“There’s no doubt that introducing Indonesian cuisine to other countries would be a great success”
although I think there are still so many of our regional dishes which are still unknown here. We have all the ingredients available. What we need are more Indonesian chefs and restaurants who dare to go beyond serving gado-gado and prove that there is so much more to Indonesian food than just peanut sauce,” enthuses Prasadani.
Amsterdam receives roughly 5.7 million visitors per year. To many pleasantly surprised tourists, Amsterdam is where they experience Indonesian cuisine for the first time, making the city the perfect getaway to introduce the flavoursome cuisine from the archipelago to a wider audience outside its country of origin. “We have been serving the rice table concept to international guests and they were always blown away,” shares Meta van den Boomen, manager of Restaurant Blauw.
First opened in Utrecht, Restaurant Blauw quickly gained recognition for serving authentic Indonesian cuisine in a contemporary setting. It opened its Amsterdam branch 10 years ago, powered by a team of talented Indonesian chefs with their own heirloom family recipes, from Ikan Asam Padeh to the crowd-pleasing Sate Kambing Restaurant Blauw offers à la carte dishes as well as three different rijstaffel set menus; these gastronomic treats are served in exquisite small bowls.
Nearby, a new Indonesian restaurant has been making a splash in the leafy historical neighbourhood called the Plantage. Mama Makan Indonesian Kitchen, located adjacent to Hyatt Regency Amsterdam, has been receiving rave reviews for its swanky design and flavourful Indonesian delights. Its association with a five-star hotel has also elevated the image of Indonesian cuisine and cemented its international reputation. At the heart of Mama Makan Indonesian Restaurant, is Rosmina Napitupulu, an Aceh-born and Jakarta-raised chef. Together with her Indonesian kitchen team, the culinary veteran is upping the ante on Javanese and Balinese regional cuisine.