Break the fast with delicious all-you-can-eat teppanyaki food and more amid a strict health protocol at Edogin, Central Jakarta.

Nestled on the ground floor of Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta, Edogin welcomed back diners after several weeks off due to the third wave of COVID-19 that recently hit the city. Although restrictions are easing, the Japanese restaurant remains serious about implementing health protocol by paying attention to safety and comfort. 

Aside from the usual procedure — like checking in with the Peduli Lindungi app and wearing face masks — each table is equipped with a transparent glass divider in the middle. This means guests can still chat and enjoy their food without breaking health protocol. Guests can also take one of the tatami rooms for a more private dining experience, be it with a group of family, friends or colleagues. The Jakarta Post was invited to Edogin’s iftar (breaking the fast) event on April 13.

Health protocol: Each table is equipped with a transparent glass divider in the middle. (Courtesy of Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta) (Courtesy of Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta/Courtesy of Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta)

Japanese buffet

A plate of takjil (breaking-of-the-fast snacks) consisting of a date and some slices of kue lapis (Indonesian layered cake) are served on the table for each guest to break their fast. Guests can order their food a la carte. But better yet, scan the buffet bar several minutes before iftar time and choose one's favorite dishes directly from the cooking stations. 

At Edogin, selecting food on the buffet bar is easy and safe. As guests wait in front of the buffet bar, waiters approach and take down their orders. Guests can then move on to the next buffet bar to order more food, or return to their table and wait for the staff to bring the chosen dish. 

When iftar time arrives, it is better to start with some light dishes. The sushi and sashimi menu make the perfect first choice. Selections of sashimi feature fresh salmon and tuna or a mix of both with slices of tako (octopus). The sushi varieties are also sumptuous, ranging from nigiri like unagi (eel) and ebi (prawn) sushi to Chirashi sushi featuring fresh fish like kajiki (swordfish belly), snapper and crab sticks. 

Some delicious sushi rolls are also prepared. Try the tasty, spicy tuna rolls where nori (seaweed) meets sashimi-grade tuna or the California rolls, an inside-out sushi roll (uramaki) consisting of cucumber, crab meat (or imitation of crab) and avocado.

Fresh fish: Selections of sashimi feature fresh salmon and tuna or a mixture of both with slices of tako (octopus). (Courtesy of Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta) (Courtesy of Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta/Courtesy of Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta)

Choices of salmon and tuna tataki (lit: pounded; a traditional Japanese cooking technique) — or a mix of both and snapper fish — add more options to the appetizer menu. Each tataki comes with sesame topping and yuzu dressing, which highlight the freshness of the meat.

A variety of soup dishes can help keep the evening warm, one of which is a bowl of sukiyaki, consisting of beef, tofu, mushrooms and vegetables with broth. Another option is chicken ramen. Made with noodles, half-boiled egg, succulent chicken and delicious broth, the chicken ramen is served in a light portion, making it a good choice as an appetizer.

Moving to main courses, guests can order some seafood and meat at the robatayaki (grilled station) and teppanyaki, where dishes are cooked on a big, flat, metal plate. The robatayaki station offers fresh hohoniku (the front cheek of tuna), Gindara Saiyko (black cod with miso) and salmon head as its seafood options. Robatayaki meat options include some chicken breast, beef and lamb. Meanwhile, the teppanyaki station presents choices of luscious prawns, squid, green mussels, beef tenderloin and a variety of mushrooms like enoki and shitake. 

The dessert bar is just as tempting. The coffee jelly, for one, is served with cream and has a balanced, bittersweet flavor. Selections of ice cream, like chocolate and matcha, are also available for a delightful sweet dining closure.

Appetizers: Edogin presents a variety of delicious starters, such as salmon and tuna tataki. (Courtesy of Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta) (Courtesy of Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta/Courtesy of Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta)

Ramadan specials at Mulia Senayan

The Ramadan experience at Hotel Mulia Senayan does not stop at Edogin. Guests can also relish a delicious international menu for iftar at The Café that offers not only Indonesian food like oxtail soup, but also international dishes such as cheese naan, a variety of pasta and dessert. The Chinese restaurant Table8 presents a tempting selection of delicious oriental dishes like dim sum, pigeon soup and roasted Peking duck chicken. 

Both The Café and Table8 also serve diners with a strict health protocol. Each restaurant, including Edogin, has also prepared refreshing mocktails consisting of coconut water, basil seeds and fresh pieces of watermelon for a revitalizing iftar time. 

Send some love: Exclusive hampers in various shapes, sizes and styles are available at The hotel’s Cake Shop and Chocolate Boutique. (Courtesy of Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta) (Courtesy of Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta/Courtesy of Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta)

Guests wanting to send some love to their close friends and family can head to the hotel’s Cake Shop and Chocolate Boutique and choose their perfect Ramadan gift. From Mulia gift cards to exclusive hampers in various shapes, sizes and styles, a variety of suitable gifts are available. 

The shop also offers a variety of special cakes, one of which is Ramadan Dallah Cake. With a design resembling the shape of a dallah (an Arabic coffee pot), the cake features pistachios, pistachio cream, cocoa nibs and chocolate whipped cream — make sure to order at least 24 hours in advance.

For reservations and more information, please contact +6221574777 or log on to www.hotelmulia.com.