The Day Sandakan Stood Standstill

On the night of May 14, 2015 it was usual business at the Ocean King Seafood Restaurant here at Tanah Merah, near the town itself. Many customers were enjoying their meal when suddenly four armed men rampaged the premise, took two hostages, the owner and a customer. After that incident, the Malaysian Authorities together with the Phillipines Authorities worked together to release the two hostages. After months of negotiation and also plea from families of both hostages, finally the owner of the restaurant was released with a large amount of ransom paid to the kidnappers. Unfortunately, the customer didn't make it and was beheaded after that. Meanwhile, the restaurant itself shifted from their former premises to IJM Batu 5. It has remained abandoned until now.

Last Friday (29 Jan 2016), our Engineer from KK came to visit us here in Sandakan to carry out maintenance on the helicopter. Therefore, we decided to try out the new premises at IJM, now renamed as New King City Seafood Restaurant.

The new premises at IJM Batu 5

There were lots of hungry customers, especially when it was TGIF. With the coming of the Chinese New Year, you can here the chinese customers tossing the 'Yee Sang' and being noisy while wishing for a prosperous new year ahead. As usual we ordered five dishes and all of them are seafood. For a start, we ordered their signature dish, Wa tan har mien (Egg gravy prawn noodles). That dish I totally recommend it for you all to try because it is delicious. Served with fresh big prawns, the dish smells as if there's chicken wine was poured inside but actually not. Be reminded that this restaurant serves no pork.

Watan Har Mien, The Signature Dish

After that, came the deep fried salted egg squid and baby kailan vegetable cooked with santan. In my opinion, the squid is big but not tasty at all. There is no balance of sweet and salty in it. So it is not recommended to order their squid with salted egg.

Deep Fried Salted egg squid, Not Recommended

Baby Kailan vegetable

My friend specially ordered the Kam Heong La La (Clamps). It was good and quite spicy too. And after that, finally came the steamed fish. 700 gram of Kerapu fish was used and consumed by us. Frankly speaking, the fish was fresh, soft flesh and could swallow easily. Unfortunatelly, the cook should add more taste on the fish as the fish sauce was quite tasteless.

Kam Heong La La (clamps)

Steamed Kerapu Fish (700 grams)

Well, it was a different experience having seafood at a place which is not from the normal Sim Sim area. Till then again next time. Let's to the Poingkaa Boh!!!

To Be Continued...

Macha, Mee Goreng Mamak satu!!

Hey guys, how are you all? Hope you are doing fine there. Well, guess what? I'm starting back my gym session once again after four years of hiatus never entered a gym. Honestly speaking, I always thought that you can just lose weight by doing cardio exercises such as running, jogging and also doing physical work only. Never i realised that gym do play an important part in giving you a healthy lifestyle and also prevent excess skin formed due to losing weight at a fast rate. Not only that, going to gym makes you relax your mind, forget everything just for a while. Recently I got rejected by someone so I was not on my cheerful mood lately. But going to gym made me forget about it and help me to move on with my life..heee...

Enough with that hehehe... I thought of making a change in my food blog posting for today. Instead of doing some review on a restaurant on how good the food is, instead I will be posting the best Mee Goreng Mamak Sandakan has to offer. There were few restaurants I visited across Sandakan and with references to suggestion from my friends here and also doing some exploration too, these are my 4 choices for restaurant that serves good mee goreng mamak:

1. Zakaria Curry House, Batu 8 Labuk

Located near the famous Crocodile Roundabout, Zakaria curry house provide good curry whether it is chicken, mutton or lamb. Their mee goreng mamak is one of the food recommended to be tasted in here. Looked like a spaghetti bolognaise due to its reddish appearance. It's not that spicy too because the chilli paste and also the tomato paste are well balanced too. Served with vegetables and chicken meat. Costs about RM 7.50.


2. Mami Curry House, Batu 7 Fajar

If you are a big fan of spicy food, this curry house provide spicy mee goreng mamak. Located just few minutes away from Sandakan Airport, the mee goreng here is a lot in quantity. Add the lime around the mee and creates a balanced sour and spicy taste of the mee. The chicken meat is cut in big chunks and makes the mee more succulent too hehe..costs around RM 7.50


3. Sedap Corner, Bandar Prima Batu 4

Located just opposite of Maybank batu 4, this restaurant actually serves good selection of malay and mamak cuisines. The mee goreng mamak here is also not bad...cooked with chilli and tomato paste, prawn, chicken and vegetables. Although not that much in quantity, the noodle itself is quite filling and I got full easily with just one mee goreng. Furthermore, it is cheaper than the two restaurants that I mentioned earlier.. RM 7.30 to be exact (20 cents cheaper).


4. Habeeb Curry House, Bandar Indah Batu 4

 Basically, their mee goreng mamak is more to just a normal mee goreng because they don't really add the chilli and tomato paste that much. However, healthwise i think this is the best for those who are trying to look after their health. They fried the mee with majority of green veggies in it. The mee is better without squeezing the lime on it cause it would be extremely sour. Costs about RM 7.50.


Well, i think that's all for today. If i found another good shop serving good mee goreng mamak, i would definitely post in my instagram and facebook or just update this blog. See you again!! Let's to the Poingkaa boh!!!

To Be Continued...

Mabuhay Pilipinas!!

Everyday when she smiled at me, I admit that her smile would always cheers me up even at my saddest moment although I don't show her how happy I am in front of her (cause i'm still shy..hhmm). One thing I like about her is her kindness and cheerful personality she have.

Anyway, like my boss always tell us, 'an empty stomach makes an angry man'. There's a truth in it though. Today's food hunting brings me to SS2 Prima here at Bandar Prima. Located just opposite to Sandakan's famous Pasar Kim Fung. This is basically a bistro cum restaurant and they specialize in Filipino delicacy. Wide range of Lechon (Filipino roasted pork) and also Wild boar menu's are served in here. If you want to start your authentic filipino food experience, try having Sotanghon Guisado (Pic above) or Filipino style fried tongfoon. I really loved the fact that they created this dish by following the Sandakan way of cooking...adding fresh seafood. It's delicious and you should try it.

At the same time having it with a bottle of White Tiger beer. This beer have orange zest in it and costs at RM 11.00 per bottle (It's RM 9.00 at Mawar). After that, I have my own Lechon Kawali. Fuhh, it's very very good!!! Their homemade sauce even makes it more tastier. You can really taste the pork's skin crunchiness in it. Don't forget the thick fat layer which relinquish the juicy taste of the lechon.

If you guys are here in Sandakan, do not forget to have some food here in SS2 Prima. You won't regret it!! Till then....

To Be Continued...

There will be an answer, Let it Be

Hey guys, it's been a while since i last posted my blog. It was a hectic week for me as there was a Nomad aircraft (Plane that carried Tun Fuad Stephens last time) doing an aerial photo in Sandakan. So i have to do groundhandling on this aircraft. Phewww everything is over now.

The title of my post has a meaning to it. Eversince I arrived here in Sandakan, I always wanted to go and pay a visit to two most famous landmark here, The Agnes Keith House and The English Tea House. I always wondered when will I go there. The Lord answered me finally when both of my parents decided to visit this two places last Sunday. Well, Let it Be hahahaha!!!!

The Agnes Keith House

 

There's an entrance fee when entering this house as pictured above (RM3 Malaysian ,RM 6 International). It was a very beautiful house surrounded by the natural forest and landscape but at the same time it was reputed to be haunted. Agnes Keith was an author, who wrote few books about her life in Sabah. Her husband was working with the forestry department here when they were resided here during the 30s to the 50s. This house-cum-museum is full of historical artefacts and also information regarding to the Keith's life in here. Among the interesting artifact that you can find here is the 'Kelvinator' refrigerator, which was once popularly used by everyone during the 40s. Besides, there's an old typeriter, radio and telephone which was used by the Keith's were displayed in the museum.

Entrance to the Agnes Keith House

 

Beautiful flowers displayed around the vicinity

After we paid our visit to the house, we went to the English Tea House which was located just beside the house itself. A classic English House with the surrounding being modified to make it look English. There's a croquet (one of the national sport for England) field in that area too. Too bad we didn't had the opportunity to play the game due to the poor weather at that time. Those classical oldies and jazz songs which was played through the speakers make us feel as if we were back in London for the holidays. A very peaceful and relaxing place to visit.

 

We decided to have our dinner here just to try their food. We went from chinese to western. We had pineapple chicken salad as our appetizer and it was glorious. I can imagine if anyone who could do that chicken salad as per their recipe, I salute them. My mum had the English traditional mushroom soup served with crouton bread. When i taste the soup, there is a major difference between their soup and the Campbell's mushroom soup inside the tin. The mushroom taste is really there. After our appetizer, came the main dish, Rib eye Steak. I requested my steak medium rare and they nailed it. Again I'm impressed with the main dish. Too sum up everything, we had fruits and a cup of their English tea to finish of our dinner with. We were served with Jones Blend 33 Ceylon Tea with Strawberry taste in it. It was a very bitter taste tea if you drink it black no sugar.  Indeed we had a very good time overthere and I'll definitely go there again soon.

Chicken Pineapple Salad as our appetizer

Rib Eye steak as the main dish

Having fruits as our dessert for the night

A cup of English Tea to finish of with

Jones Blend 33 Ceylon Tea (strawberry taste)

To Be Continued...

Seafood versus Pork

Prawn, Fish , Pork and Pork innards bah ku teh

My parents were both here in Sandakan for few days to indulge the food served in here. So, i brought them to enjoy the Bandar food on a beautiful Sunday hence, the word Super Sunday which i normally use recently in my food posting in instagram and facebook.

At lunchtime, I brought them to Nam Chai bah ku teh, which is located at Bandar Nam Tung. This restaurant was recommended as a restaurant that serve good seafood bah ku teh by Sabaheats., Sabah's main food review website. The restaurant is located at the corner lot of the shop, with easy landmark the Lobster roundabout. If you're from the Town itself, turn 9.00 o'clock and go straight ahead. There will be a left junction so turn left and the restaurant is there as you go straight ahead.

The signboard which can be seen as you enter the left junction

View of the restaurant inside

As I entered the restaurant, nostalgic memories came back to my memory. I remembered when I was a little boy I was here eating the seafood bah ku teh with the whole family and treated by my mom's friend who was working here in those days. As the years goes by, until my imminent transfer from Kota Kinabalu to here finally had the chance to come back to this quaint old restaurant and indulge their delicious bah ku teh. We ordered fish, prawn and pork bah ku teh. All of them are delicious, we really enjoyed it. I think the pricing here is reasonable too. 1 bowl of fish bah ku teh costs RM 15 while the prawn version costs about RM 10. The pork bah ku teh is cheaper, RM 9. We ordered another round of prawn and fish as we were not satified with only one a bowl of them.

When Sabaheats recommends a good place to eat, follow lah their recommendation hahahaha...Let's to the Poingkaa boh!!!

To Be Continued...

Antara Anyer dan Jakarta

About two days ago, a friend of mine back in Penampang whatsapp me, 'Gio, ko selalu post gambar makanan ohh kan..ko tidak pernah terfikir2 kah mo cari girlfriend instead of ko makan jak?', well i answered him, 'bukannya sia x mo cari girlfriend, ada juga dlm hati sia sepa yg sia mau..dia org sini jugak hehe..food hunting is just my hobby nowadays since i have totally nothing to do here in Sandakan..so you dun worry ada juga berita2 hangat nanti hahaha'.

Well..last night a friend of mine in here recommended me an Indonesian restaurant located at Bandar Megah Jaya near Labuk, Batu 8. If you are not sure again it's near the big crocodile statue roundabout. From the roadside you can see the restaurant already. As I entered the premises, it was quiet, relaxing and peaceful. It is also a good spot for dating (although i wish i had you to bring with). They were friendly and high tech kiddos. When they take your order, instead of using the traditional note pad they use iPad instead wow!!

Selera Nusantara view from the outside

Quaint view of the premise inside

Variety of Indonesian cuisine  served being shown on the wall

I ordered their signature dish Palumara selera nusantara, which is an indonesian fish soup. There were two types actually. The other one is known as Palumara selera Manado. The difference is that the one i ordered is a little spicy but the other one is extremely spicy. After that i ordered their fried rice and iced lemon tea as my drink. While waiting for the food to come, i reflected my day on the rights and wrongs i did that day. Food arrived on my table and I immediately wallop the food. I tell you the fish soup was amazing. Similar to the fish soup or fondly known as 'onsom sup' (onsom means sour in the kadazan language). The difference is that there's spicyness in it. The fried rice on the other hand was served with acar, chicken tender, bulls eye egg and chilli condiment. It was here that for the first time i eat my rice together with the chilli condiment inside the small saucer. I don't take chilli at all, but somehow rather I actually enjoyed their homemade chilli sauce and I finished it!!

Well, it was a good experience having Indonesian food. I never experienced such authentic Indonesian cuisine (with exception to soto and bakso). I would love to try other Indonesian dish in here again. Furthermore, i think the pricing here is reasonable. The soup cost about RM 14.00 while the fried rice cost about RM 10.00. That's all for today. Let's to the Poingkaa boh!!

Ice Lemon Tea

Palumara selera Nusantara

Fried rice..no explanation need to be done just look at the contents hehe

To Be Continued...

Inaugural

                                                      Restaurant Kim Hou, IJM Batu 5


Good evening everyone and once again thank you to all my friends who are reading this right now. As per my title of my blog for today, yes this is my inaugural blog for my food blogging activity here and my first restaurant that i would like to share to you all Restaurant Kim Hou.

Located at IJM Batu 5 Sandakan and just behind the only McDonald drive thru in here, this restaurant provide good and tasty food (non-halal). The first time i came to know this restaurant, my uncle who works here also brought me to this place and ordered me their Nasi Goreng Campur tambah telur mata. It was that food that make me as a regular in here. This restaurant reminds me of Restoran Ching Fah in Donggongon, Penampang in terms of the environment. I guarantee you the taukeh and the waiters (waitresses) there are extremely friendly. Moreover, one of the taukeh overthere is actually from Penampang and whenever he takes order from me, both of us will speak our mother tongue. So basically i won't forget my language too eventhough i'm in another person's land hahaha!!

Foodwise overthere, VAST!! There are lots of menu you can ask them to cook for you. I recommend their popular dish, steam pork with sweet sauce..that is delicious!!! Sweet and sour fish, Salad Prawn, Sambal terung and Ham tan peria to name a few recommended dishes in here. Besides, their fried noodles is also good whether it is in the form of mee hoon, mee halus, kuey teow, hokkien style, watan or wet. Oh ya i almost forgot, whenever you have your meals there, instead of you pour the kicap or cili in your saucer, ask them for their sambal belacan instead. I guarantee you it's so good!!

Well, to make things look simple, go there if you are here in Sandakan..then you have the idea of how Sandakan food taste like hehehe... Let's to the Poingkaa boh!!

Don't forget to try their sambal belacan

The view of the restaurant

Try their sweet and sour Fish..the fish is fresh

Seafood fried tong foon

To Be Continued...

It's new to me!!

5th January 2015

Salutation everyone!! This is my first blog in my 23 years being here on planet Earth hahaha. Finally doing this because of one thing in my mind, 'FOOD'.. somehow or rather i would like to be a food blogger right now.

First of all let me introduce myself. My name is Giovanni Disimon, 23 years old ,proudly to say i'm a Penampang boy ( Penampang is located in Sabah, Malaysia) and single ready to mingle as at this time hehehehe. Currently residing in Sandakan as i'm working there in the engineering field.

Chop-chop let's continue the story, #sadakudibaino basically comes from the kadazan sentence of 'Sada ku di baino' which means My Food for today. I know some who understand kadazan language may argue with me that food in kadazan language is 'takanon' but why i choose the word Sada? Well, Sada means fish in the same language but normally, when my grandmother call me for lunch, she will always say 'doiti iho sada kio'..which literally means the food is there..the senior citizen if you notice will always mention 'sada' as food instead of 'takanon'.

If you noticed on my facebook food post, i will always write a tagline at the last sentence. My first tagline was 'eceng eceng dulu bha' but due to new year, there will be new resolution and also a new tagline for my food posting too which is 'Let's to the Poingkaa boh'. I assure you all that you will only see food in my blog in the near future.

I think i had enough of introduction of my first ever blogging activity in here hehehe.. Let's to the Poingkaa boh!!!

To be continued...