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Some believe our personalities and paths are written in the stars from the moment we’re born, regardless of what life throws at us. Zodiac signs supposedly align with traits that reflect who we are and, if you believe certain magazines, what’s coming in the next few weeks.
Could our zodiac signs influence how we experience a meal?
That’s what 71st Omakase in Ciputat, a culinary hidden gem, set out to explore.
And honestly, the experience was just as magical as stargazing on a clear night. I was more than happy to tag along for the media preview.
71st Omakase is more than a restaurant. This intersection is an immersive blend of culinary mastery, immersive art and human connection.
Eight years and countless thematic menus later, nothing feels quite as striking as their latest 12-course journey through the zodiac.
“Zodiac 2.0 is a continuation of the journey,” says founder Fariz Setyadarma Priady.
"It offers guests a more memorable, more layered experience that draws them deeper into the symbolism and mystery of the zodiac signs."
The journey begins
In fine dining, a creative plate or a fancy spoon can only go so far. Here, the first course doesn’t arrive on a dish, it blooms from a fake flower in an indoor garden.
Welcome to the Capricorn Room. Guests are each given a different colored key, meant to be inserted into a stem. It’s a nod to Capricorn’s reputation for patience and persistence. Find the right stem, and the flower blossoms, revealing a crispy leaf with tangy fruit sauce. It’s small, fresh and the perfect teaser.
A Morgan Freeman-esque voice guides us to the next room, Libra’s land, where moonlight glows and ancient ruins line the table. Two women hold scales at either end. We’re instructed to balance rocks on them; when perfectly aligned, a pyramid opens to reveal a beef floss-coated croquette. This was an instant favorite.
Next is Leo.
We’re handed a sword and walk into a pitch-black room guarded by a giant lion and lasers. Leadership and pride are Leo’s calling cards, and the task is clear: we must work together. Somehow, someone flips a hidden switch, and the floor glows with a lava pattern. We place the sword on the laser and unlock our reward: sweet kombucha topped with cotton candy. Surprisingly fitting for a Leo, bold, magnetic and a little dramatic.
With three appetizers uncovered and three signs down, we were escorted back to our seats for the next stage.
Into the deep
Back at the main dining table, it’s Aries season. We’re handed a heavy book with a ram on the cover.
The waiter lights the first page on fire, dramatic! Inside is a sweet beef pastry topped with a decorative ram’s horn. It was a tender and delicious warm-up for what’s next.
Enter Scorpio, the most intense and mystifying of all the signs.
Under a mist of incense waterfall in a rainforest setting sat a plate of lobster pasta, laksa and starfruit relish. The so-called laksa of emotion was fiery but addictive, paired perfectly with a refreshing relish. The real winner, though, was the fettuccine: served scotti, a little softer than al dente, with peanut sauce and topped with chips.
Next up: Pisces. I was bracing myself. Seafood isn’t my thing, but this dish converted me. A catfish mousse topped with a fish skeleton arrives in a bowl. The soup, poured next to a teacup, turns from blue to purple like butterfly pea tea. A little magic that turned me into a seafood fan.
Taurus follows, and it’s all about comfort and luxury. Dry-aged beef rests on a globe, paired with rice cake, baby corn and garlicky vegetables. The meat is medium-well (not my usual), but still juicy. I skip the chili under the fritters, but otherwise, I’m sold.
Then comes Cancer. A crab-shaped plate hides coconut-infused aloe vera, coconut jelly and melon under a delicate shell. Soft, sweet and gentle, like a beachside reset. It’s the perfect palate cleanser.
Sagittarius steals the show. We’re back in the jungle, this time with a bow and arrow.
A single rabbit waits inside a cave. I aim, miss but manage to knock the rabbit over, unlocking a drawer of rabbit skewers, a favorite delicacy! As well as spicy fried rice. It was a fun and memorable conclusion to the entrees.
Sweet aftertaste
Gemini’s dessert embraces its dual nature: chewy bika ambon (yellow cake) meets pistachio ice cream, with a crunchy pistachio underlayer and a cherry bonbon hidden below. Sweet, bold, and a little extra, just like a Gemini.
Aquarius, the visionary, arrives next. The plate is covered in a UFO-shaped bubble. Pop it, and you’ll find banana chips with strawberry compote, not too sweet and gorgeously strange.
At last, Virgo. My sign. Represented by perfectionists like Beyoncé, Michael Jackson and now, a bowl of nostalgia. The famed mangkuk ayam (rooster bowl) brings together Indonesian dessert elements I couldn’t name but instantly recognized: something like mie ayam (chicken noodles), mie kuning (yellow noodles) and bakso (meatballs), all bathed in gula merah (palm sugar) syrup. It was sweet and wonderfully sentimental.
Just as I was about to leave, the hostess reminded me of a math quiz I’d done at the start. It was a guessing game for the staff. They thought I was Aries. Close, but not quite. Aries is my rising sign. My mask. And the strawberry-topped mille-feuille they handed me? Spot on.
So, can zodiac traits elevate a meal?
Absolutely. And when I return, I’ll gladly pay the Rp 1.2 million (US$73) price tag. The Zodiac menu isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and I, for one, am already planning my second round.
