This place offers diners who discern the best in Western cuisines. Some of the dishes that must try is escargot (season), smoked beef, grilled chicken, etc. which are too good to mention here. Advance reservation is highly recommended. It located at Mile 8, Sandakan, Travelling...there is a problem unless you are with local friends or hire a taxi to wait for you while dining there.More

Good food but too pretencious, they are trying to hard and should stick to good local and seasonal food. Location is fantastic however and staff was very friendly

Nothing amazing. Was expecting a lot more from the good looks of the restaurant but the food was very average and the service was okey.

We were looking for a restaurant on the way back to Sandakan from Labuk Bay. The restaurant was close to the route, so decided to give it a try. Overall a very pleasant experience - pleasant, clean environment; good, well presented food and attentive staff....Most impressed!More

It is understandable how Palomino was regarded as a "high-standard restaurant" in small town such as Sandakan. Honestly, the food was really average, I ordered a lamb shank when I was there with my family. The lamb shank wasn't tender as it's suppose to be,...it was actually rater tough. The Creme Brûlée was too sweet in my opinion, but luckily it came in a small portion, a few spoons and it was all gone. Overrated and Overpriced. Worth trying but definitely not worth a second go.More

Who would have thought such great french food could be found in Sabah! Swiss trained chef puts on a great menu - pork in prunes just lovely and great to have garlic bread and soup provided as part of the main. Try the mushroom soup...if on menu! Highlight was the baked mussels - simply delectable! Amazing service - chef came out to welcome and made a great recommendation on a lovely French red wine. They specialize in Australian beef and wine however being from Oz we tried something else instead. Very happy! It is quite far out of town and taxi driver did not know where as quite new so take directions with you! In an odd place but very worth the effort. We went for a special birthday dinner to try something else other than local cuisine and we were very happy. Hard to get a cab on return so arrange a driver. Thank you all for a wonderful evening!More

On my first trip to Sandakan I had heard from a friend about a new continental fine dining restaurant in Sandakan, not a town normally known for it's western food. The Palomino is located in a new development about 7.5 miles from Sandakan town and...the taxi ride is well worth the trouble. We were looking for some good Western food and definitely found it here in an unlikely location that had apparently opened less than a year ago. When we entered the restaurant it was clear this was a place designed to please the more discerning tastebuds and diners as we were greeted with a wine rack filled with a number of choice wines just like you would find in good restaurants in Europe. Starters for the group was oxtail soup was rich in its flavour and the meat was tender and fell off the bone. My friend wiped her plate clean with the bread accompanying it. My mum had the baked mussels that were topped off with parmesan cheese and seasoned delicately with herbs that included unusually a little bit of chilli. They were cooked to perfection and tender and juicy. Again, the sauce was not wasted on us and the plate was wiped clean. The last starter we shared was baked spinach with cheese. It was baked with a creamy sauce, french style and topped off with a parmesan crust. Mains of grilled pork chop with a prune sauce served with roasted vegetables was simply to die for. The chef said the prune sauce was a secret recipe he created especially to accompany the grilled pork which was moist and succulent. My mother had a seafood spaghetti topped off with fresh salmon, mussels, squid and prawns with a rich but delicate sauce. The only thing we overdid was the spaghetti carbonara which was also delicious but too much cheese for one night. Desperate to see if this restaurant could live up to the all important test of a good pudding. We ordered a creme brulee which had a perfect creamy texture, not too soft and melts in the mouth, topped off with a thin perfect flamed sugar crust. The second pudding was a tiramisu that was made with ladies fingers, cream and soaked in kahlua. Despite the massive meal I had I made sure I found room for this dessert which was one of the best I had ever tasted, compared to even some Italian restaurants in Europe. Although for Sandakan it was at the top end of prices, it was well worth every penny spent as we were looking for a fine dining restaurant, something we were told Sandakan was not known for. It represented incredible value for us from the UK as having been to fine dining restaurants there, the food here is comparable in my opinion to those in London. The food was amazing, the staff were friendly and attentive and the atmosphere in the restaurant made for a convivial evening. We weren't disappointed and will make sure we return for more meals before we leave!More