Lemongrass is a casual dining restaurant in Bogor, West Java, and is situated near important landmarks like the Presidential Bogor Palace and the famous Bogor Botanical Garden, one of the oldest and largest botanical gardens in the world.

The design concept for this project by Einstein & Associates is born out of a study Bogor city. What some people may not know is that Bogor is only 60 kilometres away from Indonesia’s bustling capital, Jakarta, and therefore a convenient weekend getaway for locals and tourists alike.

Historically, Bogor or ‘Buitenzorg’ as people would call it during the Dutch colonial era, served as the summer residence of the Governor General of East Indies. ‘Buitenzorg’ means ‘without a care’ in Dutch, a description that reflects the beauty of the city, which still offers many tranquil spots for relaxation despite the rapid pace of modern development.

The 1,300-metre-square, two-storey restaurant sits at the centre of a tropical garden, and has been designed to promote a seamless flow between the indoors and outdoors. The restaurant is divided into four dining zones: a main indoor dining area on the ground floor, an alfresco area, a second level dining area, and the rooftop.

Guests enter Lemongrass via a narrow passageway lined with lush tropical plants from where they can also hear the soothing, trickling sound of water coming from the restaurant’s reflection pool.

Arriving at the restaurant’s foyer, one’s view stretches from the main dining area out onto the alfresco area. Natural materials like wood, stone and terracotta tiles dominate the space, while accent features such as peacock mosaic flooring, vibrant, locally-made furniture, and large birdcage chandeliers enliven the scene.

The ‘back to nature’ influence is reinforced on the second level with the absence of a boundary between the indoors and out, and feature walls made of natural stone and coloured recycled wood, with the latter extending to the ceiling.

The rooftop dining area displays a more casual layout and seating arrangement, with a long communal bar table and colourful lounge chairs from where guests can relax and enjoy the magnificent sunset and views of the tropical garden below.