Banana Leaf Restaurant, Kuching

Not much of a fan of Indian food, but sometimes when I feel like eating no-joke curry, I'd look for any good Indian restaurants or cafes. One of them around town is this one -- Banana Leaf Restaurant. 'South Indian Food' it says on the signboard and menu. Looks like an ordinary coffee shop from the outside, but check out the menu... everything is as good as Indian food gets.

Google pix (I forgot to snap)...

When ordering, the waitress will ask how you like your rice... plain or briyani? And how do you like it served... on a banana leaf or in a plate? Hubby was doing the ordering so he opted for plate (perhaps he should've requested for banana leaf instead because they would definitely look good in pictures though... hahaha).

Anyway, he had the briyani rice, served with a complimentary papadom (Indian crackers)...

Briyani rice...

... while I opted for the plain rice, also comes with a complimentary papadom...

Plain white rice...

And my choice of dish of the day... Fish head curry! The fish head is huge, even bigger are the eyes (my favorite part of a fish head)! Two person can share this. Careful of the curry spiciness though.

 Fish head curry...

Hubby ordered the lamb curry. It was okay cause I'm not a real fan of lamb curry, or beef curry, or any of the kind. He seems to like it though so I supposed it's a good choice for some.

Lamb curry...

And our accompanying dishes are fried kangkung (water spinach) mixed with bean sprout (the combination is kind of weird for me) and sweet pineapple curry (I sensed raisins are added in it). The pineapple curry was nice though.

Fried kangkung + taugeh (bottom) and pineapple curry (top)...

Damage done: Plus 2 glasses of iced lime tea and a glass of Teh C Peng, altogether is RM33. Perhaps it's the fish head curry and I should've expected that from any Indian restaurants but still I was a little shocked at the price.

Address: Lorong Rubber 1, Rubber Road, 93400 Kuching
Tel: +6082-239404
Cash terms.

My Rating: 3/5

Batu Lintang Seafood, Kuching

Looking for cheap and non-halal seafood in Kuching? Head down to Batu Lintang Seafood at Batu Lintang, Kuching. This place opens from 5pm onwards though and there are a few stalls to choose from. They actually have Halal stall as well manned by Muslim owners.

My favorite stall is Lintang Yuan, the one in the middle. We're regulars so the lady who usually took our order (a nice Bidayuh lady) would assist with dish recommendation and all. Very helpful, not that we didn't already know what to order.

Lintang Yuan stall...

Our regular menu are:

Midin Belacan (wild fern in prawn paste), the famous local dish...

 Midin belacan...

Fried pork belly in fermented beancurd, the more fat the better. It's so yummy it can just be eaten on its own.

Fried pork belly...

Chicken feet + squid in dried chili: the usual suspect and my all time favorite! The chicken feet has been deboned. On a good day when it's just me and my hubby, I'd normally pick the chicken feet while he'd go for the squid. :D

Squid, chicken feet, spring onion, dried chilli, soy sauce ...

Mix soup (usually a mixture of meat, tofu, squid, prawn, fish ball)... in place of the occasional sea cucumber soup.

 

 Mix soup...

Steamed tilapia in salted vege: pick your own fresh fish, according to size if you may...

 

Steamed tilapia...

Occassionally we'd also order Mango style fish... pomfret, in this case...

Mango fish...

Chili crab...

 If it's rainy season, crabs are scarce here, so ask first...

Occasionally we'd also order crab in salted egg yolk. Although I prefer the one in ICafe because the crabs are usually a lot bigger. The sell the crabs by kilos, and you can handpick them.

 Salted egg yolk crab...

And buttered prawn: Another usual suspect...

Butter prawn... 

Beverages are sold separately by another stall, so payment is also separate.

Damage done:  RM60 plus drinks for 3 pax (also inclusive of white rice). If you don't order crabs, the cost should reach between RM30 - RM40 only. Cheap right? Service is also very fast.

Operation hour: 5pm - 1am
Booking not necessary.

My Rating: 4.5/5

Top Spot Seafood Center, Taman Kereta, Kuching

If you're looking for cheap and halal seafood in Kuching City, I'd recommend this place for its reasonable price, dish variety, good customer service, and the yum-factor. Plus, the overall place is built to create an open-air ambiance so it won't feel so crowded even when it is, most of the time. And not forgetting the 1Malaysia vibes where locals from all walks of life and racial background sit side by side like families.

Locals normally dine here for the above reasons, and usually recommend this place for out-of-towners or tourists. When I have guests coming from West Malaysia or overseas, this is a favorite place to bring them as its also located at the golden triangle.

When dining here, make sure you order the food from the stall whose tables you sit at. Just to be clear, perhaps just wait till the owner/staffs sit you and take your order. They have printed menus, but if you prefer, you can also pick and choose your own fresh seafood from the seafood counter with the assistance of the staff.

There are a few stalls at Top Spot, but the one I'm more familiar with is No.33, Ling Loong Seafood, located at the further end.

NO. 33 stall...

One of my favorite local seafood is this authentic Ambal (Bamboo shell), best cooked in curry. Ambal is a shelled seafood in the same category as cockles and mussels. When it's Ambal collecting season, you can be sure they have really fat and succulent pieces. It's an acquired taste, so some may not like it or be turned off by its look.

Ambal curry

Another local favorite is Midin or edible wild fern, cooked in Belacan (prawn paste). Midin is widely found in Sarawak either grown wild or cultivated (although cultivating it would probably be a challenge as they best grow naturally and unattended). Be sure to order this Midin Belacan for a taste of Sarawak's best. If you don't like prawn paste, as for Midin garlic or Midin wine.

Midin Belacan...

Ah, the famous Oyster Omelette or Oyster Pancake, or also sometimes referred to as the 'Astro Dish' for its satellite dish shape.

Oyster omelette...

My favorite meal... Nestum prawn! This dish is dry and it taste a bit like buttered prawn except its coated in Nestum cereal.

Nestum prawn...

And steamed Siakap (Barramundi or Asian seabass) cooked in Chinese style. The sauce is just sweet and salty enough but not overpowering.

Steamed Siakap Chinese style...

For added variety, the Japanese tofu is a good option to balance the whole meal. Order a small portion as its best when shared.

Tofu...

And finally, sea cucumber soup. The chilli is added in by yours truly for oomph! factor. Careful you don't burn your tongue.

Sea Cucumber Soup...

TopSpot is opened for lunch (some stalls only) and is fully in operation in the evening. It's always crowded here so be sure to either make a reservation or come early like 6pm. You will always find a a free table (they will clear one really fast or set up a new one - that's how efficient they are) although not necessarily at your favorite stall.

Crowded all the time...

With the recent renovation and the construction of the Urban Transformation Center (UTC) just right next door, going here is fairly easy as it is already a landmark on its own. Parking is now more systematic and safer too.

For the above meal for a group of 10, damage done was RM218, inclusive of white rice and fruit platter for desserts but exclusive of beverages.

Location: A 3-min walking distance from Pullman Hotel; opposite Inland Revenue Board building. Or simply find the giant 1Malaysia logo.

Bon apetit!

My Rating: 4/5

Pandan Thai Delight, Kuching

It's often tricky to find a local diner which can live up to standards, especially when you've tasted the best. So whenever I crave some good ol' tom yam soup (the kind you can only find in Thailand), the only place in Kuching that I trust won't disappoint me is Pandan Thai Delight restaurant.

I mean, sure there are other Thai restaurants in town, but this one delivers it for me where the tom yam is concerned. The tom yam soup here is made with original ingredients, exactly how I prefer it. No paste detected. It's served piping hot and sizzling, enough for 2. When ordering, please note that there are two kinds of tom yam soup available: 'in red soup' and 'in clear soup'.

Large size seafood tom yam in red soup...

The tom yam clear soup is actually too sour for my taste.

The traditional pad thai is almost as good, except perhaps the bean curd were a little but too much. But that's just me because I'm not a fan of bean curd, and thus I had to pick through my plate for the noodle by putting aside the bean curd. It's served with crushed peanuts and dried chili. 



 Traditional pad thai...

This dish was ordered by my husband... Thai style fried rice accompanied with chicken in dark sauce (they also fish, king prawn, beef or combination of all). The fried rice is really fragrant and just spicy enough.

Traditional Thai fried rice...

For dessert, we ordered deep fried soft shell crab with mango salad. Oh I simply love this one... the soft shell crab is perfectly done: crunchy on the outside but moist and soft on the inside, with the accompanying traditional Thai mango salad. There are other choices of dish like deep fried calamari, deep fried tiger prawn etc to go with this mango salad. Or you can simply opt for the mango salad itself.

Deep fried soft shell crab with Thai mango salad...

Service was brisk, although the waitress taking our orders were a little confused. I think she was new and all, but all is good.

view from the road...

Damage done, plus the drinks? RM105.00 local currency.

Graded A by Kuching South City Council and is certified as Halal.

Contacts:
73, Ground Floor, 
RH Plaza, Jalan Stutong, 
93250, Kuching, Sarawak
Tel: 082-459 009

My Rating: 4/5