Palalada

Palalada translated in English means nutmeg and pepper, two of the key spices that make up Indonesian cuisine and are part of its history. Thus, the name directly symbolises the traditional Indonesian cuisine that is served in this spacious and elegant restaurant.

Their presentation and selection of their dishes are presented with such poise and obvious particular details, that one can imagine have been obtained through thorough studies from black and white photos from history books of Indonesian foods. This is obviously presented in their meat, poultry , seafood and vegetable dishes.

Their curry paste slow cooked chicken, Ayam Sakang, has been one of the favourite dishes because of their sweet and slightly spicy kick. But it is the tenderness of the chicken, together with the right hints and combination of spices that wins us over.

Take for instance their cumi item Pekalongan, which is squid cooked in its own black ink accompanied by froths of warm coconut milk. This dish is truly a yin and a yang for its visual presentation and also for the complementary palate, as the salty fishy squid is a match made in heaven with the sweet coconut milk.

Another option to try is the ox tongue steak cooked in brown tomato sauce served with roast potato and vegetables. Even the soups and appetisers deserved a whole deal of credit.

For those who cannot decide on what to order, we highly recommend their package menus which we feel is a generous serving of traditional foods that showcase the best of Indonesian cuisine such as Sate Ayam, Bandeng fish with Rica Rica sauce, Rendang, lamb shank Betutu, fried eggplant balado, their stir fried sting beans and of course their famous Tahu Telor. Their packages all come with refillable ice teas and of course dessert of seasonal fruits or traditional indonesian deserts.

Palalada pride themselves for not adding MSG or other artificial preservatives in their dishes, which probably explains why their dishes are all so flavourful, robust and fresh. They also serve Indonesian Dutch items on the menu such as the traditional Dutch salad of Huzarensla or the Bruinen Bonen Soep which is basically slow cooked red kidney soup mixed with beef and nutmeg. All, in all, a very interesting combination of traditional Indonesian and Dutch influenced dishes that is served in a modern and upmarket setting.

Overall dining at Palalada will set off a feeling of slight guilt, only because you realise that after you have enjoyed the full luxurious extent of their ambience, and amazing food and services, the bill arrives and you are paying peanuts for the whole deal. One can argue that its a kind of guilt you would not loose your sleep over, but something you would look forward to if you desire traditional Indonesian foods.