If you have frequented the diners helmed by the illustrious chef Andrea Peresthu, then you’d probably know that the list of cuisines under Javanegra Gourmet Atelier read like a storytelling of the chef’s culinary expedition around Europe and his love for home-cooked Palembangnese and Manadonese cuisine. In Planta, patrons get the best of both worlds: the quintessential Mediterranean fares and selections of Indonesian speciality dishes that exhibit chef Andrea’s native pride.
This tropical concept is encapsulated at Planta’s home in Sudirman, where the warm lighting and dominating wooden fixtures are evocative of their siblings, Ático and Daun Muda. The affable setting—lifted by indoor plants pervading the premise—even befits a casual session over good food rather than a quick lunch spot for the white collars before hustle hours resume.
The delish offerings come aplenty from the two cuisines at Planta. From the Mediterranean, start light with the house’s favourite appetiser: Aguacate Y Tomate, a party of vegetables, avocado and grilled cherry tomatoes on top of toasted baguettes. Their Mediterranean paellas, such as the Paella del Mar, remain a must-have among the regulars; served on a large pan, the course boasts a mesh of Valenciana yellow rice and seafood like shrimp, calamari and clams.
For the Indonesian mains, revel on the establishment’s take on “Tropical Nusantara” servings, namely their Cingur Cabe Hijau that is a sautéed wagyu soaked in green chilli and leunca, or Duck DigDug (whose name can be a conversation-starter), a slow-cooked Peking duck simmered in their homestyle soja blend for twelve hours straight and served with a combo of lawar (Balinese vegetable dish) and sambal.
Once done with your round of meals, wash it down with their selections of beverages that range from caffeine to cocktails and wine. Recommended by the bartenders are their Planta Smooth Colada mocktail; a non-alcoholic version of the colada, or The Lunox Gear (a mix of whiskey, amaretto, hazelnut syrup and umami tea). Certainly, nothing beats a bona fide dining of two cuisines to round off one’s day on a high note.