Cafe Zhi Wei is latest eatery to open up in
Kuching. It has only been in operation for less than 2 weeks. The words
“Zhi Wei” literally means “(The) Taste” but the Chinese characters
means “Taste Expert Cafe”. I went there last night to try out this new
eating establishment.
Kafe Zhi Wei is nicely spaced out, with seating arrangements to
accommodate couples, groups and larger packs of diners. There is also
an al fresco (this word should never be used in Malaysian food reviews)
dining option for smokers. The seats outside are nicer than the ones in
the interior, for some reason.
I love the personalized service that Cafe Zhi Wei provides. The
proprietor was kind enough to come out and recommend dishes to us. Her
name is Ng See Sian and she hails from KL. Cafe Zhi Wei is meant for an
authentic Hakka cuisine experience. She’s very friendly, and easy to
talk to, and can recommend the best dishes for the day.
She told us the Lime Asam Juice (RM 2.50) is
different from most implementations and suggested that we try out this
drink. It’s good. I can’t remember what I ordered, coz we just ate and
shared dishes and drinks. It’s pretty much of a communal dining
experience with us coz we like to sample new things.
This is the Lemon Sugar Cane (RM 2.00) that the
proprietor also recommended. It looks a little like the Lime Assam
Juice, but without the froth on top. She told us that the lemon offsets
the overt sweetness of the sugar cane juice. I found it very nice and
thirst quenching.
Here’s the Longan with winter melon (RM 1.50)
that’s served in a unique receptacle. It’s recommended for its
“cooling” properties and apparently is popular in with Hakka people.
The proprietor told us that their strength is in the Hakka Fried Pork dishes. This is the Hakka Fried Pork Rice
(RM 4.50). It comes with Oil Rice, which is a very fragrant type of
rice. I tasted it and I swear it’s better than Bario rice in taste (but
not texture).
This is the Dry Hakka Fried Pork Noodle (RM 5.00).
The proprietor informed us that the pork that they serve is not the
usual “three layer pork” but a specially prepared Hakka style cured
meat that requires a long seasoning time. I love the Hakka Fried Pork,
it’s really different from the others I’ve had.
Here’s a closer look at the contents of the Dry Hakka Fried Pork
Noodle. It has generous portions of pork, fresh green vegetables, and
edible fungi, all topped with chopped spring onions. It’s great – the
Hakka Fried Pork is really something to experience and the noodles are
nice and springy.
This is the Deep Fried Dumpling (RM 5.00) that we
ordered as a side dish. One bit of information that the proprietor told
is that the Deep Fried Dumplings are only available at night. The lunch
crowd is usually in a rush to get back to the office so they serve
Dumpling Soup during lunch instead.
Here’s a closer look at the Deep Fried Dumpling. It has a lot of
ingredients which I couldn’t identify, but the pastry wrap is crunchy
and the inside hot and delicious. As I mentioned, this dish is only
available at night, so go for dinner if you’ll like to try this dish.
Finally, we had the highly recommended Crispy Vegetable With Chicken
(RM 4.50). The proprietor informed us that this is their flagship dish
– there’s no other eating establishments in Sarawak that has this
particular dish. It’s really delicious, I polished off the whole plate
in no time.
Kafe Zhi Wei gets two thumbs up from me. Don’t miss out on this
place if you’re in Kuching – it has great Hakka based cuisine and a
list of must-try dishes that the proprietor can recommend. Great
service and food, that’s a 10/10 in my books.
