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Foood Kulture: Boutique food court for foodies in town
Boutique food courts have mushroomed all over the city in the last few years, offering unique concepts with various dishes for food lovers
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outique food courts have mushroomed all over the city in the last few years, offering unique concepts with various dishes for food lovers. One of them is Urban Kitchen Foood Kulture.
Tucked in the corner of the fifth floor of Plaza Indonesia in the heart of Jakarta, Urban Kitchen Foood Kulture is shielded from the hustle and bustle of shoppers at one of Jakarta’s glitziest malls.
But you would be surprise once you walk into the food court after making your way through the industrial design of the mall interior. Dominated by beige and woody colors, the place is spacious with more than 18 booths that serve a large number of customers.
Fresh Spring Rolls. JP/Triwik Kurniasari
For those who want to see and be seen, the ideal spot is the dining area near the main entrance. As for those who want to lay low and get cozy, the sofas in the lounge and bar area are a great option.
In the lounge and bar area, which also accommodates smokers, you can enjoy food while soaking in the view of Jakarta high-rises surrounding the mall.
The bar also serves any beverages from non-alcoholic drinks such as soft drinks and juice to cocktails.
On Thursdays and Saturdays, customers get a special dining experience with the addition of bands playing live music.
Even though the food court is quite spacious, in some ways, the seating arrangement makes the place look crowded in some spots.
What about the food?
Well, you don’t need to worry because the place has so much to offer, from Indonesian to Asian to European and American cuisine. The variety of choice can at times confuse you if you don’t know what you are in the mood for.
If you crave Japanese food, you should try Sushi Monster, Curry House 38 and Wafuu Café.
The first booth mixes Japanese traditional delicacies and fusion style such as salmon sashimi and monster roll, while the second one offers a curry rice specialty with various toppings such as original chicken curry, tangkotsu ramen and chicken katsu.
A twist of Italian pasta and Japanese delicacies can be found at Wafuu Café. One of the bestselling items on the menu is chicken teriyaki, a combination of pasta, chopped chicken, nori (dried seaweed) and teriyaki sauce.
If Chinese food is your thing, Foood Kulture has Bakmi Aliong, which serves many kinds of noodles, and Jun Njan (read: yun nyan), the renowned Chinese restaurant in the capital which offers classic Chinese dishes.
Vietnamese delicacies are available at Pho@Cafe Hue where foodies can order appetizers such as fresh spring rolls or something soupy like pho bo.
If you want something local, you are in luck because the food court has an array of Indonesian food.
The famous oxtail and ribs dishes, such as oxtail soup and fried oxtail to roasted ribs, can be found at a booth called Warung Buntut (Oxtail Kiosk). Also available are Javanese favorites, ranging from nasi gudeg (rice with cooked jackfruit, egg and chicken) and nasi ayam Semarang (rice with beef) to peyek udang (fried shrimp crackers).
Other Indonesian delicacies include lontong sayur Medan (rice cake cooked in coconut milk with egg and chicken), nasi bali (Balinese rice) and sate kambing (lamb satay).
If you find these Asian delicacies way too spicy for your palate, there is the option of Western cuisine. For desserts, apart from the yogurt and ice cream booths, each food stall usually has it own sweet delights.
Foood Kulture might offer a wide range of menus and delicacies, but it needs to work harder if it wants to win the hearts of food lovers out there.
