Kitchenesia.com - Cafe Batavia, a restaurant located in Jakarta’s Old Town (Kota Tua), is 214 years old this year.
It was used as VOC office initially, then overhauled and relaunched until it became a restaurant in 1991.
Cafe Batavia’s building is the second oldest building in the square after Jakarta History Museum.
I had been an avid visitor of Kota Tua since childhood, and this place, beyond doubt, set my eye on becoming a restaurant critic.
While the number of eateries is skyrocketing recently, Cafe Batavia remains the hottest restaurant in Jakarta, given the fact that it was still jam-packed when people took over Jakarta streets to sound their protest.
But Cafe Batavia also seems to be taking its “hotness” quite literally.
The second floor feels hot, especially if you sit near the big mirror overlooking Fatahilah museum.
Several standing air conditioners and ceiling fans won’t help either.
But of course, we're talking about Jakarta. And also we should mind the fact that the structure of an old building would not really be supportive for a much more modern need of air-conditioned experience.
However, seats near windows are favorite among visitors.
They are always occupied and even guests are even willingly queuing for the seats.
It’s no wonder because Cafe Batavia promises good view of tourists activities around Fatahila square and the Fatahila building itself.
If you come by some time around the afternoon, the sunlight coming through the glass pane is stunning for your countless smartphone selfies.
And if you prefer to avoid the heat, coming here at night would be perfect.
Cafe Batavia is certainly a pretty restaurant.
The walls are covered with a plethora of framed classic painting and black-and-white portraits.
The graceful chairs are in antique old-Dutch style, typical chairs of wealthy landlords during the 1800s.
The ceiling has gnarled, thin wooded beams.
The square tables are covered with Batik fabric.
It’s a rich-colonialists version of a humble vacation home.
The music thumped with jazz and blues music played by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong.
Being young and all, I don’t usually listen to this music genre, but I guess it is required by some kind of unwritten law when you come to a classic restaurant.
But such ambience is top notch when you come to entertain business clients or just to have a relaxing atmosphere with your loved one.
Now, the food.
Chef Donny Kumala, executive chef of Cafe Batavia, curated a slightly eccentric mishmash of Dutch, western, and traditional Indonesian food in the menu.
We ordered two traditional food, Betawinese gado-gado and Manadonese’s salmon gohu, and bistik lidah “Harmonie” (“Harmonie” grilled beaf tongue).
The latter being the artisanal food in this restaurant.
The dish that melted my heart and got my mind right, however, was bistik lidah“Harmonie”, a velvety, spicy, well-cooked beef tongue brimming with vegetables such as broccoli, carrot, and peas.
It is a lovechild food of Dutch-Indonesian.
The Dutch element is on the potato krokketen, while Indonesian influence is on the soy sauce.
Salmon Gohu was outstanding, too.
It is a delicate, rich, raw marinated salmon, with potent sour flavor.
Think of sashimi when you hear salmon gohu, but the latter is bolder and sexier.
There is an urban legend among restaurant critics that upscale Indonesian restaurants often offer bad taste food.
At Cafe Batavia?
Well, the gado-gado tasted quite plain and cold. Yes, cold as in cold "COLD". As if it had just been taken out from fridge a minute before.
It was such a pity for the food.
The appearance was mindblowingly pretty yet it left quite a bad foodie experience, to the point that it lingered on my tongue and my mind for several days.
Cafe Batavia is certainly not the place for some peace-seeking eaters since a handful of guests would blare out their chattings.
But if you were to entertain friends, it would be struggle to find Cafe Batavia “boring”.
It is a vibrant place, full of diners who don’t take themselves very seriously, posing for family group shots and singing happy birthday.
Other than the "gado-gado incident", the food is fine.
Bistik lidah “Harmonie” is worth sticking around for because it was possibly the greatest beef steak I’ve had in my lifetime!
That gorgeous piece of meat is influenced by west and east flavors.
Some might judge that the mix would be a culinary car crash.
But isn’t.
So I’ve graciously decided to forgive Cafe Batavia for the glacial gado-gado and the beef's long cooking time.
Will I come back again? Armed with some extra cautions, come rain or shine, definitely I would!
