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
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Source — The Bikalan

Source — The Bikalan

Source — The Bikalan