Why Sarawak laksa is this foodie’s perfect dish, and the one place where Anthony Bourdain loved to eat it
- Agnes Chin, co-founder of Cookie Smiles in Hong Kong, rates Sarawak laksa as her all-time favourite comfort food, to be eaten for breakfast or lunch
- While living in Hawaii, she discovered Vietnamese cuisine and knows exactly where to get the best pho and grilled fish around
Agnes Chin grew up in Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo, and Hawaii. She is the co-founder of Cookie Smiles, a Hong Kong social enterprise offering cookies with gluten-free and vegan options that supports charities for the disadvantaged.
When I was living in Hawaii, I discovered Vietnamese food. Many refugee immigrants settled there and grow their own herbs and vegetables in its rich soil.
Every Vietnamese cafe run by a home cook offered great pho and delicious grilled fish with fresh herb sauce. One of the best is Pho Bistro 2 (1694 Kalakaua Ave #C, Honolulu, Hawaii, tel: +1 808 949 2727). It’s a very small bar, but very reasonably priced.
In Hong Kong, Le Garcon Saigon (12-18 Wing Fung Street, Wan Chai, tel: 2455 2499) is the best equivalent.
My all-time comfort food is Sarawak laksa. The herbs and shrimp paste makes it very different in texture, taste and aroma to other laksas, not too rich but aromatic. It’s a breakfast or lunch dish, not to be missed when you visit Kuching, Malaysia.
I have many favourites there but Choon Hui Cafe (34 Jalan Ban Hock, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak, tel: +60 82 243 857) would be a great one. Anthony Bourdain loved this place.
Mom’s Laksa Kopitam (SL-2, Lot 2145 Section 65, Jalan Astana, Petra Jaya, 93050 Kuching, Sarawak, tel: +60 19 812 8587) also does a good laksa.
For Japanese, I do enjoy a visit to Nadaman (7/F, Island Shangri-La Hong Kong, Two Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, Tel: 2820 8570) for freshness and its edible art forms. It’s Japanese cuisine at its finest.
With visitors, I would take them to Lin Heung Kui (2/F-3/F, 46-50 Des Voeux Road West, Sheung Wan, tel: 2156 9328), a typical Cantonese dim sum restaurant with pushcarts of steam baskets and servers pouring tea from a boiling kettle.
Do not forget [to watch] the quick decisive display of changing tablecloths and shuffling plates, bowls and cups when they change tables. Such finesse and showmanship always amazes me and my visitors.
In Hong Kong, many of the older wonton street shops are all disappearing so instead I go to Tasty Congee and Noodle Wantun Shop (several branches, including Shop 3016-3018, 3/F IFC, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, tel: 2295 0101). This is the easiest and best place for a simple meal.
Lastly, I helped start Cookie Smiles to give back after so many years in Hong Kong.
In Hawaii, I remember a Thai lady who baked cookies to raise funds for a school my kids attended. Long story short, I helped her set up a cookie business over 30 years ago.
During Covid, I shared this story with my friend Jo Soo Tang and since I also co-founded the cake baking centre Complete Deelite, we decided to create a similar charity, to sell cookies to raise funds and give opportunities for retraining disadvantaged individuals who need a helping hand.
