October at House of Tugu Jakarta opens with a dish that carries the scent of burning bamboo. From the kitchens of Jajaghu Restaurant comes Bambu Bakar King Prawn Manggarai, a recipe that draws directly from the coastal traditions of East Nusa Tenggara. Prawns are seasoned with spices from Manggarai, packed into bamboo, and roasted over open flame until the stalks begin to char. The dish is finished with sambal and a squeeze of forest citrus, bringing a taste of a region more often associated with Komodo dragons and sailing boats than with its kitchens.
This creation is House of Tugu Jakarta’s contribution to Indonesia Restaurant Month 2026, a national program organized by Priceless by Mastercard together with Wonderful Indonesia Gastronomy (WIG). Running from October through December across several cities, the initiative highlights the theme From Local Roots to Global Recognition. For House of Tugu Jakarta, the choice of Manggarai reflects a desire to introduce flavors that are rarely seen on dining tables in Jakarta.
The heritage hotel along Kali Besar, recently named to TIME’s World’s Greatest Places 2026, is known for its collection of antiques and artefacts gathered by the Tugu family over two decades. Its kitchens carry the same instinct for storytelling. Jajaghu presents modern Indonesian gastronomy, while Babah Koffie by Kawisari serves Peranakan dishes alongside coffee from Kawisari, one of Java’s oldest plantations dating back to 1845. Kawisari’s Robusta coffee has been recognized internationally, awarded Best Medium Dark Roast at the AVPA competition in Paris.
House of Tugu Jakarta’s participation in Indonesia Restaurant Month continues a tradition of cultural dining experiences created by the Tugu Group. The Indonesia Cultural Dining Series (ICDS) stages theatrical meals built on historical narratives, from Royal Tugudom, which recalls the Majapahit empire, to The Spice Odyssey, which traces centuries of trade and conflict over Indonesia’s prized spices. Each menu is treated as another story worth adding to the house.
By presenting Manggarai’s coastal flavors through Bambu Bakar King Prawn, House of Tugu Jakarta adds a new chapter to this ongoing collection. It is a reminder that Indonesian cuisine stretches far beyond the familiar, with regions across the archipelago holding culinary traditions waiting to be rediscovered.
House of Tugu Jakarta
Jl. Kali Besar Barat No.26, RT.7/RW.3, Roa Malaka, Kec. Tambora, Kota Jakarta Barat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 11230
