Diamond in the Rough 23 Families that Eat Together, Stay Together 24 Kopitiam by Day, Café by Night 25 Berry Wonderful & Life is Short, Eat Dessert First

openings

Diamond in the Rough

So how do I get there again? Wait, what … keep an eye out for all the graffiti? Okay, if you say so. As it turns out, this proved to be a pretty accurate description. Nestled within what was once considered a dodgy run down area that people would steer away from at night; Batu Satu now plays base to the urban, hip, go-to coffee specialty providers going by the label Batches Coffee. Arriving on the scene in 2016 and whipping up cold brews for a thirsty public at pop-up events on hot days, the main duo behind this increasingly popular locale moved into the hood some 8 months ago.

Commissioning the resident graffiti professionals that Brunei has come to know and love – The Guerilla Artchitects – the entire walkway to the rough concrete coffee house is splashed with vibrancy, which has drawn young working professionals and the youth like moths to the flame. Heck, people in my age group who wished we had these sort of features available to us in the mid-90s also make up part of the crowd.

The pillars of a stretch of walkway, along with the shutters of long unused units play host to the rainbow in the form of artwork from popular Western and Eastern pop culture. Godzilla vs King Kong, Apu from the Simpsons who points the way, the simian better known to the NFT community as The Bored Ape, and an array of designs has turned the area into an urban oasis of colour that breathes life into its surroundings. There’s more. Two lengthy sections of wall are home to yet more artwork. A large centerpiece exists around the corner from the coffee house’s entrance, featuring the street artists’ logo, while Charlie Brown and the gang are presented with a slight Malay twist as they cruise down Jalan Bapaku. After your eyes finish feasting on the visuals, head on inside. This is where the glorious coffee is after all. With specialty roasts sourced from Malaysia, Australia, and the UK – who in turn source their beans from Panama, Columbia, Brazil, Kenya, and Indonesia – it is a safe bet that a great cup of Joe awaits consumption right here. A grey laid back interior promotes a physical body cool-down from the heat outdoors, and while an outdoor section seats roughly 6 people, another 15 or so people are afforded a good amount of space inside. Everyone here is friendly, the vibe is chilled, and Cushion the Cat comes and goes as he pleases. Final thought? It is about darn time we had an area like this to frequent. Well played Batches, well played. •• Unit 6, Ground Floor, Block C, Cenderawaseh Seri Sufri Complex, Batu Satu (Look for the street art!) Open: 7:30am-5pm (Mon-Thurs) 7:30am-8pm (Fri-Sat) Tel: 673-7142900 IG: @batchescoffee FB: Batches Coffee

Families that eat together, stay together

It might be hard to imagine a restaurant that could cater to everyone, but Sip n’ Snack does a great job at it. Centered around food built for sharing and a welcoming ambiance, owner Dilys Chai is motivated by her father’s motto that ‘a family who eats together, stays together’. The menu is geared towards that, with big portions that invite diners to sit down and enjoy time together over delicious food and drinks. Keeping things in the family, Dilys shares the space with Sourdays Pizza, a venture that began with her brother’s lockdown sourdough baking and eventuated into the pizza business it is today.

“It made sense to pair the (rest of the) menu with pizza, because we have the different items on the Sip n’ Snack menu that complement each other and I thought that it would be a good option to offer alongside the wraps and main dishes.” Although much of the menu leans towards healthy Tex-Mex (avocados and house made sour cream in full abundance), there isn’t a specific cuisine that the restaurant focuses on. She also placed importance on freshness with the majority of food or ingredients made in-house. As risky as it is opening a restaurant in the midst of Covid-19, Dilys was set on the challenge and officially opened Sip n’ Snack in January of 2022. “I still prefer having (a physical space); it’s not quite the same when you’re taking all this food away. We want people to eat and have that experience of being out.”

She is particularly happy to see that the menu has appeal across generations, with children bringing family members or parents, and friends, to Sip n’ Snack. ‘I thought about what would be a good snack to have’, Dilys explains of which items ended up making the final cut of menu tastings, adding that it was definitely a conscious point to include more vegetable or vegetarian options for the growing consumer base. The people’s favourites so far? Big plates of chicken wings, thick quesadillas and chunky fistsized wraps or flavour packed burrito bowls heaped with tasty protein or a tender and smoky jackfruit. Need something to sip on over lunch or dinner? Old classics like a soothing Honey Lemon share menu space with café styled coffees and fresh juice mocktails, so whatever your mood is, there really is something to satisfy it. •• No A7, Simpang 30, Aman Hill,Jalan Aman, Kampong Sungai Tilong Open: 11am-8:30pm (Mon-Thurs) 9am-12pm & 2pm-8:30pm (Fri) 10am-8:30pm (Sat-Sun) Tel: 673-7374688 IG: @sipnsnack_bn FB: SipnSnack

Sugar is overrated, Have this instead

Who in their right mind would ever say no to seeing more locales such as Yolé appearing in Brunei’s food and beverage scene? I mean have you seen how hot it is out there? Yes, we have our fair share of monsoon rains too, but with humidity and sunshine levels increasingly hitting new highs, anyone walking past this frozen yoghurt and ice cream specialist is going to freeze in their tracks and immediately think “Get in my belly now!” Originally hailing from Spain, this great excuse for having dessert in the middle of the day first appeared in the Setia Kenangan II area in December 2021 before quickly establishing its presence at Times Square, as well as Rimba Point too. From Froyos and ice creams, to their thick shakes and recently introduced Frappes, the absence of refined sugars is a major plus for those seeking a guilt-free snack. With a wide variety of toppings and sauces to choose from, it is the selection of fruits that have been drawing the fitness fanatics and the more health conscious through the tall glass doors. “Anything in particular that they like?” I ask the super friendly, and incredibly informative staff member, who proceeds to answer, “Kiwi is the most popular. And the watermelon. And the mango. And the …”. Alright then, I will settle for ‘All of the Above’, which is indicative of Yolé being off to a great start. •• Unit No. F11, Ground Floor, Block F, Setia Kenangan 2, Kampong Kiulap Open daily: 11am-9pm Tel: 673-8141088 IG: @yolebrunei FB: Yolé Brunei

Kopitiam by Day,

Café by Night

Chicken Hainan Pasta anyone? Yes, you read that right. An interesting fusion of East meets West that I did not expect to find on the menu when I stopped by a corner-of-the-block eatery in the Tungku area. Opening up with little fanfare in March 2021 due to Brunei attempting to ride out a Covid wave, this laid back locale is a pleasant addition to our food and beverage scene.

Seating up to 40 people indoors and 8 people outdoors when at full capacity, the interior and layout is accommodating and well-sized. A tri-textured wall on one side of the eatery provides a nice sequence of changing backdrops. It begins with packed stone with the business’s namesake on a bold red sign; followed by a black and white mural painted by a local artist that is a mesh of local sights and nature; culminating in a polished concrete wall with a scratchy effect for that modern urban vibe that since its introduction in the Sultanate 7 years ago continues to be all the rage with the youth. The latter section is history on a wall, as it is adorned 13 framed monochromatic images showcasing aspects of life in Brunei back in the day. A mini landscaped Koi pond aside the outdoor dining area provides yet more character and personality indicative of a well-thought out approach.

The eatery operates as a Kopitiam in the mornings, and a café space to chill out at in the late afternoon and evening, resulting in time specific breakfasts and lunches/dinner. So if you want those pancakes, you better get there before 11.30am. The offerings are decent and very affordable, with outsourced pastries arriving at 11 daily. These however tend to sell out fast, so first come first serve. Cash and BiBD transfers are the only modes of payment currently, but work is underway to enable customers to pay via debit or credit card in the near future. •• Unit 13A, Ground Floor, Block C, Latifuddin Complex, Jalan Lebuhraya Tungku Open daily: 8am-7pm Tel: 673-7347488 IG: @kafe_dekopi FB: kafe De’Kopi

Life is short, eat dessert first

Who would have thought that when a young man holidaying in Japan discovered a unique savoury pastry dish, which he adapted to suit the Malaysian palate, that it would turn him into the owner of a 115-strong outlet franchise in under 10 years. Founded in 2016, it did not take long before he chose to turn his brand into the epitome of a Japanese dessert house in 21st Century Malaysia. It first began in Bandar Puchong Jaya, and after listening to the steady build-up of popular requests, decided Sarawak is a market being overlooked.

Sarawakians armed with sweet tooths got to watch with a little bit of envy at first, before that morphed into more vocal requests for them to be included in the destination menu. Well, they were heard and listened to, as the 1st of June saw the opening of the first outlet in that state (#115), with a branch being set up in the Marina Times Square complex in Miri City. The atmosphere has a simple yet modern vibe. The interior balances the warmth of sandalwood laminate flooring and the electric orange neon sign, with dark grey walls that are just as cooling to the senses of the mind, as the beverages and ice-shaved desserts are to those of our palate and stomach.

The closest people have been able to come to nominating a clear favourite is the Kakigori, which itself is a category and not a specific dish, highlighting how well-rounded it is overall. There is chocolate ice, fruit ice, milk ice, and yoghurt ice variants covering a wide selection of more specific flavours. Along with their signature toasts, croissants, macaroons, artisanal cakes, and beverages; I am willing to wager that you most certainly will find something here for your stomach to fall in love with, if it has not already done so in the past.

Berry Wonderful

What initially began as a passion for baking led to the founding of Bundusanbased Le Berries, the neighbourhood’s specialist artisanal cake maker. Armed with premium natural ingredients and eschewing the use of colouring additives, it did not take long for the quality of the work to speak for itself.

Taking the form of a loyal client base impressed with the baker’s consistency and creativity; the whipping up of themed goodies revolving around the festive seasons of Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, and Christmas, as well as for special occasions, provided yet more opportunity to shine. Interestingly enough, a line of goodies labelled as the Surprise Cup Series has proven to be a unique best seller wherein a sponge cake is buried beneath an assortment of fruits such as watermelon and strawberry cubes topped with mini taro balls. With strawberry cheese, tiramisu, mango taro, and black forest added to the series, the only way not to miss out is to try them all, a suggestion that I am willing to bet is crossing your mind at this very moment as you read this statement.

Things seem to be heating up in the kitchen, and in a good sense, as Le Berries launched its 2nd outlet just half a year ago in Gaya Street, as well as a 3rd outlet in Kolombong just 5 months later. That is pretty sweet! •• B-12-1, Bundusan Pavilion, 88100, Kota Kinabalu Tel: 6011-1273138 (Kolombong) 6014-7383318 (Bundusan) 6012-6801318 (Gaya Street) IG: le.berries FB: Le Berries

With a good reception for branch #115’s soft launch inclusive of a dragon dance, while under the watchful gaze of the franchise’s unicorn shaped logo, do expect your Bruneian neighbours to start rocking up in the future too. •• A-G-22, Ground Floor, Marina Times Square, Miri Open daily: 11am-10pm IG: mykorridessertcafe FB: Mykõri Dessert Café – Miri, Sarawak