Foodie Friday: Sunny Hill Ice-Cream @ Kuching

Date of Visited: 08th September 2013

Life is sweet when I have my ice-cream. I can't deny that my favourite dessert of all time would be ice-cream, besides pudding. So when I went back Kuching last few weeks, I kept telling my dad that I can miss out all those famous foods in Kuching but definitely not this one. I had this ice-cream number of times when I was young but ever since I went college, it's been ages I didn't have this and now I'm craving for more. Thank goodness my flight back to Kota Kinabalu was at night, and therefore we had spare time to visit this ice-cream parlour.

#1: This looks alike old school canteen is situated in front of Sunny Hill Secondary School

#2: There are plenty of choices on how you want the sundae to be served; either in cone or with cup, served with pudding or in sandwich style, or even banana split to choose from. However, if you opt for take away, extra 20 cents will be charged.

However, there are only certain of flavours will be served on the specific days and most of the time, only two flavours are served; strawberry flavour on every Monday and Tuesday, pandan or corn flavour on every Wednesday to Friday and chocolate flavour on every Saturday and Sunday. Whereas for vanilla flavour, it will be served on every single day. So, no worry for those who love Vanilla.

#3: Sweet treat for 6 of us and the total damage was less than RM30

#4: Our ordered: Banana split, sandwich sundae, pudding with sundae and the rest were sundae topped with nuts.

#5: One thing I love about this sundae is that it was not that too sweet and the texture was very smooth and soft at the same time. Simply perfect to cool down my body in such scorching hot weather.

This famous and legendary ice-cream parlour has been operated for more than 50 years and my daddy told us that, when he was in his teenage year, he went and had this sundae if he happen to pass by this area. I can see that the local keep coming in to this ice-cream parlour for non-stop and full with crowd especially on weekend. No doubt that this simple but sweet local delight has brings so much joy and happiness to the local especially to those Kuching people who grew up with the companion of this ice-cream shop.

Business Hours:
Sunday - Thursday: 8:00 am to 10:00 pm
Friday: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Saturday: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Cuti-Cuti Malaysia 2013: Kuching & Penang

The first two weekends of this month is like Cuti-Cuti Malaysia for me. I went Kuching on the first weekend to attend my cousin's wedding and for the following weekend, I went to Alor Setar & Penang for my very best friend's wedding. But of course, besides attending the wedding was my ultimate purpose, I also took this opportunity to stay for few more days to explore and wander around - especially for foods and street arts hunt in Penang.

I will not blog so details like I did for my other travelogues. Only focus on few main things which I think is worth to share throughout my trip to Kuching and Penang, such as:

#1: Sunny Hill Ice-Cream (post here) - The legendary and famous ice-cream parlour in Kuching

#2: First time stayed in Tune Hotel LCCT Airport (post here)

#3: We stayed in Old Penang Guesthouse where the location is so strategic, cheap, clean and comes with air-conditioner and free WiFi connection in the room. (post here)

#4: One of the things I'm looking forward in Penang - street art, wall painting and steel sculpture around the heritage area of George Town. (post here)

#5: It's a sin for not hunting foods around Penang. Thanks to my friends for brought us to Pulau Tikus Hawker Center and also thanks to a Penang blogger, C Wern Hong for bringing us to Gurney Drive Hawker Center and also to the best yong taufu. 

So, my this year Cuti-Cuti Malaysia not just to Kuching and Penang, I also went to Johor Bahru early of this year. Next year Cuti-Cuti Malaysia? I am planning for Ipoh (for the 4th times) and Kota Bahru (never been before).

Foodie Friday: Foods Around Kuching

NOTE: Non-Halal Food Post

Like what I did mentioned before in my previous post that during my trip to Kuching with my family last week, our trip seems like more towards food adventures. Besides Penang and Malacca, I think that Kuching is consider one of the city in Malaysia to be one of the place for food paradise.

Kuching has a number of notable and famous local dishes that mostly served in hawker stalls. It doesn't means that you have to go for grand and luxury restaurants for fine and delicious foods, hawker stalls sometimes serve more delicious than that.

The FOUR heavenly foods that you must try when in Kuching:

Who doesn't know this, the most famous noodle of Sarawak - Kolo Mee? A flash-boiled egg noodles that classically served with crushed garlic and shallot, minced pork, white vinegar, either vegetable oil, pork oil or peanut oil, and sliced barbecue pork known as char siew which is my favourite food that I can have it almost every morning when I was in Kuching. You can have this as low as RM2.60 per bowl in Kuching. It's dirt cheap and sometimes the hawker is generous with the amount of char siew.

Kueh Chap, a ricecake strips served in a herbal soup with assortment of pork internal organs, deep fried tofu, and hard-boiled egg. 

Another favourite of mine, Tomato Sauce Kuey Teow. Some people found it weird to eat this ricecake strips in the tomato sauce but for me, it is simply delicious. Some of the stalls in Kuching do serve in crispy deep fried noodles and you can request whatever ingredients you wanna add into this meal. For me, I prefer chicken, pork and fish cakes.

 

Sarawak Laksa – Spicy coconut prawn paste-based broth served with rice vermicelli, omelette and chicken strips, prawns, sliced deep fried tofu, and occasionally clams. But to be frank, I seldom had this in Kuching cause my mom serve the best Sarawak Laksa.

Apart from the above four heavenly foods of Kuching, there are even many unusual and unique foods you can find around Kuching itself, such as:

I found this one kinda special cause I never came across in anyway, the Belacan Bihun. A vermicelli served together with octopus mixed together with spicy shrimp paste. Did anyone found this food in other place besides Kuching, please share with me but I doubt so on that.

Rojak Buah - Mixed of pineapple

Kuching Special ABC with their special name. From left; White Lady, Harry Potter and Gangnam Style. 

I was so surprised but at the same time, laughed for non-stop when I heard the name. Their ABC are freaking cheap too where you can get as low as RM1.70. Gosh!

Three Layer Milk Tea or locally known as Teh C Special. This three lay­ers are often made up of tea which is on the top, evap­o­rated milk in the middle and Gula Melaka syrup in the bottom part. Not just three, there are some shops even served in five layers. Cool!

Most of the foods above are hardly for you to bring back or even give to your friends and family, unless going to Kuching by themselves. But no worry, as there are always something you can bring back as a gift from Kuching, none other than Kek Lapis or Layer Cake. Everytime when I see those passengers from Kuching flight, most of them brought a big box and sometimes even more than that filled with Kek Lapis. There are many flavour with different kind of patterns and motifs.

I doubt that most of the foods above are hardly to be found in elsewhere, except in Sarawak especially the Kuching city. Wanna try and eat the origin, buy ticket and heading to Kuching for a food adventures that for sure will make you craving for more. No offense but a Malaysian who had been to many countries but not Kuching, it's kinda shame on you. Should plan your trip to this humble cats city someday. Meow!

360 Urban Resort Hotel, Kuching

Usually when my family and I went back Kuching, we will stay in our uncle's place but that's when we were in small group. But unlike my recent trip where there were 8 of us, we had to book the hotel and one of hotel that my dad like to stay is Merdeka Palace Hotel. Only recently, my dad found out that one of his classmates operated and owned this 360 Urban Resort Hock Lee Center or also known as 360 Hotel which located within 5 minutes from Kuching's central business district.

360 Hotel is divided into two tower; Tower A comprises 178 brand new rooms and suites which I think suit for those who travel in couple whereas Tower B offers 95 rooms and apartments which are more suitable for those who travel in big group especially for the family, just like us. 

My dad booked 3 different rooms to accommodate 8 of us. Let's take a look at my parents and brothers' room first - The Executive 2 Bedroom Apartment, shall we?

Once we stepped into the room, we were astonished with the spacious living room. It makes us feel like we were home instead. Exactly a great place for a family gathering.

Then, we can even cooked our own meals at the kitchenette that fully furnished with microwave oven, refrigerator, gas-fired stove, cooking utensils, pots and cutlery.

Two of the bedrooms comprise of 1 double bedroom and 2 single bedroom and each attached with own bathroom. There is even a bathroom located outside the living room, which means the total number of bathroom in this apartment are 3. No worry to fight for the bathroom anymore.

Double bedroom

2 single bedroom for my brothers

Whereas for my sister and I, we got the Executive 1 Bedroom Apartment:

Where our room comes with a living room and a kitchenette too

Our modern and chic room with warm colors that exude luxury and comfort

All of our rooms are equipped with 32" LCD TV, hairdryer, iron and ironing board, laptop size security safe, and complimentary 2 bottles of mineral water. We also noticed there is a DVD Player that is only available for our room type only. The only difference of my room compared others was the TV located right in front of my bed whereas the rest of the other two rooms TV were located in the living room. 

Regarding the bathroom, it was definitely clean and all those basic toiletries are provided such as hand and body tower, shower gel and shampoo, soap, shower cap and cotton bud. The only thing I had problem was the hardly adjustable hot water. Well for the rest, I have no issue on that. Some of our room do have bathtub. 

Adjacent to 360 Urban Resort Hock Lee Center is a decent shopping mall which houses 3 restaurants (Chinese, mixed of both local and western or even pub), supermarket and assorted shops. Other facilities in the hotel included expandable coffeehouse, swimming pool and gym but unfortunately for us was we hadn't so much time to utilize them.  

The only pro side was the location of the hotel which located far a bit from the city centre, unless you have car. Overall, we were satisfied cause for such a big and spacious room, we managed to get the room as low as RM150 per night.  

Interested with this hotel and wanna know more, do find out more HERE.

Family Gathering in Kuching, Sarawak

Just when I thought I need to wait for at least another 6 months for another trip of mine right after back from Bangkok trip last month of October, no, it didn't happened. Out of sudden, my dad requested all of us including my Boyfie and even my sister and her boyfriend from Singapore for a family trip to my second hometown, Kuching. I wasn't born in Kuching anyway but I was part of Sarawakian cause both of my parents were. I went back Kuching like almost once every year but since after I went college, I seldom went back.

It was kinda last minute decision, we decided to fly with Malaysia Airlines after compared the airfare between both AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines. So, don't always think that AirAsia is cheaper all the time but do the comparison with Malaysia Airlines first. I did flew with Malaysia Airlines when I back from my Bangkok trip last month of October.

My second trip with Boyfie this year after our Hong Kong & Macau trip in September. 

To my surprised, we flew with Malaysia Airlines new Boeing aircraft. I can even charged my smartphone inside the aircraft. Cool man! I always wanna blog my flying experience with Malaysia Airlines but too many travel posts in queue. :S

We stayed in 360 Urban Resort Hotel. A service apartment hotel with spacious living room and kitchen costs RM150 per night only. It's freaking cheap because this hotel operated and owned by my dad's classmate. Will blog about this in the upcoming post. 

Since this was the first time for both my Boyfie & my sister's bf visited Kuching, therefore my uncle brought us around and visited some of their museum.

Sarawak Museum Old Building 

The Spring, the largest lifestyle shopping mall in the state. Went here just to take photo of the tall Christmas tree. I didn't bought anything cause most of the shops inside are available too in Kota Kinabalu city such as Padini, Guess, Mango, Esprit, Quiksilver, Roxy La Senza and more. 

We didn't wandered around Kuching much cause there are quite few of family events being held throughout the trip. 

My mom's uncle and aunty 71st & 81st birthday celebration. That little gal in blue dress I blogged about her before - click HERE.

My brother and my sister's boyfriend birthday celebration.

 A group photo of my grandpa and grandma of mommy's side together with all the grandchildren. I am the eldest one but I think soon or later, I am the shortest among all of them.

3 days 3 nights in Kuching with Boyfie were indeed too short for us but we had a very big and huge family gathering, not just on my mom's side but on my dad's side too. I did met my twin cousin too, who has the exact same birthday as mine - same day, same month and same year too. Just the time were different. Might going to Kuching again for her wedding soon.

Last but not least, my Kuching trip seems like more towards food adventures. Eat eat eat is what we did throughout the trip. That's the reason why I refused back to Kuching cause I always putting on weight with all the delicious and cheap foods.

Tiger prawns, sea cucumbers, crabs, scallops, fresh fish and more cooked by my aunt and her husband who owned seafood restaurant in Kubah Ria in conjuction with my brother's birthday celebration.

 All the notable local foods and meals that we had. It's dirt cheap where you can get Kolo Mee as low as RM2.60 with so many char siew. Will blog about this too in the upcoming post.

Kuching South City Council Cat Statue is wearing the X'mas costume.

So here, I concluded that this City of Cats marked as my 10th trip for the year 2012 itself.