Sate Ayam Madura, 65k
So I’m finally getting around to telling you about my experience at Tesate, an Indonesian restaurant which is located at Plaza Senayan. I've also been to their other restaurant at Pacific Place, but it was the first time I’ve been to the one in Senayan. I had actually planned on going to Sate Khas Senayan, which incidentally is owned by the same group. But once again Jakarta's traffic got the better of me and I decided going to Tesate would be easier.
Nasi Tutug, 95k
There are a few things which are noteworthy about Tesate. First let me tell you about the design and the overall ambience of the restaurant. When I walked inside the restaurant, it somehow felt like I wasn’t in Jakarta. First of all you walk through a fluorescent corridor, which is somehow reminiscent of a club. Once inside, the ambience changed again .The evening I visited, it was very busy and there seemed to be a certain buzz in the air. I really appreciate what they have done with the design of Tesate. I would describe it as chic cool. The yellow and white touches create a really welcoming effect, and I could see myself spending quite some time there. Even the menu is well designed, with a distinct Javanese inspired theme. The menu must have been enticing, because I was more than ready to order some food!
Tahu Udang Berontak, 64k
Tesate is an Indonesian restaurant that specializes as the name suggests in the Indonesian favorite, Sate. They have many varieties of this dish, so there is plenty for you to choose from. Sate is not really one of my favorite Indonesian dishes, but seeing as I was at a place which specializes in Sate, it would be a sin not to try it. I settled on the Sate Ayam Madura 65k, which is marinated chicken sate served in a peanut sauce. Okay, so I was not particularly wowed by this dish. I expected it to be more flavorsome to be honest, but I was hopeful that the other dishes would have that wow factor I was looking for.
Java Jasmine Tea, 25k
Indonesian cuisine really does differ so much from Island to Island. I have discovered that I really enjoy the spicier dishes. So much so, that when the dishes are not spicy, i'll invariably request more sambal! Sambal is a kind of Indonesian chili dip which accompanies many dishes. I think it’s always good to try one of the rice dishes at Indonesian restaurants. At Tesate there are quite a few which caught my attention. I chose the Nasi Tutug 95k, which is described as an exotic rice dish combined with squid, chicken and vegetables. This dish was definitely more to my taste. It was a mix of many elements, making the flavors quite complex. It was also spicier than the last dish, which I prefered. A tamarind flavored soup also same as part of this dish. I always associate Tamarind with Indonesian cooking. Tesate's soup was fragrant and mixed well with the other flavors of the Nasi Tutug.
Interior of the restaurant
The evening I went to Tesate, I was craving seafood. The one dish which looked very appealing, and would have been my first choice was the Kepiting Soka Mangga Muda, 125k. I love soft shell crab and Tesate's version is served with mango and chili. Sounds amazing right? Well that’s what I thought too, but unfortunately it was sold out, as were all the other crab dishes. I was really disappointed because this would have been my main choice. I hope it’s available next time because I really would love to try it.
Sate being prepared in the kitchen
The last dish I ordered was the Tahu Udang Berontak, 64k. A fried tofu dish filled with prawns and mushroom. I have to mention that it is also served with a super yummy chili dip. I sure do love my sambal! This dish was a pleasure to eat. It may even have been my favorite out of the three.
As dinner came to an end, I was left thinking about the Soft Shell Crab. I think I would have enjoyed my experience at Tesate more, had this dish been available. Tesate is not your cheapest option for Indonesian food. In fact if you were to order the fish it could be quite expensive. Because I have lived in Jakarta for nearly 3 years, I know you can find Indonesian food for much cheaper. I do want to try Tesate’s sister restaurant Sate Kaus Senayan to see how it fares against the higher priced Tesate. But if sate is your preference, you may be interested to try Tesate for their selection. I can assure you that the presentation is excellent with all dishes. So if you have friends coming from outside Indonesia, this might be a nice place to take them.
As dinner came to an end, I was left thinking about the Soft Shell Crab. I think I would have enjoyed my experience at Tesate more, had this dish been available. Tesate is not your cheapest option for Indonesian food. In fact if you were to order the fish it could be quite expensive. Because I have lived in Jakarta for nearly 3 years, I know you can find Indonesian food for much cheaper. I do want to try Tesate’s sister restaurant Sate Kaus Senayan to see how it fares against the higher priced Tesate. But if sate is your preference, you may be interested to try Tesate for their selection. I can assure you that the presentation is excellent with all dishes. So if you have friends coming from outside Indonesia, this might be a nice place to take them.
