Christmas is Here at Gran Mahakam Hotel

Christmas comes early this year as we start seeing decorations being put up and delicious dishes being placed on the menu. And when Christmas is your favorite holiday of the year, an invitation to Gran Mahakam Intimate Christmas Luncheon is something that you wouldn’t want to miss.

Happy Holidays from Fiona.

Held at Gran Mahakam Hotel private room, I was welcomed by the decoration of Christmas ball tree as its centerpieces. There’s a photogenic corner, with overall theme of white, silver and gold. It’s a White Christmas feeling. Elegant decorations using white paper flowers and Christmas balls as well as charming chandelier of silver and gold Christmas balls tree.

Middle Eastern Delight at Al Nafoura Le Meridien Jakarta

Al Nafoura, a beautiful dining place with Middle Eastern ambiance at Le Meridien Jakarta is interesting. The Mediterranean gate and interior joined the dim lighting and warm welcome. 

Hello, this is Fiona. I'm joining my friend Yenny (yennymakanmulu.com) and Arditya Chandra Putra (Marketing Communication Manager) of Le Meridien at Al Nafoura. 

Terracotta brown flooring and stone walls contrast the cushions and rugs. Then my attention turn to the table. Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food in general doesn't differ much from those we're familiar with growing up. The secret, Chef Ahmad Jamil said, is using right balance of natural spices and ingredients. While spices like Saffron and Zaatar are still imported from Middle Eastern countries, other ingredients including eggplant, chickpeas and parsley are of local produce.

Two Makes Tasty, Sababay Meets TeSaTe

Was a little confused when a wine-tasting invitation arrived from TeSaTe, but who can say no to wine? Fiona decided to give it a try and arrived at TeSaTe Sam Ratulangi, Menteng. There's always the first time for everything.

So here's Fiona's first encounter with wine and TeSaTe Menteng. 

I have always love TeSaTe and its sister company, Sate Khas Senayan, because they're best known for its fine Indonesian dishes. But they always go beyond food when it comes to authenticity, like this particular branch of TeSaTe which features familiar ambiance in all three floors. The first floor is the lobby, dominated by the large windows and bright natural lights, plus an outdoor seating area. Right next to the open kitchen there's a large wine cellar. The third floor is a function room, complete with necessary equipments like projector. Then there are Gamelan and other Indonesian music near the stairs. Down the steps is private rooms, separated by partitions. Our area has open garden and waterfall which makes the underground floor isn't so packed. It's cool and simple, a perfect combination of contemporary and traditional corner. 

 

So, what's the story with the local wine? The name Sababay is taken from Saba Bay in Gianyar region, Bali. It's 100% Indonesian wine harvested by local Balinese farmers. Andy Fatima, Regional Sales Manager of Sababay explained the process, which is using the stainless steel equipments instead of wooden barrel. Sababay's 6 wine selections have been introduced in 2012 and are the winners of different awards like WSA Wine Challenge Singapore, China Wine & Spirits Awards , Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Competition and Korea Wine Challenge. As a wine enthusiast, this local bottles really spark my interest.

It matches the vision of TeSaTe, holding the wine pairing to introduce local dishes to international customers as well as opening a way for Indonesian food to go international. I think it's a great idea because Indonesian food tend to be this inherited recipe with complicated spices which aren't exactly popular flavors when it comes to world's general preference. Sababay helps the idea that Indonesian dishes are famous for their rich and complicated taste, so what's better than Indonesian wine to pair with them?