The Many Faces of Padungan Street
Jalan Padungan, or Padungan Street technically starts from Kuching Park Hotel to the newly opened Sheraton Kuching, but the rows of shophouses between the Arch of Padungan and Sheraton are usually what come to the minds of Kuchingites if you mention the streets of Padungan. This 700-metre stretch of Chinese shophouses is one of the busiest streets in Kuching and frequented by hundreds of locals and tourists daily despite limited parking spots. This is due to its popularity as a convenient one-stop centre for a range of products and services, including traditional Chinese medicines and physicians, tyre workshops, supermarkets, hotels, furniture shops, restaurants, fruit shops, florists, kitchen supply stores, traditional pastry shops, hardware stores, pharmacies, dentists, bars, lodges and even a police station! However, Padungan Street is probably most well known for its many food options, ranging from traditional steamed pau and Chinese-style economy rice to Hainanese Chicken Rice and Filipino cuisine. Some of these eateries have been part of the Padungan landscape for decades, frequented by locals enjoying their staples as well as tourists exploring one of Kuching’s most iconic streets
In the 1800s, the area that is now Jalan Padungan was once a Malay village, specifically the largest Malay village in Kuching. However, in the early 19th century during the age of the White Rajah, roads were slated to be built, along with shophouses, and residents of the village were moved to the Lumba Kuda area nearby. In time, the area continued to thrive and more iconic landmarks of Padungan Street were added, from the Sarawak War Memorial clock tower in 1951, the Arch of Padungan in 1954, to the famous Padungan cat statue in 1988. One of the first few shophouses erected in Padungan is present-day Poh Sen Foh Medical Hall. The original façade, the plaster mouldings, wooden window shutters and even the number 1928, which is the year it was constructed, remains today. With its vintage Chinese style medicine cabinets as well as the continued usage of the traditional Chinese scale, Poh Sen Foh Medical Hall is a must-visit!
Walking along Padungan Street is like going back in time, with much of its original architecture and traditional shophouses still intact, despite rapid changes to the rest of the city. Its old-school arched five-foot way provides much needed shelter against the sweltering heat and occasional rain, and is made more vibrant with beautiful street art and murals along certain alleys! Captivating murals found in various alleys along Padungan are relatively new additions to this vibrant street. The biggest one is of 82-year-old Goh Bing Choo, a fourth-generation pastry maker at Syn Soon Huat, located opposite the police station. Painted by renowned mural artist, Leonard Siaw, the mural depicts Goh lovingly shaping some traditional red Ang Ku Kueh, which Goh is renowned for.
Padungan is definitely busiest at daytime, with some shops opening as early as 6.30am to cater to the breakfast crowd. Coffee shops like Chai Song Soon, which has been operating since 1958, and Seng Yuen, just to name a few, are often frequented by locals looking for their daily fix of Kolo Mee or Foochow Mee Sua and are usually crowded by 9am. Meanwhile, people who prefer a lighter breakfast often frequent spots like Hong Kong Pau Café, Home-made Steam Buns or Abee Traditional Buns for a fresh Red Bean Pau or Char Siew Puff. While walking down Padungan Street, don’t miss out on the fresh produce available, from local vegetables by Kan Zhia Soon, fresh fruits and beautiful flowers by Wonderful Fresh Fruit Garden and Sara Fruits, and everything else at Everrise Supermarket. With plenty of lunch options available, including Little Fairy Café, Rice King and Life Café, you’ll be spoilt for choice.
As the sun hides away, the streets of Padungan undergo a complete transformation as coffee shops, fruit vendors and handicraft shops close up for the day and the street’s iconic archway lights up in vibrant colours, along with the small red lanterns scattered along the median strip. Restaurants along Padungan like Panlasang Pinoy and Life Café are popular for dinners and get-togethers, as they are reasonably priced and offer amazing ambiance. If you’re looking for somewhere a little more intimate, look no further than Tom’s, Izzy’s or Perdu Café. All three are respectable Western and European restaurants with cocktails and desserts. If you’re looking for somewhere more casual though, check out Padungan Street Food, one of the newest additions to the area! They serve delicious comfort food like Kueh Chap, Kolo Mee and Sarawak Laksa up until 11pm, so don’t let the late hour stop you from satisfying your cravings. If you’re looking to get your drink on, you can also check out the numerous bars and bistros available, including 21 Bistro if you want a more intimate bar to catch up with friends, Borneo Redneck’s Bar if you want to enjoy some live music with your cocktails, or the Nobleman Bar & Dine if you want to have some food with a pint of beer.