I did mention before that when my girl comes home on weekends, we would go some place special for lunch so she would have a nice break from her dreary routine in her jungle school. Well, it’s the mid-term school holidays right now so of course, I would make it a point to buy things that she can and likes to eat and take her to places for stuff that she enjoys…and as long as she’s happy, then I’m happy too.
One of her favourites in town would be the bryani rice with mutton curry (RM19.50)…
…here so of course, I made it a point to stop by there the other day just for this.
She said one of her colleagues said that the naan cheese (RM7.00)…
…was very nice so I ordered it to try. Unfortunately, I was the only one eating it because it was not gluten-free owing to the use of wheat flour in the making of the bread. Well, it was nice, very fragrant but I can’t say it would be something I would want to order for a main meal plus I would rather have plain naan to eat with some dhal dip or curry gravy and that is the very reason why I never bother to order those roti canai cheese available at all the stalls and shops around town.
Then the boss asked his North Indian chef to make this aloo gobi naan…
…for me to try. At this point in time, it is still listed as coming soon in their menu, not available yet. I liked this one more than the aforementioned cheese version but I wouldn’t mind a bit more of the potato and cauliflower filling and if it could be a little bit stronger in its somewhat very light curry taste, then it would be nice to just eat it on its own, no need for any dip or gravy.
I expected my missus to go back to her kalio ayam but no, she still wanted the ikan kembung sumbat (RM17.50)…
…that she had the last time she was here. I guess she likes that a lot too.
I decided I would like to try another new item on their menu – the ayam masak habang (RM14.50)…
…the Indonesian version of the Malaysian ayam masak merah. Unlike the latter, the chunks of chicken were not deep fried first before cooking and the gravy/sauce was different too. While the Malaysian version would be something like sweet chili sauce with the fragrance of the spices added such as the cinnamon sticks, the star anise and all the rest, I could not detect any of those in this one…and the gravy was thick and rich with santan (coconut milk)…
I liked the chicken but perhaps, they could come out with something a bit more special instead of the blanched green vegetable by the side with oyster sauce poured all over it – somehow that came across to me as being so Chinese. Either the kerabu or the grilled brinjal, skin removed, in the stuffed fish dish that my missus had would be nice…or perhaps, they can come out with some cucumber acar (pickle) instead.
No, it was not cheap, this sumptuous lunch that we had that day but when I went to pay our bill, the boss said that the two pieces of naan bread were on the house and though I had the iced ginger tea, large, he just charged me the price for the regular (RM6.50), the same as the one that my girl had. The mum had the teh tarek with cincao or black/grass jelly (RM7.00)…
…and for all that we had, I had to fork out RM70.00 altogether and considering that it is not every day that we go for something like this and it was a special holiday treat for my girl, I would think it was worth it, very much more than going some place and paying as much or even a little less and having to settle for something less than satisfactory.
CAFE IND (2.290813, 111.829294) is located along Laichee Lane, right behind behind a block of shops facing the main road (Jalan Kampung Nyabor) where the Bank Simpanan Nasional, Sibu branch (2.290561, 111.829071), is located. It opens from 12 noon to 2.00 p.m. (though it may open a little bit earlier than the time stated) for lunch and from 6.00 p.m. onwards for dinner, every day EXCEPT MONDAYS.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
I love bryani rice with mutton curry. I can eat a lot of that.
The boss sounds like a nice guy, letting you sample something that is ‘coming soon’ on the menu.
You know, I eat cheese naan with curry gravy 😀 No rules saying kenot what. Haha.
Of course! Once there was this place here selling cheese curry chicken pie. It was so so so nice but it did not last very long – they went back to making the regular chicken pies. I asked the boss and he said it was not well-received, his customers did not like it. Well, like I always say, to each his own – one man’s meat is another man’s poison.
My girl’s favourite, mutton bryani – that is the only thing she will eat when we drop by here, loves it so much and they have an authentic North Indian chef who does it very well. Some of the local ones may be cheap and also quite nice but my girl thinks none can compare.
Eat and enjoy, Arthur!! This is what we should do now at our age… hahaha… and the food here looks so fabulous here!
Indeed!!! But of course, at our age, everything must be in moderation, not good to over-indulge.
Though am not a fan of Indian cuisine but still I like what Melissa had. Teh tarik with cincao, very refreshing drink, can say one of my favourite too.
There is also soya bean milk with cincao – they call it Michael Jackson, black or white.
I like Naan and I’d prefer the plain version too. Goes well with the yogurt dip.
Yogurt? Eekkkk!!!! 😀 My girl loves it though, enjoys it with her thosai, she can’t have canai or naan now, not gluten-free.
Love briyani rice … and cheese naan too! dont think i’ve ever come across aloo gobi naan here before, that’s something different for sure.
I’m sure you have that there, some North Indian restaurant, perhaps. I prefer it to the cheese naan.
Lovely looking food – but the bryani alone would make me happy.
Same as my girl. She will never go for anything else everytime we drop by here.
Hi Arthur, I read your comment on my blog and, in trying to reply, must have done something stupid and I deleted your comment. Sorry about that.
Oh? It’s ok. Will drop by again and comment again sometime.
The presentations are lovely and the dishes look very tasty! 🙂
Yes, this is one of the nicer places in town, or to me, at least. Not all that cheap but portions are big and most importantly, so very nice.
I love mutton…
Sup kambing with French loaf/baguette? I enjoyed that in Singapore, 1973, roadside stall by Waterloo Street, neat the National Library & Museum.
Is Tek Tarik with chinchau a common item in Indian eatery? I like the fried fish and Bryani.
I don’t think so. Usually, everyone goes for ginger tea at the Indian places…but don’t forget this place is a combination of BOTH Indian AND Indonesian so perhaps, the latter is where the teh tarek and cincao comes in.
I would be happy too with the briyani rice and mutton curry 🙂
I do like some of the stuff they have on their Indonesian menu.
that’s nice of the boss, to provide the thoughtful discount! a good reason to keep returning 😀
We would still go even without the “added bonus” as the food is good and the place is nice but of course, I don’t mind it one bit. As the say, the best things in life are free. 😀