Is It Worth It To Dig In To Cajun Seafood This Ramadan?

Ombak Kitchen serves Louisiana-style seafood boil that is savoury and full of spice.

Credit: TRP

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We were invited to try out the Ramadan menu by Ombak Kitchen, a local restaurant chain that has made a name for itself with a very focused product offering: Louisiana-style seafood boils with Cajun sauce.

Louisiana-style seafood boils are prepared rather differently than what most Malaysians are used to.

The seafood is boiled in seasoned broth then tossed with the sauce of your choice (cajun, buttermilk, zesty lemon, chili crab, spicy coconut curry) before being served directly on the table sans plates. Diners are provided plastic bibs and are encouraged to dig in directly with your hands!

The Taste Test

Fans of Ombak Kitchen won’t have to worry as their Ramadan menu still serves their signature Louisiana-style seafood boil. Like usual, their menu will provide a set amount of seafood suitable for the number of people dining together.

However, the Ramadan menu also includes appetizers with your meal in addition to a drinks and dessert buffet line!

The main set meal. This is the Shifaa set suitable for 2-3 pax.
(Credit: TRP)

The tables are set with wax paper, then the seafood is poured directly onto the middle of the table. The Cajun sauce, thick with butter with imported Louisiana spices such as cajun, paprika, and lemon pepper, coats the seafood boil perfectly with plenty left for dipping.

The Shifaa set comes with large prawns, slipper lobster, blue mussel, white squid, with a side of potato, corn, and rice suitable for 2-3 pax. The appetizers are cheese baked oysters, breaded chicken wings, and sweet potato.

The seafood is flavourful and fresh, but the Cajun sauce is what gives the seafood fighting spirit. Strong, spicy, and savoury, the sauce makes you want to dig in with big mouthfuls of seafood and rice. Forget everything you assumed about seafood being a ‘light’ meal. This one isn’t light by any means.

Left: a large prawn coated with Cajun sauce. Right: an assortment of delicious seafood.
(Credit: TRP)

The large, meaty seafood options certainly help. The extra large prawns are fat and luscious while the squid rings are tender and bouncy. Each seafood goes extraordinarily well with a generous scoop of rice and sauce.

While it may not seem like much, there definitely is enough for everyone, and you will feel pleasantly satisfied and full by the end of your meal. (And if not, there is always more food to eat at the buffet line!)

Help yourself to a generous assortment of Malay kuih and fruits.
(Credit: TRP)

The Verdict

If you are a huge fan of Cajun-style seafood or if you have older children, teenagers, or adult friends who would find the fun in eating saucy seafood with bare hands and getting really messy together, then Ombak Kitchen is definitely worth a visit.

The experience of dining with your hands and digging into seafood is a fun experience best enjoyed with great company, after all.

Their branch in IOI City Mall, Putrajaya, is beautifully located next to the water fountain for a gorgeous view. They also have branches in Bangsar and Bukit Jelutong as well.
(Credit: TRP)

However, try to open shells and the like separately away from the main seafood spread and your rice. Some of the seafood, while being shelled open, may release some dirt, and you don’t want that getting into your rice.

The large prawns that we tried had grey matter in its head which was rather unpleasant to look at, but the body of the prawns were perfectly fine and the meat delightful after cleaning it out.

Of course, having a free flow of drinks and Malay kuih for a decadent end to a meal is also delightful, especially if you do enjoy free-flow buffets.

The Ramadan menu is available the entire month of Ramadan. For more information, check out their Facebook page here.

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