Ikan Bakar Cianjur @ Semarang, Indonesia

By Angeline - February 23, 2011

Our dinner today! This is a famous restaurant chain first opened its doors in the small town of Cianjur in West Java. After enjoying much success and a cult status over there, it expanded to Jakarta, opening its 'flagship' restaurant a couple of years ago. Ever since then, customers flocked the place from as far as the East Nusa Tenggara province. (Contributed by Habe)

Ikan Bakar Cianjur

Jl. Letjen Suprapto 19, Semarang
Indonesia

Phone: (024) 356-2333

This restaurant serves Sundanese (West Javanese) food. The main characteristic of Sundanese food is a good balance between sweet and savory, and also, plenty of grilled and deep-fried stuff. The spices are subtle and not as complex. Javanese food lovers, like simple and less-spicy food, I'd highly recommend this place. This restaurant is the reigning champion of West Javanese cuisine competition in Indonesia. They do deserved it with their top notch of food

Sorry, I wasn't able to photographed every dish. We ordered: Gurami Pesmol (Rp42.000), Gurami Sop (Rp42.000), Gurami Asem manis (Rp42.000), Gurami Bakar (Rp42.000), Nila Bakar (Rp42.000), Gurami SRM Saos (Rp42.000), Nila Pesmol (Rp42.000), Nila Sop (Rp42.000), 4 x Tumis Sawi (Rp72.000), 2 x Karedok (Rp20.000), 2 x Paha Bakar (Rp26.000), 2 x Dada Bakar (Rp26.000), 2 x Nila Goreng (Rp84.000), Tumis Pucuk Labu (Rp18.000), 5 x Nasi Liwet (Rp100.000). Drinks: 2x Teh Manis (Rp10.000), 2 x Teh Tawar (Rp10.000), Kopi Susu (Rp12.5000), 3 x ES Teh Manis (Rp15.000), 4 x Juice Sirsat (Rp56.000), Juice Semangka (Rp14.000), 6 x Juice Apokat (Rp96.000), 2 x Juice Mortel TD (Rp28.000), 2 x Juice Strawberry (Rp32.000), Juice Buah Campur (Rp14.000). Total paid for dinner, RP999.500 (after Discount 10%)

5 x Nasi Liwet Served in an stainless steel pot, Rp100.000

As we open the lid, we were unprepared for the aromatic waft. Just imagine the smell of freshly boiled rice in coconut milk (not quite unlike our Nasi Lemak yet not as heavily infused) additional topping of stir fried dried shrimps and salty anchovies with garlic, onions and chilies.

Ikan Gurame Goreng (deep-fried gourami fish), Rp42.000

Restaurant's specialty, Ikan Gurame (Gourami fish) is considered the staple fish in Sundanese cuisine. Many inferior Sundanese restaurants serve fried Gourami fish that was frozen, but this restaurant have their own live fish tank. Gourami fish is very tricky to breed, wrong water condition, will cause the meat to smell unpleasant (odor known locally as "bau tanah", literally means, "smells like soil") when cooked. This restaurant is highly committed to serve the top grade of Gourami fish available, that if there's something off about the fish, they will replace it with another one immediately.This gourami dish is deep fried until crispy on the outside, yet moist and soft on the inside. Incredibly tasty fish, with a bit of saltiness and just a tiniest hint of worchestershire sauce. Perfect when eaten with kicap manis (Javanese thick & sweet soy sauce).