Sugar Bun is a Malaysian-owned and -operated fast-food chain. It was started in Kuching, but now I believe you can find them in west Malaysia and Brunei. I don’t usually eat fast food, but since it was country-specific and my wife, who is Malaysian, wanted to go, I gave it a shot.

It’s quite interesting, really. It’s like a mix of a McDonalds, a KFC, and local Malaysian food all in one. The menu ranges from burgers to Malaysian nasi lemak to Italian, claypot soups, and fried chicken. There are many items that you wouldn’t really consider "fast food" on the menu. The place looks like a typical fast-food joint, though. It’s obviously been inspired by more than one American burger joint. The food overall is pretty decent; one big surprise was mashed potatoes and gravy. My wife said that they were excellent and that she always used to get them as a child. I figured, what the heck, at least I can share a memory. Well, she was right--these little gems were awesome, much better than KFC’s counterpart.

For those interested in other fast-food joints, Kuching has a wide variety. You can find all your typical Western places, like KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, etc. An interesting note is that their menus reflect a bit of the local tastes. For example, McDonalds carries fried chicken and a few Asian-style soups. KFC even has a sandwich with Malaysian satay sauce on it.

Fast-food joints are a bit more expensive than eating at a Malaysian place, though. Expect to spend about RM8 for a meal per person. It’s still much cheaper than their counterparts in the U.S., though, and if you have kids that are unadventurous, then it's an option. The McDonalds fries and burgers taste the same.