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MAYA at Sailendra charms with eye-opening Northern Indian feasts
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Authentic dining: MAYA at Sailendra rustles up an authentic Northern Indian menu with a touch of contemporary style.(JP/Felix Martua) (JP/Felix Martua)
L
ocated within the compound of JW Marriott Hotel Jakarta, the restaurant commits to serving up mouthwatering dishes that may also teach a thing or two about the oft-misunderstood cuisine.
Some restaurants exist to satiate their customers' appetites; others, however, exist to shatter any fallacious stereotype. The latter could be said to best describe MAYA at Sailendra, which is nestled on the ground floor of JW Marriott Hotel Jakarta in the Mega Kuningan district of South Jakarta. Since day one, MAYA at Sailendra has distinguished itself among other globally-flavored eateries in the city thanks to its singular dedication to Northern Indian cuisine. Having said that, at MAYA at Sailendra, do not expect the chef to rustle up only a plate of vegetarian curry and naan flatbread.
As the hotel's executive chef Abhishek Basu touched on during a conversation with the Post on March 16, there is more to Indian cuisine than what meets the foreigners' eye. At MAYA at Sailendra, for instance, the menu caters to all kinds of gourmands, from the vegetarians to the meat lovers to those with a sweet tooth to the unassuming tastemakers, while nonetheless staying true to the humble tradition from which the recipes find their origin.
"In due course of time, I think it's about educating people," said Abhishek, "by treating them with the right kind of food."
And, of course, nothing could better bridge different cultures and perspectives than a mouthwatering feast. As Abhishek sagely remarked later "I think food is something that unites people."
The 'interest' in flavors
MAYA at Sailendra officially opened to its customers on Nov. 24, 2022, which served as an extension to the hotel's existing Sailendra restaurant. According to Abhishek, the reason behind the conception of a fine-dining establishment focusing on North Indian cuisine was how there had been "a lot of movements" by foreign travelers and expatriates leading up to the current, post-pandemic era.
