SAMSARA Indonesian Cuisine at Gunawarman Senopati Jakarta

June 9th, 2017. I was invited to come to a new establishment from Terra Gastronomy. It’s called SAMSARA Indonesian Cuisine. Lucky me, Aline willing to keep me company at the time. Yaaaay. I hate when I have to go to a foodtasting all alone *looking at my tummy* LOL.

The Terra Gastronomy family is very proud to announce the unveiling of its latest dining concept SAMSARA: Indonesian Cuisine, a chic establishment dedicated to the pursuit of pleasure. They are eager to invite you and those most precious to you to embark on a rich culinary journey as they celebrate the beauty and brilliance of Indonesia. Passionate people in-the-know will immediately feel connected in our soulful space where gentle sensual impulses flow freely. If your emotions are aroused by fabulous food, fashion, wine, art, dance, culture and style, they’d like to meet you. Come.. fall in love & feel alive at SAMSARA.

When I saw about this place from instagram, I didn’t expect anything. But when I came inside, I was stunned with the beauty of it. Elegant ambiance with friendly atmosphere. And of course the beautiful painting inside *look at the photo above* it was magnificent. James told me *hi James nice to see you again* that the owner fell in love at the first sight with this painting at a museum. By the way, the presentation of the food was not the real portion. It’s food tasting portion. The real portion will be much bigger.

HERBAL HOUSE BLEND

Jamu Gendong Campur 35k

Kunyit Asam, Wedang Jahe, Beras Kencur, & Honey

What a particular drink! It’s herbal drink, with a unique presentation. I forgot to make a video in my IG story. Well, just order this one and experience it by yourself. And.. it’s delicious!

MOCKTAILS

Lavish Lychee 50k

Homemade Pineapple Jam with Lychee Fruit

Refreshing mocktail. The sweet and sour flavours mixed beautifully.

Complimentary Crackers

SOUP AND APPETIZER

Laksa Bogor 75k

Light fragrant yellow curry soup, rice vermicelli and black tiger prawn served with Indonesian basil leaf

I fell in love right away with this laksa bogor. Rich texture with delicious flavour. It’s definitely one unforgettable dish. And I know Aline agreed with me, since she also couldn’t take her spoon off. LOL. Yes, we had the same feelings for this one. Super recommended!

Lemper Cakalang Fufu 55k

Sticky rice cakes stuffed with lumber jack tuna ragout and green tomato salsa

A different presentation to any other sticky rice cakes. Spicy flavour from the cakalang fufu *love the name.. fufufufu LOL*. And the sambal was delicious. It’s very spicy, I only tasted a little bit hihihi.. The texture of the sticky rice cakes was perfect. A splendid way to start the main course.

Cakalang fufu is a cured and smoked skipjack tuna clipped on a bamboo frame, a Minahasan delicacy of North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

MAIN COURSE

Gurame Saos Mangga 95k

Fresh whole carp fried to a perfect crispiness and topped with tasty mango sauce

They told me that the real presentation is like a flying fish. Wow, it must be very beautiful. Tasty and pretty. A great combination. I didn’t really like mango sauce, but the sauce enhanced the flavour of it. The crispy fish and sweet chili sauce. That’s what you need for your lovely lunch with best friends.

Bebek Bengil Ubud 95k

Crispy Balinese duck leg served with winged bean, spiced shredded coconut and zesty Balinese salsa

OMG! This was my favourite. The duck meat was tender and juicy. The crispy skin was flavourful. It’s one of the most delicious Balinese duck I’ve ever tried. I hope they served it with warm rice. Ulala.. I will be back for this one.

Rendang Sengkel & Sumsum Sapi 95k

Classic Padang beef stewed in thick rich curry with bone marrow and traditional spices, served with braised cassava leaf

Rendang! It’s my hubby’s favourite. I think I will bring him here to try their rendang sengkel. The rendang is different like any other rendang. Rendang from Padang used to be in dry texture, but this one was juicy with curry sauce. It’s very tender. Totally tender and delicate. And the bone marrow was rich and moist at the same time. One recommended dish.

DESSERT

Tart Susu Teh Bunga Melati 65k

Scalded milk pie flavoured with jasmine tea blossoms

The elegance flavour of jasmine tea blossoms enhanced the essence of the milk pie. I love the mild and light texture of it. Definitely a must-try dessert.

Samsara Rujak Buah & Sorbet Kedondong 55k

Pickled snake fruit, mango, strawberry, jicama and star fruit served with ambarella fruit sorbet

I didn’t really like rujak buah, but this one was different. They put the fruits in a jelly. It was brilliant, right? And instead of eating only the jelly, I finished them all hahahaha.. And the sorbet kedondong was refreshing. This dessert was surprisingly good!

COMPLIMENTARY DESSERT

Celestial Pearl 80k

An amazingly creative interpretation of es poedeng that is designed to impress! Traditional handmade Indonesian vanilla ice cream hidden like a precious Celestial Pearl inside a chocolate orb which can only be opened with the delicate flow of hot caramel sauce. Served with Avocado, Diced Bread, Black Rice Pudding and Crushed Peanuts.

Melting a chocolate orb is so last year, in my opinion. When they served us this one, I didn’t expect too much. Yeah, I took photos, of course. But didn’t expect that it was a genius dessert. Wow! It’s not chocolate cake inside the orb. It’s es poedeng! OMG! What a particular dessert, right? Tasted so good! You should try!