Botanika, Surabaya
Botanika is a restaurant in Kertajaya Indah which offers Indonesian food in a relaxed, casual setting. As Indonesians ourselves, we tend to forget that Indonesia is a country that is made up of over 17,000 islands with a great diversity of food. At Botanika, you can find many different styles of Indonesian food from across the archipelago. The restaurant was bustling when we came during lunch time, where most tables were under reservation.
The interior of Botanika can be described as plush, comprising of 2-storey dining area and outdoor seating. You can consider this place as a venue for your birthday, bridal shower or engagement party. The menu is fairly extensive with options of both one-dish meal and sharing plates for communal dining.
Free kerupuk
Es Teh Lychee - IDR35,000
It was refreshing and they were generous with the lychee haha.
Seeing the presentation, I had initially thought the tempe would be drenched in oil, but thank goodness it was not. Instead, the surface was crispy while the interior was moist.
Nasi Bakar Tuna - IDR60,000
Tahu Susu Goreng - IDR28,000
Recommended by a friend, this humble side dish was 10/10: crispy on the outside, plus warm and creamy inside. It was the best fried tofu I'd ever had and the portion was generous. Very well done!
The rice, which had shredded tuna meat inside, was wrapped with banana leaf before being grilled. It resulted in a fragrant aroma. I felt this dish could improve more in the taste department, since the seasoning was rather bland for my liking.
Nasi Ayam Suwir Sambal Matah - IDR59,000
The secret weapon (and also the saving grace) of this dish was the sambal matah which had adequate spiciness and complexity to make you keep eating more of it. While I finished off the whole dish, it did not leave me impressed. Both the shredded chicken and satay lilit were rather dry and the whole dish would be totally mediocre without the help of sambal matah.
The food at Botanika, frankly speaking, did little to elevate the experience. Perhaps it is because I'm too used to eating home-cooked Indonesian food, to the point that restaurant-made one simply do not amaze me. The staffs were friendly although the service could be slow during busy hours. I would be back only if someone invited me for a special occasion haha.
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Jl. Raya Kertajaya Indah F-303
Surabaya, Indonesia 60116
+6231-5954800
IG: botanikaresto
Opening hours: 9am - 10pm
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