KOTA KINABALU, Oct 18 -- In the bustling centre of Kota Kinabalu, there's a door you could easily miss.

Its modest sign doesn't call attention to itself, but step inside and the hum of conversation mingles with the scent of the sea.

Here is Bar Abong, a bistro where land, tide and vine speak the same language -- one shaped by Sabah's rhythm, and translated through the vision of its owner, Max Collard.

Collard explains that the space "has a speakeasy feel, inviting guests to discover the quality of our menu and drinks once inside."

That unassuming entrance hints at Collard's own journey -- a trajectory that began not in hospitality, but in the humming server rooms of London's financial district.

Before he found himself among Sabah's mangroves, Collard was a mainframe programmer, more fluent in systems and syntax than salt and smoke.

His pivot homeward would be less about escape than evolution.

He recalls, "Answering the call of family duty, I traded in the server room for the open air, shifting my focus from technology systems to the hands-on, fulfilling worlds of agriculture and hospitality -- a change that has been both challenging and deeply rewarding."

From circuitry to soil, the shift seems less improbable when one considers what he's built. Bar Abong emerged from Collard's desire to reconnect with the natural and cultural fabric of Sabah -- a place where the sea's bounty has always shaped the table.

Collard explains, "The story behind Bar Abong is rooted in respect for the seafaring community that built this region in the early ages of humanity."

That respect becomes palpable in the menu: a pescetarian expression of coastal life, where each ingredient traces its way back to a fisherman's net or a farmer's plot. From the South China Sea to the highlands of Kundasang, Bar Abong's supply chain is a living map of the state's abundance.

He adds, "The name 'Abong' is a Bajau Laut word describing being intoxicated or seasick (mabuk laut), playing on the concept of intoxication."

It's an apt metaphor. Even the restaurant's cave-wall mural feels adrift in that dual meaning -- part reverie, part remembrance -- echoing a relationship with Nature that is both ancient and ongoing.

Collard's creative compass, though inspired by travels abroad, remains anchored in Sabah. The restaurant's small-plates concept draws from Bar Brutal, a natural wine bar in Barcelona, but its ingredients -- and its soul -- are entirely local.

He says, "One key factor in developing fresh ideas for new dishes is elevating local ingredients. Our kitchen staff and owners are constantly experimenting with local ingredients for inspiration."

Among their latest creations is the Bambangan Slice Trevally, featuring bambangan, the wild mango native to the region.

He explains further, "These dishes are created by our talented kitchen team, led by Chef Jan Yee, who brings her background in Japanese cuisine to create fusion dishes with local ingredients."

In this, Bar Abong's ethos reveals itself not as fusion for novelty's sake, but as collaboration -- between chef and land, farmer and fisher, ingredient and imagination.

Collard's belief is simple, almost old-fashioned in its sincerity: that cooking what's local isn't just good practice, it's good manners.

He says, "You can find these ingredients in our famous dishes, such as asparagus from Mount Kinabalu, kale and fresh free-range chicken eggs from Signal Hill Eco Farm less than 200 metres away from our restaurant. We also use locally caught fishes like ikan sebelah, trevally and tenggiri from our local fishermen."

The Soba Pesto -- buckwheat noodles tangled in a green sauce perfumed with kulim oil -- hints at the forest with every forkful. Croquette Abong folds creamy tenggiri into crisp breaded parcels that taste of the shoreline.

Then there's the Jicama Squid Balls, playful and bright, their sweetness countered by citrus aioli and a whisper of togarashi heat. And the Fish Sandwich, thick with grilled tenggiri and house-baked bread, is proof that simplicity can still surprise.

If one dish captures the very sound of waves meeting pan, it is their signature Local Sole -- a whole ikan sebelah, pan-fried until its skin sighs under the fork, bathed in a buttery caper sauce that hums quietly of dill.

Here, restraint is not austerity but attention -- to what the coast offers, and to how little one needs to alter it.

That same philosophy extends to Bar Abong's wine list, purportedly the first in Sabah devoted solely to natural wines.

Collard says, "Natural wines are a new concept in Sabah, and we are proud to be the first and only restaurant or bar serving only natural wines. We also offer orange wines, which pair well with Asian food and are exclusive to our establishment."

On the latter: the Xiao Pu Tangerine Chardonnay (2024, Ningxia, China) is light-bodied, with hints of locust flower and mango; the Momento Mori Fistful of Flowers (2023, Victoria, Australia) sings with pineapple, lychee, and papaya -- as if made for a tropical coastline.

While the restaurant does not offer set wine pairings, each selection is chosen to harmonise naturally with the menu.

Collard says, "The positive reception from our customers is encouraging, and we aim to inspire more F&B concepts to embrace local ingredients and offer a uniquely Sabahan experience."

To dine at Bar Abong is to experience a kind of quiet dialogue -- between past and present, land and sea, local and global. It's a restaurant, yes, but also a reflection: of how identity tastes when served with curiosity and care.