A Slice of Hawaii in Tangerang
Just west of Jakarta, poke and matcha bar HONU’s third location brings a beach house atmosphere to the city
Located in the Indonesian city of Tangerang, part of the Greater Jakarta metropolitan, poke and matcha bar HONU is the brainchild of furniture designer Sashia Rosari, who designed all three outlets (the first two are in the Jakarta neighbourhoods of Kemang and Menteng) in collaboration with Rafael Miranti Architects (RMA), founded by husband-and-wife team Rafael Arsono and Margareta Miranti.
In Hawaiian culture, the green sea turtle that HONU is named after symbolises good luck, endurance and longevity, so naturally the colour green is a key design element of the restaurant and its branding, from the facade to interior accents, materials and pops of foliage. ‘HONU’s ethos is about creating a wholesome, accessible dining experience with genuine passion and care. Everything we create has to have a soul. The way we design each outlet is always driven by these core values,’ Rosari says.
Despite its small size (at only 100 square metres), the restaurant offers various internal spaces. ‘The general approach was to create a space within a space, to create different experiences in the relatively small area,’ Arsono explains. ‘The back dining area, with bar seating and communal dining, is elevated and covered in green tile, separating it from the entrance area. In doing this, we wanted to make a cozy and chilled vibe that resembles the back terrace of a beach house.’
The interiors and furniture were selected or designed to enhance this beach house feel. ‘Furniture found in coastal or island regions often features natural materials and nature-inspired shapes, so for HONU Southwest we wanted to use more rattan weaving and teak than in the other HONU outlets, where we mainly used American oak for the furniture. We deliberately designed the banquet seating to have loose back cushions and a lower frame to create a more laid-back feel. We upholstered some of the furniture with textural fabric that reminds us of stone pebbles and sand to further enhance that “beach house” vibe,’ Sashia shares. Custom and ready-made furniture is paired with green tiling, exposed MDF and a patterned ceiling, while outside the restaurant’s signature green covers the facade, and timber planks and a fabric canopy create evoke a back terrace aesthetic. Here at HONU, guests can get a taste of Hawaii and say aloha to a slice of beach life.
Text / Babette Radclyffe-Thomas
Images / Sefval Mogalana
