RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - In the heart of Jakarta’s competitive dining business, a new culinary landmark is shifting the spotlight from modern fusion back to the intimate flavors of a family kitchen. Ayam Goreng Kampung Pak Pri, recently opened in Senopati, South Jakarta, is more than just a restaurant, it is a meticulously crafted tribute to the private recipes of the Soemantri family.

Culinary expert Kevindra Prianto Soemantri founded the establishment, which is currently managed by his brother, Putra Prianto. The restaurant seeks to fill a specific gap in the city’s saturated fried chicken market by introducing a distinct Yogyakarta-Magelang heritage blend.

While fried chicken is a ubiquitous staple across Jakarta’s street stalls and high-end eateries, Putra Prianto notes that their offering stands apart through its specific regional roots and a complex coriander-based crunch.

The restaurant honors their father, Prianto, a passionate home cook whose emotional investment in his craft inspired the brothers to share that domestic warmth with the public.

Replicating the family's signature coriander-seed kremes (crispy bits) proved to be the most significant challenge. This process required extensive trial and error to achieve a caramelized texture that avoids the bitterness often associated with deep-fried spices.

The secret to their signature dish lies in the delicate balance between the size of the free-range chicken and the intensity of the marinade.

"Our trademark is the crunchiness of the coriander seeds. That is what makes us unique, it makes the chicken succulent and sweet inside. And since we use free-range chicken, the meat itself already has a natural sweetness," explained Putra during the launch in Jakarta on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

This sweetness is further enhanced by a specialized cooking process. Unlike many establishments that use frozen poultry, Pak Pri utilizes only fresh chicken, reducing the braising time to just 45 minutes to ensure the meat remains tender rather than tough.

Visually, the chicken presents a deep, dark brown hue that may initially be mistaken for overcooking, but this is actually the result of the coriander seeds undergoing a perfect caramelization. This technique ensures that even the breast meat, notoriously prone to dryness, retains its moisture.

Putra shared his personal preference for the dish's texture, noting that while he typically only eats chicken thighs, he opts for the breast at the restaurant because it is remarkably soft and substantial.

Beyond the titular chicken, the menu is a curated collection of family heirlooms, including Javanese braised tofu and tempeh based on their grandmother’s recipe. These side dishes offer a savory-sweet profile that breaks away from the sugar-heavy tradition of standard Javenese braised, utilizing soft Chinese-style tofu for a superior mouthfeel.

To round out the meal, the restaurant serves traditional shrimp paste chili sauce and a spicier Green chili paste, both of which are generational recipes designed to balance the rich, savory notes of the fried chicken and fragrant rice.

For the brothers, the opening is a successful attempt at preserving the spirit of their father’s kitchen, inviting diners to experience the same "warmth and sense of family" that defined their own upbringing. ***