When a Kuching food walk reaches Ewe Hai Street, JAK MA'AN gives the old city centre a distinctly Bidayuh stop. The restaurant was built around a simple idea: bring village flavours into a city dining room while keeping the food connected to the people and places that shaped it. [image: 1789610832046-midin.jpg] Source — PianoFortePhilia Midin, the young jungle fern, is one of Sarawak's clearest seasonal signatures. The photographed plate keeps the focus on the curled fern and garlic rather than burying it under a heavy sauce. It is a useful first order for visitors who want to understand the ingredient before moving to the restaurant's more substantial dishes. [image: 1789610832157-ayam-pansuh.jpg] Source — PianoFortePhilia Ayam Pansuh is the other defining stop: chicken cooked in bamboo, presented as part of the Bidayuh table rather than as a generic grilled-chicken dish. The restaurant's story is tied to Magdalene Rosalind Crocker and Nick Jansen, who set out to preserve Bidayuh food culture in the city. Their approach also includes village-linked supplies such as tempoyak and traditional drinks, keeping the cultural story connected to sourcing as well as recipes. [image: 1789610832231-location.jpg] Source — PianoFortePhilia That makes JAK MA'AN a good pairing with a Carpenter Street heritage walk: the location is central, but the meal points beyond the tourist core to Bidayuh ingredients, memory and technique. The dining room's village-inspired details reinforce that bridge. Visitors can share the fern and bamboo-cooked chicken, then ask what seasonal Bidayuh dish is available that day rather than treating the menu as a standard city-centre checklist. JAK MA'AN Bidayuh Cuisine 85 Ewe Hai Street, 93000 Kuching, Sarawak Open JAK MA'AN in Google Maps For a first taste of Bidayuh food in Kuching, this is the kind of stop that earns time at the table: midin shows the ingredient, while Ayam Pansuh carries the cooking tradition. Would you make the fern your first order, or go straight for the bamboo-cooked chicken?

The first thing that catches the eye at Kaban Dayak Food is the yellow sign, but the real reason to stop is the row of ready dishes beneath it. At Premiere Food Court in Bandar Riyal, Kota Samarahan, the stall turns traditional Sarawak flavours into an easy, everyday lunch or early dinner stop. [image: 1788156916592-kaban1.jpg] Source: DayakDaily The spread has the kind of variety that makes a food-court visit fun: savoury meat dishes, soups, vegetables and familiar Dayak preparations waiting behind the glass. I like this format because you can build a plate according to your appetite instead of committing to one large order. It also gives first-timers a practical way to look at several local flavours in one visit. [image: 1788156916805-kaban2.jpg] Source: DayakDaily Kaban Dayak Food has been serving since 2015, and the stall's name carries a welcoming idea — “our Dayak friends”. That spirit comes through in the straightforward setup: food is visible, the choices are easy to understand and the focus stays on cooking that feels connected to Sarawak's home-style traditions. [image: 1788156917006-kaban3.jpg] Source: DayakDaily This is a useful Kota Samarahan stop when you want something more distinctive than a standard rice-and-dish counter. Go earlier if you want the fullest selection, and take a little time to read the dish labels before choosing. The stall operates daily from 9:30am to 9:30pm, giving both lunch and dinner plans some flexibility. Kaban Dayak Food, Premiere Food Court, Bandar Riyal, Kota Samarahan Open in Google Maps My take: save Kaban Dayak Food for the day you want to sample Sarawakian flavours in a relaxed food-court setting. It is especially handy for a group with different appetites, because everyone can choose a plate that suits them.