A variety of Betawi dishes will be available to celebrate Jakarta’s anniversary at JW Marriott in Kuningan. (JG Photo/Maya Martini).
Traditional Betawi food is typically served on the side of the road or at traditional restaurants in Jakarta, but JW Marriott Hotel in Mega Kuningan, South Jakarta, set out this month to bring the food of the old city into a fine dining setting for culinary aficionados to appreciate.
The name “Betawi” derived from the name “Batavia,” the colonial name of Jakarta, and refers to the descendents of the people of the northern area of Jakarta, whose cultural traditions are now spread across the archipelago.
“On the occasion of Jakarta’s birthday, we are serving Betawi food in our Sailendra Restaurantevery day from June 14 to 28 during dinner,” said Zaneti Sugiharti, assistant marketing communication manager of JW Marriott.
“What surprises people the most is that they are able to taste authentic Betawi food surrounded by a real Betawi atmosphere in a 5-star hotel,” he added. “Our chefs always work hard to present the most delicious version of every meal, starting from the very renowned soto betawi and nasi uduk, to the less easy-to-find specialties like pucung ikan gabus.”
Soto is a traditional soup which comes in lots of varieties, with soto Betawi being made of beef or beef offal, cooked in a whitish cow milk or coconut milk broth, served with fried potato and tomato, while the much-loved nasi uduk, literally meaning ‘mixed rice,’ contains steamed rice cooked in coconut milk.
With executive sous-chef Suyitno and his team taking care of every single ingredient, the quality is guaranteed.
“We want to present the best to our costumers by preserving the unique tastes at the heart of Betawi cuisine,” Suyitno explained. “In order to do that, me and my team go around town to taste different dishes and try to come across the many different twists. We want to find out what are people’s favorites. On the base of every recipe, there is always heart and dedication.”
When asked which dish is attracting the most attention among diners, Suyitno didn’t have to think twice.
“Whether the costumers are locals or foreigners, they are always very surprised to see jengkol (dogfruit) at JW Marriott,” said Suyitno. “People wouldn’t expect to see it in a five star hotel and they get curious to taste our version of it.”
Starting at Rp. 278,000 ($28) per person, diners not only have the chance to sample Betawi food, but also the buffet at the Sailendra Restaurant, which provides many other options.
“It’s completely up to the person what they feel like eating,” Zaneti said. “This may be Betawi food month, but aside from that, there is a vast range of choices that our hotel always provides throughout the year.”
According to Zaneti, this is not the first year the JW Marriott is serving Betawi food on the occasion of Jakarta’s birthday, but the flux of visitors, drawn by the winning combination of tradition and exclusivity, has steadily increased.
Betawi Food Promotion
Through June 28
Sailendra Restaurant
JW Marriott Hotel Jakarta
Mega Kuningan, South Jakarta
Tel. 021 5798 8889
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