LOVE LIFE, CHERISH MOMENTS

   As we stepped into this warm and welcoming space, we were greeted by the friendly lady owner. She swiftly guided us to our table and handed their simple menu to us. I was fascinated by the amazing art work exhibited in this space. We were able to learn and embrace the incredible culture and history behind this Dayak family. They inherited these recipes from their tribe's princess, portrait in one of the few photos above. The grey background of the walls complemented the intriguing artworks like paintings, musical instruments and photos so perfectly.

Tuak Laki Stambak Ulu (Full-bodied Table Wine)--RM 16+

Three layered milk tea

   To start off our lunch, we ordered a glass of tuak and 3 layered milk tea. Tuak is essentially an alcoholic beverage made by the indigenous people of Borneo, usually made out of nira (palm sap) or fermented rice. Here in The Dyak, we ordered the tuak beras (rice wine) named Tuak Laki Stambak Ulu or Full-bodied Table Wine to experience the wonders of local alcoholic beverage. It tasted exactly like its description, smelling fresh and spring like, with the taste of green apple and pear, along with the after taste of walnut and clove. It was similar to white wine but definitely stronger and possessed more earthiness within.

Ulam Raja--RM 15+ A salad of finely sliced shallots, wild ginger flowers, ginger, lemongrass, chilies, herbs, spices, drizzled with generous squeeze of lime.

Paku Kubok--RM 10+ Giant jungle ferns stir fried with fragrant wild ginger flowers, anchovies and chilies.

Ubi Randau--RM 15+ Sweet potato leaves stir fried with garlic, desiccated coconut and sun dried shrimps.

Local brown rice

Manok Lulun--RM 25+ Chicken stewed in bamboo with tapioca leaves; a salty and soupy dish commonly known as pansoh, traditionally served at Dayak feast.

Tilapia Gulai Terung Dayak Asam Terjun--RM 35+ Clear, tangy and mildly spicy soup of Tilapia with succulent Dayak Borneo Aubergine (Brinjal/eggplant)

Jani Tunu--RM 25+ Grilled three layers pork (skin, fat and lean meat), served with Chef's secret spicy sauces, garnished with lime and cucumber.

   Such a long list of dishes right? The serving here is rather small, only sufficient for 2-3 people. Hence, we ordered a set of two for the crowd. We began our feast with a simple Dayak salad. It was refreshing and full of texture. It was my personal favourite as it was something unique and refreshing that i seldom have. Next up, the paku pakis dish and stir-fried sweet potato leaves were something common that we used to have in Kuching and elsewhere, but was executed flawlessly indeed. Meat dishes had some hits and misses. I especially love their interpretation of 'siew yuk' which they called Jani Tunu, essentially a roasted three layered pork that was explosive with tonnes of flavours. The winning cause for this dish has to be the amazingly spicy and sour sauces that accompanied the pork perfectly. However, both the chicken and tilapia dish was quite bland and lack of significant flavours that i would expect from local Dayak cuisine. Mr. J said these probably had some Bidayuh influence behind. Nevertheless, it was such a wonderful experience dining here in The Dyak.

Dessert--The Special--RM 13+ A combination of Tuak ice-cream and vanilla ice cream, drizzled with tuak and crushed pistachio.

   Like i always say, no meal is complete without desserts. We had two house special desserts, they were Tuak ice-cream and the Tuak Special. Both of these were screaming tuak in each part of the items. We had tuak ice cream, tuak wine and even fermented glutinous rice within. The flavours were strong and pungent, some may not fancy the fermented acidity within but i was quite happy with this one-of-a-kind dessert that can only be found in The Dyak.

   Overall, i had an amazing dining experience in The Dyak. It was my first time trying out Dayak cuisine and i have to say, i'm loving the authenticity, diversity of flavours and cooking styles, along with their utmost respect and tribute to their culture, identity and heritage. Although this meal is the most expensive one that we had in Kuching, but i would recommend visitors and travelers to give it a try when you visit the cat city for a memorable meal. Till next time, xoxo.

More Information~
Address: Sub Lot 29, Ground Floor, Panovel Commercial Complex, Jalan Simpang Tiga, Kuching.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/the.Dyak/?fref=ts

   When work and daily hectic routine took over my life, i can't help but to miss the days of freedom, travelling and fun. It has already been a month since my return to Malaysia. Legs are itching for another adventure! Till then, i'll have to settle with blogging about my travel experience and looking back at beautiful photos in the countries i visited. Today, i'm going to share with you one of my favourite destinations in Hua Hin, Thailand--Hua Hin Vineyard.

   During my graduation trip to Hua Hin, we hired the service of a driver and his 4WD vehicle for one day. We acquired his contact through the hotel's reception. He charged us approximately 3000 baht and covered almost 8-10 tourist attractions. I would say it is quite value for money if you are travelling in a big group. Plus, Hua Hin doesn't have any established public transport, only those highly expensive tuk-tuk is available.

    Anyway, after lunch, we decided to visit the famous Hua Hin Hills that is also the house of Hua Hin Vineyard and other interesting finds. Who knows, there is a vineyard in a tropical place like Hua Hin? It took us around 45 minutes to travel from Hua Hin town to the hilly roads and finally, The Vineyard. Along the way, we were greeted by trails of beautiful greens and scenery. When nearing the Hua Hin Hill, we were welcomed by rows of grape vines with green and purple grapes. There are several tourist packages like elephant riding, vineyard tour, wine tasting. However, due to time constraint, we skipped this and had a walk around the vineyard before settling down for an afternoon 'tea' in the vineyard's restaurant--The Sala.

Rows and rows of grape vines

Us with the soon-to-be-ripe Muscat grapes

Outlook of The Sala

The Sala--Hua Hin Vineyard Restaurant

   As you can see from the photos above, The Sala is housed on the hilly trails of the vineyard. It has a classical laid back style which immediately spells relaxation in our minds. The staffs welcomed us with warm greetings, making us feel at home instantly. For our afternoon 'tea', we decided to order a wine from the extensive wine menu that featured red, white, sparkling and dessert wines all brewed locally in Hua Hin Vineyard. Since we were seated on a vineyard, we certainly had to go with their signature Grape Cheese Cake, Grape Sorbet and a bottle of dessert wine (Monsoon Valley Muscat 37) to go with our beautiful desserts.

Grape Cheese Cake--160 Baht++ Cream cheese cake topped with grapes, whipped cream and grape jam.

Grape Yogurt Sorbet--130 Baht++ Grape yogurt sorbet dressed with tuiles, grapes and whipped cream.

Dessert Wine: Monsoon Valley-Muscat 37--850 Baht++ A dark salmon-pink fortified wine made Muscat grapes, Monsoon Valley Muscat, fortified wine is deliciously sweet and well-balanced. Smooth on the palate, its lush aromas of lychee and rose and cherry blossom make Monsoon Valley Muscat, fortified wine an excellent choice to pair with dessert on just sipped on its own.

Multiple Award Winning Wine

    When it comes to wine, i have to admit, i am not exactly an expert as i'm more of a coffee person. I am an occasional drinker. Dessert wine is truly my first, as the conventional would always be red or sometimes, white wine. Therefore, i was pretty excited for this dessert wine. Oh well, how do i begin with this complexity. Firstly, the smell of this Muscat 37 is fruity, flowery and sweet. The colour was a beautiful rose gold, with a tinge of pink. It is clear and clean, unlike its sister, red wine, kinda mimics white wine in its appearance. For the taste, on the first sip, i was hit by a wave of alcohol fumes, then it slowly transformed into a subtle sweetness, filled with the sweet aroma of lychee and rose. I couldn't appreciate cherry blossom, perhaps more in the smell than flavour. When paired with cheese cake, these 2 are just match-make in heaven, even though the cheese cake was rather ordinary. On the other hand, the grape yogurt sorbet was a wonderful addition to our hot summery afternoon. It was refreshing, sour and sweet at the same time.

Cheers~

   Besides food and wine, The Sala also promotes Hua Hin Vineyard through the sales of various vineyard products like wines, grape jam, grapes, grape dessert, grape raisins and more, all locally produced. Although we did not spend much time over here, we did not even visit the wine making factory or the vines, but we truly enjoyed the nature, the wine, the scenery, the hospitality and of course the company we have. I would strongly recommend this attraction to friends that are visiting Hua Hin in the future. Spend one full afternoon here, explore the local vineyard, the factory and this restaurant. I am sure you would love it like i did. I hope you enjoy this post, have a great week ahead!

More Information~
Website: http://www.huahinhills.com/