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Tasting Bali-based Locavore’s award-winning cuisine in Jakarta
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Locavore masterminds local boy Ray Adriansyah (left) and Dutch-born Eelke Plasmeijer start a two-week takeover of Emilie French Restaurant in Jakarta on Feb. 19, 2018. (Via Locavore/File)
T
he award-winning team behind Bali’s Locavore restaurant is descending upon Jakarta for two weeks of fine-dining “pop-up” service at Emilie French restaurant on Jl. Senopati starting Feb. 19.
It’s a chance for Jakarta’s gourmets to avoid the long wait for reservations at the Ubud-based restaurant, which made waves in 2017 when it rose 27 places on the latest list of Asia’s Best Restaurants, securing a berth as the region’s number 22 restaurant.
Locavore – the only Indonesian venue to pick up a nod from the prestigious global food awards – is the brainchild of chefs Eelke Plasmeijer and Ray Adriansyah, who serve exceptional dishes using only using local ingredients.
Emilie’s chef/owner, Wahyudi Rahardja, also known as Yen, was happy to throw open the doors of his place, regarded as one of the city’s finest restaurants, to the Locavore team. Emilie’s sleek, minimalist decor, courtesy of designer Jaya Ibrahim, offers a setting that will accentuate what’s on offer for his guests.
Locavore in Emilie later this February!!
A post shared by Emilie French Restaurant (@emilierestaurant) on
“Yen was nice – maybe crazy – enough to 'borrow' his beautiful restaurant Emilie to us to simply have some fun with it,” said Ellke in an email interview, amid preparations for the pop-up, which runs from Feb. 19 to March 4.
Read also: These are the world’s 50 best restaurants
Dishes that caught the eye of Asia’s Best Restaurants – such as local spiny lobster poached with Lombok seaweed butter, slices of raw Balinese abalone and Sumbawa Island oyster – likely won’t make a bow at the restaurant takeover, given Locavore’s driving ethos.
However, Ellke promises diners some delectable surprises.
“We will make a seven-course Locavore tasting menu, plus all the snacks before and after dinner as well, featuring all the 'overlooked' Indonesian produce available in Ibu Kota,” Ellke said, referring to the capital.
A Locavore scouting team has been on the ground since early February, ferreting out what’s on offer at traditional markets, based on what’s good, available and in season. The team has reportedly found delights as far away as BSD city in nearby Tangerang, Banten.
Eelke and Ray, who met in Jakarta and moved to Bali to run the kitchen at Alila Ubud before opening Locavore in 2013, are famed for their quest for elevating the local, whether its produce from their vegetable garden in Payangan, in Gianyar, Bali, pickled seaweed from Lombok or beef short ribs from Malang, East Java.
“I have high hopes we can come up with a super tasty and interesting menu,” Ellke said about the Jakarta pop-up.
Reservations are available online or through Emile French Restaurant at +62 21 521 3626. (kes)
