indonesia tatler. july 2019 119
to open Pala Adas—to present Indonesian food
in a modern and elegant way.”
As for the menu, it includes May’s favourite
duck dish, Bebek Pala Adas Cabe Ijo, among
others, served with just enough of a green chili
kick not to burn the buds now perfected by
her trusted chef. As for the other dishes on the
menu, some remain the same, but the majority
have been either tweaked or changed entirely.
Notable dishes include Gulai Ikan Kakap
Spesial, rich in seasoning and perfect when
combined with fragrant jasmine rice, while
another fish dish—one with a soupy texture—
is the Sup Pindang, which is also rich and,
some may say, spicy. However, you can never
go wrong with the restaurant’s Gurame Sambal
Matah and Pepes Ikan, which many think
of as comfort food, oozing as they do with
traditional herbs and raw, local ingredients.
And to complement the extensive menu, Pala
Adas also serves delicacies such as Iga Goreng
Asem, Sate Pala Adas, Sup Buntut, and Tumis
Bunga Pepaya.
As for desserts, the Platter Pala Adas is not
to be missed—the dish comes complete withBE OUR GUEST One of the chic and luxurious private rooms in Pala Adas
aving moved to
a new, bigger, and
better location in
North Jakarta, Pala
Adas is certainly
staying true to its
roots and flavours.
Low in oil and rich in taste, Pala Adas serves
only the heartiest of Indonesian dishes on a
menu that has been carefully thought through
by the founder herself, May Farida.
“I felt that Indonesian food has a lot
of variety and is rich in flavours, but is
often unappreciated,” May tells Indonesia
Tatler. “My dream has always been to have
a restaurant of my own in which I could
introduce the traditional flavours of Nusantara
using authentic spices and create the most
original tastes—but set in a more chic, bistro-
style ambience.
“I love to travel, and every time I go abroad,
I always wonder why it is that Western bistros
are more popular in my home country, while
our own traditional dishes are, in fact, more
flavourful,” she adds. “That’s what inspired me