Written by Patricia Tanumihardja, and was originally published in Smithsonian. Jul 30, 2026
The shift reflects a larger cultural moment, with chefs asking whether the cuisine should remain tied to colonial nostalgia or evolve into a reflection of modern Indonesian identity.
In the Dutch town of Oegstgeest just outside Leiden, soft lighting glows against warm wood and avocado green walls in Nona Manis’ intimate dining room. The evening’s meal unfolds as an intimate prix-fixe menu.
One by one, the dishes announce their arrival with the fragrance of aromatics like lemongrass and lime leaves, and earthy spices like coriander and cinnamon wafting from plates that are as carefully composed as they are colorful. They arrive with fine dining precision, offering an intimate journey across Indonesia: delicate otak-otak, grilled banana leaf-wrapped fish cake from Palembang; kerang sambal matah, raw oysters with Balinese chile relish; followed by smoky ikan woku belanga, Minahasa-style fish scented with lemon basil from North Sulawesi; and terong cabe hijau, tender eggplant stuffed with tempeh in a rich and creamy coconut lodeh sauce.
Read the full article here.
The shift reflects a larger cultural moment, with chefs asking whether the cuisine should remain tied to colonial nostalgia or evolve into a reflection of modern Indonesian identity.
In the Dutch town of Oegstgeest just outside Leiden, soft lighting glows against warm wood and avocado green walls in Nona Manis’ intimate dining room. The evening’s meal unfolds as an intimate prix-fixe menu.
One by one, the dishes announce their arrival with the fragrance of aromatics like lemongrass and lime leaves, and earthy spices like coriander and cinnamon wafting from plates that are as carefully composed as they are colorful. They arrive with fine dining precision, offering an intimate journey across Indonesia: delicate otak-otak, grilled banana leaf-wrapped fish cake from Palembang; kerang sambal matah, raw oysters with Balinese chile relish; followed by smoky ikan woku belanga, Minahasa-style fish scented with lemon basil from North Sulawesi; and terong cabe hijau, tender eggplant stuffed with tempeh in a rich and creamy coconut lodeh sauce.
Read the full article here.
Edward Roesdi / via Smithsonian
