Absolute Tribal...serving your senses

Sawadeeka...from Kuching!  Come, let's join me in getting our taste buds tingled all over.  I bring to you, the Absolute Tribal at The Hills Shopping Mall, Kuching which serves a good selection of mouth-watering Thai dishes.

On one occasion, my family and I headed here for dinner, just to try something different from our usual everyday fare.  Why here?  Yours truly is a food hunter, that's why!  And this restaurant does not disappoint me at all.  *glad*

Let's dig in...

Browsing the menu and deciding what to order was an ordeal.  Everything seemed just so scrumptious and attractive, and we could not decide.  But decide, we had to, nevertheless. 

Tom Yam Seafood (Tom Yam Thalay)

Thick, sour, spicy and flavorful.  This is indeed a Thai masterpiece.  Loaded with mushrooms, tomatoes, lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves, ooh la la...the broth is to die for.  The prawns, fish and squids, infused with the secret Thai herbs, were essentially fresh, making this dish a must-have.

Shredded Papaya Salad (Som Tam)

Shredded Papaya Salad...I'm loving it.  Looks rather labour-intensive to prepare for almost everything thrown into this dish is either cut or shredded rather finely.  You'll find a generous amount of of pound groundnuts mixing harmoniously with the shredded papaya, long beans, and chillies.  Doused with just the right amount of sweet, sour and spicy dressings, this dish makes you want to go back for more.  A good appetizer to kick start your meal.

Spicy Mango Salad (Yam Ma-Muang)

Another type of salad that we ordered - spicy mango salad, a dish which left me quite speechless. Another must-order dish.  Mark my word.  It will surely blow you away with its tastebud awakening flavours.  The combination of ingredients are simply out of this world.  Once, we asked for extra spicy.  Oh my...Biting into the crunchy texture of the shredded mango combined with crispy spicy cuttlefish, fresh red shallots and cili padi almost knocked me out of my seat.  But that hasn't deterred me from going back for more.  And I can easily finish a plate all by myself.  Such is the power of this dish.

Deep Fried Kai Lan (Kha-Na Tod)

Kai Lan deep fried to crispy perfection...How about that?  Initially, I thought this dish would just be a very normal dish, your usual homecooked fare.  But it turned out to be a rather impressive dish, garnished with meat floss, lending sweetness to the kai lan which sometimes leaves a bitter aftertaste.

Pandan Chicken

Unwrapping the pandan leaf reveals a very tender and juicy piece of chicken, very well marinated with a concoction of seasonings and spices.  The pandan leaf, keeps the juices of the chicken inside, hence lending a sweet aroma to the chicken which will definitely whet one's appetite.  This dish comes with a honey dipping sauce.

Pineapple Fried Rice (Khao Phat Sapparot)

Aroi!  This dish offers a unique taste and texture in one dish.  It can be a complete dish in itself. Chunks of pineapple and chicken, coupled with deliciously fresh prawns create a special flavour that is bound to make your dining experience a worthy one.  Hmm...it would be better though if the pineapple fried rice was served in a hollowed out halved pineapple. :P

Chicken Feet Kerabu

I heard eating chicken feet is an acquired taste.  To me, it is a delicacy in its own right.  Chicken feet is one of my favourite food, so it was no surprise that I ordered Chicken feet kerabu on my maiden visit to this restaurant.  It is one healthy dish and is usually eaten cold.  The chicken feet is deboned and marinated with lime juice, chillies, shallots, big onions and some sugar.  Come and try it.  Don't get cold feet when you hear cold chicken feet.  It's...AROI!  :)

The restaurant setup

My family and I enjoyed eating at this cosy restaurant.  Since our maiden visit, we have made numerous visits back there.  If you would like to challenge your tastebuds with unbelievable herbs and spices, but have no one to undertake this challenge with you, hey, I'm game for it.  Anytime.  :)

Magna Carta

I was cruising through the city when I decided to have a magna cenae.  Now, where could I go for a realllll magna one?  Why not try Magna Carta, the little voice in me whispered.

Magna Carta (Latin for 'The Great Charter'), the fusion cuisine restaurant is owned by Dino Bidari, the owner of previous Magenta (the wooden restaurant hidden along Jalan Nanas which is now history).  Located strategically at the Old Court House overlooking the Kuching Waterfront and the Dewan Undangan Negeri, Magna Carta is surely a force to be reckoned with by those in the F&B industry.

My friend and I ventured into this restaurant for a Raya Eve celebration.  I find this place quite captivating in its simplicity.  The space within is well-used, and it's accentuated by pieces and pieces of antiques.

We chose to sit outside at the courtyard as it was a warm night.  This place is not air-conditioned.  Just a few ceiling fans to keep you cool.  Ordering our food was quite an experience.  Steps away from the entrance was the blackboard menu.  Standing in front of the blackboard menu, eyes moving keenly, we placed our order.  And we were momentarily transported back to when we were in school.  O memories of yesterdays flooded back.

We settled for the Magenta Lamb Shank, Salmon Mango Salsa, Caesar Salad, Honey Dew Juice and Watermelon Juice.

The Honey Dew Juice and Watermelon Juice...highly refreshing and light.  Just what you need on a very warm night.

Honey Dew Juice & Watermelon Juice

Not long after our drinks were served, came the Caesar Salad.  (Yes, service was fast, I must say)  Freshness is what people look for in a salad.  And that's what we got.  My verdict:  Good! (Just that I think the pricing was a tad on the high end for something as simple as Caesar Salad *smiling sheepishly*)

Caesar Salad

Next came the Salmon Mango Salsa.  "Here, salmon is called Sulaiman", said one of the staff who served us, jokingly.  The salmon was rather overcooked.  That was the first impression I got when I took a bite of just the salmon.  But eating it together with the mashed potatoes was a different story.  Just one word to describe it: Perficio!  And don't you think it was quite artfully garnished?  My verdict:  Recommended.

Salmon Mango Salsa

The Magenta Lamb Shank made its grand entrance next.  Just look at the size of the portion.  Big enough to satiate our appetite.  And the lamb was tender and juicy.  The gravy was thick and flavourful.  For a while, with every bite came "Mmmmmm...".  My verdict:  Highly recommended.

Lamb Shank

We left feeling full and satisfied.

Glossary:

Cenae - dinner

Perficio - perfect