The Bowls

Oh my.. The Kubota Sentral commercial area has definitely seen a major increase in terms of new eateries as of late. If I were to compare, I’d say that they are comparable to the Plaza 333 in KK (well… maybe not as abundant but we’re getting there). So obviously this particular ‘makan’ place is situated within the area, right next to the Authentic Cafe (that had recently moved there as well from another location).

A vast majority of their menu items were obviously Thai such as the boat noodles, green curries & pad thai while the other half focused more on fusion cuisine. Unfortunately when me and my mum tried them out recently, we were not really in the mood for their small boat thingy as both of us were famished. Instead, we opted for their Sweet and Sour Chicken Rice and Tom Yum Spaghetti (hey, at least I did picked something that is Thai inspired right?). Both dishes were pretty good and scrumptious but a little pricey than your usual, average eatery. I also had their Leche Flan (as my initial choice of Mango Sticky Rice was not available) and although I do know that flan was supposed to be a very sugary dessert, the amount of sweetness within the latter threw me off at first. But I still managed to polish it off so it wasn’t all bad. It was actually yummy but a tad too sweet for my liking. Also the place is very comfortable & air-conditioned; a definite plus especially in this unruly weather. 

** Current status – Has been closed indefinitely (as of August 2020) 

*** (Updated on 11/03/2020 - Me and my partner recently went back and had their Grilled Chicken Cheese Burger and Nasi Lalap and both dishes were very scrumptious)

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Restoran Kampung Taste - Singgang

The ‘kampung’ taste that this Fajar Complex eatery (they’re on the same row as the Nationwide Express office) referring to is the local cuisine; specifically Buginese dishes. Since a vast majority of Buginese resides in Tawau, it’s no surprise that such eatery exist. But a recent visit to their FB page saw a number of dishes not exclusively from the ethnicity being prepared as well such as Ambuyat. So it’s good to know that they’re expanding their kampung theme menu.

Let me tell you guys straight up that if you’re hoping for the usual Nasi Goreng or Mee Goreng, than I’m afraid you need to find another place to eat since the place only serves local kampung dishes. When me and my partner were there for a late lunch, they were almost out of their pre-cooked dishes (Tawaurians sure are fast when it comes to good food) so we tried out their Nasi Ayam Penyet Balado (I think that is what they called it) and Nasi Ayam Lengkuas instead. Both we pretty good and flavourful (with the sambal from the Ayam Penyet on the tangy & spicy side) but the Ayam Lengkuas that I had was sourer than I thought it would be. Then again, I’ll probably be back in the future to sample their other pre-cooked dishes so stay tune for any updates.    

** Current status – Still in operation (as of August 2019) 

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Weijiabao Noodles House

Ever since we passed by them (several times) whenever we were in the Kubota Sentral commercial area (they’re on the same row as #Ekae restaurant), my mom has made it clear that she intended to try them out and we finally did it one afternoon. Well, it was actually because our initial choice for lunch that day has an off day so my mom suggested this place instead.

Going through their menu is a bit of a challenge (at least for me but not my mom) since I can’t seem to familiarized myself with some of the dishes Chinese names. So to guarantee that I will not be ordering something that I might end up not liking, I decided to go for a safer choice which was the Nasi Lemak Sayap Ayam. Or so I thought anyway. The sambal that accompanied the dish tasted exactly like the ones you usually bought in a can from the supermarket. And although the rice was pretty fragrant, the fried chicken was just err… not that good. It was oily and the batter was just plain weird tasting. You pretty much tasted the flour and nothing else. But my mom had a better luck than me since she enjoys her Wa Dan Mee Hoon more than I did. Well, just my (bad) luck I guess. It is also good to note that the place do serve pork & are known by another name (Wai Kee Noodles & Rice) for some reason, especially if you search for them on the internet. 

** Current status – Still in operation (as of August 2019) 

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Snow Taman Thien Vun

I’m putting out another post just in case I forgot to do so later (because my mountainous workload does not seem to be getting lesser – *sigh). And it was ironic for me though. I have always wanted to try this place out but couldn’t do so because of its far off location (which is at Taman Thien Vun) and business hours (they’re only open around 1pm onwards – which is not a suitable timing for me I’m afraid). So imagine my somewhat annoyance when the very next day after I’ve been to this joint, I found out that they’re opening a second branch in Taman Semarak (which is just a stones's throw away from my house). Oh well…

As the name implies, the dessert shop mainly sells assorted Taiwanese snow ice shave, as well as other light snacks such as fried fritters, toasts and waffles. I was initially curious due to the fact that I have never tasted the snow ice shave before. And now, it has fast becoming one of my favourite desserts. I loved the very smooth & melt-in-your-mouth texture of the shave ice, as opposed to the regular, rougher ice shave. I’ve ordered their Chocolate Banana variety and it was yummy and refreshing. Me and my partner also choose to share their Peanut Butter Waffle (the waffle was deliciously crispy) and Tuna Cheese Toasts (which was okay at best). Overall, it was a satisfying visit; although now I do not need to go that far to enjoy their treats. So yay for me 😊    

** Current status – Still in operation (as of August 2019) 

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Gerai Mapit Muyu

Although I have been to this ‘gerai’ a couple of times, I usually forgot to take any pictures of said place until recently. And heads up to those who are planning to stop by their place at Jalan Utara (they are in a cluster of stalls, within the Hilltop area); they will be closing their stall due to some sort of land takeover. Apparently the owner of the land where the stalls stand has other plans for his property so all of them need to move by the end of the year (or so I’ve been told). But don’t fret since they do have another branch in town (in the Fajar Complex area, right next to the De Choice Hotel).

Now the main attraction for this particular eatery is none other than their Nasi Ayam Penyet Madu Sambal Mangga. Man, I just loved the sweet, sour & spicy mango salad that accompanied the main dish (which was equally tasty & succulent). And of course, it does not hurt that the price was also pretty cheap in my books. FYI, they also have Nasi Lalap and Sup Tulang should you’re not interested to try the aforementioned food. 

** Current status – Has been closed (as of March 2020) 

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