“Mantra is a traditional restaurant. We serve traditional food that represents every province in Indonesia, From Padangnese’s Rendang Beef to Ayam Rica-Rica (Spicy Chicken) from Manado.”
“Mantra itself, is an abbreviation of Manado and Sumatra," he added, followed by a long "Aaah!" murmur of revelation from me.
"But we also have traditional dishes form other than the two regions,” he added quickly.
Most of Indonesia’s traditional food requires exceptionally long process, that’s why the chefs would cook the food long before opening hours.
And if you have already been in this country for some time, you would understand that most restaurants here display the food on mirror-like showcases for customers to choose.
You wouldn't find such view in Mantra, because every dish served here is fresh from the kitchen.
Sure enough, Mantra’s main course requires 10-to-15 minutes to serve, which is considerably understandable.
Waitress will ask you the level of spiciness suits your preference.
Customers won’t be worried if their food will be too spicy to their liking and every food here is served hot, and these 5 below make the must-try list.
1. Ayam Tinorangsak (Tinorangsak Chicken)
While the original Minahasa’s Tinorangsak uses pork, Mantra’s Tinorangsak uses chicken, a special breed of chicken called "ayam kampung". That’s why they emphasize the word “ayam” in the menu.
