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FOOD | Mar 08, 2010

Table8: Regal Delight

Since many Indonesians are accustomed to Chinese cuisine, it is not surprising to find a number of decent Chinese restaurants in town.

For a great dining escapade, there is Table8, a new restaurant at Hotel Mulia.

Table8 replaces Samudra Shark Fin, the previous Chinese restaurant that served Cantonese cuisine.

Table8’s menu ranges from home cooking to popular street food, from both Canton and Sichuan.

Upon entering the restaurant, guests will find a tea counter offering a variety of quality Chinese teas.

The choices range from black to green, and from oolong to herbal, any of which can be prepared on the spot.

If you are looking for something special, you should definitely order huaca (flower tea). At first the round-shaped greenish bundles seem unimpressive when they’re in their long glass, but then tea master Zhen Zhen brings in a long-nosed brass kettle and pours boiling hot water onto them in quick kungfu-like movements. After a few minutes, the little bundles open up, revealing few types of flowers: chrysanthemum on the bottom and slender strands of jasmine.

The tea tastes slightly bitter, with a slight hint of flower scent. While the tea does not boast any medical purposes, watching the tea master in action is a feast for the eyes.

The restaurant has a nice ambience, with gold and crème colors dominating the interior. The landmark lies in the middle of the restaurant, where a series of 24 pagodas of different heights (up to 6 feet tall) is on display on a long table. Hanging above them is a dragon chandelier with thousands of chains, and a painting of two beautiful ladies.

For guests wanting privacy, there is the Mao Suite, a small private space that can seat up to 24 people. The view from the Mao Suite is over a small garden with several parrots and a white cockatoo perched on a tree.

During a lunch there, the Sunday Post tried the refreshing Double Boiled Dried Scallop soup, Snail and Chicken with Cordyceps (flower), the succulent Prawn and Strawberry with Wasabi Sauce, the sweet Stewed and Grilled Beef Short Ribs with Special Sauce Wrapped in Lotus Leaves and the tender Crab Claw with Tofu.

Spiciness came with a plate of Stir-Fried Chicken Wings with Spicy Sichuan Flavor, with thinly sliced chili showered on top.

Romy Herlambang, the hotel’s communications director, said the management had decided to add Sichuan cuisine to the menu after seeing the response it got when Samudra held a Sichuan food promotion.

“Sichuan cuisine is famous for its spiciness. We have tried to maintain this by importing original Sichuan chili, pepper, peppercorns and other ingredients. We have also brought in a new chef from that region,” Romy said.

Sichuan chili is a bit plump and bigger than the usual curly chili found in local markets. Being dried or made into chili powder for cuisines, Sichuan chili can make the toughest guy in the group cry.

Nothing suspicious is felt when the chili enters mouth. But the spicy sensation comes a few seconds later. Just like a tsunami, it rises and sweeps over your head, until you can feel your eyes water and trickle with tears.

As the feeling does not go away with a glass of water, it would be wise to order a bowl of rice along with the Sichuan cuisine to calm the fire. There are a number of rice-based dishes, including Wok Fried Fragrant Rice with Foie Gras and Sea Food.

For those who cannot handle spicy food, let’s just stick to the Cantonese cuisine.

Romy says the restaurant’s core strength is it’s a la carte menu and seven exclusive set menus. The a la carte menu offers various signature dishes and chef’s specials, such as Braised Superior Shark’s Fin with Black Truffle, Buddha Jump Over The Wall and Beggar’s Chicken.

However, Romy says, to accommodate business guests looking for quick dining, Table8 provides a buffet, available for lunch (Rp 138,000++) or dinner (Rp 168,000++).

Table8

Hotel Mulia Senayan
Jl. Asia Afrika, Senayan
Jakarta 10270
Phone : (021) 574 7777

Source: The Jakarta Globe

Indonesian Lifestyle 2008