World of Tockism » Beautiful Sweet & Sour Siakap @ Putrajaya

P1010191 Last month I had the pleasure to be invited for a food review all the way out in Putrajaya. I was astonished that the cafe- called Ceritera Cafe- had only decent coverage on news versus the beautiful area it’s located at (Precinct 2) coupled with great food for both the western and asian taste buds. I was particularly wowed by the Asian-themed dishes, though the owner testifies that local residents and office lunchers prefer the western side. But I guess it’s really up to individual taste innit?

Monumen Alaf Baru - where Tun M's vision for 2020 is kept, only to be opened when the time comes.

Located near the Monumen Alaf Baru, this cafe is meant to provide a nice chill out area to tourists and Putrajaya crowd alike. Unfortunately that means the rest of the world will not know where to find the best Sweet and Sour Siakap (Siakap Masam Manis) ever, at least, to my experience!

Two-tiered style: air-conditioned dining and open-air hawker style!

Located in between a man-made lake and river means that it’s perpetually windy and perfect for a chilled lazy afternoon or breezy evening… Fresh air too, away from carbon dioxide emissions you find in KL.

Beautiful view of the blue lake

Over the yonder a jetty is about to be built- primary as a tourist attraction among other activities. If I’m not wrong la.

Front look at Ceritera Cafe

The unique design of Ceritera Cafe is a sight to behold!

Open air hawker area

Do I spot a shisha counter on the left?

Lovely terrace

I think the terrace is perfect for a company get-together or event launch! (It’ll be more amazing at night)

Beyond the shipdeck...

Finally, the 180 degree look from the top… amazing stuff wouldn’t you say? ANYWAY let’s get downstairs to business- the actual food review itself!

Oxtail Soup

We started the meal with a bowl of Oxtail Soup. Moderately spiced and with a decent chunk of meat, it serves the purpose of warming up your stomach for the dishes to come.

Heavenly beverages

We had a go at their unique beverages: (L-R) Simfoni, Astalavista, Pinky Winky and Mango Minggo. They were all different in terms of flavour and texture, and some of them could be your favourite! (Mine was the Pinky Winky )

Couldn't resist taking a picture with it

They had an extra selection which I can’t remember the name of, but it certainly looks spooky- perfect for your Haloween drink!

OH AND HAPPY HALOWEEN! Check out more of their drinks here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=24263&id=118599931512292

Zesty Lamb Chop

One of their popular western dishes would be the Lamb Chop, and my verdict- decent sauce, a little too fatty but yummy, tasty meat! I guess it was the marinade that did the trick The mash potatoes could be better as it was a tad bland, but I’m sure they’ve done something about it

Tasty Chicken Chop

The other dish would be the Chicken Chop, which honestly wasn’t as good as the lamb but it happened to be the favourite in the cafe! Maybe you would like it, and I’m the anomaly

Spicy Nasi Goreng Ceritera

On the Asian side, we have the Nasi Goreng Ceritera consisting of spicy fried rice (not too spicy yet enough to feel it!), a couple of satay sticks, a sunny side up and a prawn fritter. A meal on it’s own, I loved combination of the nutty satay sauce with the fried rice.

Tom Yam Soup

If anything, THIS dish was definitely an unexpected delicacy here at Ceritera! A definite must try- powerful enough to go WHOAA TOM YAM MASAAAAAM but yet not overpowering the sweetness of the seafood within… Definitely 1 of the 3 dishes I would recommend!

Nasi Goreng Kambing

Another dish that I would totally recommend will be the Nasi Goreng Kambing! Usually, one avoids having this particular dish on the menu because it’s not easy to cook mutton with fried rice thanks to the overbearing smell (nasi briyani is different, it’s not fried), but these guys did it really nicely- using peppers! This tantalising dish is a little oily thanks to the mutton but I’ve told them to remove the oil, which would really make the dish perfect MUST TRY!

Sweet & Sour Siakap

Finally, the best dish of all- the one that you would travel from wherever you are to Putrajaya for- the sweet and sour Siakap or Siakap Masam Masin dish! Crispy at the skin while fluffy from within, the sweet flesh went so well with the amazing sauce that you would not find elsewhere. How is it different, you say? Well the sauce doesn’t produce the overpowering, numbing sensation when you eat it, instead, it’s light AND tasty, spicy AND sweet, zesty AND crunchy- a thoroughly wonderful experience.

Now THIS would be the dish I would recommend to anyone I meet, so I do hope the restaurant owners are able to keep maintaining the quality. Can?

The Chef behind the dishes

Thanks Ceritera Cafe for giving the chance to savour your dishes. I’m seriously planning to bring a few more food bloggers in and help boost their presence Want in on some awesome Siakap? Let me know!

Ceritera Cafe is friendly to people with disabilities

Before I end the post, I wanna me a few points that most people forget to do: Ceritera Cafe is arm-chair friendly, allowing wheelchair-bound customers easy access to its outdoor area located upstairs. We need more of this initiative