To celebrate Indonesia’s Independence Day, two special restaurants have come together for a month-long food collaboration. CasaLena, a Latin American grill house known for its stylish dishes, is teaming up with Mata Karanjang, an Indonesian restaurant led by Chef Jovan Koraag. This partnership brings a menu called “Flavors of Freedom”, which is available only throughout August 2025 exclusively in CasaLena.
The menu features dishes that combine bold spices and ingredients also cooking styles from Indonesia and Latin America. Chef Jovan is well known for his creative approach to Manadonese cuisine. He often works with strong flavors and makes sure each dish feels balanced and refined. On the other side, CasaLena takes a similar approach, reimagining Latin American food with bold tastes and thoughtful composition.
One of the dishes is Tuna Gohu Ceviche that uses bluefin tuna with herbs like kemangi and mint, along with chili, calamansi, and citrus sauce. Another dish is an Argentinian Empanada Cakalang that is filled with smoked skipjack tuna cakalang, served with salsa tomato and green sauces.
The Taco Ayam Rica Pastor is made with rica-marinated chicken inside a soft corn tortilla. It comes with a mix of salsa and sauces that bring out both Indonesian and Latin flavors. For something heartier, the Bife de Vacio Ragey offers grilled beef skewers with rica bakar glaze, paired with chimichurri and criolla toppings.
A dish called Lalampa with Mole features grilled sticky rice filled with beef cooked in garo rica style. It’s served with a sauce inspired by Latin American mole. The dessert is a sponge cake known as tres leches, which has been changed to include Indonesian flavors like coconut and klappertaart. It’s made with raisins, candlenuts, and a touch of tequila and caramel.
Chef Silverio Martinez from CasaLena said, “Indonesia’s independence is a momentous occasion that deserves to be celebrated in a meaningful way. This collaboration is our tribute — a cultural and culinary dialogue between Latin America and Indonesia, presented through a specially curated menu.” Meanwhile chef Jovan Koraag added, “I’m thrilled to collaborate with CasaLena for this special occasion. ‘Flavors of Freedom’ is more than just a menu — it’s a culinary celebration of identity and creativity. Each dish is a bold interpretation of Indonesian flavors seen through a Latin lens.” This joint menu is a way for both chefs to share their stories through food and offer guests something unique to enjoy during a meaningful time for Indonesia.
CasaLeña Jakarta
Jl. Hang Lekir 2 No.30 H/2, RT.9/RW.6, Gunung, Kec. Kby. Baru, Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 12220
