Mixing different cultures is always exciting. The assimilation that occurs when people of different ethnic backgrounds meet and live together usually gives birth to an interesting blend of cultures. The descendants of 15th and 16th century Chinese immigrants to Malacca and Java, referred to as Peranakans, embody such a mix of two different traditions.
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| (JG Photo/Safir Makki) |
“I, myself, was born and raised as a Peranakan,” said Lily Atmodirjo, co-owner of the restaurant.
“So when our family wanted to open a restaurant, we decided to start from something that we knew really well.”
“So when our family wanted to open a restaurant, we decided to start from something that we knew really well.”
Established in 2004, the restaurant initially occupied a smaller building in Pondok Indah,
South Jakarta, which could only accommodate 70 guests.
South Jakarta, which could only accommodate 70 guests.
In 2009, the family relocated the restaurant to a 1950s building situated on more than 1,100 square meters of land in Kebayoran Baru. Today the Peranakan theme seems to weave seamlessly into its classic surroundings.
The two-story building features the unique jengki design, born out of the transition from Dutch colonial rule to an independent Indonesia.
“At that time, Indonesia’s first president was planning to develop the Kebayoran Baru area as a satellite city to Jakarta,” said Agam Riyadi, a design consultant for Meradelima. “So Indonesia’s young architects were assigned to build new houses and facilities for the area.”
Newly independent, these architects shunned the use of the Dutch colonial building style and instead developed their own designs.
The white facade of the restaurant features asymmetrical structures, oddly angled windows and wide eaves supported by decorative metal brackets.
“But the roof is pyramid-shaped like a joglo ,” Agam said, referring to a traditional Javanese house.
A neat row of golden cane palms (Dypsis lutescens) obscures the left wing of the building. Its front yard and parking area are shaded with tall and leafy mahogany trees, lush staghorn ferns climbing their trunks.
From the parking area, a wooden deck, decorated with a red carpet and dried bamboo shoots in earthen pots, leads into the restaurant.
Dressed in red cheongsam, the servers blend into the Oriental decor of the restaurant.
The vast and airy chrysanthemum room in the left wing of the building sports kursi becak (becak chairs), replicas of the low and slightly reclining rattan chairs of the 1950s that resemble seats in a becak (tricycle). Across from the chairs stands a marble-topped bar featuring neat rows of Peranakan-style porcelain plates.
“The Peranakan-style porcelain collections are different from the traditional Chinese ones,” said J. Williams, the public relations manager at Meradelima. “Traditional Chinese collections usually feature dragons, while the Peranakan-style features the hong bird [phoenix] as a symbol of resurrection.”
The symbol of the phoenix was widely used by the Peranakan people in Java or Malacca as it represented their hopes of overcoming adversity and building new and successful lives.
The vibrant colors of the plate collection infuse the dining room with a sense of optimism.
In front of the bar sits a small, round table with glass jars that contain traditional snacks that can be difficult to find today, such as emping melinjo (chips made of melinjo) and kacang telor (fried nuts covered in flour and egg).
A set of stairs leads to the first floor of the restaurant. Here, a pair of gigantic doors is fixed to the wall. Made of teakwood, the doors are inscribed with four Chinese characters.
“May you be blessed with success and happiness forever,” Lily said, translating the Chinese inscription.
A collection of kebaya encim (Chinese-styled traditional blouses) adds flare to the dining rooms.
“Take a closer look,” Lily said. “You’ll find that each of them is unique and beautiful, just like paintings.”
Each kebaya, intricately embroidered with colorful floral motifs, is paired with a kain batik (batik wraparound cloth worn as a skirt) and encased in an ornate glass case. The display stands as a unique tribute to the unique lives of Peranakan women of the past.
The porch overlooking the bustling street is like a time capsule that takes diners to a bygone era.
As in the past, at Meradelima restaurant, two different cultures coexist side by side in perfect harmony.
Sylviana Hamdani | November 26, 2010
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