I guess many/some of you would know by now that I am not into franchises, not even our own Sarawak ones like this one, for instance…
…as usually the food is good, not great and a little bit more expensive generally. At such places, one would have to go to the counter…
…and order what one wants and pay for it/them and everything would be placed in a tray after which, one would have to do some kind of balancing act to take everything to a table…
*Note that there is a very nice seating area on the 1st/mezzanine floor too!*
…to sit down eat. At times, when the food would not be ready that fast, they would give you a number and you can take that to your table with the drinks you have ordered and you sit there and wait to be served.
This particular outlet has been around for quite sometime now but I never stopped by to check it out – I guess you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all but my missus was telling me about the fish dishes that she and my girl had a couple of times (at other outlets, not here) and they were very good. That was why last Friday, we went to this one and I certainly was amazed as to how different this one is…
…compared to the rest. The fittings and the decor all look expensive, not quite typical of a fast food restaurant, much less a franchise.
This seating area…
*Note the pizza counter on the other side, a collaboration with the Singapore franchise.*
…sure looks comfortable, two here and if you turn left and go down the corridor, there will be more inside…and I guess one can sit here and relax and enjoy the free WIFI and their tea or coffee…
…which certainly seems cheaper than those coffee places in town, not that I’ve been to any, except maybe…one.
They even have this place outside…
…for those who would like a breath of fresh air.
It’s the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan right now so they have these promotional offers…
…at the moment but no, I was there for the fish so fish it was.
I ordered the sambal eco-fish (RM15.60)…
…for myself and yes, it was very nice. A friend said that the sambal…
…was nice but no, I beg to disagree. It tasted like the ones you get in cans or bottles and those are not to my liking, that’s for sure. However, the soy sauce dip was surprisingly very nice. It looked like just soy sauce and chili but it tasted like there was calamansi lime juice and whatever else in it. I sure enjoyed it very much.
My missus had the claypot assam fish (RM12.20)…
…and it was absolutely delicious. The sauce was simply out of this world and I could not refrain from helping myself to it and enjoying it with my rice. For one thing, this dish would come with one fish head and there isn’t all that much to eat when it comes to the head of the tilapia; I wonder what happens to the rest of the fish, the body.
The service here was excellent, very cordial and prompt too and I was particularly impressed by how they could speak perfect English which is more than what I could say about those waiting staff at some/many of those wannabe western and fusion cafes and restaurants in town.
Well, we certainly enjoyed both our orders and yes, we would love to drop by again sometime. It may be a bit far for those staying around the town centre but I guess the location is ideal for students at the university and also the college and international school a short distance up the road and those staying in the housing areas in that part of town.
SUGARBUN & PEZZO SG MERAH PETRONAS STATION (2.333595, 111.840638) is located at the side of the petrol station along Jalan Teng Chin Hua, going in the direction of the University College of Technology Sarawak (UCTS) just after Island Club and the Sibu Benevolent Society Old Folks’ Home.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
I love the colourful look to this place!
I was very impressed by how they’ve done up the place, very nice.
I’m not particularly fond of franchises either. I feel there is a passion that is lost with places that are not directly run by the owner or chef.
I guess it may depend on the franchisee sometimes – there was one in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, in the heart of the city centre – not sure if it is still going on strong or not – they even have live entertainment at night, a Filipino band. I’d love that! You wouldn’t feel like it’s just another one of those franchise places…
I have never try their claypot assam fish but the sambal eco fish has always been my favourite in place. Is the claypot assam fish a new product in the menu?
See Chris’ comment below – dating way back to 2010. I’m not sure if they have the same at all outlets as I do not usually go to any – maybe some will only have the usual broasted chicken, burgers and fish fillet sandwich kind of stuff? The fish fillet is not nice anymore – looks more like the orange ones one can buy at the supermarket, no more the nice coarse bread crumb coating they had before…and shrinking, getting smaller and smaller. 😦
Ì love the assam fish claypot. When I was pregnant, I had to have it at least once a week. Hahaha..
The dish has been around since 2010, if not mistaken.
It depends on yr luck. Sometimes you get the head, sometimes the other half.
Is that so? Then the next time, I will ask for the body – there will be a lot more to eat than the head, I’m sure.
I love both Assam fish and Eco-fish. Long time did not have both; usually I have the broasted chicken with rice to share with the little one.
Yes, when one has kids, one would just have to eat what they can and want to eat. The joy of parenthood! 😀 😀 😀
Oh? I didn’t know Sugar Bun offers curry fish head too, all the while I thought they are offering fried chicken and burgers only
It’s assam, not curry…and there are more. My girl’s colleague likes the claypot mushroom chicken – she will always order that. There used to be more, if I remember correctly – maybe they are retaining the best sellers, do away with the rest – no need to have so many. I’d love to go back and try the beef stew, see if it’s any good and there is nasi lemak too but if the sambal is the same as the one that came with the eco-fish, I’d pass on that one.
I like both the choices above.. the fried fish and the assam curry looks good.. can share out the dishes…
Yes, enough for three, the two orders.
When I every I can I try to support business ran by pop and mom places. Coffee is on
Places run by the old folks here? We do have a few but sad if they no longer do it, anything that is nice will no longer be available.
Both fish dishes look good. I expected it to be a bakery, with a name like Sugar Bun.
Yes, it had a spin-off bakery but they named it Applebee. Now it is UniqBun or something like that.
I used to love the ecofish at sugarbun too, but lately it has become smaller and too dry crispy you can hardly find the fish flesh. But the chicken mushroom is still awesome! 🙂
You probably went to the wrong outlet. They did it really well here, crispy on the outside, I could eat the bones even…but inside it was very nice, not dry and hard like at some places where they over-fry the fish. Yet to try the chicken mushroom.
Do they have the garupa here? Those were gooood!
No, just tilapia…from the Batang Ai dam. We get them alive, real fresh.
Both the dishes look good. You probably need to bring your own sambal hee..hee..
The soy sauce chili dip was really nice – I just left the somewhat disappointing sambal by the side.
Sugarbun serves fish? A whole fish at that. That is so awesome. If only we have those here at that price. I will for sure be eating here often.
Yes, and I’m going back for more. I would want the asam fish, and I would ask for the body.
” one would have to do some kind of balancing act to take everything to a table…” I want to LOL reading this sentence!! HAHAHAH!
When I first visit S’wak Sugar Bun…I got excited looking at the menu. Fast food with claypot dishes, fried talapia with rice, etc??
But the dishes I mentioned are what I’ve tried and also remembered how yummy it was.
Yes, one thing I do not like about these fast food places. LOL!!! Yes, they do have some good stuff but the thing is they are not really cheap.