travel

What to eat in Kota Kinabalu for a day

BY YAP PIK KUAN
October 19, 2015

All this for breakfast? Absolutely yes! And this isn't even the end of it at Kedai Kopi Fook Yuen. – The Malaysian Insider pic, October 19, 2015.The capital of Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, is a picturesque seaside city known for its gorgeous sunsets, delicious seafood and friendly locals.

Here are four meals you need to eat if you only have a day in Kota Kinabalu.

Kopitiam breakfast

Breakfast like the locals do at Kedai Kopi Fook Yuen where a large and tantalising spread of food awaits. The coffee shop favours a modern canteen-style concept to a traditional kopitiam, but its spread is made up of old-school favourites all the way.

I doused my order of springy kway teow with spicy curry gravy with a side of fried chicken and some greens for good measure.

It was a delicious rendition of the staple economy noodles, cleaner than the ones you would find in roadside stalls but just as satisfying.

If you prefer your breakfast light, however, nothing does the trick better than a crisp, airy roti kahwin (butter and kaya toast) with a teh-c-ping (iced milk tea), other staples in a typical breakfast in Kota Kinabalu.

Kedai Kopi Fook Yuen has branches in Damai Plaza, Oceanus Waterfront Mall and Gaya Street.

For a cafe visit with a side of pop art, Grab'ing Hands has got you covered with impressive pixelated renditions of famous people and artworks.Cafe lunch

Gaya Street is one of the oldest streets in Kota Kinabalu and is home to the popular Sunday Street Market where you can soak in the sights and do some shopping any day of the week.

If the tropical weather proves too hot, duck into Grab'ing Hands Cafe for a little reprieve with cool drinks, ice-cream and hearty Western dishes. Brainchild of Singaporean-born John Lai, the cafe is also home to his impressive display of pixel art made with Rubik's cube, spools of thread and dice.

Dine under the watchful eye of Lee Kuan Yew, a portrait of 6,200 die, or a huge piece of The Last Supper, which was put together with 5,000 individual Rubik's cubes and took three whole days to assemble.

Grab'ing Hands is known for their delicious selection of burgers but for something light, the bruschettas and skewers are perfect for sharing.

Start your meal light with a crispy and refreshing bruschetta.With options for beef, salmon and chicken, each with their own accompanying sauce, my favourite was the sweet, succulent chicken skewers. We have to warn you, though, these are incredibly addictive.

You can continue you cafe adventures to Mad Ben Cafe, situated right across from Grab'ing Hands.

Seafood dinner

When in Kota Kinabalu, you would be crazy to miss out on their seafood. Thanks to their location right next to the sea, it is as fresh as it gets and affordable to boot.

There is nothing like an excellent steamed fish to set the tone for a seafood dinner.Alu-Alu Restaurant plates up Chinese-style dishes with seafood that harvested from its own farm.

The steamed hybrid grouper in Cantonese style hit all the right spots with sweet, smooth flesh that fell away without much effort. It was perfectly complemented by the savoury flavours of the soy sauce and sharp zing of the coriander garnish.

Another favourite was the deep-fried soft shell crab. Cut into bite-sized pieces, the crustaceans were seasoned with just salt and pepper, letting the natural sweet flavours of the crab stand out.

The deep fried soft shell crab may not look like much but believe you me, you woould not be able to get enough of its salty and spicy flavours.Fried to a delicious crisp, eating it was as easy as munching on crackers.

Located at Gayana Resort on Pulau Gaya, the restaurant is housed in a gazebo that floats just above the crystal clear waters giving an impressive view to go with the delicious seafood.

Street food for supper

Take in the bustling sights and sounds of the waterfront night market, also known as the Filipino night market.

Only really coming alive at about 4pm in the evening, you can see stalls selling the freshest of raw ingredients from vegetables and fruits to seafood and poultry in the most vivid of colours.

At the Filipino night market, you will find all kinds of fresh seafood ready to be grilled to your liking.From local biscuits like amplang, kuih cincin and kuih lidah to grilled seafood and BBQ chicken wings and noodles, you will be spoilt for choice for food to eat on the spot, or to go.

For me, I tasted some of the best keropok lekor I have ever had here. Freshly fried, the thick pieces of lekor were crisp on the outside but airy on the inside.

Infused with fish flavours, you have to have it with a sweet chilli sauce.

Just a five minute walk away from the market are several watering holes for those looking for a drink to cap off the night. – October 19, 2015.