Given its proximity to Kuala Lumpur, it is no surprise that folks from the Klang Valley sometimes go looking in Seremban for places to eat. One must-visit place has to be The Gift Tilapia, a paradise if you love fresh fish.
Controversial tilapia?
Tilapia is something of a strange fish. Some Malaysians will sing praises of it, others have nothing but loathing for it. The thing about tilapia is that while its soft texture is a plus for it, it sometimes can have an earthy taste.
It is this taste that some people find to be a turn-off. The earthy taste is largely attributed to the conditions in which the tilapia was raised in. And those conditions are exactly what The Gift Tilapia focuses on in ensuring the fish they serve is of good quality.
Own tilapia farm
Image Credit: Hock Sing Tan on Google Review (Left), Brownie&Binky DRabbit on Google Review (Right)
The Seremban restaurant has its own tilapia farm, where the fish are raised with quality feed. This results in the fish having a distinctly fresh taste. What’s more, the waters in which the fish are raised come from a natural spring.
And for the cherry on top, the tilapia is kept alive as long as possible until they are ready to be cooked. The chef will whip them out and stun them by tossing the fish into ice water, ensuring a swift, easy preparation.
Grilled or steamed?
Image Credit: Soonkin Wong on Google Review (Left), Ice Choong Hui Cheng on Google Review (Right)
As to be expected, The Gift Tilapia offers you a few different ways to enjoy your tilapia. For most folks, you can’t go wrong with steamed tilapia with cili padi. As advertised, the flesh is pearly white with a firm tenderness to it.
Tastewise, the fish is addictively sweet, with a very distant and tolerable fishy taste. If you’re feeling adventurous, grilled tilapia is also an option and it comes with a dark sweet sauce. The sweet fish goes well with the savoury sauce, but some people find that the sauce overpowers the taste of the fish.
Springy shrimp
Image Credit: James Low on Google Review (Left), Siew Khim Lee on Google Review (Right)
Like prawns? Check out the freshwater prawns which The Gift Tilapia also serves. The prawns here are served on ice before being dipped into a boiling pot of water. Less than a minute later, you can pull them out fully cooked with a bright orange colour. The flesh is springy and sweet, as to be expected.
Should you visit?
So, the next time you have a hankering for good quality seafood, maybe consider heading down to Seremban. The Gift Tilapia will almost certainly satisfy that craving of yours.
The Gift Tilapia
Address: 11, Lorong Merbok 6/1, Taman Bunga Blossom, 70100 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
Opening Hours: Closed on Mondays | 11.30 am – 2.30 pm & 5 pm – 9 pm daily
Halal Status: Non-halal
Contact: 018-2634280
You should also check out: Why travel 800 miles to Thailand when you can dine on a floating boat right here in Selangor?
Feature Image Credit: Danny Ng on Google Review (Left), Meshra Rao on Google Review (Right)
