Being home to over 40% of Foochow population in Sarawak, Sibu is undoubtedly famous for their “Kompia”. Originally made from simple ingredients including flour, yeast and salt, this local Foochow ‘bread’ is a MUST TRY for any Sibu visitors. “Zhen Dong Bing” on the other hand is a close relative of Kompia, made from flour, yeast and sugar, making it slightly sweeter and bigger of the latter.
Here are 5 places to hunt for Kompia and Zhen Dong Bing in Sibu!
1. Sheng Kee 63 Confectionary 昇記
Serving Sibuians since 1963, Sheng Kee 63 Confectionary is one of the go-to places for purchasing these delicacies.
The main reason is because they preserve the ancient way of baking Kompia and Zhen Dong Bing in a charcoal-filled clay oven. When their Kompia is eaten fresh, it is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Each bite enhances the nutty taste of sesame seeds evenly distributed on top.
Their Zhen Dong Bing comes plain or with a variety of tasty fillings such as pandan, red bean, white bean and butter. These fillings make a great addition to the sweet dough of Zhen Dong Bing. They are not overly sweet and takes the plain taste of Zhen Dong Bing up a notch.
Affordably priced at RM1.00 for 4 plain Kompias, these “Foochow bagels” are Sibuains’ main staple for their table. Be there early to get the freshest baked goods of the day as the locals usually grab them before the tourists even get the chance to taste any. For future Sibu visitors, I would recommend to buy these, take a brisk walk to Sungai Rajang and enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the longest river in the state while devouring these goodies. Large orders are accepted on phone-call reservation.
The Location:
Shop Name: Sheng Kee 63 Confectionary 昇記
Address: Jln Lembangan, Pekan Sibu, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak
Operating Hours: Opens daily 6am-5pm
Waze/Google Maps: Search for “Sheng Kee 63 Confectionary 昇記”
2. Tiong Hua Road Kompia
Ask any locals for a place where you can sit down to enjoy Kompias and they would definitely exclaimed “Go to Tiong Hua Road lah!” without a second thought. Even without having a proper signboard, this store has been serving their Kompias for over 40 years.
Their homemade stewed pork sauce works magic on the plain Kompias. Served in a metal plate, the Kompias are well dressed with their secret stew sauce and topped with pork meat slices. Chili sauce is prepared on the table to add on.
Their Sour Plum drink is the best pairing beverage to these Kompias. Priced at RM1.50 for a plate of 2 Kompias, this is definitely an affordable complete meal. A simple yet genius takes on these Foochow bagels.
The Location:
Address: 1A, Lorong Tiong Hua 26, Off, Jalan Tiong Hua, Pekan Sibu, 96000 Sibu
Operating Hours: Opens 10am-3pm. Monday closed.
Waze/Google Maps: Search for “Tiong Hua Road Kompia”
3. Kedai Bukit Assek Ah Hua
Being an ex pupil of Saint Rita, I definitely remember eating Ah Hua Pek’s Kompias while enjoying Chendol during a hot afternoon as the vendor is just selling across the road from my primary school.
Starting small as a stall around the area of Bukit Assek road and then relocated to the first floor of the largest market in Sarawak which is Sibu Central Market, Ah Hua Pek is the first to invent Rojak Sauce Kompias.
Those Kompias are halved horizontally and spread generously with rojak sauce. His rojak sauce is cooked well enough that the shrimp paste is maximized in flavor and minimized in odor. Pairing with the fresh and crispy Kompias, the rojak sauce provides layers of balancing sweet, salty and spicy flavor.
There are also variants of Minced Meat Stuffed Kompias and Kompias with Stew Sauce to choose from. His Chendol and Iced Red Bean Soup are the usual cooling desserts to pair with his delicious Kompias. Situating on the first floor of Sibu Central Market, Ah Hua Pek’s stall is one of the favourite spot for locals to have Kompias for brunch or lunch after buying their daily groceries.
The Location:
Shop Name: Kedai Bukit Assek Ah Hua
Address: Sibu Central Market – FL12 (1st Floor)
Waze/Google Maps: Search for “Sibu Central Market”
4. Pasar Jalan Tiong Hua
Withstanding the continuous Kompia influence among the young and old generation in Sibu, there is a stall on the first floor of Pasar Jalan Tiong Hua which sell Stir-Fry Kompias. The idea was told to be initiated by locals whenever they have leftover Kompias.
The plain Kompias are being cut into strips and fried with green vegetables, egg, carrot strips and bean sprouts. Being also a thrifty person myself, I fully respect this idea. Nothing should go wasted especially something this good. As Kompias easily get chewier over time, by frying them, they get crispier. Fried in a wok, Kompia strips are well married with egg and vegetables. The green vegetables and carrots add a sweet taste, the bean sprouts add crunch and the egg mixture is well fried with the Kompia strips. This is indeed a scrumptious meal!
The Location:
Shop Name: No. 9 Stall Pasar Jalan Tiong Hua
Address: Lorong Tiong Hua 20, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak
Operating Hours: Opens daily from 6am
Waze/Google Maps: Search for “Pasar Jalan Tiong Hua”
5. Zen Don Bin HQ
Made from only three basic ingredients, it is not peculiar for Zhen Dong Bing to be styled into a hamburger. Thinking outside of the box, a group of youngsters founded General Head’s Zen Don Bin. From the traditional sweet “Conquer Bun” to savoury “Fish Fillet Zen Don Bin”, you name it, they have it.
The classic Zhen Dong Bing, fairly priced at RM1.00 per piece is of no stranger to any locals. Their Fish Fillet Zen Don Bin is a must try. Slices of fresh lettuce, egg and golden fish fillet are properly layered in between two halves of the sweet bun. Not to be forgotten, the generous squeeze of cheese sauce which adds an indulgent creamy texture to the burger pairing well with the crunchy lettuce, soft egg and crispy savoury fish fillet.
Grab one for RM4.20 as on the go lunch or upgrade it to a combo with an additional RM6.30 for an extra bottle of homemade soya milk and five pieces of delicious fish nuggets. Their menu also offers Malaysian styled “Chicken Sambal” for spice lovers, “Seafood Salad” for seafood lovers, western styled “Ham Chicken” and interesting “Kompia Kahwin”.
In short, the Zhen Dong Bings sold here are fancier compared to the usual soft sweet buns. There are indeed endless possibilities for the classics.
The Location:
Shop Name: Zen Don Bin
Address: UG 24, Upper Ground Floor, Delta Mall, Jalan Pedada, Sibu
Operating Hours: Opens daily from 7am till 10pm
Facebook: Search for “Zen Don Bin HQ”
Waze/Google Maps: Search for “SoyaHouse”
There goes my five places to hunt for “Kompia” and “Zhen Dong Bing”. I would definitely order both of these delicacies any time whether it is day or night to have it as a snack or a proper meal. Even my dad used to buy these in bulks and I remember these do not last for more than two days.
Visit Sibu and buy these as souvenirs to share a piece of Sibu with your close ones. If you have your own go-to-places for Kompias and Zhen Dong Bing, feel free to leave us a comment! We would love to know about more places to have these gems.
