An unexpected beacon of fine dining in Jakarta’s grungy-chic Blok M neighborhood, Su Ma is helmed by executive chef Rachel Tjahja and Jeonju-born pastry chef Ryan Kim, both of whom trained at Le Cordon Bleu Australia. Their combined Chinese Indonesian and Korean backgrounds serve as the bedrock for creative takes on East Asian cooking in seven- and 10-course dinners. According to Tjahja, Su Ma’s Vol. 4 menu represents “a beautiful harmony of the places and the food that have inspired us.” The Japanese-tropical kombu jime salad, an ode to the Lunar New Year dish yusheng, is a vibrant interplay of colors and textures: it dresses cured Hokkaido scallop, pomelo, winged bean, coconut togarashi, and Japanese ginger shreds in a tangy chrysanthemum and tamarind sauce.

For the second main course, Australian wagyu tenderloin comes coated with a blend of Hakka-style mui choy (preserved mustard greens), bamboo shoot, and spinach and encased in laminated brioche, creating a cross between a bao and a beef Wellington. Buckwheat, Kim’s superb all-white dessert, sees the seed turned into meringue and a buckwheat brûlée ice cream. It’s a reinvention of a popular dish on the opening menu inspired by nurungji, the crispy scorched rice that develops at the bottom of a pot. Su Ma seats just 22 diners, so reservations are essential. —James Louie

sumajakarta.com
+62 822 1017 5433 (WhatsApp)
Jl. Sultan Hasanudin No.74, Melawai, Jakarta, Indonesia

Su Ma: Avant-Garde Asian Cuisine

Jakarta Dining

Stay inspired with our DestinAsian newsletters