Gan's stall, Da Jia Hao ('hello everyone' in Mandarin), sits inside Belly+Kopitiam at RH Plaza — a busy kopitiam that fills up fast once the lunch crowd arrives. His specialty is handmade flat egg noodles in a savoury mackerel broth, a style that was still rare in Kuching when he opened.

DayakDaily

Gan did not grow up in the food trade. Before opening Da Jia Hao, he spent more than 20 years selling kitchenware and home appliances, and even worked as a microwave instructor for an international company in Kuala Lumpur. A career in Indonesia and Brunei followed. But after retiring from that industry, he realised what he really wanted was to cook.

"I wanted to earn a livelihood while doing something meaningful, so I decided to make pan mee and open this stall," he shares.

Self-taught, Gan spent years refining his recipes to suit local tastes. Today he offers eight varieties of pan mee, with the fresh mackerel soup version remaining the favourite. Although he uses a machine to roll the dough, every bit of fish is processed by hand — a labour-intensive process he finds deeply rewarding.

The result is a broth that carries the clean sweetness of fresh mackerel, paired with noodles that have just the right chew. It is not a fancy bowl, but it is honest, filling and consistent — the kind that brings regulars back week after week.

DayakDaily

Gan works alongside his wife, Mdm Teng, at the stall. His two children have not expressed interest in taking over, but Gan shows no signs of slowing down. "As long as I still enjoy cooking and my customers enjoy eating my pan mee, I'll continue," he says.

Da Jia Hao is open in two daily windows — 8am to 1pm and 5pm to 9pm — so it works for both a late breakfast and an early dinner. The morning session tends to be quieter; the evening crowd brings a livelier buzz.

DayakDaily

Address: Belly+Kopitiam, RH Plaza, Lorong Lapangan Terbang 1, 93250 Kuching

Open in Google Maps

Hours: 8:00am–1:00pm, 5:00pm–9:00pm daily

Contact: 012-345 1966

If you are after a hearty, no-fuss bowl of pan mee that tastes like somebody's family recipe — because it is — this stall at RH Plaza is worth making time for.