A true foodie at heart, Astrid Suryatenggara is no stranger to the Jakarta dining scene. With her dynamic personality and years of experience in the F&B industry under her belt, Astrid leads MDA Restaurants into new heights and serves exceptional dining experiences. But of course, during her free time, venturing the city for food is a pastime she enjoys. 

Whether it’s upscale or side-street, read on to learn more about the dining spots Astrid misses, the food she orders in, and where she would go on a day out with friends.

What food and drink do you miss most now that there are dining restrictions in place?

I miss the ‘wine and dine’ scene and so many other different types of food.

What is the first dish you will eat when you can freely dine out?

I’m looking forward to going out and enjoying Korean BBQ with my friends!

Do you have a favorite restaurant — special occasions or fine dining and for more casual dining?

My family and I always celebrate special occasions at Aged+Butchered, Animale or Carbón. Those are always our premier choice for upscale dining. Not only because I work there, but because my family genuinely loves the food and the ambience at MDA Restaurants.

For more relaxed dining experiences, my top choices are Mr. Park in SCBD for Korean BBQ, Sun City at LTC for Sunday Dim Sum, and Eight Treasures for hotpot.

When hosting visitors from abroad, where do you take them to give them a genuine taste of Indonesia?

A while ago, my good friend @restaurant_hunter visited the city, and I took her to try RM Padang Sederhana, Bumbu Den for Manadonese, and Agneya – but for a genuine taste of Indonesia, I took her for some street food action along the Kelapa Gading area.

What are your favorite local dishes, and where do you go to eat them?

I am a huge fan of local dishes, and some of my favourite dishes are: Soto (Soto Kudus Kembang Joyo, Soto Ambengan Pak Sadi, Soto Mie Henis), Bakmi (Asiu, Bintang Gading, Acang, Tan), Bakso (Solo Samrat, Panglima), Padang (Sederhana, Pagi Sore), Warteg (Gang Mangga), Seafood (Cabe Ijo, 212) and many more.

Where would you go if you had to meet up with old friends for food?

For a breakfast meet up, I would go to Kelapa Gading to enjoy Bakmi Asiu and coffee at Kwang Koan Kopi Johny. They also have other delicious food stalls, if we’re still feeling hungry. For lunch, we would meet up for dim sum at Sun City or for hot pot at Eight Treasures. For dinner, it’s always good to pick between meat-beer-and soju night at a Korean BBQ place, or going out for a wine-and-dine in either one of the MDA restaurants.

What have been your go-to places for food delivery during the pandemic?

During the pandemic, I have relied on Raja Rawit for the ultimate comfort bowl of Indonesian food. I also order Red Dog for their tteokbokki and hotdog to accompany my K-drama binge-watch session at home or as a snack at work, but the good ole bakso and bakmi are also options that never disappoint.