Executive Chef Indra Herawan is leading from the front at The Gallery Restaurant, the all-day dining venue at Hotel Ciputra World Surabaya. Home in Indonesia after an international career spanning top hotel brands around the Middle East and the Maldives, he is bringing his culinary expertise and global understanding to diners in Indonesia’s second-largest city.
The Gallery Restaurant is a warm venue with modern décor, velvet padded seating, long windows and a brightly colourful Hendra Gunawan-inspired mural over the busy chefs manning the cooking stations. Open from 6am for breakfast, through lunch and dinner until 10pm, the restaurant not only serves up an à la carte menu that marries the nuances of various international cuisines with Indonesian flair, but also extensive buffets.
Breakfast ranges from Indonesian favourites like nasi uduk to all the international favourites guests would expect, including gluten-free breads and low-sugar jams. The breads and pastries are so popular the hotel is planning a public outlet in the not-too-distant future. The dinner buffets are themed, examples including coastal delights and pan-Asian fare. Be sure to look out for Chef Indra’s innovative creations such as rendang salad, which marries the full-flavoured spicy beef with beansprouts and salad for an intriguing dish that has attracted many fans. The house-cured salmon is also worthy of mention. Even the panna cotta gets a local twist with a green pandan sauce adding a splash of colour, much like the art on the walls gives to the restaurant.
With plenty of ideas still percolating in Chef Indra’s mind, it’s worth visiting Hotel Ciputra World Surabaya to check out his creations.
