5 Best Noodle Dishes in Sabah - The Noodle Capital of Malaysia

If you think Penang is the only iconic Malaysian state for noodles, think again. Thanks to the Chinese migration into Sabah (previously North Borneo) dating back to the 14th century, almost every town in Sabah has its own specialty noodle dish! Nothing beats sitting inside an old-fashioned coffee shop, with the smell of something delicious wafting through the air, salivating as your bowl of noodles arrives, so sit back, relax and let us walk you through the best noodle dishes that Sabah has to offer: 

 

1. Tuaran Mee 

Photo by adetvy from Instagram

Remember what we said about how almost every town in Sabah has its own specialty noodle? Tuaran Mee originates from Tuaran town, and this popular noodle dish is stir-fried in butter and served with slices of chun kien (Hakka egg rolls), char siew, and vegetables. The yellow noodles of the dish are traditionally handmade with egg yolks and has a springy texture - which gives the noodles a chewier bite. 

 

You can find Tuaran Mee at Tuaran Mee Restaurant in Inanam, or drive to Tuaran to the OG restaurant where Tuaran Mee is said to be originated from at Lok Kyun Restaurant. 

 

2. Ngiu Chap 

Photo by seatsasia from Instagram

Ngui Chap translates into ‘beef mix’, and is a noodle dish starring an array of beef cutlets including beef balls, beef brisket, beef tripe, beef tendons and other parts in a thick beef broth. You may choose to have it with mee hoon (or rice vermicelli) or ‘kon lau’ style with egg noodles on the side drenched in sauce. For those craving their Ngiu Chap with a spicy kick, there are also Laksa versions of this iconic dish! 

 

For an excellent bowl of Ngiu Chap, head over to Kah Hiong Ngiu Chap, who also has their own brand of Kah Hiong chilli sauce to complement the beef cutlets in the soup! For a delicious bowl of Hainan Laksa Ngiu Chap, Yii Siang Ngiu Chap is your best bet. 

 

3. Sang Nyuk 

Photo by samoosg from Instagram

The next meat-packed noodle dish is Sang Nyuk, which originated from Tawau. It consists of noodles inside a pork broth filled with soft and tender marinated pork slices accompanied by meatballs and a variety of pork intestines. Like Ngiu Chap you can serve it with mee hoon or kon lau style! 

 

The best Sang Nyuk Mee can be found at Kedai Kopi Hing Lee in Tawau, but for folks in Kota Kinabalu, Kedap Kopi Melanian is another shop worth considering as well! 

 

4. Beaufort Mee 

Photo by sabaheats from Instagram

Another noodle dish that is named after a town! Beaufort mee features soft yellow noodles, stir fried to achieve that ‘wok hei’ taste. The noodles blend beautifully with thin-sliced pork, sao nyuk (roasted pork belly), char siew, and an abundance of choy sum in a bath of thick savoury gravy. Seafood fans can also opt to have the noodles and the sauce with fish slices and prawns. 

 

Get your Beaufort Mee Fix at Restoran Beaufort - which serves the dish with organic vegetables and extra tender pork slices for added value! 

 

5. Sandakan Spring Noodles 

 

 

Photo by  山打根美食城 Sandakan Food Lover via Facebook 

 

Sandakan is often talked about as a seafood paradise, so this noodle dish is a local secret that is not known to most outside of Sabah! These noodles have an exceptionally springy QQ texture for that extra bite, and are served with century egg dumplings on the side and char siew with a twist! What’s the twist you might ask? Basically, the char siew is deep fried with batter to provide some crackle on the side and complements the noodles perfectly!

The most authentic Sandakan Spring Noodles can be found at Sim Sim Water Village - an old coffee shop located in a village house built on stilts alongside the coast of Sandakan. You can eat your noodles while enjoying a scenic view! 

Flying to Sabah anytime soon? You might want to consider taking a road trip to visit all these noodle haunts located in different towns! Rent a car with Mayflower Car Rental with a nationwide fleet of over 2800 vehicles - you’ll definitely find a car that serves your needs on your trip!

 

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