If Sarawak laksa is the dish visitors ask about, kolo mee is the one locals actually eat most days. It's deceptively simple: springy, thin egg noodles blanched quickly and tossed — not soaked — in a seasoned mix of lard, shallot oil and light soy, then topped with minced pork, slices of char siu (barbecued pork), and a few strands of green.
The 'kolo' in the name is thought to come from the Cantonese 'ko lo,' loosely meaning 'dry-tossed,' and that dryness is the whole point — the noodles should never be swimming in sauce or broth, which usually comes in a small side bowl instead. Kuching's kolo mee is noticeably different from the sweeter, darker versions found in West Malaysia, leaning lighter and more savoury.
Every neighbourhood coffee shop has its regulars arguing over whose stall does it best, and a good bowl costs only a few ringgit — reason enough why kolo mee, not laksa, is what most Kuching mornings actually run on.