Jakarta - Jakarta is a city where history often hides in plain sight, tucked behind the chaotic rush of traffic and the modern skyline. Yet sometimes, you stumble into a place that feels like stepping back in time. My recent lunch at Tugu Kunstkring Paleis, located in the leafy Menteng neighbourhood, was one such moment. More than just a restaurant, it is a place where the colonial past, art, and cuisine converge in a magnificent setting.
A Building with a Story
The Tugu Kunstkring Paleis is not your ordinary dining venue. Originally built in 1914, this stately Dutch colonial building once served as the Fine Arts Circle of the Dutch East Indies. For decades, it was a hub of cultural life, a gathering place for intellectuals, artists, and colonial elites. Its name “Kunstkring” translates to “Art Circle,” a reminder of its original function as a gallery and art society.
After my lunch, the waiter that serve me took me around the building, explain the art and took nice photos of me. It was such an interesting experience.
Walking through its grand entrance, I immediately felt the weight of history. High ceilings, colonial-era architecture, and intricately decorated halls exude a sense of grandeur that is rare in modern Jakarta. Yet the building is not a museum frozen in time. Today, it is lovingly curated by Tugu Hotels & Restaurants, who have transformed it into a space that honors its past while serving as a vibrant hub for dining, art, and cultural events.
While the building and its history were fascinating, the true highlight of my visit was, of course, the food. For lunch, I ordered the beef rendang, served with red rice.
Rendang, originally from West Sumatra, is often hailed as one of the world’s most delicious dishes, and the version I tasted here fully lived up to its reputation. The beef was incredibly tender, slow-cooked until it practically melted in my mouth. The spices — a complex blend of chili, lemongrass, galangal, garlic, ginger, and coconut milk — were perfectly balanced, creating layers of flavor that lingered long after each bite.
What made the dish even more special was the pairing with red rice, a healthier and more earthy alternative to white rice. Its nutty flavor complemented the richness of the rendang beautifully, giving the meal a wholesome, almost rustic dimension.
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Beef Rendang |
For dessert, I opted for something uniquely local yet creatively presented: kue pancong ice cream. Kue pancong is a traditional coconut cake from Jakarta, usually grilled and served warm. Here, it was reinvented as a modern dessert — served with coconut ice cream that added a refreshing, creamy sweetness. It was the perfect ending to an already memorable meal: familiar yet innovative, rooted in tradition yet playful in execution.
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Kue Pancong ice cream |
The Suzie Wong Room: An Ode to a Cultural Icon
Among the many intriguing spaces inside the building, one that caught my attention was the Suzie Wong Room. Named after the fictional character from Richard Mason’s 1957 novel The World of Suzie Wong (later adapted into a Hollywood film), this room embodies a mix of nostalgia, romance, and intrigue.
Suzie Wong, the story of a Hong Kong bar girl who falls in love with an English artist, became an icon of mid-20th-century East–West fascination. To the Western imagination, Suzie Wong symbolized a kind of exotic allure and mystery, while for Asian audiences, she represented both fascination and controversy.
At Tugu Kunstkring Paleis, the Suzie Wong Room is not meant to replicate Hong Kong nightlife but rather to capture the spirit of cross-cultural fascination. The owners of Tugu have long been drawn to characters and narratives that embody East–West encounters, and Suzie Wong fits perfectly into that tapestry. The room is adorned with vintage décor, romantic lighting, and artwork that pays tribute to her legend. Dining there felt like being part of a story — one that straddles continents, cultures, and histories.
The Grand Rijsttafel
One of the most fascinating culinary traditions highlighted at Tugu Kunstkring Paleis is the Grand Rijsttafel. Literally translated from Dutch as “rice table,” rijsttafel is a dining experience that was born during the colonial era in Indonesia.
The concept emerged in the early 20th century when Dutch colonials, eager to impress visiting dignitaries and guests, created a banquet-style meal showcasing the diversity of the archipelago’s cuisines. Instead of serving one or two dishes, the rijsttafel could feature dozens of small plates, each highlighting a different region’s specialties — from spicy Sumatran curries to Javanese stews, Balinese satays, and Sulawesi seafood dishes.
At Tugu Kunstkring Paleis, the Grand Rijsttafel is more than just a meal; it is a cultural performance. Waiters dressed in traditional attire serve an elaborate array of dishes, often accompanied by music and storytelling. It is a living reminder of Indonesia’s culinary richness, while also echoing the complexities of its colonial past.
Dining at Tugu Kunstkring Paleis is not just about the food — it is about the experience. Every element, from the architecture to the artwork, from the themed rooms to the cultural performances, is designed to immerse you in a story.
It is an experience that makes you pause and reflect on the layers of Jakarta’s identity: colonial legacies, cultural crossroads, and the enduring richness of Indonesian traditions. In a city where much of the past is overshadowed by rapid modernisation, places like Tugu Kunstkring Paleis serve as living reminders that history can be preserved not just in books and museums but also in food, art, and spaces where people gather.
My lunch at Tugu Kunstkring Paleis was one of the most memorable dining experiences I’ve had in Jakarta. Set in a magnificent Dutch colonial building filled with art and history, the restaurant offers much more than food. It offers a journey into the past, a celebration of Indonesia’s culinary traditions, and a platform for cultural storytelling.
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