Does a crocodile really taste like chicken?
Simon Howland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Ever felt the urge to munch on a crocodile sausage or attack a prime fillet of kangaroo just like one of Indonesia's offbeat southern neighbors? If so, then you're in luck as the annual Australian Food Festival kicked off for the second year last week at Jakarta's Shangri-La Coffee Garden.
Australian chefs Sean Mcdougall and Simon Beaumont and their fine team of local talent came together to lay out a feast capable of producing pangs of homesickness in even the most localized Aussie diner.
A variety of dishes and produce intended to define traditional Australian fare is on show until Feb. 2 in conjunction with Australia's national celebrations on Jan. 26.
At the door you're greeted by lifesized replicas of Australian natives species. Get over the fact that you're about to dine on these quirky beasts and instead focus on the barbecue blasting out those amazing smells to your left.
As you are directed to your seats you will pass through the Australian display. If you haven't worked up an appetite by now you're in the wrong place.
Tasmanian Pacific oysters, fresh prawns, yabbies and Balmain and Moreton Bay bugs are among the cold treats that await you. Don't be dismayed by the thought of chewing down on a bug as the variety in question bares little resemblance to the picture you probably have in your head.
An Australian "bug" is a salt water crustacean which shares several characteristics with the familiar lobster. With a wide, flat head and plump, meaty tail the bug is a delicacy in Australia, especially down the eastern coast. The two varieties, Moreton and Balmain, are very similar and derive their names from Queensland's Moreton Bay and Sydney's Balmain
A variety of salads are also not to be missed. Simon and Sean have created a wide variety of dishes aimed at combining Australian and Asian flavors and produce to appeal to even the most discerning palate.
After a cold start and a cold Victoria Bitter, forget this Fosters nonsense, you should be about ready to hit the hot dishes.
The Barbecue you passed earlier will be working overtime to keep the dainties coming. Satay emu, kangaroo steaks and crocodile sausages are ready for your assault.
The Kangaroo is dry-rubbed with bush pepper and lemon myrtle so as not to overpower the flavor of the meat. The crocodile and emu are more sturdy meats and are marinated in combinations of soy, honey and special BBQ blends from Simon's personal recipe book.
The meats are all flown in fresh from Australia with the other produce being a mix of local and imported.
To accompany your meal there is an extensive list of Australian wines to choose from. Whether it be the house wine of the evening, The Bastion cabernet/shiraz, the ever pleasing Penfolds Bin 128 or a sublime Coldstream Hills pinot noir that tickles your fancy, you're guaranteed not to be left dry.
Last and definitely not least on the food front are the desserts. I've been hanging out for a decent "pav" for weeks and almost had to be held down as my guests finished their main meals. As their knives and forks hit the table there remained no obstacle between me and a the real reason I came here. My pavlova craving was about to be satiated.
A quick note about the pavlova. Forget what the kiwi's tell you about inventing the pavlova, it's a notion they've held mistakenly for decades. The pavlova is as Australian as John Howard, only a trifle more pleasing to look at. In fact the first pavlova came into being around about 1852 when an experiment my great, great, great grandmother Gladys initiated bore fruit and a combination of egg whites and sugar evolved into one of the most spectacular desserts in existence.
The pavlova on offer at the Shangri-La is a testament to the great dessert and does no disservice to the memory of good old Gladys. Baked to utmost perfection with just a slight browning of the tips and married with whipped cream and fresh strawberries this a culinary experience not to be missed.
But enough about the pavlova as it is only fair to mention the fabulous sticky date pudding and lamingtons on offer. But only a mention mind you because as good as they may be, the pavlova steals the show.
The price of the buffet includes coffee and at around Rp 140,000 per person to experience such fine culinary fare is very reasonable. The normal buffet is also on display and included in conjunction with the Australian promotion.
So whilst you may be disappointed to hear that the average Aussie battler does not dine in such opulence on a daily basis, if you're curious to find out whether crocodile does in fact taste like chicken or you want to change your life through a spoonful of pavlova you'd better hurry and get down to Shangri-La before all the animals are sent home on Feb. 3.