Woman From S’pore Tries S$1,000 Rare Fish In M’sia, Says It Melts In Her Mouth

Woman Tries Rare Fish Dish Costing Over S$1,000 In Sarawak

When the idea of spending S$1,000 on a meal crosses your mind, you’d usually think of all the Michelin-starred eateries dealing in exquisite delicacies and fine dining.

However, a content creator from Singapore found a dish that costs that much at a seafood restaurant in Sibu, Sarawak.

More famously known for its Mandarin name, which translates to ‘can’t forget’, Kerryn Lee filmed herself digging into a steamed version of the Empurau.

While it may look unassuming, she rates the dish a 10 out of 10, with flesh that “melts in your mouth”.

S$1,000 fish is caught upstream, has diet of fallen fruits

On Thursday (16 Feb), Kerryn, who goes by @kerrynlee on TikTok, posted a video detailing her experience trying the pricey freshwater fish.

In her video, she shared that the fish costs that much as it’s “hard to get”. She explained that the Empurau is usually caught upstream of the Rajang River in Sibu.

Luckily for her, she had the chance to try the dish at Hock Chu Leu Restaurant.

Kerryn told MS News that the fish she got weighed roughly 3.4kg. With its price ranging from S$241 (RM800) to S$392 (RM1,300) per kg, that amounts to a maximum of S$1,333 (RM4,420) for the entire dish.

She noted in her video that another possible reason for the price tag is the fish’s unique diet which consists of fallen fruit from overhanging engkabang trees.

Due to its eating habits, the fish produces a unique and distinct taste when cooked.

Fish scales not spared, turns into new dish when deep fried

Considering its exorbitant price, no parts of the fish went to waste.

Kerryn explained that even the thick scales are scraped off after the dish is presented. The chef then deep fries the scales to produce a separate dish.

Despite the hefty price tag, Kerryn shared with MS News that the dish was worth its price considering how rare the fish is.

However, she would only order it for special occasions if the opportunity arises.

And as its nickname suggests, the dish definitely was an unforgettable experience for Kerryn.

Those who’d like to have a similar food experience can get in touch with the Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (STATOS), who organised Kerryn’s visit.

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Featured image adapted from @samoosg on Instagram and @kerrynlee on TikTok.