Seri Kamayan Restaurant (Retro Review)

Kamayan is an interesting word in Tagalog. It can mean eat with hands, but it also means having fun as its more literal meaning is shaking hands or getting acquainted. I’m not sure if the current owners knew this before they took over Seri Kamayan Restaurant all those years ago. The Gadong branch was one of my favorite haunts pre-1997 and I suspect it was a favorite of many others as the place seemed to be always packed whenever I went.

The restaurant overlooks the bowling alley which means you can watch the bowlers in action while you eat 🙂 The food we ordered was based on the recommendation of the friendly and helpful staff, and it did not disappoint! It was a bonza meal eaten in great company. What more could one ask for?

The first course was the fish maw soup. The seafood and sizeable chunks of lovely fish maw swirling in a delightful thick, tasty broth was sure to open up our appetites for what lay ahead.

Next up was the home-made tofu and pakchoy in oyster sauce. The home-made tofu was refreshingly different from the ones you buy at the supermarket both taste and texture-wise. It was stuffed with tasty morsels of seafood and chicken. The pakchoy was crisp and fresh. Lovely stuff. Me likey…

While we were enjoying the tofu, the Crystal Duck was served. This dish is not on the menu so you have to ask for it (I think ordering in advance is encouraged). I’ve never seen duck served this way before. I think the (cooked) duck meat was combined with prawn meat and fried in a batter. The end result is a crispy, tasty treat which when eaten, one can’t help but to try and differentiate the flavor of the duck meat and the prawn meat… delightfully confusing!

Our last course was the steamed seabass thai-style. Again this was different from any I’ve had previously. The fresh seabass was infused with the flavours of the finely chopped garlic and salted vegetables and soy (or could it be fish) sauce. I loved the edge that the salted veg gave to the final flavour. It was quite spicy as well, so I think some fresh chili might have been used. Definitely a dish I’d order again! Nyaman kali ah!

We topped off the meal with a platter of fresh fruit. Overall a thoroughly satisfying meal, like I said, in great company. Two thumbs up! If you haven’t tried Seri Kamayan out before, I fully recommend you go have meal there! Like me, you’ll come back for sure!

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