Food Galore in KK

One of the key desires of the returnees for the family reunion was to eat all the gourmet food and delicacies KK is famous for. It is unthinkable that a family reunion can gather without spending time eating together. Eating together is about reconnecting, reliving old times and laughing together.

We spent significant amount of time eating at all sorts of food outlets. Here are but some of the places we visited.

The grandchildren's hope of eating Roti Tisu at Restoran Harun Fish Head Curry, Plaza 333 did not materialize. The outlet did not serve Roti Tisu that day. Unfortunately, the Roti Canai we ordered that day was not up to mark!

Fortunately, the kids were not disappointed. A couple of days later, they had the gigantic Roti Tisu served at Restoran Salim, Lintas Plaza. That left an unforgettable impression to the kids, adults included! 

After a dip at the club swimming pool and a stroll at Tanjong Aru Beach, we had dinner at Lucy's Kitchen in Kinabalu Golf Club.

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At Restoran Kin Hwa, Inanam, we ordered one of my favourite - charcoal-fired roast pork noodle. The crisp and crunchy skin is simply mouth-watering!

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We were supposed to have Nasi Kerabu for lunch at Uncle Garry Recipe at Penampang but we discovered that this outlet had been permanently closed upon arrival at the location. Upon making instant inquiry through the phone, we were then directed to Mom Mom Grill at Rainfield. The proprietor confirmed he learnt his skill in making Nasi Kerabu from Uncle Garry.

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Initially, we had high hope of the banana rice served at Rose Banana Leaf Tanjung Aru. In the end, we found out that this was not to be!

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Of all food outlets, Restaurant Beaufort is the most visited place. I was there in three occasions taking the three families to savor the Beaufort Mee.

First round, with Serene's family.

Then seven days later, with Sam's family.

A week later, we joined Paul and Junshi to have my third round of  Beaufort Mee.

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We had Dim Sum at Lok Tien Dim Sum, Taman Dai Ming. In the photo, the grandchildren were enjoying their favourite steamed egg custard buns (liu sha bao).

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The day before we drove to Kundasang,  family members of my siblings joined us for afternoon tea at our home.

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On our way to Kundasang on 11.07.2022, we stopped at Keng Swee Hing, Tamparuli to have the much-publicized Tamparuli Mee for our lunch.

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Lunch at Kinabalu National Park just before we drove back to KK after spending two days at Kundasang. On the way, we stopped at Kedai Kopi Ban Hing in Menggatal to have our afternoon tea. This outlet is famous for their butter buns!

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Dinner at New WK Restaurant, Luyang on 13.07.2022, the day before Sam left for home the next day.

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After Sam's family left for home on 14.07.2022, we and Serene's family had satay at Satay Jawi in Likas Plaza for dinner before they departed KK on 16.07.2022 for home. This was our first time eating at this outlet. The extended covered shed outside the main dining area turned out to be a nice place to enjoy the satay! The area has a clear view of the Likas Mosque.

Down Memory Lane - Kinabalu National Park

I have lost count the number of times we visited the Kinabalu National Park. In the 1980's, Kinabalu National Park was practically the only accommodation visitors could book for overnight stay. The other popular place for overnight stay was at Perkasa Hotel Mt. Kinabalu which was opened in 1981. While the Park is under the jurisdiction of Sabah Parks, all applications for accommodation and mountain climbing guides are now processed by a private company, Sutera Sanctuary Lodges.

Kinabalu Park, Malaysia's first World Heritage Site declared by UNESCO in December 2000. 

Paul looked at the lodges we once stayed and spent our
holidays in those bygone years!

The third generation!

Almost in every trip to the Park, we never failed to walk the trail and stop at this huge "Rafflesia". Compared to our last trip in December 2017 with Serene's family (Read here), the crowd was bigger this time. Unfortunately in this recent trip, our walk had to be cut short because of the drizzling rain!

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Our short tour of the Park ended with lunch at the cafeteria.

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Back in the 1980s, the wishing pool was a favourite haunt for our three children, who delighted in tossing coins and making wishes. Sadly, during our recent visit, we found that the pool was no longer accessible, leaving only fond memories of those bygone days.

Photo probably taken in 1987, some 35 years ago!

The Family Portrait Taken at Sabah Tea Plantation

The last time we had a complete family photo taken was in December 2017 - just a couple of months shy of five years ago (Read here). Back then, little Livvie was barely a year old; today, she’s already five. Since then, our family has grown with the arrival of Maddie, born during the Covid-19 pandemic, who is now a lively two-year-old.

Our 2017 family portrait was captured by Louis Pang, whose studio has since closed permanently as he pursued another profession - becoming a cycling coach. For this trip, I had originally planned for my youngest brother to take a casual family photo after our visit to Kundasang. But, by pure chance, while we were at the Sabah Tea Plantation on 12 July 2022, a friendly bystander—who turned out to be a tour guide - offered to snap a few shots for us. The result? Some truly fantastic family photos, captured in the most unexpected way.

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Before moving on to our next destinations, we lingered to make the most of the facilities available. Some in our group opted for a leisurely stroll along the plantation’s guided trail, soaking in the fresh air and scenic greenery.

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The grandchildren also enjoyed a photo session after dressing up in traditional Kadazan costumes. At first, they were all smiles, but before long the sweltering heat of the day began to take its toll, and their cheerful expressions slowly gave way to visible discomfort.

They preferred to be in their simple casual wear!

Canopy Walk at Poring Hot Spring

At Poring Hot Spring, where we spent the afternoon of 12.07.2022, four of us - spanning three generations - decided to take on the Canopy Walk.

I had done it many years ago, though my memories of that first attempt are hazy at best. This time, I felt a twinge of apprehension when told it would be a 30-minute climb from the base to the starting point. The thought of my legs carrying me up a steep slope for that long was daunting. Still, I decided to give it a go.

Not long into the climb, we encountered a senior couple, perhaps in their 60s, making their way back down. They had decided not to continue, doubting they could make it to the top. A short while later, we met a middle-aged lady with a younger companion who also turned back, saying they were probably not even halfway and unsure if they could finish the steep ascent. Fortunately, these encounters only strengthened my determination.

What truly kept me going, though, were my two grandchildren. My grandson, Nathan, kept glancing back to check on me, calling out, “Gung gung, are you OK?” That simple encouragement was a powerful motivator. In the end, we reached the starting point in just 20 minutes - ten minutes quicker than average. Still an achievement, I reckon!

Walking the narrow strip of timber boards suspended more than 200 feet above the forest floor certainly set the heart racing. My last suspension bridge experience was at Vancouver’s Capilano Suspension Bridge five years ago (Read here). That crossing felt far more relaxed - wider, shorter, and with much less sway.

From the canopy, the view was nothing short of breathtaking - layers of emerald-green treetops stretching as far as the eye could see, sunlight breaking through gaps in the canopy, and the distant call of birds echoing through the forest. For a brief moment, all thoughts of the climb melted away, replaced by awe at the beauty and stillness of the rainforest below.

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The downhill walk was comparatively easier. In the end, it was the youngsters who led the way!

A typical tall tree used to support the suspension bridge. This one named "Octomeles Sumatrana Miq" is 58m (190ft) tall with a diameter of 1.5m (5ft) and a circumference of 4.8m (16ft).

Fish Spa at Bombon, Kg. Merakau, Ranau

Ranau has numerous natural fish spas to offer to visitors. Some prefer to have their feet soaked in water and just be nibbled by the hundreds of tiny fishes.  We tried this some years ago in Chiang Rai (Read here). They called it fish massage but in fact it is more liked having the dead skin on the feet chipped off by these fishes. The fish however were kept in fish tank and not in natural streams or natural body of water.

Fish in Bombon Fish Spa however are "trapped" in a section of a river. Fish kept there are not minute fish but huge koi and carps. This was our second visit to this Spa. We last visited the same spot during Boxing day in 2017 (Read here). This time, we were joined by the families of Sam, Paul and Junshi.

The thrill in the Spa was not so much of being nibbled by these large fish. It is the suction sensation one feels on the palm when these huge fish suck the pellets out from the hand! On top of that, one can literally touch and cuddle a fish, which the kids found it fascinating!