Raka Ibrahim (The Jakarta Post)
Denpasar ●
Thu, March 24, 2022
The nation’s capital has a stunningly diverse selection of international cuisines to dine on. Here are five to start your global food tour – without leaving the country!
Aside from offering regional delights to sample from anywhere in the archipelago, Greater Jakarta is also a good place to start your global culinary journey. Just look a little closer and you’ll find a bustling international culinary scene in the background. From West African comfort food to Palestinian sensation, we take a look at some of the best world cuisines the capital city has to offer.
Hearty alternative: Don’t feel like having meat? Then go for the fried fish with salad and ‘moin moin, a Nigerian steamed bean pudding, at African Food Center Nwanyi Nnewi in West Jakarta. (Facebook/African Food Center Official Page) (Facebook/African Food Center Official Page)
Nigerian: African Food Center Nwanyi Nnewi
Jl. K.S. Tubun No. 66, Slipi, Palmerah, West Jakarta
Don’t expect Nigerian food to pull any punches. Its litany of stews and soups are spicy, thick and uncompromisingly savory. West African meat dishes also tend to be on the tougher side, so you can forget encountering meltingly tender, fall-off-the bone proteins. But persevere, and you’ll discover one of the hidden gems of world cuisine.
The African Food Center Nwanyi Nnewi blends imported West African ingredients such as bitter leaf and smoked fish with local produce, resulting in an intoxicating fusion of flavors. All the dishes served at this restaurant taste like they’re from somewhere you’ve (likely) never been to, yet also taste familiar.
It’s also a hub for weary travelers and members of the West African diaspora in Indonesia to gather, talk and trade stories from home. A must-visit for any culinary traveler.
What to Order: The restaurant offers the usual staples of West African comfort food, but beginners should try egusi, a hearty, savory, slightly sweet meat stew thickened with ground sunflower seeds. Like any self-respecting West African establishment, they also serve up a mean jollof.