Seroeni | Einstein & Associates

Seroeni is a casual Peranakan Chinese cuisine restaurant, derived from the other word for chrysanthemum, which is renowned as one of the Four Gentlemen in Chinese – East Asian art and the Japanese Emperor official seal. Seroeni aims to introduce Peranakan Chinese food, also knowns as “Nyonya” cuisine which was invented by the descendants of Chinese immigrants who came to the Malay archipelago and British Malaya (now Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore) between the 15th and 17th centuries.. Inspired by the food, the design concept is formed.

The design concept for this restaurant is influenced by Chinese culture and architecture elements. The designer was inspired by a typical Peranakan mansion to give a taste and history of Peranakan chinese, with both the design and the food. A typical layout of a Peranakan mansion consists of a courtyard right at the front, entering the inside of the mansion, there’s an inner courtyard right in the middle, surrounded by rooms, all facing the inner courtyard. While reviewing the location of Seroeni, the layout of the site is not like any typical restaurant. The site has a unique shape and there’s also an enormous column right in the middle of the room. This condition did not block the design process at all, contrary to what others said, the giant column becomes part of the focal point of the restaurant. The designer fully understand the weakness of the site location and turns it into a strength. The curved edges in the layout gives a more inviting and welcoming feeling, unconsciously enticing the people entering the area.

The Restaurant is divided into five main spaces: garden dining, main dining, side dining back dining area and bar. The layout is a reinterpretation of a Peranakan mansion. The reception area and garden dining serves as the courtyard, the main dining serves as the inner courtyard and all of the other areas are all arranged surrounding the main dining, just like the rooms surrounding the inner courtyard in a Peranakan mansion. The front part of Seroeni is dominated by dark color and chinese patterned pivot windows. From the front, while contrasting with the façade’s dark color, the passerby can see the bright colored mural at the back of the restaurant. This is not a coincidence, the layout is designed specifically to make use of the unique shape resulting in a charming space with mysterious aura, to awaken the curiosity of the people passing by to enter the restaurant and experience a journey that is Seroeni.

First step entering the restaurant, customers will have to walk through the receptionist table which is made by steel plate combine with brass. At this point, the customers cannot see the inside, as there is a solid exposed concrete and wood plank wall behind the reception area. Only when the customers are entering the garden dining area, the mystery begins to unfold. One by one, the design reveals itself, beginning from the garden dining area, which is designed to be more like a casual dining space with the sofa and the stool. This area is filled with garden plants and has cobalt stone as a floor pattern, mimicking a Chinese garden. The wall at this area is combination of exposed concrete and wood plank. This area has the custom Chrysanthemum petal table as a signature of Seroeni restaurant, welcoming at the very first step entering the dining area.

Right after the garden dining area, at the right side, surrounding the main dining, there is the communal table and the bar separating the garden dining area with the main dining area. The communal table is integrated with the bar which is of course a custom made design made of a combination of concrete top table with brass edge detail. The bar is designed a bit more posh with gold expanded metal cabinets as a background and the black granite as a bar top table. The sleek modern bar design is a combination between rustic wood planks with brass.

The main dining space which has the role as the inner courtyard of the whole Peranakan mansion concept, is the center point of the restaurant. All the areas inside are facing the main dining area. The design itself is dramatically made different from the areas surrounding it. The giant column becomes a part of main dining area, covered with Chinese patterned screens to blend in with the whole space. To further accentuate the main dining area as an inner courtyard, the ceiling is designed differently, a semi open exposed wooden structure and for the floor, this area uses blue Peranakan mosaic tiles. There’s also the crystal birdcages chandelier as an accent.

The long linear side dining area is located at the side of the main dining area, facing the main dining area too, consistent with the concept of Peranakan mansion. In this area, there is a long sofa This long linear area, setting with the long sofa booth which has background ekspose concrete wall with the peranakan screen as an accent. This area have a special lighting feature with the gold cage lamps. The long L shape side dining end with round brass sofa booth at the center. The Floor of this area use the herringbone black granite honed.

The back dining area as the backyard has a rich colorful mural painting which is the signature of this restaurant. This colorful mural is a handmade painting exclusively made only for this restaurant. This dining area have three custom made wood and brass Chrysanthemum petal table as a signature piece of furniture of Seroeni restaurant. The twelve pieces of red chair. This area is dominated with wooden ceiling and herringbone patterned wooden floor.