Going To Sabah Or Sarawak? Check Out These 6 Restaurants That Are Highly Rated By Locals
When you dunno where to eat, always trust recommendations from locals!
By Gowri Chitra — 30 Nov 2022, 06:24 PM
Ahhh, Sabah and Sarawak, what wonderful places to visit for a holiday! <3
From visiting iconic Malaysian landmarks to taking gorgeous photos for the 'gram at scenic locations and checking out local hidden gems, there's just so much to do and see in East Malaysia. If you haven't been there yet, both Sabah and Sarawak are definitely must-visit places for everyone. Even if you have already gone, there's always something new for you to discover.
And of course, both states are home to what Malaysians love best... lots of delicious food — Sarawak laksa, kolo mee, kuih cincin, Tuaran mee, and more, yummm!
But with so many choices, it can be difficult to know which restaurants are the truly sedap, must-try ones
When in doubt, always trust the locals! Besides doing research online or asking your East Malaysian friends or family for recommendations, another way you can find the yummiest eats in town is by checking the Grab app.
You're probably used to using the GrabFood feature to get your favourite meals delivered to you, but did you know that you can also use it to find the best local eats when you travel? This is because GrabFood has a ratings and reviews function, so Malaysians can leave their thoughts about the various restaurants they've tried.
The best of the best are honoured with a 5-Star rating, which means they've satisfied almost everyone, wow!
Wanna feast on mouth-watering meals in East Malaysia? Check out these restaurants in Kuching and Kota Kinabalu with 5-Star ratings on GrabFood:
1. Subree Kopitiam
You absolutely have to eat kolo mee while in Sarawak. One of the state's signature dishes, it consists of dry noodles tossed in a savoury pork and shallot mixture, topped off with fragrant fried onions and pork slices. There are two common flavours available — plain or seasoned with the red sauce from char siu marination.
With a 5-Star rating on GrabFood, Subree Kopitiam is a tried-and-tested favourite amongst the locals. Besides kolo mee, another popular dish at this kopitiam is their beehoon belacan, which comes in a big portion that's sure to satisfy.
2. Signature Madam Tang's Cafe
This local haunt opened its first outlet at Jalan Petanak, Kuching back in October 2005, serving up delicious delicacies like laksa, nasi lemak, beef noodles, toast and eggs, and more. Its success and popularity led to its expansion, and there are now several outlets around Kuching.
Their Sarawak laksa is absolutely divine, packed with flavour, lots of ingredients, and a kuah that you'll be slurping up to the last drop! The normal versions come with prawns, chicken, hard-boiled egg, bean sprouts, coriander leaves, fresh lime, and sambal. Plus, there are also special versions that come with udang galah (giant freshwater prawn) and lobster, wah!
3. Ayam Penyet Ria
Wanna feast on Indonesian food? Head over to Ayam Penyet Ria, which has been operating since 1998. Not only does it have outlets in Kuching, you can also find it in other locations throughout Malaysia, as well as in Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Australia.
As their name suggests, their signature dish is Ayam Penyet. Their version of this popular smashed fried chicken dish is made from only the freshest and best quality chicken, accompanied by an assortment of lalapan (Indonesian-style veggie mix) and their famous sambal belacan.
1. Borenos Fried Chicken
Fresh, tender, and juicy fried chicken? Yes, please! With a reputation for being "the best fried chicken in Sabah", it's no wonder that Borenos Fried Chicken has earned itself a 5-Star rating on GrabFood.
Their signature dish is a full spring chicken, fried to perfection! Of course, you can get individual pieces of fried chicken too, which are equally as crispy and juicy. They also have other yummy items, like cheesy burgers and fish and chips.
2. Nasi Mandi
To fulfil your cravings for Malay and Arabic cuisine, there's no better place than Nasi Mandi. Their menu boasts a wide variety of dishes, from platters and sets that are perfect for sharing to individual meals that'll leave you satisfied.
Give the Ayam Penyet Bali a try — it comes with rice, a juicy and flavourful piece of chicken, sambal, tempeh, and soup. Or, if you're a seafood fan, opt for the Ketam Lembut instead, which consists of fried crab, rice, sambal, tempeh, keropok, and soup.
3. Bakso Mas Kepayan
For a bowl of hearty and satisfying bakso, Bakso Mas Kepayan should be your pick. One of the most popular street foods in Indonesia, bakso is beef meatballs, but the term also refers to the complete dish of meatball soup, which usually comes with noodles, various vegetables, and a wonton crisp.
Opt for Bakso Mas Kepayan's Bakso Special to get a bowl that's loaded with yummy ingredients. Imagine slurping up that rich broth on a rainy day, wahhh, so syok!
Drooling already? Jom, time to go on foodie trips to Sabah and Sarawak, wheeee!
And don't forget to use GrabFood to find the hottest eats in town with 5-Star ratings, as rated by millions of food lovers.
To make life easier, you can use GrabFood to order delivery or self pick up from all the places you wanna try, then you can get everything at once and FEAASSTTT!
Make sure to leave ratings and reviews after you've tried 'em, so that other Malaysians can benefit from your recommendations too.
