For the most part, you can easily get Malay food in Brunei as well as a sprinkling of Indian and Chinese food. Western food is freely available in the town areas and you won’t have too much trouble finding a KFC or Pizza Hut in downtown BSB. There are no real specialties in Brunei and the food is not quite as nice as Malaysia but still quite ok.
Cuisine
Thanks to its role as a center for trade and exploration over the centuries, Brunei has developed a unique fusion of cuisine which integrates aspects of Arab, Indian, Malay and Chinese styles of cooking. This adds up to one of the most interesting and delicious local cuisines in Asia, delighting visitors every time they come to Brunei. At its heart, though, the food in Brunei most resembles Malaysian and Chinese cooking.
The staple of the Brunei diet is rice and wheat. Most dishes incorporate coconut milk and chili, and use typical Asian frying methods. Meat is not a common ingredient, especially pork, due to Islamic law. When eaten, meat is typically accompanied by stewed vegetables. Water buffalo, chicken and beef are often reserved for special occasions, while fish and shellfish are eaten more regularly. Fruits round off the menu, with an astonishing range of tropical delights on offer.
National specialties include prawns with chili and coconut milk, fried chicken and garlic wrapped in pandan leaves, and spicy beef with potato and beans. Many dishes are traditionally very spicy. A wide range of Malay rice cakes and sweets are also popular.
In hotels, guests will find typical European dishes along with Chinese, Indian and Malaysian fare. Street-side stalls offer excellent choices at reasonable prices. Quick dishes such as satays, noodles, grilled chicken and fish can be found in every town. Fast food junkies of another kind can choose from all the big name Western chains. Classic Chinese restaurants are among the best ethnic restaurants in Brunei, but don’t expect to see alcohol on any menu as it’s banned in Brunei.
Drinks
Since alcohol is prohibited in Brunei due to the Islamic social laws, there is no traditional beer or alcohol. Non-Muslim visitors are allowed to import a small amount of alcohol, but cannot drink it in public. Most locals drink water, coffee and tea. Unripe coconut milk served over ice is another popular beverage, and coffee is consumed in vast quantities. With its abundance of exotic fresh fruit, there is also a good market for fruit juice in Brunei. Typical sodas and canned soft drinks are also prevalent everywhere you go.
Popular Dishes
- Roti Prata - A kind of fried bread served with dahl and sambal or fish/chicken curry. Can also be ordered with egg inside (Roti Telur)
- Nasi Lemak - coconut rice served with anchovy sambal (spicy sauce), peanuts, eggs and cucumbers.
- Lontong - Cubes of rice served with sayur lodeh, a vegetable curry made with coconut milk and tumeric.
- Mee Goreng - Fried noodles. Different in Singapore than other countries since tumeric powder is used to give the dish a nice orange color.
- Nasi Goreng - Fried Rice
- Soto - A thick soup usually consisting of chicken or beef.
Eating Gems
- In BSB, the area around the bus station and Brunei Hotel has a lot of very decent Indian food.
- Taman Bandaraya - A night market just beyond the Royal Regalia Museum off Jalan Tutong. All manner of Malay food sold at night.
- Coffee Shop (Gadong) - Near Centerpoint. Popular among youths and open till real late which is a good novelty in Brunei. This is located along the same route to the Masjid Jamek so bus #22 will get you there
- Yayasan Complex - Home to most of the fast food restaurants in BSB. You can get McDonalds, KFC, Jollibee or whatever else strikes your fancy.
- Jerudong Park - Quite a lot of stalls here as well and this place is well frequented by Bruneians, if for no other reason than there is not too much to do at night. The other nice thing is that they are open quite late.