Wiya Chicken Rice is the oldest and most established nasi ayam outlet in Kota Kinabalu. I remember eating their pyramid shaped chicken rice with gusto, savoring every single delicious grain of rice and morsel of chicken when I first got out of rehab a couple of years back. I was determined to patronize this outlet again when I went to KK last weekend.
We took a cab down to Segama for the chicken rice (BTW, KK taxis rips you off when you depart from a nice resort, going back is always cheaper) coz I REALLY wanted to eat it during the first day we arrived in KK.
Wiya chicken rice was just as I remembered it – packed and busy, with heaps of people waiting for their acclaimed pyramid shaped chicken rice.
Actually, the sole USP of the place is their rice which wouldn’t look out of place in Egypt. It’s actually very simple – they have a pyramid shaped scoop.
I’m not sure what it does for the taste, or whether the pyramid shape gives it mystical properties, but aesthetically it looks good and the rice is just like I remembered it – soft, fluffy and full of oily chicken essence so you can taste the rice.
The chilli sauce at Wiya Chicken Rice can hold its own against most other similar establishments too.
We also ordered a plate of char siew – take my advice and avoid this. In the words of Jerine: “This char siew doesn’t have any taste to it”. It’s true. It’s bland and dry. Just pass on that, you’ll thank me for it.
However, their chicken is pretty succulent and the flavorful rice more than makes up for the char siew disaster. It costs RM 20.40 for the both of us inclusive of drinks.
It’s the favorite of locals and travellers alike for all the good reasons – they serve awesome chicken rice in a King Tut package! 🙂
I think a shorter and spiky hair suits you more,(so that the chubby cheeks wont be so obvious).
jessy: Thanks for the tip! Yeah, I totally agree. I need to get my face to be more aerodynamic but unfortunately it’s the place I get fat easiest coz I drink. 🙂
can you DHL 1kg char siew to frankfurt germany??
i’m stoned and hungry, the food looks so good. i could eat 4 plates of each thing or mix it up in one huge bowl. so hungry…..
Best part about the chicken rice is always the rice. Too bad Eddie been doing experiments just cooking the right chicken. I am glad though, or else with all the chicken rice he is experimenting, I dare not think!
Dude, you guys should have stop by the Alligator restaurant in One-Borneo. That’s our best eat on our trip, 9 course of gator. Fresh alligator meat and excellent culinary skill.
Wiya chicken rice has always been me and my friend’s favourite back then when we were studying in KK. Coz we just can’t find any nice decent chinese chicken rice. =)
who is the girl? look sexy!
What’s this taking hot chix to chicken rice business? That’s below you, sir. Should be a crayfish meal in some exotic location, ha ha ha. I am so envious of you, young and taking the young lady for a whirlwind trip. I hope you are using protection or are you guys baking buns?
oh the rice is really in a shape of a pyramid! Interesting and it looks yummy too! Am sure you had a great time in KK!
fufu: Heh! I can but it won’t pass customs and even with next day service I doubt it’ll taste nice anymore. 🙂
WEEN: Haha! I know what you mean…used to eat heaps while doing cones too. Mixing them all up and eating the big sloppy mess. Mmm…
fish fish: Yeah, I like the rice too! It has gotta be flavorful and oily. However, the chicken is important too – has to be tender and juicy! 🙂
You’ll make a good team! You experiment with the perfect rice and Ed will go about it with the chicken. 🙂
e: Eh! I never knew such a place existed. Aligator meat? I didn’t even know there are aligators in Sabah. It looks good though!
We didn’t hit the shopping malls as it was a beach vacation for us – everything sun, surf and sea! 🙂
…and food of course!
gypsy-on-the-move: It’s the best in KK eh? I haven’t seen a lot of chicken rice in KK too. I like this place coz I’ve been there a couple of times and the locals swear by it. Heh!
Oh, you used to study in KK? It’s a nice place. 🙂
QS: She’s Jerine…my travel buddy! 🙂
rocket: Haha! You don’t go to KK just to eat at places which KL does better. Gotta eat the local food! We did have seafood though but didn’t get crayfish – almost ordered a lobster though. 😉
It’s not like that la, no sex, just travelling together! 🙂
eiling: Yeah, the metal scoop they use for the rice makes it into a pyramid. I’m not sure if that affects the chicken rice – makes it warmer in the middle? Give it supernatural qualities? It’s very good rice though! 🙂
how the hell do u eat so much and maintain your erm, figure.. 😛
ooo awesmoe pyramid rice!
char siu in penang is similarly tasteless
ciki: What figure? T_T
I’m getting rather…er, rotund. 😉
I’m starting to get fat with my metabolism slowing down and all the fgood that I consume.
Hey, I should be asking you that question! You’re damn skinny! 🙂
KY: Yeah, it’s very famous in KK! The Wiya pyramid chicken rice. The char siew is completely tasteless, only the sauce on top helped.
How about this? Come home with a bun in the oven, certainly makes this a memorable trip.
On the flip side, no more ang pows for you 🙁
Now I’m craving Chicken rice for lunch!
The pyramid rice is just like the ones we have in SCR Express. Actually, I think it’s just to make it look more special than shaping the rice round and compact with a bowl.
For a good char siew kai fong, you gotta try the one at Fang Yuen, behind hock lee centre the next time you come back to kuching.
rocket: Haha! That would be impossible coz nothing happened. 🙂
annna: I’ll be having chicken rice for lunch later! 🙂
Oh ya, I know Fang Yuen been there a few times before, wrote about it too:
http://www.sixthseal.com/2004/05/the-longest-chicken-rice-in-the-world.html
Ya, I agree, the char siew there is good. Good chicken rice also! 🙂
Pyramid rice! Hey..u tried Nasi TUmpang be4? (the malay version of pyramid rice! hehe )
the tauke very nais. used to eat there all the time. lol, rent a car, its cheaper than taxi. 🙂
thenomadGourmand: Yeah, it’s their USP in Wiya, they use this metal rice scoop that makes the rice into a pyramid – same portion as a regular bowl of rice. 🙂
Nope, haven’t tried that but read your post before! I wouldn’t mind trying at some rural stations on the KTM.
Come to think of it, fun to take the KTM to some ulu place too!
clement: Yeah, we should have rented a car! Taxis from the hotel starts the meter at RM 10 as soon as you go in. Taxis in KK are expensive though, even short distances is RM 10. 🙂
pictures can be deceiving eh? The char siew actually look quite good. It looks too lean tho. Char siew are meant to be with the goodness of the pork -the lardy fats. Hehe. :p
chefmel: Yeah, it’s very lean. 🙁
That’s now how char siew should be, I like fatty char siew too! Haha!
Plus, it has completely no taste except for the sauce on top. 🙂
wonderful article, I enjoy it. I also buy ambien a lot. You ought to buy ambien as well. I will journey to the full USA and buy ambien there and in other areas to. i will be downtown, you know for what just to buy ambien. I will sleep a lot following buy ambien and that it constantly make me sense so good. I will be buy ambien in a pharmacy or one more spots, whatever the existence just take me .
Some times its a pain in the ass to read what blog owners wrote but this site is rattling user friendly ! .
very nice post, i definitely love this site, persist in it