Surabaya Gourmet: 1903 Society Complex

Molten Chocolate Cake

It has been quiet on the blog for a while. This is not because we are tired to review restaurants or because we spend our time watching the World Cup or because we are broke (well, almost :D ). It is because I went back to Europe for the holidays. But there is nothing to worry about – before I left Surabaya, Carlo and I tried a lot of restaurants and we will publish the reviews in the next few weeks. I will be back in Surabaya in October :) .

The restaurant we tried on my last evening was 1903 at Society Complex. You have probably already heard of it – Society Complex is a new location in Jalan Sumatera and also home to Historica Coffee & Pastry (see our review here) and a bar which hadn’t opened yet when we were there. 1903 is a fine dining kind of restaurant so make sure to bring your good dress or shirt and some more money (see prices on the menu list below) :-) . 1903’s interior is dominated by the colours white and black and it is slightly vintage. The atmosphere is a bit “cold”, maybe they could put some pictures on the wall to create a warmer and more comfortable atmosphere? The room was also cold in a literal sense, it was über-airconditioned (so Ladies, bring your vests or better yet, order an alcoholic cocktail :D ). Our table was too big for only us two and we haven’t really seen smaller tables. So if you go to 1903 on your first date, it is fine because you will sit not too near to each other. But if are on your fifth date and your relationship is already close, the big tables will not really create a very romantic atmosphere. The place would be great for a vintage themed party with Venetian masks or Great Gatsby attire.

1903’s portions are rather small so you can really eat an appetizer, main dish and dessert (if your budget allows it). We didn’t know so we only ordered two main dishes and one dessert: Crispy salmon steak and Baby pork ribs, and for dessert we had Molten chocolate cake. Salmon is my favourite fish and I could eat it every day! The salmon was fresh and crispy and it tasted super delicious, especially after my salmon trauma at Boncafé a few days earlier (there will not be a review about it, the salmon was very bad, not fresh at all). It was accompanied by a sauce and lentils. Carlo had the baby pork ribs with 1903 sauce and mashed potatoes (for the latter you have to pay extra). The meat was of good quality and the combination with the sauce and mashed potatoes made this dish very delicious. There is not much to say about the chocolate cake except that tasted like heaven and clearly satisfied my very sweet tooth!

Service was great as well. The waiters were very attentive and they even remembered the name under which I made the reservation (too bad though that I didn’t use my real name :D ).