THERE is an Indonesian restaurant in Kuala Lumpur city that offers dishes from the republic’s major provinces such as West Sumatra, Jakarta and Central Java. Rumah Makan Nusantara, situated at Sunway Putra Hotel, is touted as the first and only authentic Indonesian restaurant within a hotel setting. Hotel senior general manager Wilfred Yeo said the restaurant offers a large selection of Indonesian cuisine under one roof.
“Everything served here is made from scratch. The dishes are kept as authentic as possible, similar to what one would find in Indonesia,” he said. “We have close to 80 dishes from various regions of Indonesia as well as a selection of Malaysian dishes.
” The restaurant is also part of Indonesia Spice Up The World, a gastro-diplomacy programme aimed at promoting Indonesia’s rich cuisine and establishing 4,000 Indonesian restaurants overseas by 2024. Rumah Makan Nusantara was endorsed as the 1,301th such outlet by Indonesia’s Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno. Emping Melinjo, a cracker made from melinjo nuts, makes for a delightful start to a meal.
The Kuala Lumpur restaurant’s interior showcases a contemporary design and highlights Indonesian arts and crafts. Risoles (RM20nett), typically sold at food carts known as “gerobak makanan” in Indonesia, is a recommended appetiser. Rumah Makan Nusantara’s version features pastry wrapped with chicken filling and vegetables.
It is then rolled in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. Risoles .