One of the best trips I’ve ever been to in my life was the one I took in Indonesia and truthfully, it was all because of my friend, Kartika, who gave me the grandest tour of her country.
One of my travel bucket lists was to venture off to the Prambanan Temple Compounds ever since I saw a breathtaking photo of it online.
It looked mysterious and romantic to me and I couldn’t help but imagine how rich in culture its past must have been.
Kartika shared with me a story of the mystical legend that told an Indonesian folklore of a knight so love-struck by a Javanese princess whose name was Lara Djonggrang. Taken as a bride to Prince Bandung after he defeated her father King Boko in battle, Princess Lara Djonggrang reluctantly agreed to marry him only if he could build one thousand temples before daylight for her. By asking the help of evil spirits, the prince was able to accomplish a total of nine hundred and ninety nine temples… until Lara Djonggrang betrays him by fooling the spirits that it was sunrise. In anger, the prince turned her into stone making her the final most beautiful of all temples.
What was unique about my travel to Prambanan is that aside from being able to see the real Lara Djonggrang stone statue, I was also lucky enough to encounter a cultural dining experience in Jakarta that highlighted vintage Javanese treasures, as well as their own antique statue of Lara Jonggrang. On a high from my travels in Java, I walked inside Tugu Hotel’s Lara Djonggrang Restaurant featuring Imperial Indonesian Cuisine.
I’ve encountered Indonesian dishes here and there but nothing really prepared me for the most exquisite experience I had with Tugu Hotel’s Lara Djonggrang Restaurant. I was able to savor the best of the best of Indonesian cuisine whilst being surrounded by artifacts dating back hundreds of years ago. Interestingly, the restaurant was home to Indonesia’s first ever doctor. The dish plates, pottery that were sourced in the province of Lomboc, were beautiful and they incorporated antiques as part of their food presentation. By this time, I’ve come to realize that Indonesians truly value beauty and their aesthetic, as everything inside this historic building was elaborate, grand and spectacular.
I was so delighted when they brought me my Mocktail, a virgin cocktail that is commonly found in bars and restaurants in Indonesia. What I tried here was a mix of sweet lychee and cream.
I also sampled the Tahu Suduk, which had a nice, soft, and crunchy texture complemented with a mix of spices, vegetables and a wonderful tofu sauce presented in the most beautiful seashell.
I loved the Javanese Fish Sate cooked with lemongrass stick. The Rice Platter was marvelous. The cuisine was stuffed with flavors truly representing the Javanese culture. Like its food, Java is bursting with diversity as seen in the community of Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims that reside in the area. The oxtail was delicious as represented in my favorite Indonesian dish, the Sop Buntut.
For dessert, I had Indonesian’s version of the famous Philippine dessert called Halo-Halo, where it featured eight different kinds of fruits engulfed with fresh and sweet young coconut.
A gem in the bustling city of Jakarta, this historic mansion turned restaurant is bathed in treasures of the past. Preserving its galleries to browse all the beautiful things, I left pleased as a punch learning so much from my visit at Tugu Hotel’s Lara Djonggrang. If you ever feel the need to immerse yourself with Indonesian culture, lore, and food, Tugu Hotel’s Lara Djonggrang Restaurant will not disappoint.
Thanks to Tugu Hotel’s Lara Djonggrang | Jalan Teuku Cik Ditiro No.4, Menteng, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10350, Indonesia | +62 21 3153252