Hyatt Bandung Feast: Bandung, West Java

I have never been one for 5 star hotels or restaurants much preferring to stay in losmens or homestays and eating at warungs or street stalls. However, the Hyatt Bandung has come up with a great concept of a Pasar Malam and one that is tempting.

Hyatt Bandung presents sizzling ‘pasar malam’

Fresh crabs sizzle in a large wok over a blazing fire, the flames seeming to leap up over the sides and into the pan. The aroma rising from the cooking ingredients — a mixture of red onions, garlic and red chili pepper with a dash of oyster sauce — penetrates the nose and arouses the appetite.

Garnished with red, yellow and green paprikas and extra slices of large onions, the crab is ready to serve piping hot. The chill weather of an evening in Bandung makes it difficult to resist the urge to devour the freshly cooked dish.

Aside from the Singaporean-style Chili Crab, the Sushi Sashimi is also served fresh under the “live service”, pasar malam (night bazaar) concept of the Hyatt Regency Bandung chefs every Friday and Saturday night throughout March.

The concept is an added-value that lends a different taste to this Japanese dish, consisting of salmon, tuna, octopus, dried and salted shrimps and crab sticks with soy sauce, wasabi horseradish and pickled ginger.

With expert culinary skill, another chef adroitly flips fresh meat and fish over a blazing fire in the barbecue stall.

Chili Crab, Sushi Sashimi and Meat and Fish Barbecue are the top dishes to try at this pasar malam, themed “Asian Food” — particularly if you desire an ambience slightly different from the usual during dinner at a Bandung hotel.

The capital of West Java province is known for its culinary and shopping tourism.

“Many tourists come to Bandung not only to find delicious foods, but they also want the atmosphere. That’s why many of them go to northern Bandung, which is located at a higher altitude, just to dine — because they not only buy foods but also want to enjoy the atmosphere and the city lights of Bandung,” said Milla M. Omarsaid, Hyatt Bandung public relations manager.

This March is the second consecutive month the pasar malam is being held at the Hyatt Bandung. Last month, the hotel launched this innovative weekend program to the theme of “Indonesian Food”.

The night bazaar concept was continued, Milla said, because of the great interest that hotel guests have shown in having their dinner there, filling over a quarter of the 100-seat dining venue.

“The turn-over of the guests is high,” she added.

As the hotel also sought to sell the ambience, instead of holding the pasar malam at the Taruma Caf‚, which is located on the second floor, it is being held at the Swarga Loka Restaurant, an outdoor venue on the third floor.

Guests will be guided to their seats through an archway lit with lanterns, and once seated, they can look on a beautiful miniature park illuminated by the lights of western Bandung.

The food stalls spread through the park bask in the glow of an open fire built on a stone base, decorated with coconut leaves, batik and unbleached cotton.

“Don’t imagine, however, that you will find here the din of a night bazaar as we generally know it, along with all the games and performances that go with it,” said Milla.

The pasar malam concept, she said, was chosen because of its unique name and timeframe. This particular night bazaar is open from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

“This event is also highly traditional,” she added. “Although not all the dishes served are traditional Indonesian foods, we also use decoration with a traditional touch, for example with coconut leaves, bunches of bananas as well as batik and unbleached cotton items. It’s not just a typical pasar malam. This is the Hyatt touch.”

To complement the Asian Food theme this month are the Japanese dish, Beef Ramen (noodle soup), and Dim Sum, a Cantonese dish that has been popular for seven centuries.

If you take children, don’t worry about their selections, as the hotel has prepared a special stall for crepes. The stall features special crepes, called Crepes with Quark Cheese Filling by the Hyatt Bandung chef.

The crepes are soft and crunchy with a thick aroma of cheese, and are made from cream cheese, raisin and eggs. Children are also free to choose their own crepe fillings.

The crepe stall will cross over into April, when it will accompany the “Italian Food” theme. The top mains on the Italian menu will be risotto, a uniquely Italian dish of rice cooked with seafood and wine.

“The serving is unique. Risotto is served on a half-moon vessel made of cheese,” said Milla. When guests scoop up the risotto from this “cheese plate”, the cheese blends with the rice for extra zing.

All dishes in the Hyatt’s pasar malam can be enjoyed by the whole family at Rp 108,000 per person net. Children under 12 years old are entitled to a 50 percent discount.

— Yuli Tri Suwarni

Hyatt Regency Bandung
Jl. Sumatera No. 51
Bandung 40115
West Java
Phone: (022) 4211234
Fax: (022) 4210380