But please, don’t believe me.  Moon Bell Restaurant in Kota Kinabalu will provide you with all the proof that you need know that once you’ve eaten northern Chinese, sweet n sour anything from that Chinese takeaway back home will pale in comparison.

Moon Bell Restaurant shines on KK’s main road, opposite Wisma Merdeka, halfway between the Hyatt and Capital Hotel.  It’s open for lunch and dinner every day of the week, except Mondays, so plan your culinary itinerary accordingly.

The menu is not as elaborate as some of the Chinese eateries here in KK, but that’s a good thing, as they do a few things, and do them well.  And do they ever.

All the meats, except pork, are represented; duck, chicken, lamb, beef and seafood all feature with at least 4 dishes to choose from in each category.  Once you’ve made the difficult decision of choosing a mouthwatering dish, you’ll realise after tasting it that you will have to choose another, and another.

Is the spicy tastes? The rich aromas? The way seemingly ordinary potato sets the juices flowing like when Remy in Ratatouille pops different types of food in his mouth and imagines the flavours like fireworks on his palate?

Yes to all of them.  It’s true of Moon Bell’s food, you can’t go there just once.  It’s the type of food you crave. The type of food that makes you sit up in bed at 2am, smack your lips and say to yourself, “I can really do with big helping of Moon Bell’s Stir Fried Lazy Crab.”

It happens.

Mosaic at Hyatt Regency Kinabalu is importing juicy, 300g prime Australian ribs to tantalise the taste buds of discerning diners in Kota Kinabalu and torture everyone else in KK with the exquisite, smoky aroma of their char-grilled delight.

The tender ribs are marinated an seared a full day before it’s served to you to lock in its natural juiciness. The final preparation is made moments after your order and just before it hits your plate, hot, aromatic and sumptuous.

Accompanied with a generous helping of French fries, corn-on-the-cob, string beans and tomatoes, your char-grill rib meal is a hearty one.

Mosaic presents this gastronomic feast, including a glass of wine at just RM60, or RM48 sans the wine.

Enjoy this special treat during August on at Mosaic, Hyatt Regency Kinabalu.

It may be called The Mediterranean Bar and Restaurant, but one would be forgiven for thinking its an Italian restaurant for the wide selection of pasta and pizza dishes it serves.

Add to the fact that its executive chef, Nikolay Rocco, is a genuine Northern Italian who talks food as passionately as Sabahans talk politics, and you know you’re in good hands, no matter what the cuisine is.

Focusing more on northern mediterranean cuisine, Mediterranean Bar and Restaurant serve food from Italy, Greece and Spain, where olive oil is prominent in the cooking.

Rocco recently added 24 new dishes to Mediterranean Bar and Restaurant, bringing the total menu items to 68, divided into appetisers, salads and soups, pastas and pizzas, seafood and main dishes.

Generous portions of beef tenderloins, more than 220g, is one of its most popular dishes as well as the gratinated scallops and any kind of seafood, which are always popular with tourists.

The new menu offerings promise to be tantalising, fresh and always good value for money. To start with, the Insalata di Mare, or Salad of the Sea, is a big portion brimming with scallops, squid and other delectable seafood that can be shared among two or three.

For seafood and cheese lovers, there is the mussels mornay, a bed of five local mussels, drenched in parmesan, mozarella and cheddar cheese.

If you prefer a soup, the Amalfitana, a rich tomato-based seafood soup is a healthy option.

Speaking of healthy, dishes for the waistline conscious include one of the highlights in the new menu; the sole fish livornese; sole fish fillets cooked in tomato-based sauce with a generous portion of vegetables.

Also highly recommended is the red snapper ravioli. Made with homemade pasta and covered with a light cream sauce.

The jumbo skewer, another new item on the menu, is chunks of seasoned meat interspersed with peppers and onion, all with an idividually grilled taste. Fresh salad and roasted potatoes accompanies the skewer.

Other new items on the menu is stewed beef tenderloin, marinated in red wine, and served with red cabbage and mashed potatoes. For dessert, the warm chocolate cake, crusty on the outside, goo-ey on the inside, is a good choice.

The restaurant itself is simply furnished. The open kitchen in the middle takes up most of the room on the inside of the restaurant but the high ceilings and glass walls makes it look spacious.

The bar along the front is a nice addition, but most prefer to enjoy their dinner al fresco on the restaurant’s terrace, where creepers and lots of foliage surrounding the dining tables create an exotic ambience in contrast to the cool concrete inside.

Whether you’re looking to have a romantic meal, a venue for your next class reunion, or just a quiet family dinner, hit the spot in the all the right places at Mediterranean Bar and Restaurant.

Spice Garden is the Indian restaurant at food & entertainment hub, D Junction in KK, specialising in north Indian cuisine.

Spice Garden caters to all palates, including sensitive ones, with a choice for their north Indian cuisine of spicy, mild and non spicy.

For starters, and to get the digestive juices flowing, a serving of crispy snacks called papadam are served together with a trio of acha, mint and mango chutney.

Highlights from the menu include the Vegetable Pakora, a serving of batter fried vegetables, consisting of most notably green chilis.

For the strong of tongue, the green chilis present a taste sensation and sets the palate alight in anticipation of the what’s to come.

For a healthy dose of veggies, the Aloo Matar is well advised. Cauliflower and potatoes cooked with a generous helping of spices, perfect to enjoy with rice or naan bread.

For something meaty, the Mutton Rogan Josh complements the selection. A flavoursome curry, which although alive with spices is not too hot.

A generous menu of common and lesser known naan bread is an adventure on it’s own. The old favourite garlic butter naan is a winner at Spice Garden, baked to golden perfection with just the right amount of garlic.

The masala naan, filled with curry potato and a hint chili, is one of the creative and more filling naan breads on the menu.

A range of deserts are available at Spice Garden at D Junction, as is a selection of usual and unusual drinks for the beverage menu.

The Indian masala tea, for instance, is a somewhat strange, but very palatable combination of spices and milky tea.

Prices are very reasonable at D Junction’s Spice Garden and a meal for two for around RM50 is nothing unusual.

For an virtual taste safari through the northern parts of India, have a spicy (or not so spicy) dinner at D Junction and Spice Garden.

D Junction is a food & entertainment outlet at the junction of Jalan Lintas and Jalan Penampang, which offers quality choices in one convenient location.

Although a little off Kota Kinabalu’s tourist track, a 15 minute taxi ride from the city centre will bring you to D Junction where food and entertainment options await.

You can start off your evening with a message treatment at Thai Odyssey, one of the most reasonably priced Thai Massage centres in KK. Pamper yourself with a half body massage, a traditional foot massage, an authentic traditional Thai Massage or an aromatherapy massage. For aching muscles, they even have a sport massage.

Multiple Choice for Dinner

Authentic North Indian cuisine awaits you at Spice Garden on the first floor. Featuring spicy cuisine for the culinary adventurer, or a choice of mild or non-spicy for those more cautious. The range of standard and speciality naan bread is a must-try.

Next door in a tranquil setting decorated with dark wood furniture and bamboo, lies D Junction’s Japanese Restaurant Umai. Delectable Japanese cuisine in an intimate setting.

Royal China, D Junction’s famous Chinese Restaurant. Located on the 2nd floor Royal China is popular for its selection of well-priced dim sum and other delectable Chinese cuisine.

Fun & Entertainment

D Junction is a great venue for a party and boogie with a choice of either KTV, or Karaoke TV, for singing the night away and impressing (or depressing), your friends.

Alternatively, you can dance to the music or have a drink or two at D Junction Fun Pub, both on the lower level of the D Junction complex.