The largest mosque in Southeast Asia is in Jakarta, for example: Istiqlal Mosque at Jalan Taman Wijaya Kusuma. Istiqlal (استقلال, independence), was constructed to commemorate Indonesia’s struggle for independence from the Dutch. The national mosque can accommodate up to 120,000 people and has a 45m diameter dome supported by 12 columns. Across the mosque, lies the neo-gothic Jakarta Cathedral, which was built in 1901. The juxtaposition of the two places of worship are a symbol of different faiths existing in harmony.
The Foundation also recommends street foods including martabak malabar, a folded pancake-like dish stuffed with eggs, meat and vegetables; gado-gado, a vegetable salad drenched in peanut sauce; gorengan, which literally translates to fried things; and otak-otak, fish cake. Local foods like soto, a traditional meat soup; bakso, a savoury meatball noodle soup; sop buntut, or oxtail soup; and nasi padang, a variety of pre-cooked dishes served with steam rice that originated from Padang City, are all worth a taste.
Five halal places for business lunches and dinners in Jakarta include:
Anomali Coffee
A coffee franchise with branches across Jakarta and Bali, Anomali Coffee offers top-notch coffee rich in fragrance and flavour. The baristas are well-trained in the art of coffee brewing. Outlets also provide free Wi-Fi and air-conditioning.
Read TripAdvisor reviews for an Anomali Coffee outlet
Jakarta - The Dharmawangsa
The Jakarta Restaurant at the Dharmawangsa hotel offers traditional Indonesian, Asian and contemporary Western cuisines in a swanky yet relaxed setting. It serves a range of delicacies such as foie gras and premium caviar, and a selection of fine tea.
Jakarta - The Dharmawangsa
The Jakarta Restaurant at the Dharmawangsa hotel offers traditional Indonesian, Asian and contemporary Western cuisines in a swanky yet relaxed setting. It serves a range of delicacies such as foie gras and premium caviar, and a selection of fine tea.
Read TripAdvisor reviews for the Jakarta
Seribu Rasa
Dapur Baba Elite
Seribu Rasa
Seribu Rasa literally means "a thousand tastes" and lives up to its name by offering Indonesia's diverse local cuisine such as satay, chicken mango and prawns in a sambal sauce. There are several branches scattered across Jakarta and their tasteful decor and atmosphere make them an impressive venue for meeting business partners.
Read TripAdvisor reviews for Seribu Rasa
Read TripAdvisor reviews for Seribu Rasa
Dapur Baba Elite
Dapur Baba Elite's decor is marked with antique trinkets, statues and vintage portraits, but the Peranakan menu is what takes centrestage. The Peranakan are Straits-born Chinese who settled in the Malay Archipelago, and who are also referred to as Baba Nyonya. One bestseller is nasi tjampoer babah, or pandan-infused rice served on banana leaves alongside nine Javanese side dishes. Another must-try is the ikan goreng moelet garing boembon, or fried fish marinated in spices and grated coconut.
Pondok Laguna serves mostly seafood prepared in the traditional Indonesian style. This seafood restaurant is popular with locals and for business gatherings, so reservations are best. It is not air-conditioned, and frequently packed. Recommended dishes include deep fried gourami, fried calamari, fried stuffed tofu and fish head curry.