Malaysia is a beautiful country filled with glorious food. Aside from badminton, food is perhaps the next best thing that unites us all in spite of varying political views, religion, and races.
No matter where life takes you, you know that deep down, there’s always a special place inside of you (heart or gut) for food that you grew up with, especially foods that are from where you were born and spent a fair amount of formative years in.
You can never quite get the same taste anywhere else in the world.
It is always fun playing hosting friends when yours truly visits the land below the wind aka Sabah. This list is more of an introductory version because whenever any of my friends who are planning to visit Kota Kinabalu (without me, that is) and came to me for food advices, I can never guide them properly due to the lack of updated information online.
Everything is just everywhere!
So, this is me paying homage to my birth place, and I hope you find this helpful!
P/S: This list is just a scratch on the surface, there are so much more that KK has to offer to make you expand, horizontally 🙂
1. UFO Tart aka Cow Dung Tart
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I know, I know.
What a grand gesture to kick-start the list, but this is something that not everyone knows unless you’ve spent enough time of your life in Sabah. Originally from Sandakan, this unique looking dessert got its name from (yes you’ve guessed it) its dung-resembling shape (thank goodness it’s not from the taste!). Jokes aside, this tart consist of a thin crust base, topped with sweet custard and meringue top. Even best if you have a cuppa hot Sabah tea or kopi to go with it!
Where to find it: Syn Ming Hing Cafe & Cake
2. Beef Noodles @ Kah Hiong Ngiu Chap
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This is yours truly’s favourite. How good is this exactly? Let’s just say that I have successfully converted a non-beef lover to someone who craves for this specific bowl of beefy goodness on random occasion.
I personally think that this is best paired with meehoon (thin rice noodle soup) that somehow cannot be found anywhere else in KL, you can also opt for other sorts of carbs- noodles, rice, or even having this pipping-hot beefy bowl packed in protein on its own!
One thing that’s note-worthy is definitely its broth- the added sweetness from the generous amount of white radish enhances the overall taste profile, a bowl of this is all you need, rain, shine or hazy!
Where to find it: Block A Shop, No. 2-0-10 Kolam Centre Phase 2, Ground Floor, Jalan Lintas, Kolam Centre, Luyang, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
3. Seafood @ Welcome Seafood
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A trip to Kota Kinabalu is not complete without a scrumptious spread of seafood. While Welcome Seafood is already one of the default seafood options that are frequent by tourists, I have a valid reason for including it here on this list.
Coconut pudding.
You read that right. After a wholesome meal of seafood, all you need is something to end your meal with a refreshing note. This is where their coconut pudding came for the rescue. Its jelly-like coconut concoction is refreshing at every mouthful, it’s gone before you knew it. The plus point? It is served in its very own coconut shell (I’d like to think its the same), nothing is gone to waste!
P/S: Don’t forget to order their belacan pakis. IT IS AMAZING!
Where to find it: Lot G18, Komplek Jalan Asia City Phase 2A, Asia City, 88300 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
4. Bubble tea and assorted Taiwanese tea @ YOYO Cafe
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Supporting #local #bubbletea house 👍🏻 #milktea #kksabah #kkfood #kkfoodie #foodie
YOYO has been around before the boba craze that has possessed Gen-Z and millennial, before Tealive and yes, before Chatime. As a matter of fact, YOYO is Sabah’s well-known bubble tea brand, it’s so underrated yet tasty that I wish they are available in Kuala Lumpur.
For starters, try their Pearl Milk Tea. My go-to drink is always their Pudding Milk Tea because it brings back memories when I was 11-12, but each to their own. They also have non-bubble tea beverages and pastries for you to snack on, so give it a go while you’re at it!
Where to find it: Lot B-71, Basement Floor,, Suria Sabah Shopping Mall,, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (p/s: There are many branches available at shopping malls in Kota Kinabalu)
5. Sang Nyuk Mian (pork noodle) @ Lintas Plaza
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Sang Nyuk Mian, or directly translated from Hakka dialect to English, literally means “Raw pork noodle”. A bowl of Sang Nyuk Mian is filled with thinly sliced pork and it is served on a bowl of noodle. Whether you’re a fan of the dry stir version or not, they usually come together with a bowl of tasty pork booth. Best eaten with a dip of their homemade Hot Chili Paste!
Where to find it: There are a couple of Sang Nyuk Mian shops available at Lintas Plaza, such as Jia Siang Sang Nyuk Mee, Sinsuran Sang Nyuk Mee and Melanian Sang Nyuk mian, all situated within the same vicinity of the commercial center.
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Header image source: Charlie’s Cafe | khusnessxd
