You'd have to try pretty hard not to eat well in Kuching... Here, in no particular order, are some of our recent discoveries:

Last year, we had pork leg rice from an establishment half-way up Jalan Padungan. This time we tried the one nearest the cat (Chai Song Soon is the name over the door, but some descriptions I have read seem to indicate ownership is more complicated than that). It was a good feed. You are served a platter of pork and egg to share, plus you each get a plate of rice, a little dish of chilli, and two bowls of soup, one bak kut teh-like, one curry-like (I read somewhere that you should pour this latter one onto your rice -- I just drank it separately, which to me was just as good). Yum...


Also worthy of mention on Jalan Padungan, along with the old favourites I talked about last time, is Abee Traditional Buns. The eponymous buns are excellent.

We've tried a couple more of the upmarket cafes. Commons is in the Old Court House complex, so the environs are imposing. It's not the cheapest place, but my salad was good.




The Museum Cafe on Jalan Main Bazaar does nice smoked duck panini.

And Hilltop House (whose striking, 1930s-reminiscent building had caught our eye on one of our walks) offers smart dining in the evening, and remarkably good-value lunches during the day. My hefty plate of stir-fried beef with Sarawak black pepper sauce came with rice, kerupuk, salad, and soup. Add on fresh orange juice and a cup of coffee to finish, and it was still less than MYR 30. Not bad for such a nice setting.



We've also tried out some more of the simpler places. Borneo Delights, on Jalan Wayang, offers lots of things, including dabai fried rice, which pairs nicely with cangkuk manis and egg.

And Kopi O Corner, out on Jalan Satok, has a great little stall that sells several different styles of chicken rice. We chose the "spicy" version, and were delivered a generous portion of chicken, laden with chilli; a mound of buttery chicken rice; a touch of acar (a slightly sour pickle/salad); and a bowl of very good soup.

Also of note in this category is Sugar Bun. "That's Sarawak's answer to Kentucky Fried Chicken," a Grab driver told us one day. As their website puts it: "We serve Malaysian good food that is delicious and handmade, through a fast food restaurant system." We're not normally fast-food fanciers, but I have a soft spot for these local answers to the big chains (think Jollibee in the Philippines). So, one day we duly road-tested Sugar Bun. Ours wasn't one of the branches that offer Sarawak specialities, but I had a perfectly acceptable plate of savoury rice, crispy chicken, and acar. (Oddly enough, there was a branch of Sugar Bun near the place we latterly lived in KL, but we never noticed it...)

In a class all of its own is the Old Bazaar Cafe, on Jalan Wayang, where we saw in the Year of the Pig. This is a quirky and ultra-relaxed source of beer and snacks at fairly affordable prices. There's a very clear regulars' table, a cheerful unpredictability about the availability of items on the menu, a gaggle of cats, and a friendly atmosphere. Out the front a Muslim lady sells Japanese ice-cream (nice), and at the weekends (Friday to Sunday), a German/Sarawakian team serves very tasty Bratwurst, pork patties, etc.




Not to be missed from a Kuching food account is the Kubah Ria weekend market. We took a Grab there, and walked back. This is a cornucopia of fresh produce (plus, round the edges, cooked food), and if we get the chance to live in these parts, we'll be regulars here without a doubt.



Dear Kuching... So much still to try...