Dining at Nature Farm

Friday, August 28 2015.

At Signal Hill Eco Farm in Kota KInabalu, diners are served free-range duck and chicken, and vegetables grown without fertilisers, writes Olivia Miwil

THERE are only two choices of drinks: Tongkat Ali Honey tea or Tongkat Ali coffee. No Milo, Nescafe or Lemon Tea or other typical Malaysian beverages. 

So, we ask for iced-honey tea priced at RM4.50 per glass. Our drinks come with another surprise. Garnished with Tongkat Ali leaves, the iced drink is not bitter but refreshing and sweet.

So yes, dining at Signal Hill Eco Farm, an organice farm located within the busy Kota Kinabalu, is an unusual but satisfying experience, even without mentioning its rustic Kampung setting and unique huts. 

FROM BACKYARD 

Founder and designer Lee Thien Fook, a businessman turned farmer, set up the farm two years ago as a place for his sick wife to recuperate. It only opened as a restaurant four months ago.

“This 0.50 ha nature farm provides vegetables, duck, chicken and fish. All grown and bred naturally without being fed manufactured chemicals. They carry healing benefits for those looking to boost their immune system. On the the other hand, teh natural surroundings give a feel-good while stimulating good appetite,” said Lee,68. He hopes the farm will be the place of choice for those seeking to relax their minds while enjoying nature, good food and good company. 

Making a profit, he says, is not his aim. This is because the farm can only serve what ever is available at the time of the visit. 

While poultry and fish are available all-year-long, vegetables are seasonal. Crops such as lettuce, spinach, cabbage, Xiu bok choy are grown on rotation basis to maintain soil fertility. 

Lee showing around naturally farmed vegetables-
Pix By Oliver Majaham

Chickens and ducks fed with Tongkat Ali and ginseng leaves- Pix by Oliver Majaham.

HOT FROM THE WOK

Food is prepared using the simplest cooking method and minimal seasoning. These are served in plain, olive-colored plates and bowls to give the homely feel.

Among the memorable dishes are steamed soya sauce chicken, steamed tilapia fish, deep-fried duck with plum sauce condiment, steamed brinjal with fried garlic and salads. Chicken and duck are fed Tongkat Ali and ginseng leaves and the unique diet makes both highly nutritious but costly. A whole chicken or duck, weighing between three to four kilogrammes, will cost about RM200.

I find the chicken tender and juicy while the duck does not typical ducky flavour.

Topped with fried garlic. the aubergine is tasty while the salad, comprising arugula and kale, is crispy. Though the big bowl of salad is priced at RM30, it has great benefits as kale and arugula are rich sources of anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals. 

Lee says leafy greens are a rich source of certain phytochemicals that can combat cancer-causing elements in the body.

Other dish to try is Corvin fried rice which has salted egg, kale and beans but those concerned about glucose intakes, can opt for brown rice instead.  Another interesting dish  is rice wine chicken, said  to be good for women during confinement. Lee ferments his own rice wine to be cooked with its naturally farmed chicken.