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yummy buns

Jeong Hin Kopitiam is a great place to have buns and “pau”, especially during tea break. Whether is it because of the British influence from the colonial time, or is it because people nowadays like to have tea. KK Lites are very fond of their tea break. Kopitiams that serve simple food like buns, pau and other nibbling food are very much in demand around 3pm to 5pm.

For decades Jeong Hin Kopitiam is well known for its buns. The buns here are very sought-after and every day they are sold out, either eat in or take away. One of the secrets for these ever popular buns, is their freshness, they are freshly baked and served hot. Buns are available for sale starting from 11am and by 4pm most of them are gone.

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bella pasta

This wonderful and cosy restaurant called Bella Italia, which serves mainly western food Italian style, is located at the ground floor of Jesselton Hotel. Jesselton Hotel is one of the longest running hotel in Kota Kinabalu City that boasts a local ownership. Belle Italia now occupies the place formally held by Gardenia Restaurant. Gardenia Restaurant was established since 1959 and many KK Lites have fond memories of this place as it was on the busy Gaya Street of yesteryear. Today the local management of Gardenia Restaurant has teamed up with an Italian group to set up a new business, hence the creation of Bella Italia Pizzeria Ristorante Cafe.

bella italia - interior

Check out the menu in Bella Italia, almost all the food names are in Italian, so some Italian language practice is needed to make orders. Luckily the description of the courses is in English, so that we do know what we are ordering. Like all Italian restaurants, there are plenty of pastas and pizzas to choose from. At the moment Belle Italia is giving great value for one’s money when one decides to dine at Belle Italia from 5pm to 7pm, all pasta and pizza has a knocked down price of 50%. Now everyone can eat.

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foo phing dim sum

Looking for Dim Sum in Kota Kinabalu? Why not try out Foo Phing restaurant for a hearty Dim Sum treat. Head up to Kolam Center on Jalan Lintas which is some 10 minutes drive from Kota Kinabalu City and enjoy some tasty Dim Sum. Foo Phing Dim Sum is a hugely popular breakfast destination for many KK Lites. Since it is located at a suburb, parking are easier to come by and are also boasted with an underground car park. Foo Phing restaurant has an air-conditioned section for those who like a cooler setting, and there is also an open air area for the smokers.

“siew mai” - a mixture of pork and prawn dumpling

There are many types of Dim Sum to choose from at Foo Phing restaurant, “ha kau” is their flagship dim sum, and the usual like “siew mai”, “fu kien”, crab claws, “pai kut”, fish balls, and chicken feet are all waiting to be ordered. Foo Phing restaurant also has many different types of small dishes call “Tian Pin” which literally translated means “sweet stuff”. “Tian Pin” are stuffs like yam cake, egg tarts, fried won-ton with prawns, and others which are great for nibbling.

“jon fon” - fresh prawn in rice flour rolls

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kedai kopi melanian

Kedai Kopi Melanian has made a name for themselves by serving up this very tasty “Sang Nyuk Men” which literally means freshly cooked sliced pork meat and noodle in Hakka. This mixed pork soup comes with fleshly boiled sliced pork meat, pork intestine, and the ever delicious meat balls. The meat ball is a mixture of pork meat and squid, the right amount from each portion is needed to roll them to a beauty. The secret behind the tasty “Sang Nyuk Men” is the fresh ingredients used by the chef.

mixed pork soup

Kedai Kopi Melanian 2 is located at the Inanam Business Centre, just next to the City Bus Terminal (North), which is a transit centre for long distance coaches that travel to Kudat, Sandakan, Tawau, Lahad Datu and Semporna. Kedai Kopi Melanian 2 occupied a corner shop lot. Next to and opposite Melanian 2 are three other corner shops that are also occupied by Kopitaims, so there are a lot of things to eat at this area. It is a bonus to the travellers who use this terminal depot, as they can enjoy good food while waiting for their bus or just arriving from other distant towns.

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entrance to gaya street

Every Sunday the whole length of Gaya Street is closed down for one purpose, the Gaya Street Sunday Market. Traders of all kind will parade their crafts, produce, and wares on this historical street in Kota Kinabalu. For about a hundred years Gaya Street, formally known as Bond Street, has been the heart of commerce for the west coast of Sabah. Even as late as the early 60s, Traders from Kinarut, Papar, Beaufort, and as far as Tenom, would travel by train to Jesselton, former name of Kota Kinabalu. It was Bond street that they aimed for. It was here that they traded their produce and art-crafts and at the same time looked for supplies, materials, or any thing they could not get at their home town.

crowds looking for a bargain

All of the shoplots had been completely destroyed during the Second World War, and they were subsequently rebuilt after the war. Yet some of the shoplots at Gaya Street are still the oldest in Kota Kinabalu. For the pass two decades the role of Gaya Street as the commercial centre has deminised greatly as more new shops and malls have been built since. Great applause for the local authority for making this special Sunday Market at Gaya Street, so that the past glory of Gaya Street will live on for the future generations.

loaf of local handicrafts for souvenir

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