When a table wants to understand Sarawak beyond laksa and kolo mee, Lepau gives the meal a clearer starting point: order dishes from several indigenous food traditions and let the rice and condiments connect them. Lepau means “hut” in Kayan, and the restaurant has operated since 2014. Its timber-hut setting, indoor and outdoor seating and sape music are part of the idea, not decoration added after the menu. The restaurant’s 2018 Malaysia Tourism Awards win for Best Innovative Ethnic Restaurant also explains why it has kept a place in Kuching’s visitor-and-local dinner circuit. I would begin with the Pansuh Chicken and Purple Bario Rice wrapped in Itun Sip, then add Terung Asam Fish or Tempoyak Anchovies for sharper, more fermented notes. The bamboo-chicken tradition is the gentle route into the meal; the fermented durian anchovies and sour eggplant gravy are the choices for diners who want Sarawak’s bolder edges. Allow 30–40 minutes for a walk-in table when the dining room is busy, so a reservation makes more sense for visitors with a fixed evening plan. Lepau is on Jalan Ban Hock, close enough to pair with a city-centre walk, but it is a sit-down meal rather than a quick hawker stop. Lepau Restaurant 99, Jalan Ban Hock, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak Open Lepau Restaurant in Google Maps [image: 1788491231957-p1-resized.jpg] Source — DayakDaily [image: 1788491232346-p2.jpg] Source — DayakDaily [image: 1788491232572-p3.jpg] Source — Holidays From Singapore

Siniawan is at its most atmospheric when the night market lights come on, but The Bikalan gives the old bazaar another reason to linger: a river-facing bar-cafe where Dayak flavours share the table with Chinese and Western comfort food. The setting matters. The Bikalan occupies a renovated Belian-wood shophouse in the historic bazaar, so the meal feels tied to the place rather than dropped into a generic suburban unit. Its current recognition in the 2026 TOP25 Restaurants Sarawak Awards for sustainable gastronomy also reflects a deliberate relationship with local produce, materials and the surrounding river-and-hill landscape. I would begin with the Bikalan Special Fried Chicken and Fried Bihon with cangkuk manis, then add a drink if you are making an evening of it. The fried chicken is the easy group order; the bihon is the more specifically Sarawakian conversation starter, with the leafy vegetable bringing a local note to a familiar wok dish. Expect a relaxed, social meal rather than a fast bowl-and-go stop, and leave room for the Friday-to-Sunday night-market atmosphere outside. This is a good route for visitors who want a meal with a sense of Siniawan’s old street, and for Kuching groups willing to drive beyond the city centre. I would come before the market gets busy, confirm the day’s hours on the venue’s public page, and treat the menu as a shared table: one recognisable fried dish, one local-ingredient plate, and time to enjoy the open-air setting. The Bikalan 33 Siniawan Bazaar, 94000 Bau, Sarawak Open in Google Maps [image: 1788411926020-food.jpg] Source — The Bikalan [image: 1788411926398-food2.jpg] Source — The Bikalan [image: 1788411926877-venue.jpg] Source — The Bikalan

If you want to try Dayak and Sarawak ethnic flavours in Kuching without planning a long trip out of town, KATU Dayak Food at Premier Food Republic RH Plaza is a practical place to start. The menu is built around familiar rice meals, pork dishes and a few distinctly local preparations. [image: 1787564198343-katu2.jpg] Source: KATU menu image [image: 1787564198572-katu3.jpg] Source: KATU menu image [image: 1787564198693-katu4.jpg] Source: KATU menu image [image: 1787564198807-katu5.jpg] Source: KATU menu image For a first order, I would start with Nasi Babi Apai Saloi at about RM14.80 or Nasi Babi Tunok at about RM11.80. The former comes with grilled pork, peanuts, fried anchovies, half-boiled egg, sambal and rice, while the latter is a simpler rice-and-pork option. Prices and portion details can change, so treat those figures as a guide rather than a fixed bill. The menu also lists BBQ Pork Babi Tunok, Pekasam Babi, Babi Kicap, Perut Babi, Nenas Perut, Daun Ubi, Rebung Sambal, Pansuh Babi and Pansuh Ayam. That makes KATU more useful for a small group than a one-dish stop: one person can choose a rice set while the table shares a vegetable or a more distinctive Dayak preparation. Because the current menu includes several pork dishes, I would treat this as a non-halal recommendation. Diners with strict dietary requirements should ask the stall about ingredients and preparation before ordering. The menu is also a better guide to what is available than a generic description of “Dayak food”, since the actual choices can vary between branches and dates. The venue is at KATU Dayak Food Stall, Premier Food Republic, ground floor, 123 Jalan Lapangan Terbang, Green Heights, Kuching. It is a food-court setting, so visitors should look for the KATU stall after entering the building rather than expecting a standalone restaurant frontage. Open in Google Maps Would you start with a rice set, pansuh or one of the more adventurous pork dishes?