Same name but different taste...<\/p>\n
Sudibyo M. Wiradji, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The name may be the same but the taste is different -- that
\nseems to be the story with many foreign dishes served up in
\nIndonesian restaurants.<\/p>\n
China's Peking Duck, for example, is much more spicy and
\nsweet than it is in Canton, where the dish originates.<\/p>\n
\"By adjusting typical Chinese foods to the Indonesian palate,
\nour local guests leave our restaurant with full stomachs and
\nhappy smiles,\" said Ricky Tan, the operation manager of the
\nShangri-La Jakarta, one of the five-star hotels in town that has
\na Chinese restaurant.<\/p>\n
Chinese favorite black pepper beef has also been adjusted to
\nsuite the tastes of Indonesian people, who mostly like spicy and
\nstrong flavors, he said.<\/p>\n
In fact, the adaptions that have been made to local tastes has
\nto many foreign foods, particularly those from China, Japan,
\nThailand and India, being among the country's favorite cuisines.<\/p>\n
Various other Asian delicacies are not only prepared based on
\nrecipes that have been adjusted to suit Indonesian preferences,
\nbut have also been renamed to make them more attractive.<\/p>\n
Japan's contemporary Pop Sushi is one example. Sushi Little
\nTokyo is blended with beef, while sushi Kalimantan Roll is
\ncombined with sliced birdseye chilis.<\/p>\n
Apart from the fact that they have been combined with local
\ningredients, non-Indonesian Asian foods are generally popular as
\nmany of the other ingredients are similar to those used in
\nIndonesian cuisine, such as turmeric, union, garlic cardamon,
\nginger and coriander.<\/p>\n
Non-Indonesian Asian cuisines are available not only in
\nrestaurants in malls and plazas but also in top star-rated hotels
\nas more local people develop the habit of eating out and sampling
\ndifferent kinds of food.<\/p>\n
Restaurants offering Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Thai
\nspecialties are now popular dining places in Jakarta. Such
\nrestaurants are often packed, particularly for lunch and dinner.<\/p>\n
China's Peking duck and dim sums, Japan's sushi, sashimi and
\nteppanyaki, and India's kebabs, curries and biryanis -- to name
\nbut a few -- are among the favorite Asian dishes here.<\/p>\n
Asian delicacies are also often served on special occasions,
\nsuch as birthday parties, wedding receptions, thanksgiving
\nceremonies, Valentine's Day meals, and the Idul Fitri, Christmas
\nand New Year celebrations.<\/p>\n
In addition to the Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Thai cuisines
\nthat have long been present in the local market, more foreign
\ndishes from neighboring countries, such as from Laos, Cambodia
\nand Vietnam, are now available in town.<\/p>\n
Asian restaurants, which are mostly casual in style, are
\nalways attractive to those who like dining out. The \"purity\" of
\nJapanese cuisine, which is relatively free of foreign influences,
\ndespite the introduction of pizza rolls and contemporary Pop
\nSushi, also has its own appeal.<\/p>\n
Japanese delicacies are widely available in many Japanese
\nrestaurants, including Enoki on Jl. HR Rasuna Said, Kav. B IV,
\nIkaya at the Sahid Apartments, Taichan Ramen, Shunju in Kemchicks
\nin Kemang, Sushi Tengoku on Jl. Radio Dalam, Miyama in the
\nBorobudur Hotel and Kinokawa in the ATD Tower.<\/p>\n
Compared to restaurants offering other non-Indonesia Asian
\ncuisines, Chinese restaurants are much more widespread. They can
\nbe easily found along Jalan Mangga Besar in downtown Kota, five-
\nstar hotels and major office buildings, such as Sam Place in the
\nShangri-La, Teratai in the Borobudur Hotel, Tien Chao in Hotel
\nMelia and Ming's in the Setiabudi Building.<\/p>\n
The Asian delicacies served in five-star hotels are normally
\nmore tailormade, catering to customer demand and whether they
\nwant \"authentic\" delicacies -- dishes that are served based on
\noriginal recipes -- or non-authentic ones.<\/p>\n
With many Indonesian-Chinese people traveling abroad, the
\nnumber of food enthusiasts who fancy \"authentic\" Asian food is on
\nthe rise. \"We get regular groups of customer who request
\nauthentic Chinese foods, like shark's fin and Peking duck,\" said
\nRicky Tan of the Shangri-La.<\/p>\n
Other favorite \"authentic\" foods include China's Hainanese
\nchicken rice and Hokkien noodles, Thailand's Pad Thai, Japan's
\nshabu-shabu, sushi and sashimi, tempura or teriyaki and India's
\nkebab, curry-based dishes and lentils.<\/p>\n
The increasing demand for \"authentic\" Asian foods has prompted
\nrestaurants, particularly in top star hotels, to make particular
\nefforts to keep the authentic taste by, for instance, hiring
\nexperienced chefs from the country of origin and importing
\nspecial spices.<\/p>\n
At Sam Palace Restaurant in the Shangri-La, Chinese dishes are
\nprepared by a chef from Hong Kong. \"Customers are more satisfied
\nwith \"authentic\" Chinese dishes prepared by a Chinese chef from
\nthe country of origin even though non-Chinese or Chinese chefs
\nhere can prepare them,\" said Ricky.<\/p>\n
But aside from having expertise in preparing Chinese dishes
\nwith an authentic taste, the chef should also be skillful in
\nserving \"non-authentic\" foods based on recipes that have been
\nadjusted to take account of local tastes. \"Therefore, a chef
\nshould also travel a lot to become familiar with the local tastes
\nof different countries,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Kinara Restaurant employs three chefs from India
\nand one from Pakistan, with each having his own specialties and
\nareas of expertise, such as curries, tandoori food, or bread and
\ndesserts.<\/p>\n
\"To keep the authentic taste, we use some imported spices from
\nIndia,\" said Kinara Restaurant's assistant marketing manager, Mia
\nFarahziska.<\/p>\n
Indian cuisines are popular among Indonesians as both cuisines
\nuse similar spices. \"Often, Indian cooking is distinguished by
\nthe use of a greater variety of vegetables, and Indonesians also
\nlike vegetables,\" she said.<\/p>",
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