It was during a trip to his Kelabit wife Noralisha Maisara’s remote village of Long Napir in Sarawak that Pahang-born Haidhar Hazlan first realised how unique Sarawakian food is. “Long Napir is three hours off-road from the town of Limbang. It is very peaceful there, even the air is fresher. And when I tried the food that my mother-in-law and other family members cooked, I thought, ‘This is so different!’” says Haidhar.

So in the middle of this year, Haidhar (who is in construction) and Noralisha, a former accountant, opened Long Napir Kitchen, in homage to the food of Sarawak.