Opened just a few months, Dapur in Fort Lauderdale has already wooed the locals with its delicious Indonesian fare and trendy interior. Dapur means Kitchen in Indonesian and is the brainchild of restauranteur/designer/chef Edi Mulyanto, who put his heart and soul into the new dining destination.
This New Restaurant Impresses all Senses
Opened just a few months, Dapur in Fort Lauderdale has already wooed the locals with its delicious Indonesian fare and trendy interior. Dapur means Kitchen in Indonesian and is the brainchild of restauranteur/designer/chef Edi Mulyanto, who put his heart and soul into the new dining destination.
When Mulyanto was designing the restaurant, a lot of his requests (higher ceilings, etc.) were turned down, but he wouldn’t let anyone get in the way of his vision and decided to design it himself and lucky for us, because the décor is exquisitely chic. There is a large bar area decorated with a giant mural; a private party room for 40; and the main room which houses a giant gold Buddha, which proudly sits under the tall, exposed ceilings.
But Dapur isn’t just a pretty face – it has substance too! The dishes are all made from recipes Mulyanto has grown up with, or has experienced in his travels. Much of the fruit, vegetables and herbs are from Mulyanto’s own garden.
The main theme at Dapur is Tapas, small plates of food perfect for sharing. Those with large appetites need not worry though – large entrees are also on the menu.
On a recent Thursday evening, I had a date with the Hotspots Team at the new restaurant. Myself, Publisher Peter Clark, Associate Publisher Scott Holland, Business Manager Brian Burda, and Sales Representative Anthony Verrico all joined Edi for a grand tasting. We started off with some fantastic cocktails including the Dartsmoor, Forever Young, A Taste of Autumn and a Classic Margarita to get our taste buds going. The drinks were made with fresh fruit juice – no mixers used here – and they had fantastic flavor.
Our amazing server, Bevan, brought us over small plates of Korean Short Ribs ($10) to start our feast. The ribs were marinated with a sweet soy glaze and topped with sesame seeds and were tender and flavorful.
The dish was followed by my favorite plate of the night – Tuna Tartar over sushi rice ($10). Served over crispy rice, the fish was topped with a slice of jalapeno, a cilantro leaf and a dollop of spicy mayo.
Next, we were served Miso Glazed Cod ($12), which had been marinated for 48 hours. The fresh black cod had a buttery texture and was served with pickled ginger and a honey-miso glaze.
We were next served the surprise of the evening – Fried Brussel Sprouts ($6). Who knew this often-hated vegetable could be so delicious? The crispy young sprouts were tossed in a light brown sauce and were extremely addictive.
The food kept coming, which was okay, because we were a hungry bunch! Next, we tried the Hot Tower ($14) which is crispy rice topped with jumbo lump crab meat, avocado, Ahi tuna, and wasabi. This delicious dish was beautiful to look at in its impressive tower form before we knocked it over to enjoy it.
Our next dish was unique and tasty – Dapur Sliders ($10). These adorable little sliders had buns made of sticky rice and were stuffed with Kobe beef burgers. This was a huge hit at our table!
We were starting to fill up, but knew we owed it to you, dear readers, to soldier on and fill our faces with some more goodness. We sampled dishes of Coconut Rice and Yellow Rice ($2, each). Both delicious, I had a special fondness for the Coconut Rice and its subtle sweetness.
The Papaya Salad ($8) was our next dish to sample and this refreshing concoction had papaya and green beans from Edi’s own garden. It was a refreshing mix of the aforementioned papaya and green beans with dry shrimp, julienne veggies and lime juice and really perked up our taste buds.
We were next served two noodle dishes, Bakmi Goreng ($12) and Pad Thai ($12). These entrees were very satisfying. The Bakmi Goreng had egg noodles, egg, chicken and vegetables in a sweet soy sauce and the Pad Thai was the traditional combination of chicken, rice noodles, tofu, bean sprouts, scallions and peanuts in a Tamarind Sauce.
Just when we thought we couldn’t eat anymore, we were brought out a plate of Lemongrass Braised Beef with rice, which was another favorite of mine. The shredded beef was wonderfully flavored and very tender.
We ended our amazing feast at Dapur with a dish of homemade Green Tea Ice Cream, served with sliced strawberries. I had never had a homemade version of this dessert and it was delicious — a must try for Green Tea lovers.
If the food and atmosphere isn’t enough to offer, Dapur is starting a new event on Nov. 10 called Toxic. The restaurant will take on a club atmosphere starting at 10 p.m. with deejays and dancing.
We had a phenomenal experience at Dapur — it’s one of the most exciting dining destinations to hit our city. Mulyanto and staff dazzled us with great dishes and a fabulous, fun atmosphere.
Dapur
1620 N. Federal Highway
Fort Lauderdale FL 33305
954-306-2663
