Grand Rijstaffel at Star Anise: Eat to Your Heart’s Content

The reddish-brown coloured and star-shaped star anise, or bunga lawang in Bahasa Indonesia, is one multifunctional plant. Besides commonly used in numerous cuisines for seasoning and flavouring, star anise is incorporated in some medicines and utilised in the production of a liquor. It also happens to be the name of a wonderful Indonesian restaurant at the Kana Hotel in Kuta, Bali.

Star Anise is best known for its Grand Rijstaffel menu that serves twenty —yes, twenty!— classic Indonesian dishes from all across the archipelago. Those twenty dishes are served together, each presented separately in a bowl. Looking at the rijstaffel for the first time begs the question “Which one should be eaten first?”

There is no right nor wrong answer to that question, but perhaps one could start by tasting the good-looking rice, which uniquely combines both white and yellow rice —stacked like a small nasi tumpeng. Then it is a matter of tasting the first dish that catches your eye. Is it going to be Fish Cake? Chicken Satay? Gado-Gado? It doesn’t really matter, because at the end of the day, you can eat all of them!

P.S. The Grand Rijstaffel requires a reservation and a minimum of 2 persons. Quick, make your bookings through Maxx-Diners!

Credits:
Photo © Star Anise
Text by Alexandra Karman