{"id":546,"date":"2025-03-21T13:22:45","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T13:22:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wonderfulmalaysia.com\/food\/?p=546"},"modified":"2026-04-08T15:22:29","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T15:22:29","slug":"oitom-the-ultimate-dining-experience-in-the-heart-of-kota-kinabalu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wonderfulmalaysia.com\/food\/oitom-the-ultimate-dining-experience-in-the-heart-of-kota-kinabalu.htm","title":{"rendered":"OITOM \u2013 The ultimate dining experience in the heart of Kota Kinabalu"},"content":{"rendered":"

During our stay in Kota Kinabalu, we wanted to go out for a nice dinner. After some searching, we naturally ended up looking at the restaurants in the luxury resorts, and everything looked great. But then OITOM came up, and the photos of the dishes and the sleek, minimalist kitchen immediately caught our attention. All the reviews were positive, and the price for the 9- or 12-course menu with wine pairing seemed surprisingly affordable. We had something to celebrate (a wonderful trip through Sabah!), so it was the perfect moment to try this beautiful fine dining spot. It turned out to be a great decision \u2014 so great, in fact, that we now recommend this restaurant to everyone.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Restaurant OITOM (which means “black” in the local Kadazan-Dusun language) doesn\u2019t have a Michelin star yet \u2014 maybe it will in the future. But for now, you get a Michelin-level experience at the price of a good restaurant a typical city in Europe. OITOM was on par with some of the star restaurants we\u2019ve visited before. Maybe we were just having a particularly good night, but the meal was truly outstanding. We\u2019ve also dined at some of Kuala Lumpur\u2019s best restaurants, and OITOM was just as good \u2014 maybe even better in some ways. The atmosphere is stylish and modern, with an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs in action.<\/p>\n\n

12- or 9-course meal with optional pairing<\/h2>\n

They serve an amazing 12-course HERITAGE Full Experience Menu, where traditional Sabah dishes are reimagined in a modern way. Every dish is top-quality and carefully prepared using locally sourced ingredients. It\u2019s almost like taking a cultural tour \u2014 you learn a lot about local food and history, but through your meal. The 12-course menu without pairing costs RM569 per person, which is really good value considering the quality.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a 9-course menu for RM359 per person, which is also a great deal. You can upgrade the main course for an extra charge, but then you’re almost at the price of the 12-course menu, so you might as well go for the full experience.<\/p>\n

There are two pairing options: a wine pairing with 5 matching wines (RM234), or a mix pairing with 5 mixed drinks. We chose the mix pairing (RM188) \u2014 they explained beforehand that the drinks were also based on local ingredients. In the end, it was a great mix of wine, sake, and creative herbal drinks.<\/p>\n

All ingredients come from Sabah<\/h2>\n

The menu changes with the seasons, so everything is super fresh. It often includes various seafood and unique mountain ingredients like kodop and Asian grapes. What makes it extra special is that the chefs themselves present each dish and explain the ingredients and their inspiration. That personal touch turns the dinner into more than just a meal \u2014 it\u2019s a cultural experience.<\/p>\n

Our 12-course experience<\/h2>\n

Every course felt like a celebration. In our case, the variety was amazing. The quality stayed consistently high \u2014 though of course, that\u2019s a personal opinion.<\/p>\n

Each dish came with an explanation, served on a beautiful wooden tray showing the ingredients. You also got a little card with the story behind the dish (like its origin or role in Malaysian cuisine). We noticed that the first few stories were quite detailed, while the later ones were simpler \u2014 maybe that was just because there\u2019s less to say about the ingredients in those later courses.<\/p>\n

The first and second courses were appetizers. The third was a delicious chicken dish with a lovely sweet corn flavor. The fourth was scallop and lobster \u2014 absolutely incredible. Courses five and six were a combo of rice and grouper \u2014 again, super tasty. Seven and eight featured duck and a homemade brioche with an amazing sauce. The ninth course was A5 Wagyu \u2014 the absolute highlight. Tenth was mango compote with savory ice cream, eleventh was a siphon cake with ice cream on top, and the twelfth was a mousse with a chocolate\/cocoa ball.<\/p>\n\n

The pacing was perfect \u2014 not rushed, but we also never waited too long. Time flew by because we were so fascinated by how efficiently the chefs worked in the open kitchen. It\u2019s fun watching them prepare the dishes, especially knowing the one they\u2019re making could be yours.<\/p>\n

At the end, owner and chef Raphael Lee came by for a casual chat with everyone. He trained in Singapore, worked eight years in a top restaurant in Melbourne, and then returned home to start OITOM. He told us how proud he is of what he\u2019s created in Kota Kinabalu \u2014 and rightly so.<\/p>\n

Book in advance<\/h2>\n

Always book in advance through the official OITOM website<\/a> \u2014 the earlier, the better. In our case, the schedule opened a month ahead, and dates fill up fast, especially on weekends.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll need to pay a RM50 deposit per person when booking (credit card), which will be deducted from your bill.<\/p>\n

You also choose a time slot between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. The latest start time is 8:00 p.m., since the 12-course meal takes time. We had a 7:30 p.m. reservation and finished at 10:30 p.m. That was a bit long \u2014 usually you can expect about 2 to 2.5 hours for the full menu.<\/p>\n

Where to find OITOM?<\/h2>\n

This would normally be straightforward \u2014 just take a Grab and get dropped off. But in OITOM\u2019s case, it\u2019s a bit tricky. The restaurant is somewhat hidden, and even if you\u2019re nearby, it takes a moment to find the entrance.<\/p>\n

First, take a taxi (Grab) to Sutera Avenue, a complex with shops and eateries (the popular LUMA boutique hotel is also there). Go to the second floor via escalator or elevator, then use Google Maps to find the entrance. It\u2019s not very obvious, so keep your eyes open.<\/p>\n

Tips<\/h2>\n
    \n
  • Based on the exchange rate (Feb 2025), the 12-course menu came to about \u20ac122 per person, and the mix pairing we had with it was \u20ac40 per person. Quite expensive by Malaysian standards, but absolutely worth it. If you want to dine in (very) luxurious style, this is the place to go in Kota Kinabalu. As we mentioned earlier, you could almost see the cost as a unique cultural tour \u2014 something you\u2019d often pay a similar amount for anyway. For example, a food tour or workshop in the evening usually costs about the same.<\/li>\n
  • Reservations are based on 2 people, but if you go there in person in advance, you can easily make a reservation for 1 person. This isn\u2019t possible online, though \u2014 you have to book for at least 2 people through the website.<\/li>\n
  • There\u2019s no toilet inside the restaurant, but there is one just outside. In addition to the public toilet, OITOM also has a private restroom for restaurant guests.<\/li>\n
  • As is common in Malaysia, taking photos and videos isn\u2019t a problem at all. The chefs don\u2019t mind if you take pictures while they\u2019re working or explaining the dishes. Other guests aren\u2019t surprised by it either \u2014 in fact, they\u2019re usually busy taking photos of the beautifully presented dishes themselves.<\/li>\n
  • Besides the excellent pairing menus, you can also just order a bottle of wine or a cocktail if you prefer.<\/li>\n
  • The dress code is casual \u2014 we even saw someone wearing flip-flops (though otherwise dressed neatly). Most guests were dressed smart-casual \u2014 think a shirt, polo, or a nice t-shirt.<\/li>\n
  • Our 12-course menu was just a snapshot, based on the availability of local ingredients at the time. When we checked the menu again a few months after our visit, we saw that some of the courses had been updated or changed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n