One gem of a place I like to eat in Kuching is Hornbill Corner. It’s a steamboat-style restaurant, and the seating is open-air. They allow you to choose a wide variety of marinated meats and vegetables and bring them back to your table. Under the table is a gas cylinder, and in the center of the table is a burner with a large cooking plate on it, with a bowl in the center. You cook your own meat around the edge and make soup in the center. They give you a pot of water for the soup, and you add all the ingredients you want.

The meats are marinated quite nicely, and they always have a good variety. They had at least five different flavors of chicken when I was there along with beef, lamb, and the specialty is seafood. They also have a few other more exotic items. They also had a wide variety of vegetables for you vegetarians, although it might be a waste to go here and not get the meat.

It’s all-you-can-eat, and the price, although expensive for Malaysia, is quite good. It’s about RM15 per person, which is only $4, but considering I seldom spend more than RM5 on a meal, it is pricey for me. It’s certainly well worth it, though, and it isn’t too expensive for a Western tourist.

The seating is open-air and in plastic chairs and at plastic tables, but don’t let that discourage you. You will find yourself dining this way at many a fine Malaysian restaurant. You see lots of families here, and it's one of the few places besides the waterfront where you will see Western tourists in Kuching. It’s a fun kind of atmosphere and good for all ages.