Jakarta Food Tour: Spicy Dishes, Malls, and Local Flavors

What’s Up, Hungry People

A few weeks ago my husband and I had the opportunity to take a spontaneous trip to Indonesia. So we packed our bags and hopped on a flight from Cleveland to southeast Asia – if you want to see what its like to dine in first class, check out my latest video where I am served some of the wildest dishes you’ll ever see on a plane. And don’t forget to subscribe to The Starving Chef on Youtube so you can check out all the incredible foods we ate in on our latest foodie adventure to Bali and beyond. If you like these travel type videos, hit that thumbs up so I know what kind of content you want to see more of in the future!

This trip was a true adventure, combining the thrill of spontaneous travel with the luxury of first-class dining and the excitement of discovering a new culture through its food. From the moment we boarded our flight, I knew this journey would be filled with unique experiences and plenty of delicious meals. With every bite, sip, and sight, Indonesia quickly became a place that felt like home, even if just for a short while.

Whether it was sampling traditional Indonesian dishes or indulging in familiar foods with a local twist, our time in Jakarta was unforgettable. The city welcomed us with open arms and an endless array of flavors, making every meal an adventure in itself. So, grab your passport and appetite, because this trip is just getting started!

Arrival in Jakarta: First Impressions and Late-Night Cravings

We arrived in Jakarta after over 30 hours of traveling and made our way to the Gandaria City Mall, where we stayed at the Sheraton. At this point, it was technically 12 a.m., and we were absolutely famished, so we ordered room service of spring rolls and satay—two Indonesian staples—before passing out for the night.

Settling In: Exploring the Sheraton and Gandaria City

Since this first part of our trip was actually a work trip for my husband, I spent most of the week hanging around the hotel and getting massages at the spa. Plus, jet lag was killing me, so the more time I spent sleeping, the better I felt.

The hotel itself was a five-star luxury hotel with the most extensive buffet I have ever seen. Indonesian breakfasts aren’t like the ones in hotels here in America—in Jakarta, you will see everything from bacon and eggs to ramen and roast duck. It’s a true dim sum wonderland.

A Foodie’s Dream: Breakfast at the Sheraton

As someone who grew up loving curry and spicy food, seeing the range of authentic Indonesian and Indian food in front of me first thing in the morning was only a little bit overwhelming.

The fresh fruit juice is to die for—even if it is served at room temperature. I couldn’t decide what I wanted to eat, so I piled everything from breakfast potatoes to samosas onto my plate.

Mall Culture in Jakarta: More Than Just Shopping

The hotel staff remembered my drink order every morning—a vanilla latte—and would even save the seats by the window for us because we were staying for so long. We did eat most of our meals here at the hotel, mostly out of convenience for myself while my husband had to go to work, but the meals never disappointed.

They would even bring in local caterers so that the menu was different every single day. We also spent a majority of our time exploring the adjacent mall, Gandaria City.

In Jakarta, a majority of your time is going to be spent in a mall. It’s insanely hot and humid outside, so malls provide an essential escape. Plus, everything you need is inside the malls, so it’s not exactly strange to say, “I went to Indonesia and spent 95% of my time in the mall.” We either ate at the hotel or in a mall for every meal—because that’s the way you do it in Jakarta!

Indonesian Cuisine: First Taste of Nasi Goreng and Beyond

The malls basically occupy multiple city blocks—you can literally spend your entire day in a single mall and still not see the entire thing.

We went to three different malls, but they all look mostly the same inside. At Gandaria City, we went to Remboleon—an Indonesian soul food spot and officially the first time in my life I got to try real Indonesian food.

Nasi goreng is the national dish of Indonesia, so we prioritized that. We first tried nasi bakar ayam asap. It’s a grilled lemongrass rice wrapped in a banana leaf with shredded chicken and Indonesian herbs. Holy cow, was it spicy but so insanely good.

We also got nasi goreng remboelan, which is the house special fried rice with smoked stingray and herbs, tangy pickles, and shrimp crackers. It was packed with smoky umami flavor, and the rice was perfectly tender. And it was the first time I’d ever eaten stingray to boot.

After dinner, we explored some of the more unique stores in the mall—which there were plenty of—before we found Poo Ice Cream. Naturally, the name is what drew us in. After sampling a few choices, I landed on a macaron ice cream cone—which was absolutely the perfect follow-up to our spicy dinner.

The ice cream was creamy but not overly sweet. My hubby got an extra chocolatey flavor that was so chocolatey it practically tasted warm in your mouth. It was incredible.

Unexpected Finds: A High-End Pizza Hut in Pondok Indah

Despite the fact that when I travel in the United States, I do everything I can to avoid malls and restaurants we can find at home, the food in Asia shares but a name with our chains.

Take this Pizza Hut in Pondok Indah, for example. Here in Indonesia, it’s a high-end pizza parlor.

They serve pizzas unlike we’ve ever concocted in the States—such as the black crust “meat montsa” pizza, which is topped with frankfurter sausage, minced and smoked beef, cheese, and a tangy cheese sauce.

Plus, it has a stuffed crust with some of the meltiest cheese I’ve ever tasted. Naturally, I had to dip it in a spicy sambal, which was quickly becoming our new favorite sauce.

Evenings in Jakarta: Cocktails and Live Music

Afterward, we explored the mall a bit more before heading back to the hotel for the evening to enjoy cocktails and live music at the hotel bar—which quickly became the thing we did every evening because the drinks were strong and the music was fantastic.

It was definitely a fun way to wrap up every evening during our stay in Jakarta.

Interactive Dining: Shaburi and Kintan Buffet

The next night for lunch, we went to Shaburi and Kintan Buffet. Similar in concept to fondue, here you can grill your own meats over a grill in the center of the table.

We ordered everything from hot dogs to wagyu. You can customize your meal with different accompaniments from fruit and salad to noodles and rice. There are also many options to create your own soup or ramen from scratch at the buffet too. And a huge assortment of sauces to pair with your meat. Plus, many different desserts to wrap up your meal on a sweet note.

The grill in the center of the table gets crazy hot and quickly cooks the thin slices of meat to perfection. Yes, I flew nearly 10 thousand miles to cook my own lunch.

Discovering More of Jakarta: Exploring Kota Tua and Beyond

After that, we explored the Grande Indonesian Mall in central Jakarta, where we then found Hiro Sushi for dinner. We split a roll that was topped with katsuobushi—or bonito or fermented tuna flakes—which is a pretty popular topping on many dishes in Southeast Asia.

The following day, we made our way to Kota Tua—the old Dutch district—where we explored the ceramics museum. It was incredibly cool to see all of the old pottery and art left over from Dutch occupation.

The square of Kota Tua once held great festivals and still has cannonballs littering the streets from the days of Old Batavia.

A Quick Stop at Sea World and Ancol Beach

From there, we made our way to Sea World—which, uhhh, is definitely more of a knock-off than an actual Sea World that we would think of here in the States. If you like aquariums, it’s alright, but there’s a lot of upkeep to be done here, so honestly, I would skip this destination if you ever make it to Jakarta.

Afterward, we walked down to Ancol Beach to dip our toes in the Indian Ocean and then to catch a cab back to the hotel.

Italian Fare in Jakarta: A Surprising Twist

That night for dinner, we decided to try Italian food. I think it’s fun to experience how other cultures filter cuisine through their own lens—and the Indonesian take on Italian was phenomenal.

For our starter, I had the freshest calamari I’ve ever tasted. I had a seafood pasta dish that had a flavorful tomato diablo sauce and perfectly al dente pasta.

My hubby had a mushroom ravioli dish that he said was probably the best he had ever had in his life. This dinner was the perfect way to wrap up our week in Jakarta.

On to Bali!

The next day, we made our way to Bali—so be sure to subscribe to The Starving Chef on Youtube so you can join us on our adventures in Ubud and Uluwatu too!

Bali is an incredible destination with some of the best food I have ever tried—so you definitely don’t want to miss out on upcoming videos.

Back To Jakarta for a Night

After a whirlwind adventure of a lifetime, we hopped back on the plane to Jakarta where we spent one more night in the hotel we had learned to call home and had a quick midnight meal of biryani and a spicy chicken sandwich to wrap up our trip.

Back To CLE

At 3 a.m., we then headed to the airport to board a plane for the long journey home. Don’t forget to check back for even more travel content coming your way soon!

As we packed up our final night in Jakarta, reflecting on the incredible meals and moments we shared, it was clear that this trip was unforgettable. From indulging in local Indonesian dishes to experiencing the unique twists on familiar foods, each meal was a journey of its own. The city’s energy, combined with its rich culinary offerings, made every day an adventure. Heading back home with memories of nasi goreng, lemongrass rice, and that surprising pizza at Pondok Indah, I’m already excited for what’s next on the horizon. Stay tuned for more of our travel tales and food discoveries—there’s plenty more to come.