GOURMET
Marrying the culinary rituals of Asia and the West, The Dharmawangsa Jakarta’s afternoon teatime is not to be missed.
Savour delectable delicacies from an elevated venue at Rooftop Sunset Bar at Double-six and have a refined tea session at The Dharmawangsa Jakarta.
For centuries, tea drinking has been surrounded by ritual in both Asia and Europe, requiring time, focus and the finest possible tea ware, teas and food. Nowadays, the international form of afternoon tea has become a time to set aside the concerns of a busy day and to focus on communion with friends over convivial conversation and bite-sized sweet and savoury morsels.
In the serene gentility of The Dharmawangsa Jakarta, gourmands who delight in the myriad flavours and textures found in an afternoon tea breathe a contented sigh. Accompanied by the gentle rhythmic sounds of the Javanese gamelan, surrounded by antique ornaments, stylish furniture and the elegance of The Library, The Tea Lounge or one of the other Majapahit
Lounges, guests can revel in a selection of the finest Indonesian sweet treats and popular Western nibbles, all accompanied by the very finest JING teas, as well as fine coffees, juice and the famed Indonesian ginger herbal drink Wedang Jahe, if they prefer.
JING teas are found only in the world's finest hotels and restaurants and, having the aim of inspiring the world to enjoy tea at its best, JING not only supplies the finest tea leaves but also trains those making and serving its teas on how to prepare the tea correctly to achieve the best flavour. The tea is served in JING tea ware, which is individually hand-crafted by master glass makers using pure borosilicate glass to ensure that it brings out the very best in every sip of tea.
This level of perfection is reflected by the hotel's pastry team, who strive every day to create delicate pastries, tarts, pralines, chocolate brownies and macarons that are as beautiful as they are delicious in a rainbow of colours. Luscious cheesecake is topped with fruit and flowers, tiny cups of panna cotta sport petals, while crispy crème brûlée beg to be eaten.
On the savoury side, slivers of salmon and cream cheese are layered into paninis, fine ham is folded into croissants, while tasty cheese and rare roast beef sandwiches tempt the palate.
Meanwhile, opposite the gamelan players in the Majapahit Hall, a table is spread with a bounty of traditional Indonesian sweets waiting to be discovered. The slices of pink, white and dark green stripes are kue lapis beras, a steamed layer cake made with rice flour, tapioca flour, coconut milk and pandan leaves, while the cone-shaped ones wrapped in young coconut leaf are celorot, a sweet snack made of sticky rice, coconut milk and palm sugar.
Then there are the round, crispy brown kue cucur made of rice flour, which are always best served straight out of the frying pan. Another treat are the pale green and pale pink cakes that look like a ball of string, kue putu mayang, which are in fact rice flour noodles served with a splash of a thick, sweet sauce that is the perfect balance of palm sugar and coconut milk.
Whether you choose to have the full experience of Western or Indonesian treats, or just one or two alongside your drink of choice, The Dharmawangsa Jakarta is an idyllic choice for this afternoon ritual.
THE DHARMAWANGSA JAKARTA
Jalan Brawijaya No. 26, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta 12160, Indonesia
T: (+62) 217258181 E: reservation@the-dharmawangsa.com the-dharmawangsa.com