Monday, April 25, 2011

Back Home

My food photo record shows several dishes I tried but I always put them away in storage. I thought of abandoning my blog but the thought of doing it again came back each time I savor flavors I find. One of my recent merry adventures brought me to Kafe Betawi.

I know it's a pretty renowned place to eat but honestly it wasn't in my 'to eat' list. I was never a fan of Indonesian food because I eat them everyday. But that's the thing about Kafe Betawi. I think they tried to bring these every day Indonesian cuisine to a cool, almost upscale cuisine most people can enjoy.

I visited their Cilandak Town Square restaurant and it wasn't my first choice at the beginning. But I was getting tired of the western style food so I guess a little taste of home won't do any harm. The place was designed like an old Betawi house; almost transported to a different generation. They have authentic looking furnitures, like the rotan chair I sat on. My mum said it's pretty common to have a rotan chair back in the day.

They have a wide range of Indonesian cuisine selection, from Sop Iga to the all time favorite Nasi Goreng. I ordered Laksa with ketupat, which at first I thought wasn't very Betawi at all. But according to my research there is such thing called Laksa Betawi isn't it?



My main concern about eating Laksa is getting my clothes stained, which I did. But it wasn't a big deal anymore because I never thought Laksa can be so good. Okay, call me exaggerating but it is very good. I am a sucker for anything umami and this was it. I love mix of spices in the broth and the little diced oncom. I never thought oncom can be used in a soup type of dish like this. Plus points for the well proportioned and the not-so-long waiting time. I can't complain :D

The other menu I recommend are Mie Tek-Tek and Sop Iga.

I think Kafe Betawi isn't the young generation's favorite. I didn't see anyone my age at the restaurant, beside the little kids with their parents. People my age will just go have a quick bite of burger and sushi. It's a smart move Kafe Betawi made, bringing the old to the new. Indonesian dish have more flavors and art to its making compared to a simple burger and fries. Many people should remember that and don't take it for granted.


Prices: 40k-60k
Cilandak Town Square, 2nd Floor

PS: Mirrors work wonders for the place, they almost had me fooled.

always,
Hana



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