When I had Sarawak laksa cravings not too long ago, Rustic Borneo Kitchen came recommended by some followers who hail from Kuching. I visited them twice for dine-in and did two rounds of takeaway items for good measure.
Rustic Borneo Kitchen’s main dining section
Prior to my visit, I was told Rustic Borneo Kitchen is quite stuffy but I actually find it alright. There’s a new dining section (next door to the main lot) and I’d say it’s relatively comfortable despite not having air-conditioning. Sarawak Laksa and kolo mee are highlights, judging from what most tables ordered.
No-frills setup
There’s also manicai bihun (RM10 – small, RM11 – large), tomato mee (RM11 – small, RM12 – large) and cha chu mee (RM11 – small, RM12 – large); all of which are Sarawak staples. Service is relatively quick but I noticed they get a little frazzled when the place is crowded.
Sarawak laksa
Sarawak laksa comes with two noodle option – bihun or kolo mee. I opted for bihun as I like the texture better when paired with laksa broth. We went for a large serving as I feel most Sarawak laksa portions are small, despite ordering a large. Fortunately, Rustic Borneo Kitchen isn’t as small as what I expected but I’d still opt for the large portion as the small portion (I did a takeaway as well) was too little.
Bihun had good texture and the broth packs enough kick
Taste-wise, it was worth the trip. Broth is rich, aromatic and robust from the spices. It’s not the “in-your-face” kind of robust, but one that’s quite balanced and pleasant overall. Bihun texture is nicely chewy and they don’t stinge with the chicken and egg topping which is a plus point.
While the Sarawak laksa is good, it was the Sarawak kolo mee (RM8.50 – small, RM9.50 – large) that stole the spotlight at Rustic Borneo Kitchen. There are three sauce options – red, white or black – I usually go for the white version as I find the red sauce a tad sweet and the black one feels as though I’m eating regular konlo noodles.
Sarawak kolo mee (white version)
I’ve had good Sarawak kolo mee in Klang Valley but Rustic Borneo Kitchen’s kolo mee is by far the best. Noodles are cooked just right and the seasoning was flavourful from the use of lard and shallot oil. I half expected the char siew slices to be dry and hard but that wasn’t the case; the pork was tender enough.
The takewaway kolo mee doesn’t quite hold up as well as the Sarawak laksa – it’s still tasty but the texture of the noodles are slightly compromised. I suggest you eat this at the premise itself for better satisfaction.
Siew yuk kolo mee (white version)
Not a fan of this as I still prefer char siew when it comes to Sarawak kolo mee
We had the siew yuk kolo mee (RM9.50 – small, RM10.50 – large) during our next visit to see what difference does switching out char siew to siew yuk makes. Noodles are just as good as the prior visit but I didn’t not enjoy the siew yuk combo as much. For some reason, the saltiness of the siew yuk doesn’t really go with the kolo mee. Felt out of place in my opinion.
Manicai bihun
Manicai bihun is quite decent though I feel it could use a bit more wok char since this dish is lighter in flavour. I reckon the owner is trying to maintain the integrity of the manicai – you can add a bit of chilli belacan to give it a better kick.
Tomato crispy mee
I’m not really a fan of Sarawak tomato mee but Rustic Borneo Kitchen’s version might be good enough to make me change my mind. I opted for crispy mee and it tasted as though I’m having Cantonese style crispy noodles, but in tangy-sweet tomato gravy instead.
This is worth checking as there’s good depth in the gravy
For some reason, this dish had a stronger char and the gravy boasts depth apart from just tangy and sweet. There’s this underlying savouriness I picked up but I can’t put a finger to what was used to create this. Definitely ordering this again when I visit.
Cha chu mee (Foochow braised fried noodles)
I was quite excited to see cha chu mee on the menu as it’s a quintessential Foochow dish in my household (my parents and grandparents are Sitiawan Foochow). The Sarawak version is similar but with more meat and seafood compared to its Sitiawan counterpart.
Would have been a good dish if it wasn’t for the strong alkaline taste in the noodles
The gravy and noodle texture for Rustic Borneo Kitchen’s cha chu mee was on point and it would have been a stellar dish had it not been for the overpowering “kan sui” taste and smell from the noodles.
3 layer tea
I wanted to try their kiaw but it was sold out by the time we arrived (slightly past 1pm). The 3 Layer Tea (RM3.90) was just alright for me – I feel it’s not thick enough, so it wasn’t as satisfying.
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All in, I quite enjoyed Rustic Borneo Kitchen. I like that the place is basic and fuss-free but still comfortable enough for one to enjoy a hot bowl of Sarawak laksa. I prefer the kolo mee here over Mouth Mee and Lin Li Xiang.
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Ambiance: 5.5/10
Price: 7/10
Food: 7.5/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: Sarawak laksa, kolo mee and tomato crispy mee are worth checking out.
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Rustic Borneo Kitchen
Kelana Sentral Apartment,
Jalan Bahagia, SS 6,
47301 Petaling Jaya.
Tel: 018-389 4966
Business hours: 7am till 3pm
(closed Monday)