Advertorial: Heineken Beer Pairing Event in Celebration of Gawai Dayak 2018

Beer has been the drink of choice for countless people across a range of civilisations as it is the world's oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverage. It is central to the culture of eating, socialising and celebrating in many countries.

Pairing beer with food is one of the best ways to enhance and elevate your meal experience, opening a whole new way of balancing and contrasting flavours on the plate.

HEINEKEN Malaysia with its portfolio of iconic international brands is the leading brewer in Malaysia. This year, in conjunction with the Gawai Festival in Sarawak, HEINEKEN Malaysia has curated a special food pairing menu that sees its iconic beers, stouts and ciders matched with the exciting flavours present in traditional Dayak cuisine.






During the event, Ng Eng Kiat, Corporate Communications Manager of HEINEKEN Malaysia said, "As Malaysia's leading brewer, we at HEINEKEN have always been commited to bringing enjoyment to consumers around the world. Whether celebratory, or in times of building friendships, beer is representative of human desire to share and celebrate new beginnings. This Gawai, we want to celebrate that through good food and good beer. The accentuating notes and flavours of our portfolio can make a good meal great. With this event, we hope to share a whole new way of experiencing traditional flavours on a plate."



The traditional Dayak dishes were prepared by Livan Lah, owner and chef at LEPAU Restaurant, Kuching. She prepared Pansuh (Bamboo) Chicken, Dayak Sour Eggplant with Smoked Beef, Dinuh (Kayan Traditional Glutinous Rice Fritters), Stir Fried Rubbed Tapioca Leaves with Tepus, and Orang Ulu BBQ Platter; all of which were enjoyed with a range of HEINEKEN Malaysia's beers, stouts and ciders. Each was carefully selected and paired to match the flavour profiles, textures and aromas of the traditional Dayak dishes.

Beer & Food Pairing: There's a beer for that
Lager is the world's favourite type of beer and can be paired with a wide range of food from sweet to savoury.
Tasting Notes: Peppery bitterness, clean, gentle, sweet

Food Match: Pansuh Chicken, Stir Fried Rubbed Tapioca Leaves with Tepus, Orang Ulu BBQ Platter

Best Paired with : Beef, Seafood, Noodles, Light Cheeses

Stout is the darkest beer of them all. The colour and flavour derive from the dark grain used to make them - including roasted malt, roasted barley, or other dark grains. These ingredients produce bold flavours - expect espresso, chocolate and roastiness.

Tasting Notes: Roasty, chocolate, espresso, dried fruits

Food Match: Dayak Sour Eggplant with Smoked Beef

Best Paired with: Beef, Chicken, Seafood, Dessert

Cider is primarily made with apple juice and is a refreshing alternative to beer, especially for those who prefer something a little sweeter on the tongue. 

Tasting Notes: Tangy, crisp dryness, refreshing

Food Match: Dinuh (Kayan Traditional Glutinous Rice Fritters)

Best Paired with: Chicken, Pasta

Responsible Consumption

HEINEKEN's ambition is to Brew a Better World across the entire value chain, from Barley to Bar. As part of its strategy for sustainability, the company also has a deep-rooted commitment to promoting responsible consumption to consumers. HEINEKEN Malaysia has been advocating moderated drinking habits with its Drink Sensibly campaign which has engaged more than 550,000 consumers from 2014 to 2017. 

The campaign advocates responsible consumption through a 5-point system; HYDRATE with plenty of water between drinks, EAT well so your body is ready to handle your drinks, MOVE and dance the alcohol out of your system, PACE yourself throughout the night, and finally TAXI HOME to stay safe. 

In addition to drinking sensibly, HEINEKEN Malaysia also reminds consumers to choose 100% Duty-Paid beers, stouts and ciders to ensure the best quality is consumed. Ng added, "Choosing 100% Duty-Paid beer, stout and cider is key to allowing us to deliver on our promise of quality drinks. We want our consumers to enjoy the best with guaranteed authenticity." 

100% Duty-Paid products can be recognised by looking out for the company name, address, and the 955 barcode on all packaging of HEINEKEN Malaysia's brand portfolio. This includes Heineken, Tiger, Guinness, Strongbow, Apple Fox Cider, and Anchor; all of which are brewed with a passion for quality at the Sungei Way Brewery.

In conjunction with Gawai Festival, HEINEKEN Malaysia will be introducing various promotions with exciting rewards for its 100% Duty Paid products. Consumers can look out for these promotions at leading supermarkets, restaurants and bars.

For latest updates on HEINEKEN Malaysia's portfolio of inspirational brands, visit www.heinekenmalaysia.com and follow them on Facebook via www.facebook.com/heinekenmalaysiaberhad. 

Mummy's & Mama's Homecooking @Ah Liong Cafe, BDC, Kuching

Address: Lot 942, Jalan Stampin, Taman BDC, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak.
Business hours: Sunday - Monday 6:30am - 11:30pm (Wednesday off)


Ah Liong Cafe is unlike other kopitiams, it's hygienic and organized. I used to come here for dinner but weeks ago I started to come here for lunch. To my surprise, there are variety of food to choose from. And, I got so indecisive which to have because every stall's menus look so attractive. I can name a few "the best to have", Teochew porridge, one plate rice with one dish (碟仔飯), and the most popular stall is this Mummy's & Mama's Homecooking's fast food.




Mummy's & Mama's Homecooking, the Bario Specialties. The red rice they used is from Bario.




Every dish is unique and you should try their tempoyak, the fermented durian paste. It's seasonal though. I like every of their homecook dishes, the flavour is impeccable.




I really like petai and tempoyak. A plate of this, two veges and one meat costs RM6. Very reasonable.




This plate costs slightly higher, RM6.50. I don't know what's the dishes called. The yellow cubes are not potatoes, it should be banana stem.




The map to Ah Liong Cafe:

Patz Dayak Home Cook Special @ Full 3 Food Court, Kuching

Location: Tabuan Tranquility Commercial Centre, Jalan Canna, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak (Behind HSBC Amanah Bank)


We have seen a lot economy fast food stalls operated by Chinese and Malays. Rarely we find the economy fast food stall run by Dayak. If you are looking for cheap authentic Dayak dishes, Full 3 Food Court's Patz Dayak Home Cook Special is a good choice.




Lots of Dayak dishes which I never seen before. Very special and on my last visit I ever had the sago worm.








My plate with this portion, only RM5. Cheap right? And the dishes were delicious too!




Photos were taken on separate days. Some days they will provide red rice too.




During lunch break, the coffee shop will be packed with customers. There will be many customers queued to spoon the dishes. But no worries, the vendor will replenish the dishes.

Dayak Ruai, Brighton Square, Kuching (Sorry, business closed)

It is quite sad to see Dayak Ruai disappeared in Kuching due to financial shortage to keep business running. Food quality is good, I must say. I hope to see Dayak Ruai again in the future. 

Location: Lot 7691, SubLot 29, Brighton Square Commercial Center, Kuching
Business Hours: Tuesday - Saturday: 11:00 am - 12:00 am; Sunday: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm;
closed on Monday

Dayak Ruai at Brighton Square is another Dayak cuisine restaurant I brought my friend to after The Dyak. It's a new Dayak restaurant in town. I was tempted to try for quite sometime. Finally the opportunity came.

Their menu is very simple. The owner told us the menu will keep changing as it depends on the materials he can get from market in the morning. We like his idea, can benefits the customers to try something new every time.

They have the set deal: one person RM9.90, two person RM25.90 and 4 person RM49.90. You can choose 1 meat and 2 vege, the set comes with the bamboo soup too. What a bargain right.

Or you might be interested to try their ala-carte menu too. The pricing is the same as The Dyak.

Different from The Dyak, their drinks are more unique with reasonable price. The Dyak's price for drinks is rather too high, though fine dining rating but serve the drinks where you can at any coffee shop. I don't think it's acceptable.

They sell tuak too. Tourists who are interested can get the tuak bottle here. But exporting it out could be problematic, I think. 

Cucumber Limeade Juice and Calamondin (RM4.50 each)

My choice of set deal: Cenchalu (salty shrimp paste), Rebung Masak Tebus Belachan (stir-fried baby bamboo with belacan) and Jani Masak Kunyit (turmeric pork soup).

My friend's choice of set deal: Manok Gulai Nanas (pineapple chicken), Pucuk Maimet and Pucuk Timun Masak Ikan Bilis (cucumber leaves stir-fried with anchovies)

Chicken bamboo soup aka pansoh (manok lulun). It is included in the set deal. Compared to The Dyak, Dayak Ruai's pansoh is less oily.

Petai Kenchala RM12. We enjoyed this one very much.

The emerge of Dayak Ruai brings us more choice of authentic Dayak cuisine. I would recommend Dayak Ruai's set deal because you can enjoy different dishes at a bargain price. Unlike The Dyak, two of us ordered 4 dishes but couldn't finish it all (we have tried our very best though). So the portion of set deal is just right for both of us.

The Dyak, Authentic Dayak Cuisine in Kuching

Location: Ground Floor, Panovel Commercial Complex, Jalan Simpang Tiga, 93300 Kuching
Operation hours: Monday - Saturday: 11:30 am - 8:30 pm, closed on Sunday




Dayak cuisine is very unique that only available in Sarawak. In the past, it was never an easy task to find Dayak cuisine until the establishment of The Dyak in 2011, the first Dayak fine dining restaurant in Kuching. Recently my friend came to visit me from Singapore. As she showed little interest to go for international cuisines, I suggested Dayak cuisine. And we would be able to have a healthier meal that contain fibers too.



I enjoy wild plants very much. Those wild plants you can find it at Pasar Tamu (market selling a range of local products) but lack of knowledge how to cook it. At Dyak, you can savour the authentic Dayak cuisine with a real taste wild plants.

Their Menu:










They serve brown rice only. A bowl of this rice costs RM3 if not mistaken. Quite expensive for me.




Jani Empikau RM25 (Seasonal). This is my friend's favourite dish. Durian is seasonal, so does this dish. If you are durian lover, you should try this too.




Dayak's famous dish: Manok Lulun (RM25), chicken stewed in bamboo with tapioca leaves, commonly known as pansoh. This is my favourite. I like the soup a lot, Dayak's version of chicken tonic soup.




My friend likes cangkuk manis (star gooseberry). So we ordered this too: "Changkuk Manis Labu" RM14. Star gooseberry leaves stir-fried with pumpkin.




Paku Kubok RM10. Giant jungle ferns stir-fried with wild ginger flowers, anchovies and chillies. Highly recommended. Not very spicy actually but fantastic taste.




I have been to The Dyak for 4 times so far. Below is the photos I took on my first visit:

Petai is my favourite. Petai Gulai Kechala (Price has increased from RM10 to RM14).




Jani Guring (Pork stir-fried with soy sauce)




I kinda missed this type of lamp.




Interested to try Tuak? You can get it here at The Dyak too. They even have tuak ice cream..




Though expensive, I must say it's worth to have a try. I'm going to write another post of Dayak restaurant in Kuching soon. Stay tuned!