Bandar Seri Begawan Street Food

Bandar Seri Begawan Street Food


Bandar Seri Begawan Street Food, and cuisine in Brunei, share many similarities with the neighbouring Malaysia states of Sabah and Sarawak, due to their shared heritage as part of Borneo. Thus, Brunei itself doesn't have a distinct food identity, and many of the dishes served in Bandar Seri Begawan can also be found in Malaysia.

Food in Bandar Seri Begawan can be found along in small cafes, in mid-range restaurants and fine-dining establishments. There rarely are any street side stalls. Bornean Malay cuisine is defined by the use of spices, and popular method of cooking include stir frying, deep frying and steaming. Common ingredients used in many Borneo / Brunei dishes include beef, chicken, fish, rice, wheat, egg, corn, sago, tapioca, soy beans, bean sprouts, ginger, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, cucumber, tomatoes, cloves, pepper, mango, pineapple, banana, rambutan, jackfruit, squid, cuttlefish, clams, cockles and more.

Bandar Seri Begawan Street Food is particulary hygenic, and dining at most places is safe, though the tap water should be boiled before consumption. Thai cuisine is increasingly popular in Brunei, though most other major international cuisines have yet to catch on. Bandar Seri Begawan has very few uniquely Brunei dishes.


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The Caramelised Pineapple Cake consists of pineapples, which are grown locally in Bandar Seri Begawan, layered between a vanilla sponge cake.

Caramelised Pineapple Cake 01

Caramelised Pineapple Cake 02

Caramelised Pineapple Cake 03

The Coconut Mousse Cake is made with young coconut meat, heavy cream, sugar, eggs, all purpose flour, baking powder, milk and butter. It is garnished with strawberry chocolate and slices of mandarin orange. The tartness of the mandarin orange cuts through the smooth and heavy sweetness of the coconut mousse.

Coconut Mousse Cake 01

Coconut Mousse Cake 02

Epok Epok from Brunei, very similar to Epok Epok / Curry Puff from Malaysia and Singapore. The difference in this Epok Epok from Bandar Seri Begawan is the more flaky crust.

Epok Epok 01

Epok Epok 02

Katilapam is a traditional savoury snack unique to Bandar Seri Begawan, and is made with rice flour, sugar, water, baking soda and fruit salt. The mixture is then steamed to make Katilapam. Alternative versions in Brunei are often treated with food colouring to make it more attractive.

Katilapam

Kerabu Udang And Mangga / Shrimp And Mango Salad is a fresh salad often eaten as an appetizer. It's made with fresh de-shelled prawns, fresh mango, cucumber, onions, lettuce and chili. Often, there is a simple sweet syrup that accompanies the dish.

Kerabu Udang And Mangga / Shrimp And Mango Salad

Brunei is famous for Keropok, which is a deep fried starch cracker often flavoured with other ingredients. The most popular varieties of Keropok are flavoured with prawn, fish or crab.

Keropok 01

Keropok 02

Keropok 03

Keropok 04

Keropok 05

Kuih Calak Beef is a traditional Borneo Malay savoury pastry, made with all purpose flour, eggs, coconut milk, sugar, minced beef, onions, salt, sugar, spring onions, curry powder, haricot beans and chili. Kuih Calak Beef is a popular snack eaten in Bandar Seri Begawan.

Kuih Calak Beef 01

Kuih Calak Beef 02

Kuih Cara Pusu is a traditional Borneo Malay savoury pastry often eaten as a snack. It's made with plain flour, powdered turmeric, eggs, salt, water, garlic, ginger, curry powder, dried shrimp, anchovies, spring onions and chili.

Kuih Cara Pusu

Kuih Cincin, which means Ring Cakes, is a Brunei / Bandar Seri Begawan snack, made with red palm extract, sugar, salt, rice flour, water, palm sugar / gula melaka, and then fried in vegetable oil till crisp.

Kuih Cincin 01

Kuih Cincin 02

The Mango Mousse Cake is made with mango, heavy cream, sugar, eggs, all purpose flour, baking powder, milk and butter. It is garnished with chocolate and slices of dragon fruit.

Mango Mousse Cake

Mee Goreng from Brunei, while bearing the same name as the version in Singapore, is very different in terms of ingredients. The use of soy sauce is more liberal here, resulting in a more savoury dish, and there are typically less garnishings than the Malaysia or Singapore version.

Mee Goreng 01

Mee Goreng 02

Nasi Goreng Istimewa, or Special Fried Rice, is a dish consisting of white rice, eggs, peas, carrot, corn, shallots, onions, garlic, powdered turmeric, kecap manis sweet soy sauce, spring onions and chili, stir fried together. It is garnished with sliced cucumber, sliced tomato, a fried egg, and usually fried chicken and keropok.

Nasi Goreng Istimewa 01

Nasi Goreng Istimewa 02

Nasi Lemak from Brunei, is very similar to those served in Singapore and Malaysia.

Nasi Lemak 01

Nasi Lemak 02

Rendang Beef Tok is a version of Rendang Beef, usually with a dry curry, and strongly spiced. According to tradition, Rendang Beef Tok is usually served to the Royal Family. It consists of beef cubes, marinated in a mix of spices such as cardamom, kaffir lime leaves, palm sugar, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, powdered turmeric, garlic, lemongrass, salt, powdered cumin, powdered coriander, powdered fennel, galangal / blue ginger, onions, shallots, coconut milk and chili. The resulting Rendang Beef is extremely tender, with a fragrant aroma.

Rendang Beef Tok 01

Rendang Beef Tok 02

Rojak Buah is a spicy sweet dish of mixed fruits, such as apples, pineapple and guava, tossed in a sticky mixture of tamarind paste, palm sugar, water, oyster sauce, belacan dried shrimp paste, chili and garnished with sesame seeds and roasted ground peanuts.

Rojak Buah

Roti Canai from Brunei, similar in style to those served in Malaysia, and resembling the Roti Prata in Singapore.

Roti Canai

Seafood Masak Lemak is a curry dish of fresh calamari squid and prawns, in a rich curry gravy made from shallots, garlic, candlenuts, lemongrass, powdered turmeric, galangal / blue ginger, belacan dried shrimp paste, coconut milk, groundnut oil and chili. It is garnished with roasted ground peanuts.

Seafood Masak Lemak

Tea Contessa Grey is a blend of Ceylonese black tea, delicately fused with Mediterranean eucalyptus, Italian bergamot and Japanese shiso leaves. It has a medium body, with a fruity herbal aroma, and an elegant, soothing texture.

Tea Contessa Grey

Ikan Tenggiri Balado / Fish Mackerel Balado is a spicy savoury fish dish, using fresh mackerel fish, stir fried with onions, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, ginger, galangal / blue ginger, powdered turmeric, string beans, salt, lemon juice, tomato and chili. The dish is usually presented with the string beans and chili slightly covering the fish, and is quite spicy.

Ikan Tenggiri Balado / Fish Mackerel Balado

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