Sabah - Borneo - page 111

MAKAN: KOTA KINABALU STYLE
Kota Kinabalu (KK) may be light on sights, and its urban core isn't a stunner, but the city comes up trumps in the
food category. KK's veritable melting pot of cultures has fostered a lively dining scene that differentiates itself
from the rest of Malaysia with a host of recipes fusing foreign recipes and local ingredients. KK's four essential
eats:
Sayur Manis Also known as 'Sabah vegie', this bright-green jungle fern can be found at any Chinese restaurant
worth its salt. It's best served fried with garlic, or mixed with fermented shrimp paste. The sayur manis plant is a
perennial and can grow about 3m high. It is harvested year-round so it tends to be very fresh. Adventurous eaters
might want to try other local produce like tarap, a fleshy fruit encased in a bristly skin, or sukun, a sweet-tasting
tuber used to make fritters.
Filipino Barbecue Located at the north end of the KK Night Market, the Filipino Barbecue Market is the best
place in town for grilled seafood at unbeatable prices. Hunker down at one of the crowded tables and point to your
prey. Once the waitress has sent your order off to the grill, she'll hand you a cup (for drinking), a basin (to wash
your hands) and a small plate to prepare your dipping sauce (mix up the chilli sauce, soy sauce, salt and fresh lime
for your own special concoction). No cutlery here! Just dig in with your bare hands and enjoy steaming piles of
fresher-than-fresh seafood. Figure around RM15 for a gut-busting meal.
Hinava Perhaps the most popular indigenous appetiser, colourful hinava is raw fish pickled with fresh lime juice,
chilli padi, sliced shallots and grated ginger. The melange of tangy tastes masks the fishy smell quite well. The
best place to try hinava is Grace Point, a posh local food court near Tanjung Aru. You'll find it at the 'Local
Counter' for around RM2 per plate (the portions are small - the perfect size for a little nibble).
Roti Canai The ubiquitous roti canai , a flaky flat bread fried on a skillet, is served from dawn till dusk at any In-
dian Muslim kedai kopi (coffee shop) around town. Although the dish may appear simple, there's actually a lot of
skill that goes into preparing the perfect platter. The cook must carefully and continuously flip the dough (à la
pizza chef) to create its signature flakiness. Roti canai is almost always served with sauce, usually dhal (lentil
curry) or another curry made from either chicken or fish.
Self-Catering
There are a variety of places to stock up on picnic items and hiking snacks, including the
centrally located Milimewa Superstore Offline map Google map (Jln Haji Saman) and
Tong Hing Supermarket Offline map Google map (Jln Gaya) . 7-Eleven Offline map
Google map (Jln Haji Saman; 24hr) is conveniently open throughout the evening.