On 5 December 2018, Cafe Batavia celebrated its 25th Anniversary with the theme “The Memory of Old Town.” During the gala, the restaurant served dishes that paid homage to the cuisine of Nusantara, with foreign undertones.
In a building that has been part of the Jakarta fabric since 1805, Cafe Batavia has become a destination for tourists looking to enjoy good food while taking in the location’s history. It really is the best place to bring back memories of the capital’s long history.
Cafe Batavia has always served various dishes highlighting the Dutch Colonial era. And at 25, the restaurant continues to focus on giving guests many different dining experiences. This year, the cafe will launch a new menu with a greater emphasis on Indonesian food presented in a modern way.
Executive Chef Donny Kumala is passionate about food and plans to bring back the glory of the cafe as one of the best restaurants in town. He hopes that the revamped menu will help promote tourism, too.
“90 per cent of the old menu will be changed. Parts of it will be retained but we will present it differently. I hope guests will enjoy the new menu in early February and can taste the combination of authentic taste and beautiful presentations,”Chef Donny said.
Among the cafe’s signature dishes are a modern version of gado-gado (Indonesian salad with peanut sauce) which Chef Donny hopes will be popular among foreign visitors. Chef Donny uses cashews to produce a more savoury flavour when mixed with boiled-vegetables such as long beans, spinach, cabbage, corn and cauliflower with toppings such as crunchy tempeh, and half-boiled eggs. The dish looks pretty with colourful flowers and thinly-sliced radish.
Guests can also taste Sup Jagung Kepiting (crab corn soup) where crab is mixed with corn and beluga caviar as topping. When guests are ready to eat the dish, wait staff will pour the thick and creamy corn soup.
One of the famous dishes during the Dutch Colonial era, Ayam Kodok (stuffed whole boneless chicken)is served in the classic way where boneless chicken is filled with various ingredients like boiled eggs, bread, potatoes, vegetables and beef. Other options for main course include Veal Tenderloin and Lobster Szechuan.
Following the current trend of deconstructed dishes, Chef Donny has also created different presentations of Javanese herb-based beverages Kunyit Asam (tumeric and tamarind jamu). Guests can enjoy the tamarind in the form of jelly pudding and a turmeric ice cream.
And there’s nothing better to stir up nostalgia for old town Jakarta than PiCutsang Bakar (grilled bananas) served with gouda cheese, biscuit crumb and chocolate ice cream.
Cafe Batavia
Jalan Pintu Besar Utara No. 14
Kota Tua, Jakarta Barat
www.cafebatavia.com
