Here are four recommended films about food and restaurants to satisfy your appetite.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

The 2011 American documentary follows the story of a three-Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant owned by Jiro Ono. Located in Ginza in Tokyo, the sushi bar is said to have a long waiting list.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is not only about the restaurant’s popularity, it also digs deeper into Jiro’s thoughts and hopes. It highlights the struggles faced by Jiro’s son, Yoshizaku Ono, as the second generation of a culinary legacy.

The documentary is a must-see film for sushi lovers as it explores the art of making sushi.

Where to go to satisfy your craving: The close-up shots in Jiro Dreams of Sushi are sure to make your stomach growl. If that is the case, it is time to schedule a visit to Kinokawa restaurant in Thamrin, Central Jakarta. The restaurant’s nigiri sushi set comes with tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet), which looks similar to the tamagoyaki featured in the documentary.

Toast

Based on an award-winning memoir by English food writer and journalist Nigel Slater, Toast contains sad, happy and funny moments.

The BBC adaptation movie follows Slater’s early life. Slater’s mother was a terrible cook and the family would frequently dine on canned food.

After his mother’s death of asthma, Slater meets Mrs. Joan Porter (Helena Bonham Carter), a housekeeper with amazing cooking skills. To attract Slater’s father, Mrs. Porter starts to cook a wide array of dishes, including lemon meringue pie and scones.

Dishes featured in the film are rich and festive, making even the most discriminating salivate over its offerings.

Where to go to satisfy your craving: Unfortunately, it is quite a task to get a decent lemon meringue pie in Jakarta. But, fret not, as AMKC Atelier in Plaza Indonesia, Central Jakarta, offers a nice substitute to the lemon meringue pie, such as nastar (pineapple tart) cheesecake and pavlova with fresh berries and passion fruit.

Read also: Four must-watch films about North Korea

Chocolat

Directed by Lasse Hallström, Chocolat follows chocolatier Vianne Rocher (Juliette Binoche) and her daughter Anouk (Victoire Thivisol) as they embark on their new life in a French village.

As an atheist and the mother of an illegitimate child, Vianne struggles to fit in with the village’s conservative residents.

Vianne then opens a chocolate shop. Slowly, she finds a way to her neighbors’ hearts through the delicacy. However, more obstacles emerge and Vianne must face them all while adjusting to provincial life.

As the title implies, the movie revolves around chocolate. However, Chocolat displays a different take on the dessert, including as an aphrodisiac or a “sinful” indulgence, reminding food enthusiasts about the common assumptions of chocolate.  

Where to go to satisfy your craving: Liberica is usually recognized for its coffees. However, after watching Chocolat, it is the right place to visit for a cup of thick hot chocolate, which resembles the beverage featured in the movie. If there is still room in your stomach, do consider ordering Liberica’s chocolate cake.

Marie Antoinette

Written and directed by Sofia Coppola, Marie Antoinette is a historical drama about France’s popular queen.

The movie starts in Austria in the year 1768, when 14-year-old Maria Antonia Josepha Joanna (Kirsten Dunst), known as Antoine, is ordered to marry the Dauphin of France, Louis XVI. As queen, Marie Antoinette lives in excess and extravagance, burying France deeper into debt while its people struggle to survive.

Marie Antoinette’s color schemes make the food featured in the movie look visually pleasing. Meanwhile, historical references make the film even more interesting to watch.

Where to go to satisfy your craving: If you are looking for a lavish dinner, complete with pretty desserts on trays, then head down to The Café at Hotel Mulia Senayan, South Jakarta. Here you can enjoy a wide of array of dishes, which are highly similar to what Marie Antoinette enjoys in the movie. (kes)