Kaum Menteng, Lesser-Known Traditional Foods From Rural Indonesia Get Spotlight They Deserve

Monday, 25 October 2021 | 14:10 WIB
  • Kaum Menteng brings several lesser-known foods from rural Indonesia to the spotlight.
    Kaum Menteng brings several lesser-known foods from rural Indonesia to the spotlight.

    In Kaum, lesser-known traditional foods from rural Indonesia get spotlight they deserve.

    Kitchenesia.com - Kaum's website only needs 3-4 seconds to stop my track. Its big, bold claim as "the best Indonesian restaurant in Jakarta" indeed makes quite an impression on me.

    What Kaum proclaimed was no idle boast: its Hong Kong branch was selected in the Michelin Guide for Hong Kong & Macau 2017. The team behind Kaum also embarks on a regular trip to rural Indonesia. Their mission: to learn about native's food culture and spices. Also, to be engaged in some mutual relationships with locals.

    Kaum feels so homey with clutter-free, low sofa seating.
    Kaum feels so homey with clutter-free, low sofa seating.

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    Relaxing ambience that enough to Kaum anxious mind

    It was obvious from all the repeated, rectangular windows that Kaum applied a more formal approach to design. Indeed, the typical Dutch colonial style isn’t uncommon. Front garden, typically symmetrical facades can be seen at Cafe Batavia, too. But the touches at Kaum are so subtle and sleek that it looks more like a home than a restaurant.

    All around the dining room expresses a similar design and vibe. All around the dining room expresses a similar design and vibe. Kaum goes beyond the ideas of a “swanky” restaurant to a literal interpretation of a wealthy Dutch family's house in the 1920s.

    Kaum reminisces mid-century modern design combines with traditional touches like relief walls and tribal-motif fabric as decorations.
    Kaum reminisces mid-century modern design combines with traditional touches like relief walls and tribal-motif fabric as decorations.

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    While the whole vibe is quite foreign, at the same time, Kaum evokes a weird sense of childhood nostalgia for me. The touches like a clutter-free room, tribal-inspired relief walls, and couples of traditional fabric draping around the room reminisce of Indonesia’s traditional house, where multigenerational families live in a communal, vernacular longhouse.

    The restaurant also leaves ample outdoor space, all of it are used efficiently for outdoor seating and green areas. It is a great way of hitting two birds with one stone: accommodating the guest well while creating a vibrant display with flowers and greenery. With all these simple yet meaningful features, Kaum really takes me on a trip down memory lane to when my 5-year-old self spent comfortable times in my grandmother's house.

    Lesser-known traditional foods finally gets spotlight (and edges)

    The simple, textbook-like menu arranges from one category to another, from plant-based to meat hors d’oeuvres. Then main courses follow in four categories: share, stews and soups, veggie-packed, and rice/noodle-based foods. The rest shows lists of relishes, side dishes, and desserts that more or less are self-explanatory.  

    The Ternate-native food gohu ikan tuna is served with rice cracker as a accompaniment.
    The Ternate-native food gohu ikan tuna is served with rice cracker as a accompaniment.

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    You might not be so sure at first, although each food is given a short description. No food photos are shown. Also, as an avid foodie myself, I found a few of Kaum’s foods are unusual. Thus I sought the help of Chef Wayan Kresnayana, executive chef at Kaum, to recommend me the five must-try foods.

    Gohu ikan tuna is included in the Kaum’s appetizer list, a nod for its carbon copy the Peruvian ceviche. But that’s where the similarity ends. Stating the obvious first, Indonesians typical meal doesn’t include three courses.

    As you eat it ― munching on a chewy diced raw tuna bursting with sweet and fishy flavor that is often contrasted with savory coming from the coconut oil ― you may find yourself lost in thought that such a minimum-processed food can exude complex tastes. Much to my surprise, gohu ikan tuna pairs well with rice.

    Ayam Kampung Berantakan uses a half of free-range chicken for every portion, a ideal main course for family dining.
    Ayam Kampung Berantakan uses a half of free-range chicken for every portion, a ideal main course for family dining.

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    Despite focusing on bringing the lesser-known foods into the spotlight, Kaum does a lot of recreating the classics with a modern twist. Ayam Kampung Berantakan is mandatory if you want to test out Kaum’s food innovation.

    It comes with a half of whole fried chicken with a bit of remodeling: toasted coconut, fried curry leaves, and oyster mushroom as toppings. You'll either love or hate the chicken texture: it's dry yet crunchy at the same time. The assortment of spices has little to no effect on the flavor. I supposed that Kaum is aware of this problem. Its complementary sambal terasi (shrimp paste sambal) is the only thing that makes the dish come to life.

    Be different, be disruptive

    If you somehow find a place that serves sate buntel in Jakarta, it's still highly unlikely they will be as good as the ones in Kaum. The Solo-native delicacy comes with four fluffy, cushiony lamb-meat skewers that melt in my mouth instantly. To add lemony flavor, you can dip each skewer in a bowl of sambal rujak (fruit relish). Although, I recommend enjoying them plain.

    If you've been closely perusing Jakarta's street food as of late, you may have noticed that fried duck stalls are abundant. Kaum brings this crowd-pleasing food and recreates it into something akin to upscale Indonesian. The results are dramatic. Kaum’s bebek goreng sambal mangga muda (fried duck with unripened mango relish) has tender meat yet crispy skin.

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    The complementary unripened mango relish also adds a contrasting tart flavor. It is similar to pineapple pizza, but less offensive. In contrast, the sweet and salty tastes are pretty balance.

    Stews and soups appear sporadically on Kaum’s menu. But one stew called bobor bayam merah kelapa muda catches my attention instantly. It combines seemingly two contradictory plant-based foods: red spinach and young coconut. The broth almost glows due to the dominated coconut milk. Coconut meat also acts as a meat substitute.

    If you come to Kaum on a tight budget, this dish would be a perfect choice; it’s a flavorful, full-packaged stew that satisfies your soul.

    The hearty, fulfilling bobor bayam merah kelapa muda makes everyone feel nostalgic.
    The hearty, fulfilling bobor bayam merah kelapa muda makes everyone feel nostalgic.

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    Kaum takes food innovation seriously ― with all of the foods get the edge on flavor and presentation. Nearly all Kaum’s foods are actually common, yet you couldn’t find a similar style anywhere. In an era when everything starts to look the same, Kaum remains different and disruptive. That’s rarer than you think.

    Kaum Menteng, Jalan Dr. Kusuma Atmaja No.77, Menteng, Central Jakarta 10310

    Sera B
    David Togatorop
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