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efore acting in the highly acclaimed film Sang Pencerah (The Enlightened One), Dennis Adhiswara is known for his roles in teen flicks Ada Apa Dengan Cinta? (What’s Up with Cinta?) and Jomblo (Single). Amid his tight schedule, the 28-year-old actor regularly spends his weekends on culinary trips with his wife, Nadia Flo.

“When I was just a little kid, I used to spend my weekend doing boy stuff, such as lighting firecrackers, playing hide-and-seek and even getting into chicken coops. You know, all those dirty games. Sometimes I rode my bike with friends from my home in Cilandak to Ragunan [both in South Jakarta] and joining bicycle races.

I’m still very much into physical activities. I like exercise such as jogging, badminton or tennis. When it comes to Sunday, I’m the lazy one. If I don’t have any schedules, I normally will wake up late at around 8 or 9 a.m. Then, I will start playing games.

I collect many kinds of games. But I lately enjoy playing games on my iPod touch. Usually, I will play games while in bed with my wife. Besides playing games, my wife and I like to make the most of our times to do chores such as gardening or house cleaning.

If there is a film festival in town, I will definitely go. I like watching non-Hollywood movies, which offer more intriguing stories, not just standard action fare.

Sunday is basically family time. My wife and I often take our family out, have dinner together and watch movies. We are all food lovers and movie buffs.

You know that one thing that unites me and my wife now — and hopefully forever — is food! If we are in the mood for cooking, then we will get busy in the kitchen preparing lunch and dinner.

I really like my wife’s take on soto betawi (meat soup in milk broth). It’s my favorite. Her soto betawi is different.

While other people usually use santan (coconut milk), she chooses not to use it. So it tastes much lighter and healthier too.

Meantime, if we are too tired to cook at home, we will just eat out. We often hunt for food around the city. It’s always wonderful.

I think Indonesia has a rich culinary tradition. Through a certain food, we can learn about the natural condition of the region. Manado [North Sulawesi] dishes, for instance, mostly consist of fish, so we can guess that Manado is a fishing community.

We, however, don’t have a favorite food joint. For us, every place is special and has its unique side. But we really enjoy dining in eateries serving Indonesian food. We try every food, everywhere, from street vendors and warungs to air-conditioned restaurants.

That’s why we really love Ramadan because we can find delicacies along every street during the holy month. It’s like a big food festival in the city.

My wife herself is fond of half-baked kue cubit [traditional small pancakes]. I don’t know why. It’s not hygienic, you know.

I really want to take my wife to taste sate klatak [roasted goat skewered on bicycle spokes], a popular traditional dish from Yogyakarta.

I have not yet found this kind of food in Jakarta. I had a chance to taste it when I joined the production of Sang Pencerah. It’s really deliciois.

My wife is a typical woman who likes to eat anything served in front of her, while I’m the one who will finish what’s left when she’s had her fill.

But the real bliss of hunting food with my wife is looking at her face while she is eating.”

— AS TOLD TO TRIWIK KURNIASARI