PIZZA BALKANICO
Pizza Balkanico has moved again but, with such a loyal clientele, the focus of town has moved with it. A once deserted back alley behind Bishopsgate is now thrumming with life out the back of the new Fairland Hidden bar, mostly down to the presence of this pizza. The lightest, crispiest crust laden with copious goodies and oozing with unctuous oils of fragrant green herbs: order one more than you think you will want. Once the takeaway trade gets going, you won’t get another one fast. Alex, the Balkanico owner of the name, is the Hulk, brooding and bearded. But don’t let appearances fool you. He has the lightest touch and the softest heart. He can create a pizza in mere minutes, the process down pat. Lucky for him as he can serve hundreds in an evening. The orders just keep on coming to his container, making it one of the most affordable pizzas in Kuching. Currently nothing beats this back alley for a beer and a slice or else, in times of covid, enjoy it in the comfort of your own home. There is no better than this Balkanico.
WAYANG STREET
BEHIND FAIRLAND HIDDEN BAR
OPEN 4PM TO 10PM
EXCEPT TUESDAYS
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- We Say
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PIZZA BALKANICO
Pizza Balkanico has moved again but, with such a loyal clientele, the focus of town has moved with it. A once deserted back alley behind Bishopsgate is now thrumming with life out the back of the new Fairland Hidden bar, mostly down to the presence of this pizza. The lightest, crispiest crust laden with copious goodies and oozing with unctuous oils of fragrant green herbs: order one more than you think you will want. Once the takeaway trade gets going, you won’t get another one fast. Alex, the Balkanico owner of the name, is the Hulk, brooding and bearded. But don’t let appearances fool you. He has the lightest touch and the softest heart. He can create a pizza in mere minutes, the process down pat. Lucky for him as he can serve hundreds in an evening. The orders just keep on coming to his container, making it one of the most affordable pizzas in Kuching. Currently nothing beats this back alley for a beer and a slice or else, in times of covid, enjoy it in the comfort of your own home. There is no better than this Balkanico.
WAYANG STREET
BEHIND FAIRLAND HIDDEN BAR
OPEN 4PM TO 10PM
EXCEPT TUESDAYS
- They Say
-
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- You Say
JOHN’S PLACE
John’s place is tucked away at the base of Green Hill, in the bustling centre of town. This is a kopitiam with a touch of class – sturdy ironwood tables, ambient lighting, affordable beer and simple coffeeshop fare – fresh, filling and incredibly flavoursome. It is ideal for the secret meet, set away from the road and screened behind a stand of shrubs, so everyone seems to meet here. Bands of golfing buddies mingle with dating couples and families out for an evening meal. In a time of social distancing SOPs, its giant tables allow for a comfortable seat among social but distanced friends. It can serve a decent plate of delicious Mee Mamak for the evening meal or support a slow afternoon of drinking with a snack of crispy chicken wings to line the stomach. No wonder so many people meet at John’s Place.
NO 5, JALAN GREEN HILL
OPEN DAILY FROM 11AM TO MIDNIGHT
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JOHN’S PLACE
John’s place is tucked away at the base of Green Hill, in the bustling centre of town. This is a kopitiam with a touch of class – sturdy ironwood tables, ambient lighting, affordable beer and simple coffeeshop fare – fresh, filling and incredibly flavoursome. It is ideal for the secret meet, set away from the road and screened behind a stand of shrubs, so everyone seems to meet here. Bands of golfing buddies mingle with dating couples and families out for an evening meal. In a time of social distancing SOPs, its giant tables allow for a comfortable seat among social but distanced friends. It can serve a decent plate of delicious Mee Mamak for the evening meal or support a slow afternoon of drinking with a snack of crispy chicken wings to line the stomach. No wonder so many people meet at John’s Place.
NO 5, JALAN GREEN HILL
OPEN DAILY FROM 11AM TO MIDNIGHT
- They Say
-
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- You Say
LEPAU
Lepau brings the flavours of the rainforest to the centre of the city. At one time, it was tricky to find this kind of cuisine in Kuching, reserved instead for a trip to the longhouse, but Lepau is one of the best in Kuching currently. Serving Kayan food, it depends on the freshest ingredients, sourced from the jungle – tempoyak, ferns, fish and chicken cooked in bamboo – its extensive menu does justice to Sarawak’s bounty. If nothing else, the local rice wrapped in leaves is a true Sarawak experience. Lepau understands its target market. It is decked out in intricate Kayan carving and hums to the lilting sound of the Sape, the full ethnic experience, except for pork, which is notably absent. But you can get a tipple of tuak! If you are visiting, this is the best place to ‘go native’ and if you live here and are long past due a trip up country, then try Lepau.
PERSIARAN BAN HOCK
OPEN DAILY FROM 10AM TO 2PM AND 5.30PM TO 9PM
EXCEPT SUNDAYS
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- We Say
-
LEPAU
Lepau brings the flavours of the rainforest to the centre of the city. At one time, it was tricky to find this kind of cuisine in Kuching, reserved instead for a trip to the longhouse, but Lepau is one of the best in Kuching currently. Serving Kayan food, it depends on the freshest ingredients, sourced from the jungle – tempoyak, ferns, fish and chicken cooked in bamboo – its extensive menu does justice to Sarawak’s bounty. If nothing else, the local rice wrapped in leaves is a true Sarawak experience. Lepau understands its target market. It is decked out in intricate Kayan carving and hums to the lilting sound of the Sape, the full ethnic experience, except for pork, which is notably absent. But you can get a tipple of tuak! If you are visiting, this is the best place to ‘go native’ and if you live here and are long past due a trip up country, then try Lepau.
PERSIARAN BAN HOCK
OPEN DAILY FROM 10AM TO 2PM AND 5.30PM TO 9PM
EXCEPT SUNDAYS
- They Say
-
No one has left a comment yet. Go to ‘you say’ and be the first!
- You Say
THE JUNK
 The Junk is the mother of all outlets in Kuching. Restaurant, bar, club, live music venue, it is a warren of spaces tunneled out of four adjacent shophouses in a row of entertainment outlets where Junk was the pioneer. Its décor is a labour of love, filled with memorabilia collected over a lifetime so there is always something to look at even if you are not kept busy observing the crowd. Friday and Saturday nights are perpetually rammed to the rafters and there is something for everyone’s taste from local bands to lively DJ. Originally a restaurant, it is still a firm favourite for birthdays and special occasions or even just a mid-week slice of stone-baked pizza. Portions are enormous so prepare to share (and split the price) and then sit back and enjoy the atmosphere that is uniquely Junk.
80 WAYANG STREET
OPEN DAILY FROM 6PM EXCEPT TUESDAYS
- We Say
-
THE JUNK
 The Junk is the mother of all outlets in Kuching. Restaurant, bar, club, live music venue, it is a warren of spaces tunneled out of four adjacent shophouses in a row of entertainment outlets where Junk was the pioneer. Its décor is a labour of love, filled with memorabilia collected over a lifetime so there is always something to look at even if you are not kept busy observing the crowd. Friday and Saturday nights are perpetually rammed to the rafters and there is something for everyone’s taste from local bands to lively DJ. Originally a restaurant, it is still a firm favourite for birthdays and special occasions or even just a mid-week slice of stone-baked pizza. Portions are enormous so prepare to share (and split the price) and then sit back and enjoy the atmosphere that is uniquely Junk.
80 WAYANG STREET
OPEN DAILY FROM 6PM EXCEPT TUESDAYS
- They Say
-
- You Say
LAU YA KENG @ THE TEO CHEW TEMPLE
Unmissable, this food court is one of the oldest in Kuching, with many of the stallholders into their third generation. It runs full steam from morning to night serving up a wide variety of kopitiam classics. Little more than a vaulted space between two buildings, it belongs to the picturesque Teo Chew temple across the way. Now it is a temple to food: the laksa is top notch, the Tang Hoon soup (mung bean noodles with stuffed tofu) a healthy, light option and pork satay, a sweeter alternative to the halal original. Another big draw is the kueh chap stall, a rich broth with every part of the pig imaginable from ears to intestines. For a light snack, ask thoroughly modern Mollie for ngo hiang (almost unpronounceable but utterly delightful to the Western tongue). This minced pork sausage, wrapped in bean curd and then fried to a crisp is the perfect partner to a can of Tiger. See out the day here, staring at the Temple and sampling every Sarawak specialty.
19 LEBUH CARPENTER
OPEN DAILY 7AM UNTIL MIDNIGHT
- We Say
-
LAU YA KENG @ THE TEO CHEW TEMPLE
Unmissable, this food court is one of the oldest in Kuching, with many of the stallholders into their third generation. It runs full steam from morning to night serving up a wide variety of kopitiam classics. Little more than a vaulted space between two buildings, it belongs to the picturesque Teo Chew temple across the way. Now it is a temple to food: the laksa is top notch, the Tang Hoon soup (mung bean noodles with stuffed tofu) a healthy, light option and pork satay, a sweeter alternative to the halal original. Another big draw is the kueh chap stall, a rich broth with every part of the pig imaginable from ears to intestines. For a light snack, ask thoroughly modern Mollie for ngo hiang (almost unpronounceable but utterly delightful to the Western tongue). This minced pork sausage, wrapped in bean curd and then fried to a crisp is the perfect partner to a can of Tiger. See out the day here, staring at the Temple and sampling every Sarawak specialty.
19 LEBUH CARPENTER
OPEN DAILY 7AM UNTIL MIDNIGHT
- They Say
-
- You Say
ZINC
Zinc is the mother of all Mediterranean flavours in Sarawak and, just celebrating six years, it is still going strong. An open terrace with a double fronted bar, it is the ideal spot for a soothing glass of wine at sunset. An elegant yet quirky interior of open brickwork and enormous belian beams, it is the ideal spot for a refined dinner a deux. A private room upstairs dominated by the city’s longest dining table, it is the ideal spot for family groups and select parties for friends. Ambience aside, Zinc is a foodies’ paradise. These are people who prioritise quality and you get what you pay for. The bread is baked in house, the perfect accompaniment to lashings of olive oil and an array of sumptuous toppings: plump prawns swimming in garlic, tangy olives, fine cheeses and paper thin meat platters. Even a simple topping of tomato puree does the trick. Rabbit, snails, meaty mains, paella and plenty of pizzas round out the menu. You can even get a decent Negroni to round off your meal. All this ensures a dedicated crowd, looking for a little drop of luxury in laid-back Kuching style. So, sink straight into the Med at Zinc.
38 TABUAN ROAD
OPEN 6PM TO 12AM
EXCEPT MONDAYS
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ZINC
Zinc is the mother of all Mediterranean flavours in Sarawak and, just celebrating six years, it is still going strong. An open terrace with a double fronted bar, it is the ideal spot for a soothing glass of wine at sunset. An elegant yet quirky interior of open brickwork and enormous belian beams, it is the ideal spot for a refined dinner a deux. A private room upstairs dominated by the city’s longest dining table, it is the ideal spot for family groups and select parties for friends. Ambience aside, Zinc is a foodies’ paradise. These are people who prioritise quality and you get what you pay for. The bread is baked in house, the perfect accompaniment to lashings of olive oil and an array of sumptuous toppings: plump prawns swimming in garlic, tangy olives, fine cheeses and paper thin meat platters. Even a simple topping of tomato puree does the trick. Rabbit, snails, meaty mains, paella and plenty of pizzas round out the menu. You can even get a decent Negroni to round off your meal. All this ensures a dedicated crowd, looking for a little drop of luxury in laid-back Kuching style. So, sink straight into the Med at Zinc.
38 TABUAN ROAD
OPEN 6PM TO 12AM
EXCEPT MONDAYS
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