Ol' Skool Makan #18: Madli's Restaurant -- The Taste That Welcomed Me To Miri

They say you never forget your “first”. Mine just happened to involve Mee Kolok and satay -- so yes, quite a love story. When I first landed in Miri from Kuching back in 1996 to take up my post in the judiciary, my maiden meal in “The Oil Town” was at none other than Madli's Restaurant.

A fellow magistrate took me there, and I still remember thinking, “Satay in broad daylight? This is serious business.” Until then, the only other place I knew that did satay in the daytime was Muar, Johor. Miri clearly wasn’t playing around.


At Madli's in 2023


Madli’s, as it turns out, isn’t just a restaurant -- it’s a story that goes back generations. It began as a humble satay stall in 1970 near the Miri library, run by Suut bin Hassan, the great-grandfather of the current owner. After his passing, the business was carried on by his daughter, keeping the family flavour -- quite literally -- alive. Eventually, the family took the big step of opening their first proper restaurant at Jalan Merbau, Miri in 1995. That little stall by the library had officially grown up.


The food? Straight to the point: authentic, honest, and nyaman (delicious). If you’re visiting Miri (or Sarawak) for the first time and want a one-stop gateway into Sarawakian favourites, this is the place to start. Over the past few years, each time I returned to Miri with the family, Madli’s has been a must-stop. 

Our standard order basically writes itself: mee kolok, laksa Sarawak, and satay (of course). I’ve also gone for the nasi lalapan -- definite thumbs up. Other crowd-pleasers include sup tulang, mee basah, mee mamak and, if you’re in a Western mood, the chicken chop and mixed grill hold their own nicely.



Three decades on, Madli’s is still standing strong, still bustling with loyal regulars from Miri and even Brunei, still serving the flavours that anchor so many memories. And as far as “first loves” go, this one has aged very, very well. Here’s to many more decades!


About Ol' Skool Makan

Ol' Skool Makan is my little tribute to Malaysia’s timeless eateries -- the ones that fed us before hashtags, food apps, and fancy plating. It’s about real food, real people, and memories that still smell like sambal and kopi-O.


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Dapatkan buku 'Kisah Hidup & Budaya Pop Anak Gen-X' di SINI


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