In Jakarta, a tasting menu transforms memory into taste, inviting diners to uncover each story course by course
At Esa Restaurant, one of Jakarta’s most celebrated spots for contemporary Indonesian dining, a meal feels quietly personal. The restaurant’s latest seasonal tasting menu, Moments, unfolds as a meditation on memory – not as something fixed, but as something fluid, shaped by time, place and feeling.
Conceived by chef Aditya Muskita, Moments is designed as a four-act progression: The Journey Home, An Adventure, Memories and Festivity. Rather than narrating memories outright, the menu gestures towards them through familiar aromas, comforting textures and techniques that surprise. “Memories aren’t linear; they’re a collection of bubbles,” Muskita says, and the menu reflects that idea, moving freely between nostalgia and curiosity.
Each act draws from lived experience. The Journey Home recalls childhood rituals and after-school comforts. An Adventure looks beyond Jakarta, reworking flavours inspired by weekend road trips, like the unassuming pairing of lamb satay and sweet iced tea. Memories, the most introspective chapter, is shaped by Muskita’s time abroad, with dishes such as Memories of Copenhagen, a Nordic-inspired palate cleanser. The sequence ends with Festivity, a nod to cultural heritage, family gatherings and the pleasure of sharing food at the table.
Storytelling extends beyond the plate. Esa’s collaboration with Balinese artist Gede Sukarya brings cowhide artworks into the dining room, grounding the space in family, tradition and remembrance.
Set in the Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD), Esa offers a calm escape from the urban rush. Warm, understated interiors with soft lighting, natural textures and carefully placed art create a gallery-like ambience. It’s a space for slow conversations, where details unfold over time and the experience, like the menu, resists being rushed. @esarestaurant
Chill after dark
Fresh faces, bold flavours, late-night energy
Jakarta’s nightlife rarely slows, but at Congo, change arrives with quiet confidence. The venue’s evolving identity is being shaped by two new faces: chef Aisya Ratnasari and head mixologist Theo Fillio, who bring a confident mix of creativity, comfort and playfulness to one of SCBD’s favourite after-dark destinations.
Ratnasari brings a grounded, thoughtful sensibility honed during her time at Esa. Her Snacks & Bites menu centres on familiar flavours, reworked with subtle surprises to create dishes well suited to sharing late into the night.
Behind the bar, Fillio takes the helm with a cocktail programme rooted in classic foundations, layered with modern technique. The drinks arrive with an easy simplicity, before gradually revealing depth, ingenuity and character.
With this duo onboard, Congo ushers in a new chapter of inventive menus, shared moments and nights buzzing with life. @congo.jkt
