Jakarta

About

Romantic dinners in San Francisco can go two ways: either your plunk down a huge wad of cash for a big name, or you trudge to some remote neighborhood (where there's no parking) to eat ethnic food. Okay, so this article is about option #2. But Jakarta, purveyor of fine Indonesian cuisine since 1990, is well worth the trip.

Indonesian is the ultimate in Fusion, due in no small part to the rampant colonialism of Southeast Asia. Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Middle Eastern and British influences are present in contemporary Indonesian cuisine, which also reflects the chili peppers, peanut sauces and stewed curries of Thailand, the lemon grass and fish sauce of Vietnam, the intricate spice blends of India and the cooking methods of Asia. Bringing together foods from the disparate provinces of Java, Bali, Sunda and Padang, Jakarta is a true melting pot of culinary tastes.

- Excerpt from Dinner á deux, Javanese Style, Jakarta spices up your Valentine's Day by Tamar Love