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span class="inline inline-left">Yakitori by Dai-Tokyo Sakaba.It’s party time for Japanese food lovers as Dapur Iron Chef has come to town to deliver Japan’s top chefs along with their signature creations.

Dapur Iron Chef (Iron Chef’s Kitchen), a new culinary stop at Plaza Senayan’s Food Hall Food Gallery, is named after the Fuji Television Network’s globally-known culinary TV show, Iron Chef.

Dapur Iron Chef has introduced various dishes from five Japanese top restaurants from late January to March. Next year, the restaurant will present dishes from at least 10 more restaurants from Japan as part of the Cool Japan Strategy Promotion Program, which is initiated by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Out of the five restaurants, Aloha Terrace opened from February until March 14 at the mall, offering the first authentic Hawaiian cuisine interpreted by Japanese chefs.

Aloha Terrace, which is preparing to open its first outlet in Indonesia, located in Bintaro, Tangerang, in April, introduces Hawaiian fresh meals, which are new to Indonesia, with a Japanese flavor. The menu includes the likes of rice and beef patty-based Loco Moco, Lomi-lomi avocado salmon salad and powerful-aroma Kona coffee.

Loco Moco consists of Japanese rice with a beef patty — covered in tasty brown sauce, a sunny-side up egg and lettuce, the flavor of which is quite familiar for Indonesians.

Beef Mount Fuji Soba by Sagami.The restaurant also has Lomi-Lomi salad with salmon, avocado, fresh fruits and onion all mixed into one, using mayonnaise, Japanese soy sauce, olive oil and vinegar as the fresh dressing.

“Lomi-Lomi means mixing it all with bare hands. That what happens to this particular dish,” said Aloha Terrace representative Shinjiro Asano.

In terms of beverages, Aloha Terrace offers Hawaiian Kana coffee, which is one of the most expensive coffees in the world.

Kana coffee has a strong aroma, inviting all who smell it to take a sip. In terms of taste, however, the coffee isn’t as powerful as the aroma.

“Kana coffee is famous for its delicious aroma, but isn’t too thick in flavor, as that’s what people enjoy in Hawaii. For the Indonesian market, however, we’re still searching for the most suitable recipe to get the best coffee flavor,” said Asano.

Besides the three items on the menu, Aloha Terrace also provides Ahi Poke (raw lettuce with salted tuna), Buffalo Chicken Wings (hot-sauced chicken wings with blue cheese and cream sauce) and Mochiko Chicken and Garlic Shrimp.

Sagami — which focuses on soba, or buckwheat noodle — offers a Curry Duck Soba and Yuzu Honey Lemonade among other items on the menu.

The restaurant, one of the largest udon (wheat noodles) and soba noodle chain restaurants in Japan, is open for service until March 31.

Soba is served with duck and curry sauce, which is light and delicious. Meanwhile, the Yuzu offers another heavenly culinary experience of iced lemonade with honey.

In the kitchen, Sagami also provides more delicacies: Basic Zaru Soba, Mount Fuji Beef Soba, Tebasaki (fried chicken wings), Duck Soup Soba, Shrimp Oroshi Soba, Tempura Chicken Oroshi Soba, Kara Age (Japanese fried chicken) and Chawan Mushi.

The remaining three restaurants — Spoon Bread, Ramen Iroha and Dai-Tokyo Sakaba — have now closed their kitchens at Dapur Iron Chef. Their kitchens were open between late January and mid February.

Spoon Bread introduces chef Sakai’s Popover Roast Pear and Popover Banana Sundae; Ramen Iroha brings in Spicy Ramen with Black Broth, Iron chef Chen’s Spicy Black Ramen and Toyama Black Soy Sauce Ramen; while Dai-Tokyo Sakaba cooks Fried Chicken Wings in spicy and soy sauce versions, Yakitori (a Japanese version of chicken satay), Kara Age and Stewed Egg.

By joining the Dapur Iron Chef, all of the five restaurants are looking for opportunities to open up businesses in Indonesia.

—Photos courtesy of Dapur Iron Chef