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Kota Kinabalu Eats: Lucy's Kitchen & Iz Veruk

2017-10-04 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

After having just cereal and two slices of bread for brunch, I killed time by endlessly snorkeling and tanning until my hunger pushed me past the point of starvation and straight into nirvana. Sure enough, when I got back to the accommodation today, everyone had already eaten. I was so starving that I finally headed to the restaurants at Imago Mall, which I had been saving for later.

People walking in the hallway inside a large shopping mall lined with palm tree decorations and various stores.
Advertising banner for BBQ ribs at Morganfield's restaurant hanging from the shopping mall ceiling.

I kept looking up restaurants as I walked, but the reviews were so mixed that it was hard to decide. Still, since I'm in Malaysia, I wanted to eat as much local food as possible, so I chose Lucy's Kitchen. It's a franchise, but one that specializes in Malaysian cuisine, so I decided to trust it. When I actually arrived, it was much cleaner than I expected (though that's true for all the restaurants in Imago Mall) and the prices were surprisingly cheap. The Mee Goreng I had yesterday came out too doughy, so this time I ordered a different noodle dish called 'Mee Mamak'.

Entrance and neon sign of Lucy's Kitchen restaurant, and people dining inside.
They won a restaurant award in Sabah in 2016. But it seems like they give this award out a bit too freely.
Wall logo of Lucy's Kitchen featuring a female chef character holding a spatula.
Illuminated sign of Lucy's Kitchen in the shape of a smiling female chef holding a spatula.
A mascot that makes you want to check if it actually looks like this in real life.
Four framed pictures hanging on the wall, including the Sabah Food Awards certificates.
Menu board with photos of four noodle dishes, including shrimp fried noodles and noodles topped with a fried egg.
Restaurant menu with photos and prices of various colorful drinks.
Their menu is thick enough to publish as a book. So I only took pictures of what I ate. There are menus placed outside so you can decide before going in. Given the touristy area, they make things very convenient for visitors.
Inside a restaurant where people are sitting at white tables with metal chairs and dining.
People dining inside a restaurant decorated with pot-shaped lights and plate ornaments.
Unique interior lighting of a restaurant with pots and frying pans hanging from the ceiling.
Inside a restaurant with empty tables and chairs set against a light green wall.
Stainless steel pots and cooking utensils hanging from a ceiling structure along with lights.
I feel like I've seen this kind of interior somewhere in Seoul, but I can't remember where. The design is unique and clean.
Employee in a black uniform wiping a table in a restaurant with customers.
I'm still not quite used to seeing servers wearing hijabs.

Glancing around while waiting, I noticed a lot of solo diners, and the staff were incredibly friendly, so I didn't feel uncomfortable being alone. When the food came, I performed the traveler's ritual of taking photos and then took a bite. "Yes, this is exactly what I imagined," I marveled, and slurped down the 3,000 KRW Mee Mamak without even pausing for a breath. The seasoning was perfect, and the squid I ordered on the side was delicious too. I was surrounded entirely by women eating alone, but I didn't glance anywhere else—I just glared at my food and ate. I can barely even remember if I chewed properly.

Fried noodle dish served on a plate lined with a banana leaf.
Glass of a white blended drink placed on a table.
Fried noodles served on a plate lined with a banana leaf and a glass of a white drink.
Truly the ultimate sweet and salty combo. The noodles are perfect, and the taste is flawless. I almost ate the garnish too.

After a very satisfying meal, I bought some fruit as a snack to share with the people at my accommodation along with some Bacardi rum. It wasn't your typical fruit, though—it was pickled fruit, so it was incredibly sour (the European guys were like, "You think this is sour?"), and you eat it sprinkled with a sweet, sugar-like powder. It's a very unique fruit salad. The brand name says Iz Veruk, though I'm not sure if I'm pronouncing that right. Either way, it was a great snack to pair with drinks.

Exterior of a fruit dessert shop with a green sign reading Iz Beruk.
Shop counter with stacked plastic cups and a display of various pickled fruits.
You put as much as you want into this bowl. Then you pay by weight. I piled it up a bit, and it came out to 5,000 KRW.
Various colorful pickled fruits and fresh fruits displayed in metal trays.
Display case with bite-sized sliced fruits such as mango, papaya, and watermelon in trays.
Various pickled fruits in multiple metal trays with tongs and spoons.
Honestly, when I was picking things out, I had no idea what was what; I just grabbed them and checked the photos later. I recommend the apple mango.
Counter with small jars containing Sambal Udang (shrimp chili) powder and Asam Boi (dried plum) powder.
A sweet spice. I don't know what it is. You sprinkle a round or two over the salad before eating.


Expenses (conservatively calculated, multiply by 300 KRW to get the Korean Won equivalent):

Daily expenses: RM 122

Total trip expenses: 2,875,000 KRW + RM 720.41