OUR STORY
Dilantha Silva
Silva was born and bred in the coastal city of Negombo, in Sri Lanka. Working with some reputed restaurants in Sri Lanka, he moved to Malaysia where he started working with one of the larger restaurant chains.
Surrounding himself with Italian and Western food all day, he craved the spicy flavours back home in Sri Lanka. So he started spending his off days cooking Sri Lankan food for his friends at home and he discovered that a lot of these people loved the spicy, rich flavours of Sri Lankan cuisine. Realising that he had a customer base for his favourite food, things fell into place, Silva put into action, his long lost dream of opening his very own restaurant. Friends supported him, but things really kicked off when he met his colleague and friend, Chef Raj.
Being from Negombo, Silva grew up eating his mother’s Crab Curry and Chef Raj knew exactly how to cook Sri Lankan Crab Curry to perfection.
To date, the restaurant features this delicious Crab Curry, and sources live, fresh 800 g to 2 kg Sri Lankan Mud Crabs.
Chef Raj
Chef Raj Started his career at young age of 18, working with the Blue Oceanic Hotel in Negombo, under the National Apprenticeship Board. He has worked with several well-known names in the industry like Hotel Oberoi, now known as the Cinnamon Grand and Intercontinental Hotel, now the Kingsbury hotel. He has even worked under reputed celebrity chef, Publis Silva, who specialise in traditional Sri Lankan style of cooking.
Hailing from a family of cooks, Chef Raj learnt to cook from his grandmothers, one being from Jaffna (northern Sri Lanka) and the other being from the South, allowing him to master both different styles of cooking and learn the trade secrets of traditional Sinhala and Sri Lankan Tamil home cooking, which he uses to date in his specialty dishes.
His complete understanding of Sri Lankan cooking, from North to South while understanding the spice tolerance of his Malaysian clientele, allows him to create flavourful, Sri Lanka food that his customers love today.
Serendib isn’t just about the food. Using the knowledge he has gained in wine pairing through working in Italian restaurants, Silva matched a special selection of wines from Spain, Italy, Chile and Australian to pair with the Sri Lankan menu at Serendib.
Story of Serendib
Sri Lanka, also admiringly known as the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’ is a beautiful island paradise in South Asia, located just north of the equator. This tropical haven is home to friendly, generous people who consider hospitality as a tradition and share an experience to remember. Sri Lanka is a smelting pot of diverse cultures, with people from different races and religions residing in the country. The people can be categorised primarily as the Sinhalese, Tamils, Malays and the Burghers and the country celebrates the various traditions together.
Blessed with a rich history, with evidence of civilisation dating back at least 125,000 years, Sri Lanka was once colonised by the Dutch, Portuguese and finally the British before it won over its independence in 1948. Its deep harbours and strategic location in the midst of the ancient Silk Road, made it a crucial stop for foreign traders from Asia, Arabia, Africa, and Europe, who brought with them, foreign spices and foods from their home countries. This rich history, diverse cultures and foreign influences have been the shaping force behind the spicy, exotic, and extremely flavourful cuisine of Sri Lanka.
Inspired by influences from South Indian, Malay, Chinese, Arab and Dutch cuisines, and the many different ethnicities and cultures in the tiny island, blended together with indigenous ingredients and homely cooking techniques, Sri Lankan food has a taste unique to its own.
While Sri Lanka used to be known as Ceylon by the British, the Arabs affectionately called the beautiful island they visited ‘Serendib’.
It is this name, that inspired the creation of Serendib Restaurant & Bar.
Located within the heart of Kuala Lumpur, Serendib Restaurant & Bar is a casual diner with an elegant upscale setting offering you authentic Sri Lankan food that tastes just as if prepared with the hands and the heart of a traditional mother or grandmother in their Sri Lankan home. If you are looking for food that packs a punch and leaves your mouth watering for more, Sri Lankan food is the way to go.
We are specialised in Sri Lankan crab, which is our signature at Serendib,
Come visit us to taste and try out a vast selection of authentic Sri Lankan cuisine, the way it is meant to be cooked with a variety of herbs and spices unique to Sri Lanka.