Just 4 me: Sibu Part 2

Every seasoned traveler will always 'hunt' for a taste of local food wherever they may be and when in Sibu. There is something from breakfast to lunch and dinner as well as for supper and snacks in between meals. Food prices here too are among the lowest in Sarawak and do not be surprised by the size of the servings too as some are really huge and overwhelming to the first time visitor.

For breakfast, other than the "kam pua" mee, that is some kind of breakfast that you must have if you ever visit Sibu. Besides that, you also can try the freshly baked "kom pia", a flour based doughnut Foochow style. Usually served piping hot with marinated minced pork in the centre, it goes well with that early morning coffee or tea.

Kam Pua Mee
Most famous and sought after food in Sibu is Kampua Mee (Mee = noodles). Kampua Mee is parallel to Kolok Mee in Kuching, but prepared in slighty different manner using similar ingredients.
It consists yellow noodles in oil fragranced by onion and garlic, served with Char Siew(roasted pork). Similar to Sarawak Kolo Mee, this simple noodle dish comprise of thin noodles which are given a toss in some pork lard and topped with slices of char slew (barbecued pork) and fried shallots. But what sets Sibu's signature dish apart is in the texture of the noodles and it is served with chilli sauce instead of pickled sliced chilli.

Kompia
One of the most popular delicacies to buy by the dozens when in Sibu is none other than the palm-sized pastry known as Kompia. The small, round bun topped with sprinkles of sesame seed is similar to a bagel as it can be served in various ways.
Traditionally, Kompia is baked in a charcoal oven and can be eaten on its own. Today many will find the bun sandwiched with some minced meat.
Originating from the Foochows, the bread roll with an indent in the center is commonly found in the legions of kopi tiam around town.


Kampua Mee

Kompia

Just before lunch, you can also try the "Laksa Sarawak". However, if hot things are not your favorites, there is the "dian bian hu", a mixture of rice noodles with assortment of mushrooms, and other spices in a huge bowl of hot cuttlefish/fish balls soup. Prawn Mee is another interesting local favorites, which could be something of your fancy as it's a mild spicy mee soup dish. For Muslim travelers, the eatery behind the old mosque has "roti canai" and "Nasi Lemak" which are famous and tasty too.

Laksa Sarawak

dian bian hu

Prawn Mee

Roti Canai

Nasi Lemak

You just cannot leave Sibu without trying the "mee sua" cooked with black chicken. Made from flour and sun dried, the fine noodles are very smooth when cooked in chicken broth, usually served with a tinge of red Chinese wine. Western style food are everywhere in the town and so those should not be a problem to locate if you prefer them or else check them out at the hotels. For the exact location of all these eateries please refer to any local resident or the hotel receptionist.

Mee Sua

Mee Sua
Mee Sua is another popular dish of this town. The noodles, the primary ingredient of this dish, are made from rice flour and are first blanched in hot water before poured with hot chicken soup along with chunky pieces of tender chicken.
A piping-hot bowl of Mee Sua is a customary dish for the Chinese community especially during special occasions such as birthdays and Chinese New Year as the noodles signify longevity.

CHAI PAU: Vegetable buns, with varieties of vagetables as ingredients was a common dim-sum for hawkers and other blue-collars. CHAI PAU is so different with others because of its delicious vegetables contents and less flour on its outer.

Kuih Telur. Credit : http://silverdolly.blogspot.com

Wantan/Pen sip. Credit: http://silverdolly.blogspot.com/

Mee Poh. Credit: http://silverdolly.blogspot.com/

Dabai
DABAI is a native fruit of Sarawak harvested by local natives and sold it in the native market. It can only be found in SIBU. The external colour of DABAI is black while the fresh of the fruit is yellow in colour. The seed in the centre is yellow and diamond in shape as shown in the picture on the left. You can only eat the seed if you can crack open the seed.

Credit: http://www.thelex.com

Midin and paku are some authentic Borneo edible ferns, which is available throughout the restaurants.

Credit: http://bettyandlingshing.blogspot.com

bak kut teh

Chinese soup popularly served in Malaysia (where there is a predominant Hoklo and Teochew community) and also, neighbouring areas like Riau Islands and Southern Thailand.The name literally translates as "meat bone tea", and at its simplest, consists of meaty pork ribs simmered in a complex broth of herbs and spices (including star anise, cinnamon, cloves, dang gui, fennel seeds and garlic) for hours.^[1] Despite its name, there is in fact no tea in the dish itself; the name refers to a strong oolong Chinese tea which is usually served alongside the soup in the belief that it dilutes or dissolves the copious amount of fat consumed in this pork-laden dish.

Ayam pansuh is typical among the people in Sarawak, Malaysia. Ayam pansuh is a dish prepared by cooking chicken meat in a bamboo and stuffed with water (which later will be the soup), seasonings and covered with tapioca leaves (later could be eaten together with the cooked chicken).