Modern Jakarta as befitting its status as a major tourist attraction and the place of residence of many foreign expatriates offers a vast array of dining options. These will undoubtedly please the taste buds of the visitor who desires a unique culinary experience, or even a simple meal in homely surroundings.
 
Sophisticated, upscale fine dining restaurants can be found in many parts of the Indonesian capital. Many of the best restaurants in Jakarta, featuring both local specialties and international favourites are located in imposingly elegant colonial buildings that create a nostalgic colonial-era ambience.
 
Some of the city’s culinary highlights include such grand establishments as the Buddha Bar, The Oasis Restaurant, the Jittlada Thai Restaurant and the Bunga Rampai. Not to be missed is the Café Batavia which recreates the magnificent aura of the Dutch colonial era.
 
The modern malls of the city offer a vast array of culinary choices in their food courts, where whole floors are dedicated to high-end restaurants; also available are smaller scale cafes, bistros and fast food outlets to satisfy the tastes of shoppers, cinema goers and the employees of adjacent offices and workplaces.
 
South Jakarta’s Kemang is a specialty area where premier international restaurants may be found with the Anatolia Turkish Restaurant a noteworthy establishment; other options include restaurants featuring excellent Indian, Italian, Indonesian, Chinese and Dutch delicacies. For a less costly meal Jakarta contains innumerable small scale eateries, food stalls, and mobile carts offering hearty local fare.
 
The favourite food of Indonesians is usually identified as satay, Gado-gado and Ketoprak. Satay is the Indonesian version of the kebab, which consists of thick cuts of beef, chicken or mutton skewered and barbecued, then served with soya sauce or hot peanut sauce. Gado-gado is Indonesia’s traditional salad containing watercress, boiled spinach, boiled potatoes, bean sprouts and boiled egg covered in ground peanut sauce; it is frequently consumed with lontong, rice boiled in leaves. Ketoprak consists of tofu, bean sprouts and rice noodles accompanied with peanut sauce.
 
When selecting a Jakarta hotel from which to explore the city’s culinary adventures the perfect place to stay would be the Millennium Hotel Sirih Jakarta, an exceptional hotel in Jakarta offering luxurious accommodation for the traveler.