Streets of Indonesia @ Seasonal Tastes, The Westin

While the popularity of Pan Asian cuisine ameliorates each passing day and lesser known cuisines like Korean and Vietnamese are coming to light, there’s one cuisine which still is relatively unknown to the people of this country and that’s Indonesian. Although the inherent beauty of this archipelago lures countless travelers from across the planet, there are hardly a few dishes which we could name from the cuisine, let alone understand what their food is about.

Inhabited by over 300 distinct ethic groups, the archipelago nation of Indonesia consists of over 17000 islands each yielding their own eccentric produce – thanks to the climate, soil as well as the topography, making the cuisine as diverse as it can be. Be it the Dutch trade settlements, the Chinese immigrants or the gradual spread of Islam, its the amalgamation of these myriad influences from each page of their history which has made the food what it is now, where each dish is forged with generations of traditions, stories and culture. Commemorating this beautiful cuisine, Seasonal Tastes at The Westin is driving a week long food fest called “Streets of Indonesia” in collaboration with Chef Eka from St Regis, Bali, curating a stunning extravaganza of Indonesian classics.

Arranged as a dinner buffet with a street-style stall setup, the menu sports an interesting variety of vibrant salads, quirky appetizers and wholesome mains, most of which I personally saw for the first time. Starting the course off with some soup, we went for the Soto Ayam – a classic, hearty chicken noodle soup which is popular all across the region. Packed with an intense meaty flavour with a hint of lemongrass, the subtle balance of this one was fairly enjoyable.

The food in Indonesia is all about fresh produce and spices which the land is fairly abundant in and it was exactly what was exhibited by the eclectic array of appetizers both for vegetarians as well as the non vegetarians. Potato Perkedel (Potato Cutlets) and Lumpia Sayur (Vegetable Spring Rolls) were my personal favourites from the veg section, both of which went incredibly well with their in-house preparation of Sambal which is a traditional spicy condiment you’d find in every Indonesian household. Although ingredients and processes vary from region to region, the basic recipe holds red chilies, garlic, ginger and shallots as the primary ones. The non veg section again was just as scintillating as the veg one having beatiful dishes like Pempek (Steamed Fish Cakes) and Chicken & Tofu which was my personal favourite. A great addition to the plate was the street-style serving of flavourful Chicken Satay from the live counter which when served with Peanut sauce was absolutely lipsmacking.

Rice is an indispensable staple in the Indonesian diet and the main course here rightly brought home some of the well known classics including Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice), Nasi Uduk (Coconut Steamed Rice) and Mie Goreng (Pan Fried Noodles) each of which were again really delicious but for me, Nasi Goreng took the top spot. Regarded as the National dish, this one is ubiquitous to the region with almost every street hawker serving some variant of the same. Having a soy based prawn fried rice served with a half fried egg on top and Chicken Satay on the side, Nasi Goreng serves as one complete meal which just reaffirms the dish’s popularity. A special mention to Nasi Uduk which with the sweetness from coconut milk and the pungency from fried garlic, provided a great depth of flavour and worked as a great side to the main curries.

Just like regional culinary diversity in India, Indonesia too displays a stark contrast when comparing food from different islands – something which was very well captured in the curated menu sporting dishes like Ayam Taliwang (Spicy Grilled Chicken) from Lombok which is dominated with spice, Bapi Kecap (Braised Pork in Sweet Soy Sauce) from Bali providing well-rounded hints of sweet and ofcourse, Ikan Menyat (Braised Fish) which is a common preparation in the mainland. Be it the juicy, succulent pork or the delectable coconut sauce on Ikan Menyat, each of the dishes had their own individual positives which made it difficult for me to even pick a favourite.

With the kitchen led by Executive Chef Mahesh and guest Chef Eka, the team delivered a mesmerizing dining experience which went leaps and bounds from my initial expectations, which rightly gave a glimpse of what treasures the country of Indonesia holds gastronomically. Served as a buffet addition only for dinners, “Streets of Indonesia” lasts till 10th of July so hurry and grab your share soon!

#Buffet #Featured #Indonesian #PanAsian