By Sarah Hafizah Chandra & Neville Timothy Sanders
KUCHING: Located within the heart of MetroCity Matang near here, Nasi Ayam Gepuk by D’Besan Kitchen is often frequented by diners looking to try this Indonesian cuisine.
What makes Nasi Ayam Gepuk stand out compared to its more well-known counterparts like Nasi Ayam Penyet and Nasi Ayam Grepek is that the chicken is marinated with various herbs, deep fried until golden brown then smashed before being served with fresh sambal.
D’Besan Kitchen owner Suraidza Mohd Amran said her restaurant offered three types of the dish, namely Nasi Ayam Gepuk Special, Nasi Ayam Gepuk Tempe and Nasi Ayam Gepuk Biasa.
“There are three levels of spiciness to choose from – normal, spicy, and extra spicy. Most customers would go for the spicy and extra spicy options.
“Previously, we operated under the brand ‘Ayam Gepuk King’ but we changed it to D’Besan Kitchen in October.
“We are also on GrabFood and foodpanda so customers can easily place their orders for delivery at their convenience,” she told New Sarawak Tribune.
Besides Nasi Ayam Gepuk, the 35-year-old disclosed that her restaurant also offered dishes such as Nasi Ayam Penyet, Nasi Ayam Penyet Bakar Madu, Nasi Lemak Biasa, Nasi Lembak Berlauk, Nasi Lemak Special, Nasi Aruk Ikan Bilis and Nasi Kukus Berempah.
“These are available on weekdays whereas on weekends, we have Sup Tulang, Sup Tendon and Sup Ekor as specials.
“We operate from 10am to 10pm every Tuesday to Sunday. Apart from the Nasi Ayam Gepuk, our Nasi Ayam Penyet and Nasi Ayam Penyet Bakar Madu are very popular with our customers.”
Despite being surrounded by other cafes, restaurants, and food stalls, Suraidza disclosed that her restaurant was doing well, raking in an average RM1,200 to RM1,500 daily.
Despite the recent hike in raw material prices, she said her restaurant still maintained its prices as they are not willing to compromise on quality.
“This is my first time in the food and beverage business, so one of the main challenges is that there are many competitors.
“However, I firmly believe that we should maintain and provide a high quality service as well as products to our customers.
“We want our customers to have confidence in our services and products, so we do not want to impose high prices because this may be an inconvenience that will deter them from coming to dine with us,” she explained.
Highlighting her restaurant’s motto of ‘eat, chill and repeat’, she expressed hope that customers would continue to enjoy the services and food offered.
