Frequent Flood Orders, Bang Mandra Opens 'Dapur Ngaciir' Cafe At Home

Actor Mandra (ANTARA/HO)

JAKARTA - A seasoned Betawi-blooded artist, Mandra plans to open a village-style cafe, namely Dapur Ngaciir, which serves various snacks to typical Betawi dishes. “ Just will. Maybe next week. Plan to open it here (home), a village-style cafe,” he said when met at his residence in Depok, West Java, Antara, Sunday, April 23. Previously, the Ngaciir Kitchen belonging to the Mandra actor in the series Si Doel Anak Sekolah only received orders via text message. However, the high interest of consumers made Mandra decide to open a restaurant permanently in front of her house. The menus provided by Dapur Ngaciir include senur jengkol, sop tangkar, kale lodeh mantul, rendang jengkol, jengkol balayo, to other Betawi specialties. Not to forget that his restaurant serves typical Betawi beer pletok and tape uli snacks. “Anyway, Betawi's cooking is no less interesting, but the children don't know it now (with traditional food). It would be great for us to tell you. Here, there is a taste format (traditional food) so that he can try, later, right, he has his own judgment, not inferior to the cookings in today's era,” said the man who is familiarly called Bang Mandra. The plan is that the Ngaciir Kitchen will operate every Saturday and Sunday. He assessed that the price offered by the restaurant was quite populist with quality that was not inferior to other restaurants. “ The price is arguably the price of a populist. What is clear is that it is not a big cafe format (which sets a high price), ” said Mandra. In addition to doing business, Mandra explained that her intention to make a Ngaciir Kitchen is also to make people know more about Betawi cuisine. According to him, the presentation of food in Ngaciir Kitchen is quite modern, but does not leave the authentic taste of Betawi cuisine itself. "Indeed, we want to make people know that food that was previously considered village food, we pack it in the current era format, and the past taste of tempo was not abandoned," said Mandra explaining. Uniquely, orders that come to the Ngaciir Kitchen are mostly from young people. During the order to break the fast together (bukber), for example, several youth communities ordered this Betawi typical dish from the Ngaciir Kitchen. “In fact, yesterday during the fasting month, we opened it for bukber (open together). Well, in general, young people. In fact, he is very addicted and happy to open together several times here. Some community children, basically the majority of young people tend to (like cooking in Ngaciiir Kitchen),” said Mandra. “ What we consider to be consumers (original) from the elderly, 40 and above, turns out not to be 40 and above (consumers), even young people. In fact, (age) a dozen years of addiction (eating food in Ngaciir Kitchen),” he added. The cooking from the Ngaciir Kitchen was specially made by the Mandra family. In fact, the recipe has been passed down from generation to generation from their families. The wife, the head of the kitchen in the Ngaciir Kitchen, initially only liked to cook for the guests. However, the delicious food of Mandra's wife made many people want to taste it even more often. Thanks to the encouragement of some of Mandra's guests and friends, finally came up with the idea of making this Ngaciir Kitchen restaurant. “ The wife was persuaded by some of our friends, instead the ones who pushed were senior people, parents, right. As soon as we open the (order) bukber, even young people (who ordered),” said Mandra.

The name Dapur Ngaciir was chosen as a name because the name is quite funny and unique. “ Like me. Well yes (because it's funny). I don't have to be formal. Run in the sense of each other's spirit here (to eat), ” he said with a laugh.