This isn’t a food pilgrimage — just casual eating and drinking around Sabah.

Text & Photos /peri

I’m not the type to blindly follow a travel guide. Grabbing a travel book, ticking off a combo list of “N must-eat dishes”? Oh please, don’t expect that from someone who prefers spontaneity. See something? Eat it. Hit a dud? Doesn’t suit your taste — well, too bad — move on. There are so many duds in life, what’s one more? Want to eat? Then eat.

※※※WARNING※※※
Under the premise of total spontaneity, this is absolutely, positively NOT a food pilgrimage.
It’s merely a record of how Sabah filled my stomach and those fleeting moments of flavor on my tongue — nothing more.
So, dig in.

September 6–8, 2014 — Sabah, Malaysia
________________________________________

★ Fook Yuen Café & Bakery

My first Malay friend on the taste buds’ journey was Fook Yuen.

When I first arrived in Sabah and met up with my brother, we hadn’t decided what to do yet.
But we hadn’t eaten in over half a day, so let’s just grab a bite first.
It was just a three-minute walk from the hostel to Fook Yuen (one of which was spent waiting to cross the street!).
Since my brother said it was good, we had breakfast there — delicious and filling.
We ended up going back three times, and it really lived up to the hype.
The constant stream of customers was solid proof.

On our first visit to Fook Yuen, I decided beforehand not to eat too much, saving room for Yau Kee Bak Kut Teh later.
Since we were sharing, choosing dishes naturally meant considering each other’s preferences.
After asking my brother, we both burst out laughing.
“I had this for breakfast already!”
“Why are you copying me? I wanted to try this too!”
Just like siblings, aren’t we?

Compared to other eateries where you just sit down and start ordering, Fook Yuen’s decor is quite modern.
The self-service buffet line and checkout flow smoothly, and there’s even a number-calling light system.
Though we studied it for ages, we still couldn’t figure out the logic behind the skipped numbers.



Picking up chopsticks and digging in, you can tell the boss is probably Chinese — there are even zongzi. But the biggest surprises were the siu mai and steamed dumplings. Aside from the usual shrimp and salted egg flavors that had us licking our fingers, we accidentally ordered century egg siu mai — an odd combo we’d never tried, but surprisingly fresh. At about NT$10–15 each, they were affordable luxury packed with filling.

And let’s not forget the chili that elevated the meal — amazing, really amazing, super amazing. As someone who loves spicy food, I often struggle with restaurants because my definition of “very spicy” differs from theirs. Is the boss worried I can’t handle the heat? Or are these chilies just a bit too mild? It’s frustrating when it’s not spicy enough — too weak, too fake.

Fook Yuen’s chili has zero hesitation. Bold and sharp, the spice lingers delightfully on the tongue. It’s like meeting an old friend in a foreign land (?). **Fook Yuen offers two types of chili: a reserved, conservative chili paste and a fiery, lip-numbing chili cube. Which to choose? Just ask yourself how strong your stomach is.

When preparing snacks for our island-hopping trip, I didn’t hesitate to pick kaya toast. Kaya, also known as srikaya, is a spread made from coconut milk, eggs (or duck eggs), sugar, and flavored with pandan leaves. Toast the bread until warm, then generously slather on the kaya — with butter, or mixed with peanut butter, the rest is up to your mouth. The steaming-hot kaya toast is an irresistible temptation for the taste buds. Of course, by the time you take it out to sea, it’s gone cold, but it’s still uniquely delicious. Maybe with a jar of kaya in hand, there’s no such thing as bad food in the world?

Besides preserved foods, Fuyuan also has a bakery (a prominent sign on the wall reminds you: Please Pay at the Counter!). Although I’m used to the hearty texture of European bread and not particularly fond of soft, fluffy types, I couldn’t resist trying a slice of pandan chiffon cake. The chiffon, tinged with a faint green hue from the pandan leaves, was an authentic taste of Malaysia.

Address: 74 Jalan Gaya, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
________________________________________

★ Yu Kee Teahouse Syarikat Yu Kee

“By evening, Yu Kee gets so crowded it spills out onto the walkways—you can barely get out!” Yu Kee is right downstairs from our hostel, so it seems my brother ran into an unexpected obstacle last night. Is it really that good? The unassuming storefront—could it hide the gateway to culinary heaven? Of course, we had to grab a table before the rush started at four o’clock sharp.

We casually ordered pork ribs and tofu, then quickly added a side of blanched greens, thinking it’d be rare to get vegetables while traveling. When the pitch-black bak kut teh arrived, we eagerly sipped the rich broth, letting the herbal flavors glide down our throats and soothe our stomachs. Wait, why does it taste like medicine? Oh right, bak kut teh has never been tea.
It was originally concocted by early Chinese settlers who braved the rugged new land, brewing a cost-effective herbal tonic with pork bones to build strength. And as for the siblings shocked by the generous portion of greens—well, they certainly didn’t hold back :P

Address: 69 Jalan Gaya, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
________________________________________



★ Oldtown White Coffee

Back in Taiwan, I already knew the brand Oldtown White Coffee—the strong Malaysian white coffee that took up a corner in supermarkets. In Malaysia, I discovered Oldtown also runs sizable café-restaurants, so naturally, I had to try a meal here.

After our island-hopping trip, starving, we headed straight for Oldtown White Coffee the moment we disembarked. Staring at the dizzying menu, we hesitated. After much deliberation, the signature white coffee and unforgettable kaya toast were must-orders, and the spicy curry oden (?) looked pretty good too—finishing with an ice drink, of course.

When you’re starving, waiting feels endless. But finally, like manna from heaven, the staff handed us our food. The kaya toast was predictably delicious, and the rich curry was spicy enough to leave a lingering craving—I almost ordered another serving. Overall, Oldtown White Coffee’s dishes were all above average. Except… the ice drink didn’t quite match the menu description… XD

Address: Ground Floor, Menara Jubili, 53, Jalan Gaya, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Website: http://www.oldtown.com.my/
________________________________________

★ Upperstar Cafe & Bar

On our first night, my brother’s friends wanted to hang out and chat but couldn’t decide where to go.
Our German friend Lobbie thought for a moment and suggested a restaurant near the pier with a nice vibe and affordable cocktails—so off we went.

Upperstar Cafe & Bar is located right across from the Hyatt, close to the pier park.
They serve American-style meals, fried snacks, and a wide variety of cocktails.
We chose a spot on the second-floor balcony, gazing at the stars and the sea, chatting and laughing while toasting the sea breeze.
Well, since it was such a lovely night, forgetting to take food photos while chatting is totally forgivable :P But I have to say—it’s a bit unfair that my brother, just a day earlier, already met so many interesting people. Sisterly jealousy is real.
↑ Very childish :P

Address: Block C, Lot 8, Ground Floor, Segama Complex, Pusat Bandar, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
________________________________________



★ Pier Snacks

Passing the pier in the evening, I couldn’t stop thinking about seafood when I saw the bustling stalls.
But two people can’t order that many dishes.
Luckily, even if we couldn’t sit in the shelters, there were still street vendors selling snacks.
Armed with an armful of food (satay, grilled squid, sea grapes, and lemon fish salad!), we headed to the pier park.
Watching the moonlight, veiled by scattered clouds, spill onto the sea…
This, too, was Mid-Autumn.

________________________________________

Let’s pause the taste bud memories here. Before the night ends, here’s a bonus: the bizarre drink my brother ordered—sweet corn juice (Sweet Corn Juice)!
Corn, milk, and chocolate syrup—apparently, it’s surprisingly good?

 Ⅱ Fleeting Moments

A female engineering student who once thought she’d grow up to study Chinese.
Talks too fast, writes too slowly; sounds like a comedian when speaking, pretends to be artsy when writing.
Loves wandering solo with just a backpack, drawing courage from the world’s hidden corners, and meeting the sparkle in travelers’ eyes.
Firmly believes that no plan is the best plan—and the best encounters can’t be calculated.
Then, just keep walking straight ahead.
Peri