Wakatobi’s culinary team consistently earns high praise for both the quality and variety of the cuisine. “The food is excellent,” says Sally Brown, who visited in June 2023. “I am amazed at the variety of menus and how the restaurant provides such fresh items.” Particularly loved by many of our guests are the authentic Indonesian dishes that are offered alongside our many international favorites.

“The ever-changing restaurant dishes and desserts are wonderful, and it’s great that the chefs cater to vegans and vegetarians.” ~Simon Bowen

Daily offerings could include a traditional Nasi Goreng enhanced by a spoonful of spicy Sambal Oelek, or a savory Gulai stew followed by a nosh of roasted Labu Siam or Pisang Goreng. We take great pride in serving meals that are as memorable as every other element of the guest experience. “Our team works as a family, with everyone blending their talents to create delicious results,” says restaurant manager Lalu Adhi. Through the direction of our chefs and each member of the team–from management to service, the resort’s kitchen produces a wide range of both regional and international favorites. For many diners, it is the Indonesian dishes that are most intriguing, as they deliver the indigenous flavors of the region by blending fresh local ingredients with distinctive spices.

The atmosphere at Wakatobi’s restaurant embodies the welcoming nature of Indonesian culture. Photo by Didi Lotze

On a recent visit to the resort, guest Ken Glaser was fascinated by the dishes on display at the restaurant’s Indonesian cooking station. “It’s a very nice touch, he says, “and it’s fun to watch the chefs prepare the dishes. The ambiance in the restaurant is wonderful and the wait staff are exceptional,” says Ken. “They all go out of their way to help you and attend to any special requests you have. We didn’t have to ask; it was as if they knew what we needed in advance!”

We invite you on a brief tour of some of the authentic regional flavors that you can discover at Wakatobi.

A savory starter

Guests can start their day at Wakatobi with a taste of local flavor by asking the chefs to whip up an order of Nasi Goreng. This is Indonesia’s version of fried rice, and it’s a national favorite. Nasi Goreng offers more intense flavors than the familiar Chinese version because the rice is blended with a seasoning paste made from chiles, shrimp paste, and palm sugar. This combination lends a caramelized texture and a richer taste to the rice.

Nasi Goreng combines chiles, shrimp paste, and palm sugar to lend a caramelized texture and rich taste to the rice. Photo by Wakatobi Resort

A fried egg can be set atop the savory rice to complete the dish, which can be enjoyed with coffee or fresh juice for a breakfast treat that’s light but filling enough to stick with you through the morning dives.

Mixing things up

Salad lovers shouldn’t pass up a chance to experience Gado-Gado. Literally translated as “mix-mix,” this dish is a vegetarian’s delight and a staple offering from street vendors across Indonesia. There’s no single recipe for Gado-Gado, but its common elements usually include a variety of lightly-blanched or steamed vegetables such as greens, sprouts and shredded cabbage mixed with potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and fried tofu.

A variety of locally-grown vegetables can be tossed with tofu, potatoes, and hard-boiled eggs to create Gado-Gado, a vegetarian’s delight. Photo by Wakatobi Resort

Chefs will sometimes add tempeh or rice cakes known as lontong, incorporate cucumbers and other raw vegetables and garnish the mix with shrimp chips. The element that elevates Gado-Gado from a mere mixing of ingredients to a treat for the tastebuds is the creamy peanut sauce dressing. This dressing delivers an indulgent blend of flavors that balances sweetness and saltiness, with just a hint of lime and a touch of heat.

Currying flavors of Indonesian Dishes

Gulai is Indonesia’s rich and spicy version of a curry stew. It can be made with any number of different meats or seafood, with or without the addition of vegetables. When Wakatobi’s chefs create a batch of Gulai Kambing, it’s not to be missed.

Gulai Kambing is Indonesia’s version of a curry stew and can be made with any number of meats or seafood. Yummy. Photo by Wakatobi Resort

This lamb curry delivers a complex blend of flavors from a spice paste of red chilies, candlenuts, ginger, turmeric, galangal, coriander, and cumin, which is combined in coconut milk with a mixture of cloves, lemongrass, cardamom, and cinnamon. The lamb picks up all the subtle differences of this mix, taking on a character that’s far more intriguing than the average mutton chop.

Yes, we have Pisang

Pisang Goreng, aka fried bananas, is an Indonesian favorite you might enjoy at Wakatobi as a nosh with tea, coffee or even one of our special mocktail creations.

Pisang Goreng is typically made with saba or cardaba bananas, which have a sweet-sour flavor and firm texture that doesn’t crumble when heated. Photo by Wakatobi Resort

This ubiquitous national snack comes in many forms, as it can begin with an assortment of different bananas and plantains, which are sliced, chunked and battered in a variety of ways.

According to Chef Iman, Pisang Goreng can be prepared in a variety of ways, seen here in long-thin slices known as duck bills. Photo by Wakatobi Resort

The most common ingredients are saba or cardaba bananas, which have a naturally sweet-sour flavor and firm texture that won’t crumble when heated. Coating batters typically include rice flour, eggs, coconut milk and a pinch of vanilla, but there are countless regional variations that introduce extra elements such as honey, lime or sweet/hot chilies to the mix. According to Chef Iman, the looks of Pisang Goreng are equally diverse, ranging from coin-sized nuggets to long-thin slices known as duck bills. At Wakatobi you might enjoy Pisang Goreng kipas, in which the bananas are formed into a fan-like shape before frying or a gently fried version served with a side kaya, which is coconut jam.

The spicy side

From its Southeast Asian origins, the chayote squash has spread across the tropical world. Its shoots, roots and fruits are incorporated into dozens of regional cuisines, and mixed into salads, stir-fries and stews.

The chayote squash is used in dozens of regional cuisines, mixed into salads, stir-fries, stews and at Wakatobi, roasted with spices to a golden brown. Photo by Wakatobi Resort

A favorite creation in Wakatobi’s kitchen is spicy roasted labu siam, which is made by slicing the chayote fruit into strips, which are sprinkled with a mix of spices before roasting to a golden brown. When prepared this way, the fruit develops a texture somewhere between a squash and a pear, and a slightly sweet taste that plays well against the mild heat of the added spices. On the Wakatobi menu, you’ll most likely encounter labu siam as an accompaniment to a main dish such as sambal goring seafood.

“We asked for extra spice to be added to our servings of the Indonesian dishes. The first time the server brought the dish out she expected fire to come out of our ears, but we said ‘It’s perfect,’ and she grinned from ear to ear.” ~Guests, Peggy & Bill Goldberg, June 2023

Come mealtime at Wakatobi we like to do more than just satisfy that hunger. And of course, we aim to please and can tailor offerings to your personal preferences. All you need do is ask. We take great pride in serving meals that are as memorable as every other element of your stay at Wakatobi.

These are just a sampling of the unique Indonesian dishes that are enjoyed by guests at Wakatobi. We invite you to visit us and discover all we have to offer, or for our returning guests, to come back for another taste. Contact us at office@wakatobi.com or complete a quick trip inquiry at wakatobi.com.

Visit us on Facebook and Instagram.   Enjoy a video about Dining at Wakatobi >here.

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Our Chefs have shared a couple authentic Indonesian recipes for you to try.

Nasi Goreng

Preparation and cooking time will take about 30 minutes. Serves two.

Spice Paste ingredients
2 small shallots (2 ounces;55g) roughly chopped
3 medium cloves of garlic
1 large fresh green chili (Fresno or Holland) stemmed and seeded or 1 tsp of sambal olek
1/2 tsp of Terasi (Indonesian shrimp paste) (optional)

Nasi Goreng ingredients
4 cups of cold cooked jasmine rice (21 ounces;600g)
2 tablespoons (30ml) neutral oil such as canola or sunflower oil
2 tablespoons (30ml) kecap manis, plus more for drizzling. Note: kecap manis is Indonesian sweet soy sauce made by combining soy sauce with palm sugar to taste. You can purchase Cap Bango kecap manis brand.
2 tsp soy sauce
Sea salt
Ground white pepper
Optional: 2 fried eggs, sunny side up or over easy, sliced cucumber, sliced tomatoes or sauteed shallots

For the Spice Paste: Add half the shallots to a mortar and grind with the pestle until a coarse purée forms. Add remaining shallots, followed by garlic, chili, and terasi (if using), grinding with the pestle until each ingredient is mostly incorporated before adding the next. The final paste should resemble thick oatmeal in texture. Alternatively, combine all spice paste ingredients in a small food processor and process until they form a paste.

For the Nasi Goreng: If using day-old rice, transfer the rice to a bowl and break it up with your hands into individual grains.

Heat oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the spice paste and cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the wok or pan to prevent the paste from burning. Do this until a pungent smell permeates your kitchen and the paste turns a few shades darker,  about 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium at any time if the paste appears to be browning too quickly.

Add the rice to the wok and stir to coat with the spice paste. Add the kecap manis and soy sauce. Stir and cook until rice is evenly colored and hot throughout. Season with salt and white pepper.

Divide the rice between two plates and if desired top each plate of rice with a fried egg. Garnish with cucumber and tomato slices and sprinkle with fried shallots, if you like. Serve immediately with kecap manis alongside for drizzling

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Gulai Kambing

Preparation and cooking time varies, the stew will simmer for 2-3 hours depending on how thick you like your sauce. Serves two.

Curry Paste ingredients
(blend these ingredients to a fine paste)
4 small shallots
3 garlic cloves
1/2 inch galangal
1/2 inch fresh turmeric
1/2 inch ginger
1/4 tsp fennel powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder
3 candlenuts
1/4 tbsp palm sugar (gula jawa is best)
1/4 tsp ground white peppercorn
1 tsp salt

Other ingredients
About 200g lamb meat cut into pieces (you can also use mutton or goat).  Shoulder meat is often preferred.
2-3 kaffir lime leaves, ripped
1 lemongrass stalk, white part only, bruised
2 cloves
1 star anise
1 Indonesian bay leaf (these are not the same as regular bay leaves, but if needed you can substitute regular ones.  Look for leaves labeled “daun salam” or “Indonesian bay leaf”)
1 cardamom pod
1 cinnamon stick
1.5 tbsp oil for frying
400 ml coconut milk (Ayam brand is the best)
2 tbsp tamarind concentrate
water

Preparation: First, heat the oil in a large wok or other deep pot.  Fry the whole spices (lime leaves, lemongrass, cloves, star anise, dabay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon) in the oil until fragrant, then adding the rempah (curry paste.)  Fry for about five minutes until aromatic and the oil separates out.

Add in the lamb pieces and stir into the rempah until no longer pink.  Then pour in the coconut milk and tamarind.  Mix well with the spice paste and add enough water now to cover the lamb pieces entirely.  Let this simmer on medium-low heat for about 2-3 hours depending on how thick you like your sauce.

We like to make it thick, but in some regions they like to leave the sauce a little thinner. Check seasonings before serving with plain rice, nasi kuning (Indonesian fragrant rice) or anything else you like.