Ruai Kitai Cafe

Ruaikitai Tribal Cafe & Restaurant

Fancy a different kind of theme cafe to hang out? I discovered a rather unique place for people who want:

- Unique interior deco (very tribal indeed)
- Traditional food - BBQ Pork, Bamboo cuisine
- Local tuak, langkau and cheap beer

They even have their own website at Ruaikitai.Com. I had asked the owner, a former government servant, radio disc jockey, big biker and politician - Mr. Peter John to put in a map as the place is quite out of the main traffic flow. Even I have trouble trying to describe where to go but to be on the safe side its near the BB Hostel - famous for backpacking tourists.

The entrance - looks simple from the outside

The ambience and deco are very 'longhouse setting' type (except for the lamp)

Guests enjoying themselves in the 'tribal' atmosphere - you can sit on a sofa, wooden chair or a bar table and chair


There's a rattan chair too - with traditional tobacco known as "smakau"

They serve traditional food - barbecue pork 'Iban' style


If you prefer some private discussions - there is a corner for just that - close the curtains if you have really 'secret' discussions


Some other antique decos also being displayed


And they have a unique 'bratak' or a tradiditionally designed raised platform for cutomers to enjoy the setting

Time for some "traditional" smoke


The 'smakau' or tobacco is rolled to form the "cigarette"


The chef of the traditional barbecue menu


Even the toilet (latine) is decorated traditionally


You can wash your hands - at the traditionally decorated bathroom


And the drinks there are quite cheap during Happy Hours

Nadai Nama's Ratings

Non Halal Status: They serve pork here but if you do not mind and are there just for the environment and friendly people you are welcome. Just order a few soda drinks and you can still enjoy the traditional deco and music

Environment:Traditional setting (no air condition)

Price: Don't worry its Affordable

Waiters & Cooks: Friendly &

Food: Delicous BBQ Pork, Bamboo Chicken, Pork (mostly traditional food)

My overall ratings - give it a try as I make sure its my hangout place. The term itself Ruai Kitai means its Our Place making it open to everyone and not intimidating. Which is why I will recommend it to everyone as the name depicts it does not belong to a particular group. So you do not have to fear bumping into any wild Sarawakian tribes here.

Singapore Chicken Rice

New kid on the block

Singapore Chicken Rice recently opened up a new outlet along Jalan Song (just across the Taman Sahabat). Being curious and hungry (two lethal combination) when I passed the place I decided to give it a try. So here are the things that were oredered when I was there:

The place looks hygienic. Of course they have chicken (steamed and roasted) - the walls are decorated with pictures of delicous dishes being offered


You can choose to eat inside or outside (or upstairs). There are two floors - the lower and upper floor and you may have a choice of eating outside or inside when you are on the ground floor.

Tom Yum Kung - okay they will give you just one prawn and crab roll

Taugeh as your veggie of choice and the steam rice

The steamed chicken rice and soup - Yum Yummy


Tauhu looks nice - I wish they had more tauhu on that big plate though

And being just one of the few halal outlets there it is quite convenient. I happened to catch an old (and young) buddy Dr. Mahadzir Datuk Sulaiman Daud trying the place out

Nadai Nama's ratings:

Environment: Just nice and you have that choice of eating outside and inside (ground floor or upper floor)

Menu: They have a variety of dishes to choose from apart from the ones I ordered - they even serve fried mee (various style)

Price: Reasonable as each dish is around RM5 to RM6 per person and drings are averaged at RM1.50 to RM2.00

Staff friendliness: They are all smiles and of course patient with me - being picky I went "Uummm... I have this one, oh no no no... I 'll have that.... oh... no no no... not that..." I guess if they want to eject me out of the shop they will still do it with a smile....

I must get Pierce to join me to try out this place next time :)

Secret Recipe Kuching

First Secret Recipe in Sarawak Reviewed

Last weekend I managed to review another new food and drinks venue in Kuching. It is appropriately known as the Secret Recipe. From their website I discovered that they have many outlets in Malaysia (said to be famous in Kuala Lumpur) and also the Asian region - Singapore, Thailand, Phillipines and China.

If you go along Jalan Song Thian Cheok, you can't miss it as it is just across the former Upwell Supermarket (another landmark nearby is across the Malaysia Airlines Building) in Kuching

The deco out front looks mouth watering with the pictures of the Fusion Menu being displayed

You will recieve a rather attractive menu upon getting a table - and I do recommend that you do not get distracted by the pictures of the delicous food there (do try to look at the price too)

The internal deco again is also quite attractive - the place is quite full most of the time. Its either that this place is really famous or that the Kuchingites love trying out new venues for their meals


It seems that they are the best in some of the cateories they mentioned in the banner dispalyed behind the cake counter

Really yummy view of the pastries being displayed


The cakes in the refrigerators

Various assortment of cakes to your choosing

The Cheese Cake being examined throroughly RM5 ++

The Lasagne - I just pronounced it 'Laksa' so don't get confused (RM11 ++)


Chicken Mushroom Rice - The difference of course with the other Chicken Mushroom Rice in the other food outlets may be the price. This one is about RM12++

Curry Mee with Seafood is about RM14 ++

Chicken Kebab Rice comes at RM12 ++

Smarties Treat Ice Cream comes at about RM8 ++

The Frosty Lemon tea costs around RM7 ++

So here goes Nadai Name's ratings for Secret Recipe:

• Set up: The environment is pleasant and if its a hearty meal you are looking for - this is the place for just that
• Pricing: For my standard its quite on the 'high' side. Add in the other dishes ordered the bill for 4 person was about RM105 ++ (So its about RM25++ per person as it came with the cakes and ice cream)
• Halal status: The website indicates Secret Recipe is a Halal outlet.
• Other Remarks: At peak period its not a place to hang out as it will be full of people and if you do care to check the entrace to the wash room (or toilet) the entrance is rather narrow. I would not want to sit near the entrance to the wash room too - it will spoil your appetite
• The place is fully air conditioned but I guess the seats outside are for the smokers though I do recommend that if you do smoke - please try to stop (Tak Nak!)
• Staff friendliness: Well trained staff (try not to look in their eyes when you look at the bill. I guess they want to see whether you are going to have the surprise of you life). But if you wish to amuse them - pretend that you are having a heart attack. If you wish to be macho just throw your credit card in between the bills and tell them to keep it.