Food, glorious food on 'Pesiar Kuliner'

Pesiar Kuliner; ANteve, 10 a.m. Saturday, 3:30 p.m. Sunday; Host: Ferry Salim

JAKARTA (JP): The new province of Banten has long been known for its special Bandeng fish satay, a dish loaded with spices.

But gourmets, gourmands and connoisseurs of good food as well as those interested in a little culinary adventure do not have to travel out of town to discover what it is all about.

Just switch on your television on Saturday morning or Sunday afternoon, and Pesiar Kuliner will bring the delicacy -- and its story -- into your living room.

Viewers end up feeling as though they have made the trip to Banten, albeit without getting to taste the specialty.

Pesiar Kuliner (Culinary Journey), as to be expected from the title, is an alternative cooking show which takes a look at Indonesian traditional, European and Chinese delicacies, as well as recommending places to eat and visit.

Since it made its debut in September 2000, the show has taken a close-up look at Indonesian traditional fare from such well- known culinary hot spots as Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya and Jakarta.

For instance, when visiting West Java province, the show checked out a favorite eating spot for Bandung locals, Batagor Riri, and a well-known cake shop specializing in molen, a sweet pastry of bananas and cheese.

It also has informed viewers that they must not visit the rain-drenched city of Bogor without ensuring they sample Roti Unyil (small cakes) and asinan (pickled vegetables). Future episodes will report on other tourist areas known for exotic meals.

Hosted by model and actor, Ferry Salim, the show recommends some of the oldest and most established shops and restaurants in Jakarta and other cities where people can take delight in a bit of nostalgia. Two weeks ago, it presented a feature on the Baltic ice cream shop, which was established in 1939 on Jl. Kramat 10- 12, in Central Jakarta.

There are also segments on unusual places to eat and what they have to offer.

It has visited Balinese restaurant Padi-Padi cafe in Jakarta and Kampung Daun cafe in Bandung, which are popular among locals. Hungry viewers may want to head out of the house, or raid the fridge of its contents, when they are treated to views of the special pizza at Balemang cafe, and fried rice a la Kampung Daun in Bandung.

It also makes detours to five-star hotels to sample their delicacies.

In the last couple of weeks there was The Regent hotel's French menu, with coq au vin, and the rich delight of fried Camembert whipped up by a local chef at the Sheraton Bandara.

Lovers of Indonesian food are not left out.

There are features on warung (sidewalk stalls) offering the very best of food from Manado, Jakarta, Java and West Java. Last week's show provided an in-depth profile of a food vendor who built up his goat soup business from scratch and is now doing a roaring trade. As he sat in his stall, he revealed what went into his special broth, what sets it apart from the rest and how he got his start in business with a Rp 5,000 loan 30 years ago.

Even somewhat unusual dishes from the kitchen are not passed over.

Ever tried a stick of cobra satay? Some tuck into the meat because they believe it can cure certain diseases and to clean the blood. Others believe the meat is an exotic meal. Pipa team, the show's producer, ventured out to a stall specializing in cobra meat in Tebet, South Jakarta, for viewers who wanted to know what it was all about.

Ferry comes across as a cool, macho figure during his introduction to the show. Sometimes, however, he seems a bit awkward dealing with the fine art of cuisine.

To pay the bills, the show also has a commercial segment, such as highlighting a microwave or other high-tech cooking device. Nevertheless, the program, paying homage to food, glorious food in its many varieties, makes informative -- and mouth-watering -- entertainment for the entire family. (Sri Ramadani)