When in Rome.....

My family and I flew home to Kuching last Monday just in time for the grand Merdeka (Independence Day) celebration. The trip was largely meant to spend time with my husband's family before we go to the Netherlands.

I like going back to Kuching since it offers me a respite from the hustle bustle and frenetic lifestyle of KL. However, my palate being 'slightly' different from the locals, locating food that fancies my tastebud is an adventure in itself.

Back when we got married in late 2004, my husband told me about this nice cafe situated inside one of the upscale hotels in town - Merdeka Palace Hotel. The place is called Seattle Coffee and Tea and serves a variety of delectable coffee concoctions and mouth-watering savoury pies and sumptuous desserts.

Being a caffeine addict back then and a recidivating coffee connoisseur at present, I confer relishing a great cuppa as my favourite pastime.

With the dearth of cafes to hang out at and the non-Starbucks atmospheric conditions, SCT is a much welcome haven for yuppies and tourists alike. However, its location within the Hotel's walls translates to pricey food and beverage lists that are more or less equivalent to the ones quoted at Starbucks or Coffee Bean And Tea Leaves (CBTL).

Oh yeah, Kuching does boast a CBTL outlet but I deem the drinks there unsatisfactory in terms of its robust caffeine quotient. In other words, the powdered-based concoctions run counter to my hankering for pungent espressos.

A surprising discovery in Main Bazaar of Kuching is Deli Cafe, which my husband and I stumbled into in May 2005. We were on our bi-annual visit to Kuching and this happened right before I got pregnant. (Maybe the cafe has the key ingredients to stabilise my hormonal levels. Haha)

Deli Cafe offers a range of coffee drinks, sandwiches and pastries which are quite tiny, in my opinion, that they're almost bite-size. I like their brews which are served in home-grown cups and mugs and decorated with interesting swirls on top of the foam. The copacetic and restful setting also adds to a feeling of warmth and being grounded. And of course, the friendly staff is of great import in making each visit a memorable one.

As such, I gladly recommend that those who step into Kuching to visit these daily grinds and bask in the moment of sheer contentment and relaxation. :-)