This Malaysian Has Opened The First Ever Halal Restaurant In Poland
If you ever find yourself in Poland, make sure to pay a visit to Batik Restauracja.
By Melissa Alvina — 11 Sep 2023, 09:06 AM
Meet Didi, a Malaysian chef who runs Batik Restauracja in Kraków, Poland's first ever restaurant that serves halal Indo-Malay cuisine
Hailing from Kuala Lumpur, Didi was initially pursuing a master's degree at Jagiellonian University, Kraków. Once he completed his education, he was offered a job in Poland.
However, his love for food and culinary arts propelled him to take a different path that resulted in Didi opening Batik Restauracja, as he recently shared in a video interview with Aga, a content creator on TikTok.
The TikTok video posted by Aga brought widespread recognition to Batik Restauracja, which had its grand opening in March this year.
In Aga's video, Didi is seen passionately introducing and discussing his dishes as Aga tries several traditional Malaysian dishes like Nasi Lemak, Nasi Kerabu, and Rendang Ayam, among others
"The Rendang is fantastic and lemongrass-y while the rice is creamy," said the reviewer in her video.
Aga also stated that the Nasi Kerabu, served with homemade sambal budu, bore a striking resemblance to the local dish, typically served in Malaysia.
"My favourite is, of course, the Rendang Ayam," said Chef Didi when the TikToker inquired about his favourite dish from his own menu.
"It reminds me of home," he added.
Didi also shared that he inherited the original Rendang recipe from his mother and altered it to cater to the preferences of Polish people.
Speaking further with Aga, Didi also shared the challenges he faces in sourcing authentic Malaysian ingredients in Poland
He stated that he usually sources his ingredients from Thailand and Indonesia; however, the taste of these ingredients is not quite the same as the Malaysian ones.
Hence, Chef Didi makes all the herbs and spices from scratch.
The chef also mentioned that he thoroughly reads and experiments with each dish until he hits the perfect blend.
Meanwhile, Batik Restauracja boasts exceptional main courses like Classic Indonesian Fried Rice, Nyonya Laksa, Soto Ayam, Sayur Lodeh, and many more
Their menu also features delightful starters like Tahu Isi, Sambal Tempe, Spring Rolls, and Gado-Gado.
If you ever find yourself in Poland, make sure to pay a visit to Batik Restauracja. Your tastebuds will thank you for it!
