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It says a lot about an individual’s position in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs that food should no longer be mere nourishment, but rather an experience to be savored.
Indeed, this is the building block of fine dining itself, but those two words often bring to mind things like dress codes, table manners and that certain je ne sais quoi you’d expect from the clientele of such establishments, lest you be branded an upstart nouveau riche.
With Namaaz Dining though, clanging cutlery and bits of food flying all over your table is acceptable — sometimes even encouraged.
Long a mainstay of Indonesia’s creative cuisine scene, Namaaz Dining prides itself on being the first molecular gastronomy restaurant in the archipelago, serving “progressive” Indonesian dishes in a multisensory package.
“What you see is not what you get” has been the restaurant’s motto since its inception more than a decade ago, a phrase that still rings true today at its new location in an unassuming building on Jl. Brawijaya VIII.
Season X, a sort of all-stars, greatest hits compilation of favorites from previous seasons, eschewed the multimedia aspects like the app and mini-movies to allow further focus on each item of the 17-course menu. A welcome move for some, since its very nature is dependent on everyone moving at the same pace.
That said though, it still revels in the culinary trompe l’oeil, like the welcome drink that was a carrot and pineapple concoction encased in a gelatinous casing resembling an egg yolk that you have to whisk open.
Read also: Experience a fiery culinary journey at Charkoal
A crowd favorite, the mortar-and-pestle combo complete with sambal terasi (chili shrimp paste)
is an interesting take on the rice and chicken staple, enclosed in a softly crunchy covering with the sambal serving as a dip of sorts.
The chicken-that’s-not-a-chicken — red snapper wrapped around a chicken thigh bone — certainly looked the part, as was the single slice of tuna meant for dessert that was actually watermelon, or the tiniest bit of banana fritters masquerading as a bee.
For what it's worth, the dishes have been refined and can stand on their own just fine, but there is still the sense that much of the sensory experiences, the main appeal of Namaaz Dining, lie in the presentation and gimmicks.
Bite-sized, canapé-esque cireng (fritters) and nasi bakar (grilled rice) rely on the novelty factor as much as the Lovecraftian shrimp entrée, spindly legs grasping at the world (and lens) above the abyssal depths.
The sous vide egg candle with a burning match crafted from pecan nut was, at its heart, an unconventional telur balado (spicy hard-boiled eggs). Likewise with the deconstructed STMJ — a drink combining susu (milk), telur (egg), madu (honey) and jahe (ginger) — and the signature explosive es podeng (traditional ice cream sundae) enjoyed with the assistance of a raincoat, lest the sticky bits stain your Loewe.
Namaaz Dining’s positioning as a fun fine-dining establishment is a unique proposition in a content-driven age, though returning diners do risk some exasperation once the sense of wonder starts to dim.
If your idea of a culinary experience requires slowly savoring each course while keeping in mind the heritage and artistry involved in the ingredient preparation, there are other venues that might be to your liking. But if your ideal dinner involves flinging pilus (deep-fried tapioca balls) into your plus one’s gaping maw with a trebuchet, then look no further.
Read also: Dining at ESA: Dégustation, Jakarta style
This article is part of The Weekender, a biweekly tabloid that appears in the Saturday edition of The Jakarta Post. Offering a variety of feature articles on lifestyle and culture, it aims to enriching your reading experience. Subscribe here to access The Jakarta Post’s Saturday edition and all Premium content.
