Gear Box Soup (Sup Tulang Lutut)

Confucius said, “by nature we desire food and sex.” Therefore, people is passionate in looking for new food as well as sex partner. LOL, ok, probably this is not what he meant, but you would agree that Malaysians never stop exploring for tasty new food. That’s why we ask, almost every day, “what to eat huh?” though there are dozens of restaurants around.

Pic: Rumpun Selera Restaurant

Besides delicious food, we are also keen to try interesting food, especially those with odd name. I bet the first time you ordered “Banana Boat” (ice-cream dessert) was because of its name. Same here when I heard the name Gear Box Soup, when I was having lunch in Rumpun Selera Restaurant in Lahad Datu last month.

Pic: Gear Box Soup

Actually Gear Box Soup (Sup Tulang Lutut in Malay language) are cattle bones boiled with onions and other spices in soup. Though Sup Tulang (Bone Soup) is common in Malay and Indian restaurants, Gear Box Soup is served in larger quantity and the soup nearly as creamy as stew. It costs RM10* (≈USD3) per bowl and only available in weekends (Saturday & Sunday).
*As of Dec 2013

By looking at the photos above, you should know why it is called Gear Box Soup. They erect a big bone and top it with a calamansi fruit (can add its sour juice into soup like vinegar).

Pic: you can shift gears if you want to, lol

The beef soup is thicker than normal Sup Tulang. I think they don’t add any MSG cubes so the price is doubled the normal price of Sup Tulang. Yes, the flavor is really rich. You can eat the meat and tendon attached on the bones, but they are a bit chewy.

Besides the soup, another best part is to suck the juicy bone marrow out of the bones. I didn’t do this because bone marrow is high in Cholesterol (why yummy food is always high in Cholesterol!!?).

Pic: Rumpun Selera Restaurant of Lahad Datu

Below is the location and contact of the Rumpun Selera Restaurant. They open 24-hour every day. Btw, their food is halal (Muslim-friendly).
Address: Lot No.332, MDLD 7234, Sri Perdana, Phase 3, Jalan Silam, Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia (see Location Map)
Facebook: Rumpun Selera
Mobile Phone: +60 11-3600 9001
E-mail: rumpunhikmah@yahoo.com.my
(Please keep in mind Gear Box Soup is only available during weekends)

This restaurant is full of people during meal time but not all of them coming for Gear Box Soup. The restaurant serves great variety of nice food such as Rojak (Mixed fruit) and Soto (Soup Noodle).

Pic: Chinese-style fritters in ball shape (for Rojak).

Rojak means “mixture”. In Peninsular Malaysia, Rojak means different sliced fruits topped with sweet grounded peanut sauce. In Sabah, we also mix Rojak with Beef (Rojak Daging), Chicken (Rojak Ayam) and Noodle (Rojak Mee).