Situated along the waterfront, D’Alif café is just 150m from James Brook Bistro. It was recommended to us by a cabbie when we asked him for some place to have afternoon snacks. Whilst most eateries close from 3pm-6pm, this café remained open throughout.
Stepping into the café, we had the feeling that we were somewhere exotic, quite forgetting that we’re in our own homeland. The décor is ethnic influenced and natural sunlight beam through the stained glasses above the door. Sarawak indigenous artifacts adorn the walls, creating a more interesting ambience. There is a big pond with koi’s and live mangrove tree right in the middle of the restaurant.
The specialty of D’Alif is its soft shell crab burger. That’s right. Soft-shell crab burgers! It claims to be the first restaurant in the world to introduce this creation. I just had to try it. My husband had the "Sarawak Nasi Goreng" and another friend tried the "Soft-shell Crab Nasi Lemak".
The soft shell crab burger was simply delicious! The crab is deep fried in whole and placed between two soft buns, topped up with cucumber, tomato and mayonnaise. The burger is served with fries and coleslaw. This is truly special and a must-try. The Sarawak Nasi Goreng was another hit. Fried with chunks of chicken meat and mixed vege, the rice was fluffy and friend to perfection (not too oily, not too dry). Word of warning, it’s very spicy even for the accustomed tongue!
Of course, the menu is more than just soft shell crabs and fried rice. D’Alif Café has an extensive menu, covering both western and local fares. Prices start from RM 4.00 for main meals and drinks are priced from RM 2.00 up.
We strongly recommend you drop by this café for lunch/tea during your visit to Kuching.