Chef Felix Budisetiawan briefly met me during a photo shoot at Sriwijaya of The Dharmawangsa Jakarta with his prized Chef de Cuisine for the establishment. His stature and his authority were commanding, his speech was clear, and he paid intense attention with when people are talking about ideas and food.
He asked whether I care to sample his setup for brunch after the interview but I respectfully declined since it’s already Ramadan. I was grateful and hoping that one day we could all sit together, talking about food and his expertise, and of course, over great food.
However, little did he know that one time we had a very amicable lunch before that at Jakarta Restaurant among friends. That time unfortunately, Chef Felix was not around. Even so, I was introduced to at how he now runs the show with everything here.
Many parts of the menu were the heritage of the olden times under Chef Vindex Tengker, but Chef Felix slowly builds his own characters to create harmonious links between the incumbent regime and the previous one.
Take it for example, Chef Felix’s Ayam Goreng Renyah Pedas. The whole chicken was deboned and shredded, fried twice for maximum pleasure, crispy, and was indeed spicy as told. It came paired with rice and two types of Indonesian sayur. It complements each other and like any other Indonesian food, fulfilling!
Other than that, the grilled ribs were also one of the best experience I had at Jakarta. Sweet, juicy, and compelling; the ribs demanded us to dig in more and more with the whole harmony of taste. It feels Indonesian through the sweetness of kecap manis and it was made memorable with the impeccable grilling technique.
Changes made by Chef Felix involve also the presentation. For the grazing menu, he likes his food served in a modern way by using the cutting board, iron basket, and minimalist presentation. It may not feel that hearty but it’s a sign of elevation in the aesthetic department.
To sum it all up, I personally curious with what Chef Felix will unveil to us with the future The Dharmawangsa. With his broad experience as Executive Chef for five-star establishments before this, I am sure to see more from the hotel under his reign.
Perhaps first thing first would be the omakase at Sriwijaya with Chef Emmanuel Julio the CDC? We shall see.
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JAKARTA
Halal-friendly
Some menu are suitable for vegetarians
Address:
The Dharmawangsa Jakarta
Jalan Brawijaya Raya no. 26, Jakarta – Indonesia
T: +62.21.725.8181
Opening hours:
Daily, 11.30am – 2.30pm (lunch), 6pm – 12am (dinner)
RIAN FARISA 