KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 ― When you say barbecue, the picture that comes to mind is likely one of a divine, greasy mess splattered with marinade and hidden behind plumes of smoke, which when parted reveal the most succulent slab of meat grilled to perfection.
Basically for amateurs, it means the process leading to the end product could get ― in a word ― chaotic.
But that hasn't stopped people the world over from embracing the grill, especially in places where the sun, clear skies and ample supply of beer or local brew are the norm.
The Aussies have their barbies, the Afrikaans have their braai, the Argentinians have asado.
And then there's hinugu.
While the Kadazan version of the grill can be applied to basically any meat from terrestrial sources, the light but distinct blend of sweet, sour, salty and savoury flavours is something that is typically ― and best ― applied to pork.
In a society where the pig can be used for anything from settling ancestral feuds to a mode of “payment”, it's only natural that the best marinades take advantage of the animal's unique layering of fat and meat.
But unless you actually have any Kadazan friends who are decent cooks and just happen to be firing up the grill when you're visiting the state, hinugu can be quite elusive.
Which is where Jacknife Bar & Grill comes in.
The oddly-named establishment, set up in the equally oddly-named town of Donggongon (at least to non-locals) ― about 10 minutes from Kota Kinabalu ― presents a small-ish menu that covers the three most common offerings on a Kadazan man's grill ― chicken, fish, and obviously pork.
But it wasn't so much that chef and owner Samuel Hector started out with the grand idea of introducing hinugu to the world.
All the 28-year-old really wanted was for the town he grew up in to have a nice little place where he and his family could enjoy a hearty, Western-style meal.
“When we felt like looking for something to eat, we always end up going elsewhere. Donggongon was out of the list,” he said when met at his restaurant.
“I was frustrated. Being in Donggongon, I felt as if we were being force fed because we didn't have options. It's either Chinese food, a mamak shop or fast food,” Samuel added.
It was then that the chef ― trained in Western cuisine at a local five-star hotel and a stint on a cruise ship ― decided to take matters into his own hands and open his own establishment in September 2014.
But while food forms the core of the business, Samuel believes that his calling goes beyond just sharing the proud tradition of the Kadazan grill.
“It's a challenge I wanted to take on. I want to be a pioneer of creating a good space with good food and a clean environment.
“When I interview my staff, especially the service staff, I make sure they have the same mindset. Every day I remind them to make sure to check that the toilets are clean every 15 to 30 minutes.
“I want to create a clean environment. I can only make sure my staff do it, but if other businesses see that my shop is clean, I think it rubs off on them,” the young father said, adding that he has seen it happen in the neighbouring restaurants.
Despite his meticulous management of the staff and his restaurant's operations, Samuel admits that he may have taken the easy route in deciding on what to call his establishment.
“Actually Jacknife came spontaneously in my head. I asked my sister for ideas, she asked for the list of names and she told me to stick with a catchy name that's easy to mention... Jacknife is a very straightforward name,” he said.
Like the name of the restaurant, the food is as straightforward as you can get.
And like the name, it leaves you wondering for a long while, why it just works.
