by Samantha Husted

Charlotte’s restaurant scene, much like the city itself, is a melting pot. In this series, we interview local chefs born outside the United States to get the scoop on the authentic dishes they love, the spots where they like to eat that remind them of their heritage, and the unique ingredients they use. 

Chef Robin Anthony is hungry for perfection. As the executive chef and owner of Prime Fish, he’s best known for introducing omakase — a chef-curated, coursed dining experience — to Ballantyne. His most recent venture, Nusa, is a fast-casual restaurant serving authentic Indonesian cuisine — a nod to his cultural heritage and a first for the area.

Although chef Anthony hails from Indonesia, he’s focused much of his career on crafting high-end sushi. In fact, the first time he tried sushi was here in the United States, and he was immediately hooked. He spent his first five years in the States traveling to upscale Japanese joints and Michelin-star restaurants, eating and educating himself along the way.

“I’m a specialist in Japanese cuisine, especially Edomae-style sushi, with some French and Southern influence,” Anthony says. “I can also create very specific Indonesian cuisine, particularly Balinese cuisine.”

With Nusa, he’s returned to what he knows best: authentic Indonesian cuisine. He’s now serving the kind of food he grew up eating, like Bali duck betutu (Bali-style roasted duck breast) and rendang daging (coconut braised beef short rib). He talked to us about the ins and outs of Indonesian cuisine, the struggles he’s faced serving it to a Southern palate (spoiler alert: it can be really spicy), his love for sushi, and what he personally orders at his restaurants. 

Unpretentious Palate: What’s your cultural background?
Robin Anthony: I’m Indonesian, grew up eating seafood, and played a lot on Bali Island. I came to the U.S. 12 years ago and started learning how to prepare sushi and French cuisine. 

UP: How would you describe Indonesian cuisine to people who are unfamiliar? 
RA: Indonesian cuisine, in terms of geography and flavor, is a cross between Southeast Asian and Indian food, with lemongrass, coconut, and curry flavors. Indonesia is one of the largest spice producers in the world, and its cuisine is fragrant, rich, and flavorful.

UP: What are some dishes from your culture that hold significance to you? 
RA: My favorite Indonesian dish is Bali duck betutu [Balinese roast duck]. We have it at Nusa, and it’s awesome. It’s cooked for hours with original spices from Indonesia, making the duck meat tender and flavorful with perfectly crispy skin.

UP: Are there any cooking methods or unique ingredients from Indonesia that you enjoy working with?
RA: Most of our famous dishes need to be cooked for a long time with a lot of spices, resulting in tender, fragrant, rich, and flavorful dishes. Other cuisines are very simple. Indonesian dishes always come with sambal [Indonesian chili sauce or paste] that is spicy or non-spicy sauce that’s always a perfect condiment with our food. A unique spice we use is candlenut [a type of nut that is native to Southeast Asia. It’s a relative to the macadamia nut].

UP: What challenges have you faced when introducing your culture’s cuisine to Charlotte? 
RA: For sushi, we have no problem at all. Now, with Nusa, which is Indonesian cuisine that is famously spicy and flavorful, everything we make at Nusa comes with a spicy adjustment on the side, and we adjust the amount of spiciness so that everyone can enjoy it.

UP: Where is your favorite place to eat in Charlotte to experience authentic cuisine from your culture?
RA: For Japanese comfort food, I think Musashi does a good job. And for chef tasting, I recommend L’Ostrica.

UP: What are your favorite things to eat at Prime Fish and Nusa?
RA: At Prime Fish I get cold sake and Bluefin Tuna Tataki along with Salmon Belly Truffle nigiri and sashimi. At Nusa, Martabak Wagyu Dumpling and Bali Duck Breast with hot sake.

UP: What would you like to see more of in regard to your culture and the culinary world? 
RA: Indonesia has a lot of culture, especially the famous Bali island. I am proud to see more successful Indonesians in Charlotte and hope they will continue to thrive and be good representatives here. Nusa does a great job of bringing Indonesian cuisine, particularly Bali island cuisine, to Charlotte. We are proud of what Nusa has brought to Charlotte—new flavors and cuisine. Right now we are on the right track. 

UP: What does the future hold for you as a chef? Do you have any new projects or menu updates that you would like to share with us? 
RA: Once you’re a chef, you always love being a chef. Right now, we’re focusing on Nusa and Prime Fish Cellar. We’re pushing the quality of food at Nusa and expanding the food products at Prime Fish Cellar. I can’t discuss our next project much because it’s not really real yet — only an idea for now— but coming back to my culture and specialty, it’s all about seafood.