Kuchingites love their food. There is not a corner where you can’t try out the local swill in town. Here are 5 must-tries for the visitor to Kuching. Most kopitiamswill have these dishes but we suggest a few easy-to-find shops if you are not familiar with the city.

Kopitiams – We don’t call them cafes or coffee shops. Here, the old-fashioned kopitiam rules. Kopitiam means ‘coffee shop’ in the local lingua.

Kolo Mee
	Easy places to find this: Woon Lam Cafe, Jalan Song Thian Cheok Green Hill Corner, Jalan Temple Open Air Market, Jalan Market Note: Non-Hala

This is the absolute staple for the noodle enthusiast in Kuching. The oldest and most traditional of selections for eating out, kolo mee is made of egg noodles flash-boiled and served in a base of fragrant pork oil, garlic, shallots, minced pork and slices of barbequed pork (otherwise known as char siew). It is often served with clear soup and a side complement of freshly cut chillies soaked in vinegar or light soy sauce.You can have the noodles with wonton (minced pork wrapped in a floury skin). Or, you can go funky with kolo mee in red pork sauce, black vinegar, chilli sauce or even black soy sauce. The original kolomee is the yellow round noodles. But try it out in different shapes (flat noodles, white rice noodles, curly noodles and kueh tiaw). They all taste fabulous!

Sarawak Laksa
	Easy places to find this: Chong Choon Cafe, Jalan Abell Woon Lam Cafe, Jalan Song Thian Cheok Green Hill Corner, Jalan Temple

Laksas here, laksas there, laksas everywhere in Malaysia but none as distinctive as Kuching’s Sarawak laksa. This is one of Kuching’s signature dishes. Rice vermicelli in a spicy prawn broth from the secret recipes of olden day kitchens can be magical to the palate. Laksa is served in a bowl with egg, prawn, chicken and a dash of fresh coriander for colour. A side dish of lime and spicy prawn paste (belacan) is often served with it. Squeeze the lime into the belacanand mix it in. It’s sure to add a zing.

Tomato Kueh Tiaw
	Easy places to find this: Open Air Market, Jalan Market Green Hill Corner, Jalan Temple

Kueh tiaw is a flat rice noodle that can be cooked in many ways. Kuching’s own tomato kueh tiaw is a stir-fried dish with pork and vegetables in a tomato soup invented in Kuching. You can opt for tomato mee or bee hoon, two different varieties of noodles. Tomato mee comes in a scrumptious crispy version. Make sure you ask for ‘tomato’ kueh tiaw. There are so many ways in which these versatile noodles are cooked that the sky’s the limit. Alternatively, be adventurous. Just say ‘fried kueh teow’ and see what delectable dish you get to sample.

Kueh Chap
	Easy places to find this: Chong Choon Cafe, Jalan Abell Woon Lam Cafe, Jalan Song Thian Cheok Note: Non- Halal

Never judge a pig by its tripe. Kueh chap is a delicious dish loved by locals made up of pork slices, tripe, fried tofu skin in a dark herbal broth. If you are repelled by the idea of innards, don’t be. This is a savoury, fragrant favourite well-prepared and thoroughly tested amongst local people. Expect to be surprised by the gentle spread of flavour when you taste your first mouthful.

Teh C Peng Special (3-layer Teh C Peng)
	Where people go: Chong Choon Cafe, Jalan Abell Open Air Market, Jalan Market Green Hill Corner, Jalan Temple

Care for a cuppa? Tea-drinking is a global practice but Kuching folk have taken it to another level. Teh C Peng is a code name for tea (‘teh’) with evaporated milk (‘C’) and ice (‘peng’). Teh C Peng Special, or 3-layer Teh C Peng, is literally that – iced tea with evaporated milk that is has got 3 visual layers. The layers are created when black tea, evaporated milk and a special liquefied syrup called gula Melaka are poured individually into a large glass. The different densities of the 3 ingredients give it the layering effect.

This is an absolutely sinful, must-have drink. Try it. Culinary heaven awaits.