Vibrant Peranakan Culture and Cuisine at Meradelima Restaurant

Meradelima Restaurant is a reflection of how two different cultures used to and still coexist side by side in perfect harmony.

Meradelima Restaurant.

Commonly referred to as Peranakans, they are the descendants of Chinese immigrants who came to the Malay archipelago (which includes Indonesia and Singapore) between the 15th and 17th centuries. Peranakans are a unique heritage to Southeast Asia, an intertwining of the Malay and Chinese culture.

A Peranakan wedding couple (taken from Wikipedia).

Meradelima beautifully embodies the vivacious and spirited Peranakan culture both in its design and cuisine. Housed in a two-storey building featuring Jengki architecture, patrons are welcomed into the restaurant by a red-carpeted wooden deck and servers dressed in red oriental cheongsams.

One of the private dining rooms in Meradelima.

On entering the restaurant, I felt as if I was transported back to a bygone era. The interior was decorated with vibrantly coloured Peranakan-style porcelain collections, vintage replica becak chairs, and exquisite kebayas encased in large glass frames.

Pretty porcelain on tables.

Our first visit – dining against the backdrop of intricately embroidered kebayas with floral motifs.

According to the owner who was born and raised as a Peranakan, each kebaya is uniquely designed and the display stands as a tribute to the lives of Peranakan women of the past.

An assortment of Peranakan-style porcelain ware.

A set of stairs leads from the first floor of the restaurant to the upper floor. The decor of the second floor is equally enchanting. A pair of gigantic doors made of teak wood is fixed to the wall and inscribed on it are four Chinese characters (which I could hardly make out with my sad command of Mandarin).

Since my dad is a full Baba (which makes me  half a Nyonya I guess), I thought that he might like dining at Meradelima. And I was right. My parents loved the setting of the entire place.

Our second visit – seated at the exact same spot.

Food wise, their menu has a mix of Indonesian, Malay and Chinese food — thanks to the influence of the Peranakan era.

What we ordered.

Meradelima makes a lovely place for a family get-together or a private party. It is also a good place to take your tourist guests to. If you want to dine in privacy, there are various private dining rooms on both floors as well as an enclosed al fresco dining area.

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Meradelima

Jl. Adityawarman No. 47, Senopati

Jakarta