What to eat in Samarahan?

Samarahan Division is a salad bowl of ethnic diversity, with a population made up of mostly Malay and Bumiputera folks, with some West Malaysian residents living in areas like Desa Ilmu. Samarahan is also a foodie haven, with many places serving delicious food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here are some of those places:

BREAKFAST

Asajaya Cafeteria

This eatery in Asajaya New Township has received rave reviews from visitors. Forget everything else and aim straight for the Special Udang Menu. Choose from Mee Udang King, Mee Udang Dara, Mee Udang Galah, Laksa Sarawak Udang, Nasi Udang Butter or Nasi Udang Kunyit. Now that’s breakfast Asajaya style!

Where: No 1 Pekan Asajaya New Township, Asajaya.
Hours: 7am-4.30pm daily (hours may vary due to COVID-19)

Auntie Hakka Station

This non-Halal coffee shop near Aiman Mall is very famous for its Kolo Mee. It’s no wonder it is always packed! In fact, it’s one of the best kolo mee we’ve ever tasted. And that is no lie.

Where: 94300 Kota Samarahan, adjacent to Unaco Supermarket
Hours: 6am-6pm daily (hours may vary due to COVID-19)

LUNCH

M.U.G – Mi Udang Gumpey by Haji Bukri

Like the name suggests, the star dish here is their Mi Udang Gumpey giant prawn noodles. Some describe the noodle as simply “Wow!”. M.U.G also serves kampung style local food and Western cuisine too!

Where: Kampung Gumpey, Simunjan
Hours: 9am-8pm daily except Monday (hours may vary due to COVID-19)

Briyani House Hj Kamri

If you love Briyani, this is the place to try it at Kota Samarahan. Their Briyani Kambing is superb! If you don’t like mutton, you can opt for Briyani Ayam too. Their roti canai is also said to be out of this world!

Where: Block 5, Jalan Datuk Mohd Musa, Bandar Baru Kota Samarahan
Hours: 6.30am-3pm daily (hours may vary due to COVID-19)

Oten’s Café @ Rasa Indah Kafeteria

This place is particularly famous for its wide variety of delicious food served in a cosy, breezy surrounding. Prices are cheap too. It’s the place to go if you’re unsure of what you want to eat but are guaranteed of good food.

Where: Jalan Dato Mohd Musa, Kampung Sindang Baru, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak
Hours: 7.15am-10.30pm daily (hours may vary due to COVID-19)

DINNER

Nasi Ayam Mak Entek

The legendary Nasi Ayam Mak Entek is a must for anyone who visits Desa Ilmu in Kota Samarahan. It is a dish of spiced deep-fried chicken served with rice, sweet chilli sauce and baked beans. This dish is a hit with students and staff of the nearby universities. Some West Malaysian and Sabahan former students and staff even make trips back to Desa Ilmu just to eat Nasi Ayam Mak Entek.

Where: Warung Nusantara Food Court, Block 1, Lot 2631, No. 9-10, Jalan Dato Mohd Musa, Desa Ilmu Phase 1 Stage 2, Kota Samarahan
Hours: Open 24 hours daily (hours may vary due to COVID-19)

Nasi Lemak Antu Desa Ilmu

So named because of its taste that haunts you whenever you feel like eating nasi lemak for dinner, supper and even very early in the morning, Nasi Lemak Antu Desa Ilmu is hauntingly famous among students and residents of Desa Ilmu and beyond. The nasi lemak is very simple but is incredibly addictive – and not to mention cheap!

Where: 10-28, Lor Desa Ilmu 4, Taman Desa Ilmu, 94300 Kota Samarahan
Hours: 6pm-6am Monday to Friday, and 5.30pm-12am Saturday and Sunday (hours may vary due to COVID-19)

Satay Kajang Sampan Ori

This place opens 3pm onwards but is mostly occupied from dinnertime onwards. Very famous for their flavourful and tender satay with delicious peanut sauce. Choose from chicken, beef, mutton, rabbit, duck, fish, venison and tripe satay! They also serve Nasi Lemak Buluh with Melaka original recipe sambal and a variety of side dishes like fried chicken, rendang chicken, beef rendang, squid sambal and so many more.