No bird was harmed before, during or after this post.

Dine Around The World at The Raintree Restaurant, BCCK

When they said they had this last year, I began to wonder where I was at that time to have missed it. Probably went around the world myself no doubt, because I won't miss an opportunity like this -- to feast and file, gorge and gauge, chew and review -- for the world.

So anyway, as the Chef de Cuisine of The Raintree Restaurant, Ms Virginia Kedit said it, "the International Buffet is back by popular demand!" With special group booking packages no less. Let me get to that in a minute because right now the only and most important thing that you need to know is how I liked the food. My answer? Very much indeed!

The cuisines choices this year have more variety. Well honestly, I have to take their word for it because I didn't manage to try last year's to be able to make a comparison on it on my own. But if I say so myself, it was an impressive list of variety where international and local cuisines meet for that 'dine around the world' experience. They rotate the menu per weekly too. So, what's a body like me got to complain about? :)

As usual, before I lay down the pictures, I'll warn you that when it comes to BCCK and food, I never follow the food protocols. I'm Asian maa... my appetizers are my desserts and vise versa, and my main course is whatever I take in between. Whatever makes the tummy full, baby, and whatever satisfies the senses goes. Humor me. :-)

I don't know what the above is called, but it's pretty unique. See the yellowish cubes in the middle of the glass? That's mango in spicy paste (sambal asam), the bluish layer below it is jelly, and topped with fried prawn. It's probably the weirdest combination and I don't know how but it works for me. =)

And then there's the pumpkin soup -- just creamy and thick enough. Not really a fan of pumpkin soup but try dipping fresh bun in it when it's hot and you'll get the same sensation you do as with mushroom soup. But that's just me... The bread station is nicely decorated and replenished with freshly baked french breads etc.

Sushi anyone? The only problem I have with this Japanese cuisine is that the California roll has too little ingredient, unlike the ones I'm accustomed to at a proper sushi restaurant, but then I probably shouldn't hope too much.

Baked potatoes coupled with a variety of baked veges, done with just the right heat... a healthy choice.

Pan seared fish with tomato coulis! A nice addition for the already heavy laden dinner plate y'all! Haha

Some more appetizers to meddle with the senses: Mediterranean lamb tagine (bottom), dim sum variety (top) and something I don't quite remember the name but is pretty tacky and filling. What is that, zucchini wrap? Perhaps...

 

Ah. Buttered prawn. My all time favorite. Buttered to perfection. And seen at bottom pic is Japanese potato salad. I actually forgot to try that one out, but you can try it next time and let me know.

That one above is another dish I didn't manage to try. Sigh. Baked salmon with olives, herbs and lemon. Sounds like tiny little heaven. You shouldn't miss this, because you better tell me how it tastes like. I might just come back for it.

I told myself I was going to try each of these lovely looking marinated dish above when I took shots of them, but when I checked them out 20 mins and a few main courses later, they were all gone! *Sigh* All the more reason to perhaps, return huh. Top is the marinated mushroom, bottom left is the black olives marinated in olive oil, and bottom right is marinated capsicum. Those are sold-out dishes!

Baked chicken with olive and potato. Now that's one dish I can try to fix at home. The chicken meat was so tender, and it may looked oily but that's olive oil for you... good for vein cleansing.

Somebody made a huge hole in the lasagna before I managed to take a picture, so all I had was this. I've tasted good lasagna, creamy lasagna, fulfilling lasagna... this is all of that packed together. I would've preferred seafood lasagna, but here's hoping they would have that in the rotation next week. =)

This roasted beef is to die for! BCCK is quite well known for its whole roasted lamb (as per the Ramadan Buffet), so when I asked Mike Cheng, our Coordinator and host, he simply smiled and said "Oh that's the Ramadan specialty. But for this buffet, we give you something else of a similar quality." I have no complain there. The beef, soaked in black pepper sauce, was simply delicious... for lack of a better word. If you can't take my word for it, then take a bite.

Fried kuay teow! Another awesome dish, if that glistening picture is anything to go by. It's seriously nice though. It's only missing some fat clams, if I had it my way.

 

So we're wrapping this up with a proper dessert then... fresh fruits and ice cream! The usuals...

Puddings, various cakes etc... and chocolate fountain with fruit dips. Not exactly my thing... too sweet and too weird to be coating my fruits with melted chocolate, but you go ahead. To each his own.

And the last layer of goodness to settle them all down... a good dose of strong black coffee. Guaranteed to make you perk up and attentive during the mingling and mixing sessions with friends or new friends while you get better acquainted. :-) See how strong the brew is? I could literally carve my own name on it if I were given a toothpick. You may also ask for their specialty -- The Bristot Coffee -- now that I think about it, why didn't I ask for one that time ho? Never mind.

So if you feel like dining out or having a family reunion, or just looking for a relaxing and romantic place to take a loved one to, why not head to The Raintree Restaurant at BCCK (that stands for Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, by the way) and try out their International Buffet? The food is superb (you can take my word for it), the service is excellent (attentive waiters everywhere), the atmosphere is charming, and the panoramic view is simply, well, Sarawak.

Price per adult is RM72++, price for children aged 5-12years old is RM34++ per child, and kids below 5 eat for free.

And yes the special group booking discount! Every booking of 10 to 19 adults can enjoy the buffet for RM60++ per person and RM28++ per child. And every booking of 20 adults and above can enjoy RM55++ per pax and RM25++ per child. See, perfect for a family reunion!

Oh by the way, the International Buffet is available every Friday, from 6.30pm to 10.00pm. For reservations, call 082-392988.

Thank you Sarawak Bloggers and BCCK for this opportunity to have a go at one of the finest restaurant in town. As for you all... have fun dining around the world!