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‘Aruna dan Lidahnya’ to entertain moviegoers and foodies alike
As if knowing that the food appearing on screen will arouse the viewers’ appetite, Union Café at Senayan City pays tribute to the movie and foodies by offering a special menu.
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As if knowing that the food appearing on screen will arouse the viewers’ appetite, Union Café at Senayan City pays tribute to the movie and foodies by offering a special menu. (JP/Muthi Kautsar)
N
ow playing in theaters, the movie Aruna dan Lidahnya (Aruna and Her Palate) further entertains moviegoers and foodies alike by the variety of dishes featured in it.
Depicting the story of Aruna, a bird flu investigator who happens to be a food lover, the movie showcases more than 20 dishes, beverages and snacks. And to spice things up even more, the main protagonist is accompanied by friends whose lives also revolve around food. The adventurous Nad is a food writer while Bono is a chef.
As if knowing that the food appearing on screen will arouse viewers’ appetites, Union Café at Senayan City pays tribute to the movie (and to foodies) by offering several dishes featured in the movie. They include head chef Adhika Maxi’s take on mie kepiting (crab noodles), nasi goreng Aruna (Aruna fried rice, cooked with aromatic ginger), nasi cumi pedas (spicy squid rice) and kari udang (shrimp curry).
Adhika Maxi, who also founded Union brasserie in Plaza Senayan, Pondok Indah Mall Street Gallery, Grand Indonesia, Pantai Indah Kapuk Avenue and Senayan City, told The Jakarta Post that he helped Nicholas Saputra, who plays Bono the chef, when the movie was being made.
Read also: ’Aruna dan Lidahnya’ tells you to savor the little things
“During the scene in Union [I] gave him [Nicholas] some pointers. I also cooked and inspired a few dishes,” said Adhika, recalling the scenes he shot at Union Pondok Indah’s kitchen.
When asked what his exact role in the movie was, he laughed and told The Post to ask Laksmi Pamuntjak, the author of Aruna dan Lidahnya novel.
“Please ask Laksmi […] I believe the character of chef Bono was inspired by me.”
Later in a press conference held at Union brasserie Senayan City, Laksmi told the audience that she was inspired to create the character after dining at a friend's house where Adhika was the chef.
"Aruna dan Lidahnya is born from a dining experience at a friend's house, a private event with [Adhika]. [Chef] Bono is actually based on Maxi. And I am very thankful for the experience as it gave me courage to write [the novel]. Because this is a reflection of our culinary world now. We talk about inspiration from everywhere," Laksmi said.
Adhika, who previously worked with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, has worked in restaurants in the United States and written a cookbook for bachelors looking to impress with their cooking.
The dishes inspired by Aruna dan Lidahnya will be available for a limited time at Union Café at Senayan City, from Thursday to Sunday. (mut)
