Tash Roslin

Jakarta's Freshest Vietnamese Fare on Order

Amid rows of Japanese establishments, massage parlors, and office spaces situated in the somewhat shabby business complex of Grand Wijaya in South Jakarta, coyly sits a lustrous culinary gem. Three stories high, the establishment is unassuming from the outside.

But for those in the know, within this building Vietnamese fare at its best, and healthiest, is served.

Waitstaff greeted us with warm smiles and welcoming gestures. The place is decorated with paintings depicting serene Indochinese life, the colors blending stylishly with the earth tones of the stone walls.

Fusing Vietnamese traditional artistry with French colonial ambience, a stream of elegance runs through every aspect of Lang Viet’s interior, from the statues and ornaments displayed in glass cabinets to the multi-hued lanterns dangling from the ceiling.

Enchanting though all that may be, compared to the food everything else pales in comparison.

The Vietnamese pride themselves in the freshness of their ingredients, and also on the variety of the herbs and vegetables they use. Lang Viet, whose founder hails from southern Vietnam, uses only the herbs harvested from the restaurant’s garden.

But whipping up fresh fare does not necessarily mean lengthy preparation time, as Lang Viet’s cooks duly show. In less than 15 minutes some orders, in our case goi cuon (Vietnamese fresh spring rolls), have arrived.

Goi cuon is not only popular in Southeast Asia but also in many other parts of the world, partly because it is relatively quick to prepare — assuming that your hands are trained in rolling the fillings in delicate rice paper. The dipping sauces are also delicious.

But while goi cuon looks simple to create, getting the taste — which depends largely on the crispness of the fillings — just right, is an elusive accomplishment.

Even bearing that in mind, if you sample the goi cuon here, and you’ll see that Lang Viet has this gourmet art down to a science.

After the spring rolls, which contained prawns, we tried banh cuon , which are steamed rice paper rolls filled with chicken and mushrooms. However, this dish didn’t live up to the first course.

Next to arrive at our table was the papaya salad with prawns and chicken. The dressing tasting more sour than sweet, and primed us well for the main course.

Vietnamese cooking uses oil sparingly, and the only greasy item we ordered was vermicelli with fried rolls and grilled beef (Lang Viet does not serve pork).

The dish was generously sprinkled with basil leaves and stems, shreds of lettuce, carrot, and bean sprouts. Soaked in the refreshingly sour sauce, the balls of vermicelli lose their suppleness and can be slurped easily, joined by bites of the perfect rolls. The large portion ensures you leave the table satiated.

The final dish we sampled, a must-try for Vietnamese food buffs, was pho bo , the country’s culinary showpiece. The bowl of noodles, slices of beef, spring onions and bean sprouts was loaded with tasty beef broth. Invigoratingly aromatic herbs, like coriander stems and fresh Thai basil leaves, elevated its taste towards brilliance.

And it’s not just the taste that makes it a good choice. “Some of the herbs in your meal have medicinal properties,” the waiter said.

Lang Viet’s commitment to becoming a haven for health-conscious eaters is admirable. Smoking is forbidden anywhere in the premises. It might be a long time till smoking is banned in all Jakarta’s fine dining establishments, so this restaurant’s efforts are exemplary.

Lang Viet truly deserves to be the last word in Vietnamese cuisine, at least in this metropolis. The restaurant never fails to put the emphasis on wholesomeness — the true hallmark of Vietnamese cooking. And they do it masterfully.

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