the.Dyak Restaurant
Ever since I tasted the wholly authentic native cooking in the interiors of Sarawak, I fell in love with their simple food made from unique combinations of herbs, vegetables, meat & everything natively Sarawak.
Long have I wanted & hoped for a restaurant serving such authentic Sarawakian fare.
A bastion of cultural maturity to be placed beside Malay, Chinese & Indian cuisine.
I may have stumbled upon just the establishment: the.Dyak Restaurant
This is the.Dyak Restaurant between Jln Mendu & Jln Simpang Tiga.
It is currently deservingly the #1 restaurant in Kuching on Tripadvisor.
I went there with my family during lunchtime on a Saturday so we were able to order from the menu. You can only do this at night or on Saturdays.
If you come during lunchtime (12pm - 2pm) on a weekday, they serve a buffet.
The restaurant is closed on Sundays.
We had (counter clockwise from top):
Kari Jani - Three layered pork stewed in a thick spicy curry gravy.
This one was somewhat disappointing because I like my curry with a little burn. Must be the masochist in me! Anyway, the pork was fatty & it goes well with the curry. It will satisfy those of you who love it fatty.
Jani Tunu - BBQ pork with 2 different homemade sambal.
This dish is very authentic because this is how pork is actually served in the interiors. The sambals were great & the pork was well done.
However, this simple dish is no match for the Chinese Char Siew or Siew Yuk so don't go comparing.
I doubt if it is wild boar though. Wild boar meat is very expensive in Sarawak.
Manok Lulun - Commonly known as Pansoh: chicken cooked in bamboo with ginger, onions, lemongrass, onions & tapioca leaves.
This dish is the favourite dish of many. It is also my personal favourite Dayak dish too. It tasted very authentic with the tapioca leaves & herbs.
Steamed Talipia from Batang Ai - Prepared with local herbs, spices & that wonderful yellow citrusy local vegetable that goes great with curry & steamed dishes.
I like this dish. There was a whole fish in there & it tasted very fresh. The blend of herbs & spices made this dish very flavoursome & the soup savoury.
The fishes are worth a try.
Petai Gulai Bungai Kechala - Sliced bitter nuts stir-fried with onions & anchovies.
I love petai & you can't go wrong with anchovies & onions.
This dish is tasty but I bet it's nothing new to you. Something you might want to consider if on a budget.
Paku Kubok Gulai Bungai Kechala - Jungle ferns stir-fried with onions and chillies.
The paku was crunchy but the flavours could have been enhanced more. Somewhat disappointing considering the price.
If you've never had paku before, it's a must try only-in-Sarawak vegetable.
Ensabi Goreng - Stir-fried bitter jungle mustard leaves with garlic.
This dish was amazing. My mother loved it & she rarely compliments dishes. Compliments to the skill of the chef for masterfully transforming such a simple dish.
Another only-in-Sarawak vegetable. Worth a try but you won't find much difference between this vegetable & other leafy vegetables from China.
Native Rice - Our rice was a mixture of brown native rice & white rice.
It's different from basmati or Thai rice. It's more nutritious than white rice but it may not be as tasty.
Try it. You need rice for the mains anyway.
You can find the a list of their signature dishes here.We did not try their desserts.
Oh & let me mention that they are MSG-free. A plus point because MSG causes cancer & makes me thirsty all day!
I want to try this: the.Dyak Gourmet Pork Burger. Looks like a winner!
Will return one night & order it!
They encourage tipping (as written on the menu) but the staff are not unhappy without.
The service was average so I did not have a reason to tip.
However, it does make up for the price with quality in food preparation, drinks & upkeep of its premises. The deco & food are both authentically native-like & very tasty.
I may come back to try the burger or their lunch. Heck, I might even bring a hot chick there & impress her with my knowledge of the natives.
However, I don't see myself returning regularly on my own.
This restaurant is the perfect place to bring visitors & foreigners to sample the flavours of Sarawak.
You must visit this restaurant if you are a foreigner or visitor from other parts of Malaysia.
Check out my review on Tripadvisor for ratings.
Long have I wanted & hoped for a restaurant serving such authentic Sarawakian fare.
A bastion of cultural maturity to be placed beside Malay, Chinese & Indian cuisine.
I may have stumbled upon just the establishment: the.Dyak Restaurant
 |
| taken from flickr.com/photos/celes2u |
It is currently deservingly the #1 restaurant in Kuching on Tripadvisor.
I went there with my family during lunchtime on a Saturday so we were able to order from the menu. You can only do this at night or on Saturdays.
If you come during lunchtime (12pm - 2pm) on a weekday, they serve a buffet.
The restaurant is closed on Sundays.
The Dishes
Kari Jani - Three layered pork stewed in a thick spicy curry gravy.
This one was somewhat disappointing because I like my curry with a little burn. Must be the masochist in me! Anyway, the pork was fatty & it goes well with the curry. It will satisfy those of you who love it fatty.
Jani Tunu - BBQ pork with 2 different homemade sambal.
This dish is very authentic because this is how pork is actually served in the interiors. The sambals were great & the pork was well done.
However, this simple dish is no match for the Chinese Char Siew or Siew Yuk so don't go comparing.
I doubt if it is wild boar though. Wild boar meat is very expensive in Sarawak.
Manok Lulun - Commonly known as Pansoh: chicken cooked in bamboo with ginger, onions, lemongrass, onions & tapioca leaves.
This dish is the favourite dish of many. It is also my personal favourite Dayak dish too. It tasted very authentic with the tapioca leaves & herbs.
Steamed Talipia from Batang Ai - Prepared with local herbs, spices & that wonderful yellow citrusy local vegetable that goes great with curry & steamed dishes.
I like this dish. There was a whole fish in there & it tasted very fresh. The blend of herbs & spices made this dish very flavoursome & the soup savoury.
The fishes are worth a try.
Petai Gulai Bungai Kechala - Sliced bitter nuts stir-fried with onions & anchovies.
I love petai & you can't go wrong with anchovies & onions.
This dish is tasty but I bet it's nothing new to you. Something you might want to consider if on a budget.
Paku Kubok Gulai Bungai Kechala - Jungle ferns stir-fried with onions and chillies.
The paku was crunchy but the flavours could have been enhanced more. Somewhat disappointing considering the price.
If you've never had paku before, it's a must try only-in-Sarawak vegetable.
Ensabi Goreng - Stir-fried bitter jungle mustard leaves with garlic.
This dish was amazing. My mother loved it & she rarely compliments dishes. Compliments to the skill of the chef for masterfully transforming such a simple dish.
Another only-in-Sarawak vegetable. Worth a try but you won't find much difference between this vegetable & other leafy vegetables from China.
Native Rice - Our rice was a mixture of brown native rice & white rice.
It's different from basmati or Thai rice. It's more nutritious than white rice but it may not be as tasty.
Try it. You need rice for the mains anyway.
You can find the a list of their signature dishes here.We did not try their desserts.
Oh & let me mention that they are MSG-free. A plus point because MSG causes cancer & makes me thirsty all day!
Will return one night & order it!
The Bill
8 of us had the 7 dishes above, 9 bowls of rice (RM3 each) & 8 drinks. The bill was about RM160. An average of RM20 per person.They encourage tipping (as written on the menu) but the staff are not unhappy without.
The service was average so I did not have a reason to tip.
Conclusion
The price is a tad bit higher than the average restaurant in Kuching. Plus the portions are not as large as some similarly priced establishments.However, it does make up for the price with quality in food preparation, drinks & upkeep of its premises. The deco & food are both authentically native-like & very tasty.
I may come back to try the burger or their lunch. Heck, I might even bring a hot chick there & impress her with my knowledge of the natives.
However, I don't see myself returning regularly on my own.
This restaurant is the perfect place to bring visitors & foreigners to sample the flavours of Sarawak.
You must visit this restaurant if you are a foreigner or visitor from other parts of Malaysia.
Check out my review on Tripadvisor for ratings.
