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 — so great, in fact, that we now recommend this restaurant to everyone.
Restaurant OITOM (which means “black” in the local Kadazan-Dusun language) doesn’t have a Michelin star yet — 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’ve visited before. Maybe we were just having a particularly good night, but the meal was truly outstanding. We’ve also dined at some of Kuala Lumpur’s best restaurants, and OITOM was just as good — maybe even better in some ways. The atmosphere is stylish and modern, with an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs in action.
12- or 9-course meal with optional pairing
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’s almost like taking a cultural tour — 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.
There’s 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.
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) — 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.
All ingredients come from Sabah
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 — it’s a cultural experience.
Our 12-course experience
Every course felt like a celebration. In our case, the variety was amazing. The quality stayed consistently high — though of course, that’s a personal opinion.
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 — maybe that was just because there’s less to say about the ingredients in those later courses.
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 — absolutely incredible. Courses five and six were a combo of rice and grouper — again, super tasty. Seven and eight featured duck and a homemade brioche with an amazing sauce. The ninth course was A5 Wagyu — 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.
The pacing was perfect — 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’s fun watching them prepare the dishes, especially knowing the one they’re making could be yours.
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’s created in Kota Kinabalu — and rightly so.
Book in advance
Always book in advance through the official OITOM website — the earlier, the better. In our case, the schedule opened a month ahead, and dates fill up fast, especially on weekends.
You’ll need to pay a RM50 deposit per person when booking (credit card), which will be deducted from your bill.
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 — usually you can expect about 2 to 2.5 hours for the full menu.
Where to find OITOM?
This would normally be straightforward — just take a Grab and get dropped off. But in OITOM’s case, it’s a bit tricky. The restaurant is somewhat hidden, and even if you’re nearby, it takes a moment to find the entrance.
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’s not very obvious, so keep your eyes open.
Tips
- Based on the exchange rate (Feb 2025), the 12-course menu came to about €122 per person, and the mix pairing we had with it was €40 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 — something you’d often pay a similar amount for anyway. For example, a food tour or workshop in the evening usually costs about the same.
- 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’t possible online, though — you have to book for at least 2 people through the website.
- There’s 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.
- As is common in Malaysia, taking photos and videos isn’t a problem at all. The chefs don’t mind if you take pictures while they’re working or explaining the dishes. Other guests aren’t surprised by it either — in fact, they’re usually busy taking photos of the beautifully presented dishes themselves.
- Besides the excellent pairing menus, you can also just order a bottle of wine or a cocktail if you prefer.
- The dress code is casual — we even saw someone wearing flip-flops (though otherwise dressed neatly). Most guests were dressed smart-casual — think a shirt, polo, or a nice t-shirt.
- 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.
Suggestions?
Got any good tips to share with us? Do you know of any great things to do in Sabah, or tips on the best places to eat? Let us know by leaving a reply below or join our private Facebook Group Friends of Malaysia.
Alicent
3 days ago
March 22, 2025 at 9:02 am
How does Oitom incorporate local Sabahan ingredients to enhance its fine dining menu? Block Blast