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 Each week we bring you insights into one of Asia's most dynamic economies. If you haven't yet, please sign up here. This week, Jakarta Bureau Chief Ben Otto takes us behind the scenes at his interview with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Megawati Wijaya looks at the turmoil engulfing private credit, and Nurin Sofia breaks fast at Cumi Bali. Hilltop HavenIt's the season of special gatherings and mass migration in Indonesia. My colleagues and I found ourselves on the road too – heading to the hilltop retreat that President Prabowo Subianto calls home in Hambalang. Prabowo's estate is perched almost 700 meters above sea level, some 50 kilometers south of the presidential palace in Jakarta. At the top sits a sprawling compound, anchored by a high-ceilinged great hall of reddish timber and tall windows — more lodge than mansion — which the president says he designed in six hours with an architect more than two decades ago. With Mount Salak rising in the distance and Portuguese horses in nearby stables, he slips easily into a different register. Prabowo, 74, gestures toward the surrounding forest, home to a family of monkeys that sometimes wanders through, and talks about the morning swims that help him think. "I came up, I saw the green," he said of his own first visit. It's "one of my favorite places." Eighteen months into leading an archipelago nation of more than 280 million people, Prabowo says he's on the right path. Critics warning about fiscal discipline and governance issues, he says flatly, are wrong. "They will see in the end."  Prabowo during an interview at his residence in Hambalang, West Java, on March 14. Photographer: Dimas Ardian/Bloomberg What matters, in his telling, is staying the course. "Glitches" will be resolved in his signature drive to feed more than 80 million people daily. If his new sovereign wealth fund is still fending off snap comparisons to Malaysia's defunct 1MDB, "at least we have something" now. His push to rein in entrenched elites is working, he believes; "one or two" are a bit defiant, but on the whole "I think they are getting on board." From this quiet perch, Prabowo's confidence can feel almost insulated from the noise below. He calls criticism of a nephew recently placed at Indonesia's central bank unwarranted, pointing to his academic record and describing the former finance ministry official as one of the country's best technocrats. "People know that I believe in merit," he adds. Foreign investors unsettled by asset seizures and fines under his administration shouldn't worry, he suggests. Those who follow the rules shouldn't be undercut by illegal operators who are "protected by nefarious power groups," the former military official says. "They will lose." We chatted for 90 minutes about the Iran war, lessons from his parents, and his admiration for China's Deng Xiaoping. He tapped the table in a steady drum as he made points, laughing at times and, at others, furrowing his brow, musing that people misunderstand his persona. "People, like me, we are controversial; we have a lot of enemies," he says. "But it's part of politics. It's OK." —Ben Otto Weekend Catch-UpA selection of the best of Bloomberg storytelling, from podcasts and video to explainers and feature stories. Read
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 LISTEN: K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg's Faseeh Mangi about the impact of soaring fuel prices in Pakistan, and Clara Ferreira Marques about how the least economically resilient countries are feeling the most pain. NEW: Explore live streaming news and interviews, documentaries, reporter analysis and more, all in one place. Check out Bloomberg.com/videos. Private ReckoningIt's a jittery time in private credit. There's a war raging on, markets are topsy-turvy and angst is building. It wasn't so long ago that there was a rush to get into the $1.8 trillion industry and rich retail investors were clamoring for a piece of the action. Now they're spooked. For many Asian investors, the first instinct when negative news breaks is to look for an exit, a private banker told me. The flight to safety mentality is perhaps understandable. For some, the latest jitters feel like déjà vu. Many were burned by the wipeout of the Additional Tier 1 notes during Credit Suisse's 2023 rescue and the collapse of Lehman Brothers mini-bonds in 2008. Then there's the downturn in China's property and tech sectors.  Global asset managers are pitching Asia-focused private credit funds as alternatives to hedge against the turmoil. While Asia may be more insulated, the stream of negative headlines surrounding the asset class means investors in the region are not likely to be eagerly subscribing to new private-credit funds. The Review: Cumi BaliFrom the best spots for a business lunch to drinks with the boss, we sample the city's eateries, bars and new experiences. Cumi Bali has held its ground since 1986 with a Michelin Bib Gourmand to prove it. The halal-certified Indonesian restaurant is located in a conserved shophouse in Tanjong Pagar. It's a great location if you have overseas visitors wanting to take Instagram pictures of quaint local architecture or take a stroll to Chinatown or Maxwell Food Centre. The vibe. Bamboo chairs and wall panels, Balinese paintings and fairy lights give the space a warm feel that sits somewhere between holiday escape and neighborhood restaurant. The dates on the table were a thoughtful touch for the few of us who were breaking fast during Ramadan.  BBQ squid at Cumi Bali. Source: Cumi Bali Can you conduct a meeting here? Conversation flowed easily among the 14 of us seated across a long stretch of tables. It's not the ideal place though to be discussing the finer points of a deal. What about a romantic dinner? Better suited as a double date. The menu rewards ordering widely and two couples give you enough dishes to graze properly. What we'd order again. Cumi, meaning squid in Bahasa and the dish the restaurant is named after, was a group favorite. We ordered seconds of the BBQ cumi, marinated in a savory and slightly sweet paste. If you prefer heat, try the sambal cumi. Another stand-out from the grill was ayam panggang, a smoky, caramelized chicken. For something richer, the beef rendang comes tender and slow-cooked in a saucy gravy. Oxtail soup, a gently spiced broth, works well alongside. Pair any of the dishes with plain white rice or turmeric rice.  Oxtail soup at Cumi Bali. Source: Cumi Bali Need to know. Cumi Bali at 50 Tras Street is open every day. Lunch service runs from 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. and dinner from 6 p.m. to 9:30p.m. Expect to spend about S$30-S$40 per person. Reservations recommended. Roadside parking is available but those lots go fast.—Nurin Sofia Have a place you'd like us to review or feedback to share? Get in touch at [email protected]. Thanks for reading our newsletter! Subscribe here if you haven't already. More from Bloomberg
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