Has anyone ever fallen in love with a restaurant — even though they have never set foot there? –Bar Suzette & Oodles N’Oodles MCR.
Not just a story about FOMO. There’s something deeper than that. When sitting on the terrace of Kedai Bukit Rhema, looking at the silhouette of Borobudur Temple emerging from behind the morning mist, my mind sometimes wanders to other places in the world that might have a similar story – a small table in the corner of a historic market, the aroma of cooking wafting from an open kitchen, and the blend of cultures that can be tasted in one bite.
This is what makes culinary not just a stomach affair. Culinary is a language. And the language is universal — from Magelang to Manhattan, from Borobudur to downtown Manchester.
When Magelang Teaches Us to Read the World
The Borobudur-Magelang area has long been a miniature mirror of the world. Borobudur Temple itself is proof that our ancestors never lived in a bubble — its reliefs are full of depictions of ships, foreign traders, and cultural exchanges that occurred long before the word “globalization” was coined.
The same goes for the dining table. In Magelang, the combination of flavors has been going on for a long time: fromSo tempe yang dimakan bersama kopi hitam, hingga bakmi yang terpengaruh tradisi Tionghoa dan bertransformasi menjadi Bakmi Djowo— noodle soup with typical Central Javanese spices, served in a clay brazier, warm andsatisfiedto the heart.
So, from that point we can understand restaurants in other parts of the world — not as something foreign, but as distant relatives of our own culinary traditions.
Bar Suzette, New York City: The Crêpe That Holds the World Within Its Folds
Imagine you walk inChelsea Market, one of New York City’s most iconic culinary markets. The old building, a former biscuit factory, is now filled with the aroma of dozens of open kitchens. On a busy corner, there was a short queue for a booth with an elegant name:Bar Suzette.
Bar Suzette is not your ordinary restaurant. He iscrêperie— a place that specializes in crêpes, thin French shells that can be filled with just about anything. But what makes Bar Suzette special is its philosophy: taking inspiration from flavors around the world, but crafting them with local ingredients from farms around New York.
Founded in 2009 by two friends, Peter Tondreau and Troi Lughod, Bar Suzette was born from a longing to bring together many cultures at one dining table — a mission that, when you think about it, is not much different from the spirit of Borobudur itself.
Savory Ham & Cheese: Simple, but Delicious
Among the menu that continues to rotate according to the seasons and creativity, there is one that is most tempting in appearance:Savory Ham & Cheese.
A savory crêpe filled with quality ham and perfectly melted cheese — it sounds simple, but that’s where the skill lies. A good crêpe doesn’t need a lot of ingredients to speak of. It requires technique — the right heat, the right dough, and timing that can’t be off by a single second.
Imagining that thin crêpe folded neatly, the outer side slightly crispy, the aroma of cheese wafting softly – it feels like sitting in a Parisian sidewalk cafe, even though you are in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Manhattan.
For us at cafeborobudur.com,Bar Suzetteis one of the dream restaurants that is on the list of “must visit if one day sets foot in New York.” Not just because of the hype, but because of the values behind it: celebrating local ingredients, respecting technique, and bringing together different corners of the world in the fold of one crêpe.
Until that day comes, we can explore them more closely via the official website at barsuzettenyc.com.
Oodles N’Oodles MCR, Manchester: When Wok Meets World
Now moving to England. More precisely toManchester— a city known not only for its football clubs, but also for its incredible culinary diversity.
In the heart of the areaRusholme— a familiarly called districtCurry Milebecause of the rows of Asian restaurants that fill its main street — there is one name that steals the show:Oodles N’Oodles MCR.
This restaurant offers Asian-Western fusion cuisine which is done seriously. Not just a fusion, but a combination based on respect for traditional Asian cooking techniques, especially cooking with a wok.
Signature Wok Noodles: Fresh Noodles Cooked on High Fire
Their mainstay that speaks the most isSignature Wok Noodles— fresh noodles (fresh wok noodles) which is cooked directly on a hot wok with selected high quality spices (premium spices).
The concept immediately awakens the imagination: big fire, soundsizzlingfrom the wok, a thin puff of smoke carrying the aroma of onions and spices — that’s what it’s calledwow hey, “wok breath” in the Cantonese cooking tradition, a smoky flavor that can only be obtained from cooking techniques using high heat and fast hand movements.
Questions that come to our mind:Is Signature Wok Noodles similar to Bakmi Djowo Kedai Bukit Rhema?If you think about it, there is an interesting common thread.Bakmi DjowoKedai Bukit Rhema also uses fresh noodles, also relies on spices, and is served hot with a rich sauce. Both were born from a noodle cooking tradition that was rooted in Chinese cultural influences — only later evolving according to the land in which it grew.
But of course, that’s where the differences get interesting. Bakmi Djowo is Central Javanese: slow, warm,Javani, served patiently on a brazier, with a distinctive aroma of fried garlic. Meanwhile, Oodles N’Oodles MCR’s Signature Wok Noodles were born from the marriage of East Asian cooking traditions and modern Manchester tastes — perhaps bolder, more smoky, with the character of premium spices that speak louder.
Two faces of fresh noodles, two different stories, two cultures that respect each other.
Unfortunately, Oodles N’Oodles MCR can currently only be enjoyed from afar — by browsing the menu on their website atwww.oodlesnoodlesmcr.com. But if one day your travels take you to England, especially Manchester, this name will definitely be on your must-visit list.
Invisible Connections: From Borobudur to the World
There’s one thing that unites Tavern Bukit Rhema, Bar Suzette in New York, and Oodles N’Oodles in Manchester — something more than just taste.
All three believe thatthe dining table is a cultural space. Not just a place to fill your stomach, but a place where stories are exchanged, identities are celebrated, and meetings between worlds occur in a quiet but real way.
At Kedai Bukit Rhema, you sit high on a hill with views of Borobudur Temple in the distance, sipping coffee while listening to the wind. InBar Suzette, you stand in the middle of a lively city market, watching skilled hands fold crêpes before your eyes. InOodles N’Oodles MCR, you’re sitting in a district that celebrates diversity, enjoying wok noodles that bring a taste of Asia to the heart of England.
Different places, different continents, but one spirit:celebrating the origins while embracing the new
Did You Know: About Noodles and Their Journey Around the World
Talking about noodles cannot be separated from its long history. Although debates about the origins of noodles are still ongoing among culinary historians, what is certain is that noodles have been a universal food long before the modern era.
In Java, noodles came through trade and trade routesnoodlewhich was later adapted intoBakmi Djowo— lighter, more aromatic, with typical Javanese spices. In England, noodles arrived through immigration and cultural exchange, transforming into a fusion menu that combined Asian techniques with Western tastes.
When you sip Bakmi Djowo at Kedai Bukit Rhema, without realizing it you are enjoying one of the results of that long journey – history that crosses the ocean and empties into the bowl in your hand, on a hill with the oldest temple in the world as a backdrop.
Tables, Moments, and Meaning — Wherever You Are
Cafeborobudur.combelieves that celebrating Borobudur-Magelang culinary delights does not mean closing your eyes from the outside world. Quite the opposite — the more we become acquainted with flavors from around the world, the more we appreciate the riches that exist before our very eyes.
From thin crêpes in Manhattan, wok noodles in Manchester, to bakmi djowo on a hill with Borobudur as a backdrop — they all tell the same story:that food is the most honest way for humans to get to know each other.
So, which table do you want to sit at next?
This article was written as part of cafeborobudur.com’s global culinary exploration column — connecting the flavors of Borobudur-Magelang with the wider world.
Explore further:
- Visit Bar Suzette NYC to explore their crêpe menu
- Explore Oodles N’Oodles MCR to see the Manchester wok noodles menu
- Stop byBukit Rhema ShopWhen you visit the Borobudur area — find the reservation table and menu information at tokobukitrhema.com