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JJ Royal Bistro (Senayan City Mall)

January 7, 2014, 7:35 pm
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JJ Royal Bistro is located in Senayan City Mall, not to confuse with JJ Royal Brasserie, located in Lotte Shopping Avenue. JJ Royal Bistro is a Restaurant, Bar and Bakery located in Senayan City Mall. This chain belongs to Foodie Habit Group, the same group that owns JJ Royal Coffee and the sugar Gulaku.


When you first get in JJ Royal Bistro, you are amazed by the decor. It is so colourful and exentric ! They have colourful portraits hanging on the walls (and on the ceiling!) and they have Elizabeth chairs by famous designer Philippe Starck. So a lot of money spent on the decoration of the place, which is very attractive when you don't know the place. Plus anywhere you are in the Restaurant, the colourful Geisha is looking at you...


The food there is elaborated and the presentation is always close to perfection ( Latte art for your Capuccino, plate decoration with spices, sugar, elaborated platters, nice straws...). The prices are in the same range as other fancy places you will find in the mall, count around 35K for a Coffee Latte. The pastries are totally worth it, and the Cronut is also a good option to taste. The food/beverage Menu is so thick ! You can spend a lot of time reading it like a newspaper... There is a balanced mix of Western and Asian food along with French pastries and desserts.


Overall, I would recommand a quick detour to this place, this is a perfect place to show-off in a totally baroque atmosphere.To me it is really like a fancy coffee place.


JJ Royal Bistro
Senayan City Mall
LG floor
Jalan Asia Afrika Lot 19
Jakarta, Indonesia, 10270


Facebook: www.facebook.com/JJRoyalBistro
(021) 29329262
Open Everyday: 10:00 am - 2:00 am
Reservation@jjroyal-bistro.com
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Huize van Wely (The Papilion building, Kemang)

January 9, 2014, 1:46 am
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Huize van Wely is a Dutch Restaurant, Patissier and Chocolatier located in Kemang. This upscale restaurant is located in the Papilion building, the famous glass building on Kemang Raya. This type of architecture is quite uncommon in Jakarta, that is why I wanted to try this restaurant. On the top floor of this building you will find Shy Rooftop & restaurant (you can check my review here).

Outstanding glass building, fancy Dutch restaurant, European-style cuisine...this place is very fancy ! This is not a regular place to hang out with your buddies...It would more suitable to make a proposal or to have a serious conversation.

In this very chic decor, I tried to order some food and I was not disappointed. First they give you a small piece of French bread along with salted butter, which is a very sweet attention. Then I did not wait too long to taste my spicy quesadillas and that was very good. But the best part in my opinion in the dessert and chocolate area.

Huize van Wely has very sophisticated pastries and chocolate. I tried both and it was totally worth it. I keep in mind the wide variety of bouchées "chocolates pralines": nougat, coffee blanc, dark, milk...
They have maybe around 25 different tastes. Again it is very expensive since 1 bouchées is approximately 15 000 Rp (price by weight).

At the time to pay the bill, don't forget to add Tax (10%) and Service (10%), like any other fancy places in the city.

Overall I would recommend it to celebrate a very special occasion or to have a real thrill with the chocolates pralines.


Huize van Wely
46 A, Kemang Raya,  
Jakarta, Indonesia
Phone: +62 21 719 1975
Mobile +62 811 950 3345

reservations@thepapilion.co.id   
Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday 10am to 10pm  
Friday to Sunday 10am to 11pm






























































































































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Bacco (Lotte Shopping Avenue, Kuningan)

January 10, 2014, 7:02 pm
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Bacco is Wine Lounge and also a Restaurant located in Lotte Shopping Avenue Mall in Kuningan. It's the same type of wine venue as Cork & Screw or Vin +. I wanted to try this place for a long time because I didn't find a Wine lounge in Jakarta where the restaurant is worth it. Well Bacco is worth it in my book !

The decoration is full of wood, which makes it a warm atmosphere. The big leather couches at the entrance are also very comfortable and makes it a cozy place. When you get into the restaurant, from the mall, you can see the bottles of wine nicely display which makes it part of the decor. The prices of the bottles of wine, like any other Wine Lounge in Jakarta, are very expensive. Wine is a very luxury product here and you cannot find it for cheap !

I recommend the food here, it is subtle, tasty, and nicely put together. I had a sirloin and it was really good. The Lemon cheescake is also totally worth it. 

Bacco is also a nice place for pre-clubbing drink since they are making elaborated (and expensive) cocktails. Other option: you can have a nice glass of Wine on the terrace.

Overall I strongly recommend the food, a mix of Italian food and Gril. Though smaller, this Wine Lounge is better than any other in the city.

 

Bacco (Lotte Shopping Avenue, Kuningan) 
Lotte Shopping Avenue, LG Floor 38, Ciputra World 1, Jalan Prof. Dr Satrio Kav 3-5
Jakarta, Indonesia 12940

Open everyday : 10:00 am - 2:00 am
www.facebook.com/baccojakarta
Phone(021) 29888909








 www.baccojakarta.com
marketing@baccojakarta.com



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Odysseia (Galeries Lafayette @ Pacific Place Mall)

January 14, 2014, 8:01 am
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Odysseia is located right across Paul Bakery and Patisserie on the terrace of Pacific Place Mall. I went there on a Saturday night and the place was packed. I had to wait 20 minutes to be seated (without reservation though). This place is owned by All In, the group behind Fable Club.

It is a bar and restaurant but i would more define it as a cozy-chic hang-out place. You definitely want go there to be seen ! Most of the people her have a drink and enjoy the terrace. I would recommend the couches there since they are very comfortable and chill. The whole place is decorated with nature elements such as trees, wood or plants.

I tried the food there and it was average for this kind of venue. I was a little disappointed but the service was nice though.

Overall: I would say that it is a cozy place to have a drink before you go clubbing or to a dancing place. You can also go there to admire the trees in the bar or the nice coupole above the bar counter !

 

Odysseia
Galeries Lafayette @ Pacific Place Mall
Lantai Lobby

Jl. Jendral Sudirman Kav. 52-53

Jakarta Selatan 12190
 
Phone: 021 51400028
 
More Information here:
www.facebook.com/Odysseia.id
https://twitter.com/ODYSSEIAjourney
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Giyanti Coffee Roastery (Menteng)

January 16, 2014, 6:11 am
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Giyanti Coffee Roastery is located on Jalan Surabaya, in Menteng. This place is so cozy ! It is not only a regular coffee place it is a real Roastery. What does it mean ? Well, basically when you get in, you will find 2 big coffee roasters. Fresh coffee is sourced in many islands of Indonesia (Toraja, Aceh Gayo, Flores, Java, Padang among others) and is roasted every week in the coffee place. That is why the place is closed on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays.

The place is quite small actually but that what makes it unique and very comfortable. The owner of the place is always here and he will advice you on what kind of coffee you should have, depending on your tastes and on your mood ! I tried the Gluten-free pastries and that was good, even though I cannot really tell if it was actually gluten-free or not... Price are standard here even though it will be slightly cheaper than a coffee in a Starbucks in a mall.

Other particularity of this place: there is a table soccer (or "Baby-foot" for French speaking people). I have to admit I have been looking for a table soccer for a long time...

Overall I recommend the place for a very cozy afternoon to chill out on the couches, enjoying great Indonesian Fresh-roasted coffee. Too bad the place is not open every day.

 

Giyanti Coffe Roastery (Menteng)
Jalan Surabaya No 20
Jakarta, Indonesia 10310

Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM

Phone: (021) 31923698
contact@giyanticoffeeroastery.com
http://giyanticoffeeroastery.com/
Facebook
Twitter
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Hard Rock Café (Pacific Place Mall)

January 16, 2014, 7:02 am
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Hard Rock Café used to be in Ex, near Plaza Indonesia but they moved to Pacific Place Mall in December 2013. Very nice Rock decor, truly American. I am not a huge fan of this worldwide franchiseI hace to admit but in Jakarta it has a particular taste. The music and the cocktails are good, the food is very pricey: 180K for a CheeseBurger. I tasted it and it was very average and there was no pickles...

I went there a couple of times and it was very busy, especially during lunch time. With Paul Bakery and Patisserie, Odysseia and now Hard Rock Café, Pacific Place Mall have some nice outdoors Restaurants and Bars.

Besides from that, the place is much better than the one in Ex. The stage is pretty big and the bar is massive. I liked the tattooed waiters that gave a Rock n Roll touch to the place.

Fun fact: You can enter Hard Rock Café from inside the mall and the entrance is located...in the Toilets of the Mall! I have never seen that, and I am sure it is pretty unique...

Overall: Go there to enjoy nice live band shows every night with a fresh draft beer.

 

Hard Rock Café (Pacific Place Mall)
Ground Floor #G-05, SCBD LOT 3-5, 
Jl Jend Sudirman Kav, 54-55, 
Kawasan SCBD, Jakarta, 
Kota Jakarta Selatan, 
DKI Jakarta 10350, Indonésie

Open everyday:
Sun - Thurs 11:00AM - 1:00AM
Fri - Sat 11:00AM - 2:00AM

Phone: 021 31990164
Facebook 
Twitter
customer.care@hardrockcafe-jakarta.com
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Beer Garden Menteng

January 22, 2014, 8:06 am
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After Beer Garden Kemang and Beer Garden SCBD, Beer Garden Menteng is now open, right in front of the Oria Hotel, not too far from Ocha & Bella . Same concept, same furniture, even the same Rooftop Bar like in SCBD. Those places really look alike.

The place opened in October 2013 but has already a good basis of customers who already went to the other Beer Gardens. Since the place is all open, you would definitely get hot and sweaty, thus drink more beer to refresh yourself ! You get the concept ?

Live bands, affordable prices and good choice of imported beers.

 

Beer Garden Menteng
Jl. KH Wahid Hasyim, No. 108,
Menteng, Jakarta
Phone 021-31926588

Open: 17.00-02.00


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Elysee French Restaurant Kemang

November 30, 2013, 8:31 pm
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Located in Kemang, Elysee is an affordable French restaurant replacing Ginger Li. The Chef is an experienced French man and the decor is that of a classic French bistro. Lunch menu available.

Elysee Kemang
Gedung Kemang 37, 1st Floor, Jl. Kemang Raya No. 37, Kemang, Jakarta

Opening Hours: Opened Everyday from 10am to 10pm.

Phone number: +62-21 7179 1220

Facebook: Elysee Kemang
Twitter: Twitter.com/ElyseeKemang

Price Info: IDR 100.000 - IDR 200.000
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The Hermitage Hotel Menteng

March 18, 2014, 4:57 am
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The Hermitage Hotel Menteng is a new 5-star boutique property (90 rooms) scheduled to open on May 1st, 2014 in Jakarta. The hotel is located in a Dutch colonial building from 1923, the "Telefoongebow", which was initially a telecommunication center. It later served as the main office for the National Education Ministry. It is in one of the most exclusive neighbourhoods in Jakarta and it is walking distance from Jalan Surabaya and its antique open-air market.

I am really interested about the Hermitage Hotel as I believe it is part of a burgeoning trend to restore and promote historical buildings in the city. The hotel should attract beyond the regular business crowd and give a great new options for a more upmarket, tourist clientele.

The hotel is owned by the Wijaya Wisesa Group (also the owner of Plaza Senayan) and it will be operated by GLA, a small management company headed by Grace Leo, and based in France. It is also part of  the Leading Hotels of the World.

It is also planned that a French restaurant will open in The Hermitage, L'Avenue.

Complete Hotel Review soon.

The Hermitage Menteng
Jl. Cilacap No.1 
Menteng, Jakarta,10310

Tel: +62-21 319 268 88
Fax +62-21 319269 99
Email: info@hermitage.co.id

Facebook: Hermitage Hotel
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H5 (Howdy Hello Hola Hey Ho!) Level 5 Grand Indonesia

March 19, 2014, 4:31 am
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H5 (Howdy Hello Hola Hey Ho!) is a restaurant with a complicated name. I had to ask the waiter where I was because as I wanted to write my review, I could not find the name of the place

The name could be a reference to Happy 5, which is the nickname for a party drug in Malaysia (Nimetazepam). Since H5 is owned by the OPCO group, behind the nightclubs Domain and Embassy, it would not be impossible. OPCO is also the owner of some popular restaurants like Yellow Fin or Portico.

Anyway, H5 looks like a trendy/vintage bar & restaurant, similar in style with Lucy in the Sky without the fresh air. The service friendly but very casual and easy going. The music was a mix of soft rock and electro-pop from the 2000s which was very good (though I'm afraid they have only a few CDs playing over and over).

The food of H5 is a mix of popular Southeast Asian street dishes. I had 1 Vietnamese beef sandwich (60,000rp with tax), which was good enough for me to take a second one after finishing the first. I had a Lemon Squash as well for 40,000rp with tax.

Overall, very satisfied with my lunch there. H5 was much less crowded than the Ismaya Catering Co just in front but it would deserve to be more popular.

Opening hours:
Open every day from 11am to midnight

Howdy Hello Hola Hey Ho (H5)
Grand Indonesia Mall, Level 5, West Mall
Jl. MH Thamrin, Thamrin, Jakarta
Phone number: +62-21 2358 0045

Facebook: H5 Level 5
Twitter (not active): @HeyHoJKT
Opco website: Opco Indonesia
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Balboni Italian Restaurant Jakarta

March 21, 2014, 12:57 am
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Balboni is an upmarket Italian restaurant located in Kota Kasablanka Mall. It is the property of Mr. Lal De Silva,  an Australian national also the owner of the popular Harvest bakery shops, and Negev and Chateau Blanc restaurants.

The concept of Balboni changed recently with the arrival of a new Italian General Manager, Andrea Gianini (who used to work in La Luce). Once a fusion Italian-Asian restaurant, Balboni is now a traditional Italian restaurant and it seems this new concept is more successful.

My first impression of Balboni was very good. The place was crowded and the service impeccable. Andrea, the GM, was on the floor, instructing his team to make sure each table was well taken care of. The staff was really attentive, even too much. There was not 3 minutes without someone coming to my table to ask if everything was ok.

The music playing was quite good and upbeat. It makes the place a rather nice spot for a pre-party evening. I saw they have regular DJ events on weekends too.

In the open kitchen, I could see there was a western Chef as well, Ivan Tarrago, a Spanish man who is the corporate Chef for all the venues of the group.

The prices are reasonable: I had the Bruschetta for 59,000 rp and a Pizza Margherita for 70,000 rp. It was not incredible, but considering the quality of the service and the atmosphere of the restaurant, I felt it was good value for money. I would not come from far away to visit Balboni, but if you leave near from Kota Kasablanka, it is worth a try.


Balboni Italian Restaurant Jakarta
Kota Kasablanka Mall, Tower A
Jalan Casablanca Raya Kav. 88
South Jakarta

Opening hours:
Every day from 11am to midnight (later on weekends)

Phone number: +62-21 2956 8712
Email: marketing@balboniresto.com

Website: Balboni Restaurant Jakarta
Twitter: Balboni Jakarta
Twitter of the Executive Chef: Ivan Tarrago
Facebook: Balboni Kota Kasablanka

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La Luce Italian Restaurant

March 21, 2014, 1:53 am
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La Luce is one of the most upmarket Italian restaurants in Jakarta. It was also voted the best Italian restaurant in Jakarta for 2014 by Now Magazine. It is located in the SCBD area, not too far from Pacific Place. It is currently headed by Chef Alessandro de Boni, formerly working in Il Mare Italian Restaurant in Mulia Hotel.

I tried La Luce about a year ago but it is only now that I'm writing the review. I was reminded about my visit there when I met yesterday with its previous manager, Gianni, who now works in Balboni.

La Luce does not have a very complicated design. It is rather simple, with an emphasis on the service and the food. Be warned: It is very expensive for Italian food, probably about the same than in Gaia (Altitude).

The restaurant will appeal to those looking for a fine dining experience, with all the formality and the extra attention. Personally, I don't need to have someone coming to my table to fill again my glass every time I have a sip of wine.

The food in itself was excellent, but clearly too expensive. I remember paying around 350,000 rp for a glass of wine and a plate of pasta.

Overall, I would not come back to La Luce because it is a tad over my budget and I feel I can get similar food for much cheaper in other Italian restaurants in Jakarta (click to see my ranking and recommendations). BUT, if you can afford it or if you are looking for a restaurant a bit over the top for a date or business dinner, then La Luce is for you.

 
La Luce Italian Restaurant Jakarta
18Parc Tower C - GF

SCBD Lot.18

Jl. Jenderal Sudirman Kav. 52-53, South Jakarta

Opening Hours:
Everyday from 11am to 11pm

Phone number: +62-21 5153 860

Fax: +62-21 5153 861

Email: marketing@lalucejakarta.com

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Yo' Panino Sandwich Jakarta

March 21, 2014, 4:57 am
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Yo' Panino is a local, independant fast food restaurant with a large range of sandwiches and paninis. It is located in Kota Kasablanka and in Plaza Indonesia.

The design and the marketing of the place puts it in the same category as Mc Donalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, etc...  I didn't expect incredible food but I thought Yo' Panino was a good alternative to the above mentioned restaurants as it offers the same concept, the same prices, but a much more original choice of sandwiches.

I tried the Grill Chicken Pesto Sandwich combo meal for 68,000rp net with french fries and a drink. It tasted fine enough and if I was a big fan of junk food I would certainly return to Yo' Panino.
Opening Hours:
Yo' Panino is opened every day from 10am to 10pm (until 12pm on Friday and Saturday)

Yo'Panino
Plaza Indonesia
Level 4 - Unit E0231, E023T
Phone number: +62-21 2992 4020 (Delivery Accepted)

Yo'Panino
Kota Kasablanka
Ground Level - Unit FSG - 09
Phone number +62-21 2948 8757 (Delivery Accepted)

Facebook: Yo'Panino Jakarta Singapore
Twitter: Yo'Panino Sandwich Restaurant Jakarta
Website: http://www.yopanino.com
Email: yolo@yopanino.com
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Hummingbird Eatery (Jakarta - Bandung)

March 21, 2014, 6:47 am
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Hummingbird Eatery is a restaurant located in Kuningan City Mall. My impression was that it was the busiest place in the mall, which does not seem to offer many original options for eating (actually, Sari Laut Jala Jala was much more busy and even had a waiting list...).

The menu is quite long and interesting (it is available in full on their website Hummingbird Eatery), with mostly unhealthy food though. I tried the Chicken Rosemary and the Dory Fish, both under 100k each. The Dory Fish was supposed to be "lightly pan-fried" but it was deep fried and so full of butter it was hard to finish. The sauce for the Chicken Rosemary was good, but again, very greasy. The accompanying potatoes did not taste good.

There seemed to be better options for breakfast, but unfortunately I could not try them.

Overall: If you are in Kuningan City and you are looking for a rather busy place for a Western lunch, Hummingbird is your restaurant. If you are looking for a gourmet meal, this is not the place for you.

There are two Hummingbird so far in Indonesia, the first one was actually in Bandung.


Opening Hours:
Every day from 7am to 11pm (midnight on weekends)

Hummingbird Eatery Jakarta
Kuningan City Mall
Lantai UG No55
Jalan Prof Dr. Satrio Kav 18, Jakarta
Phone number: +62-21 3005 6370

Hummingbird Eatery Bandung
Jalan Progo 14 (near Jalan Banda), Bandung
Phone number: +62-22 421 2582 (Bandung)

Facebook: Humming Bird Jakarta
Website: Hummingbird Eatery
Email: hummingbird_mkt@yahoo.com / hummingbird_mrkt_kc@yahoo.com
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Oh La La Maison

March 22, 2014, 6:27 am
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Oh La La Maison is an upmarket version of the Oh La La cafés. It is located in Mega Kuningan in the ground floor of Bellagio Mall. It serves mostly French food, French bakery and French pastries with some other popular Asian and Western dishes.

The design of the place is not extraordinary but it is neat. It features a wooden parquet, decorative tiles and various pictures or paintings of France on the walls.

I tried the Honey Dijon Chicken Baguette (72,000k++): The whole sandwich was good enough but the bread was very soft and unfortunately not tasting like a real French baguette.

I also had a Chocolate Croissant (20,000++), which was really big and again, far from tasting like an authentic Chocolate Croissant in France.

In spite of the disappointing food, I still enjoyed Oh La La Maison. The waiters were very attentive and friendly, and the general atmosphere pleasant with good lounge music and a busy crowd.

Overall: I would recommend the restaurant if you are not French and not looking for the exact taste you have back home. If you are French, you'll better visit for a drink only.
Opening Hours:
Every day from 7.30am to 2am

Oh La La Maison
Bellagio Mall
Mega Kuningan
South Jakarta

Website: Oh La La Indonesia
Facebook: Oh La La Cafe Indonesia
Twitter: Oh La La Café and Oh La La Maison
Phone number: +62-21 30029725
Email: marketing@ohlala-indonesia.com

This new concept of Oh La La Cafés, according to their own facebook, is also available in Plaza Indonesia, Kota Kasablanca and Gading Walk, Kelapa Gading

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Waroeng Ngupi Ngupi (Bellagio)

March 23, 2014, 4:51 am
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Waroeng Ngupi Ngupi is a café and restaurant, serving popular Indonesian dishes. It is located in Bellagio Boutique Mall, in Mega Kuningan area. I visited the place in late afternoon and it was the busiest in the mall, with a crowd 100% Indonesian.

The place has a retro theme, with black and white pictures of Indonesia on the wall and oldies music.

I tried the Nasi Ayam Penyet (43,5000rp++), which was good but not very spicy and the accompanying lettuce and tomatoes were not fresh.

I also had the "Merah Putih" juice, a mix of Soursop and Strawberry juice, which was fine (30,000rp ++).

Overall: I would recommend Waroeng Ngupi Ngupi if you are in Bellagio Mall area only. The WIFI was quite strong too.
 
Waroeng Ngupi Ngupi
Bellagio Mall, GF
Jl. Lingkar Mega Kuningan
South Jakarta
Phone number: +62 21 3002 9808

Facebook: Warung Ngupi Ngupi Jakarta
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Cloud Lounge Rooftop Bar (The Plaza Office Tower)

March 24, 2014, 6:31 am
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Cloud is a rooftop bar/lounge/club located on the 49th floor of the Plaza Tower, just 3 floors above Altitude which is part of the same group.

For many years, Jakarta was missing a real rooftop bar. Some clubs, restaurants and lounges were located on higher floors but never opened on the outside (for instance Vertigo, Pure, Kampus). SHY in Kemang was one of the first rooftop lounges but the Papillion building where it is located did not offer a very impressive view. 

Being located on top of one of the tallest towers in the city, SKYE was the first real rooftop bar in Jakarta, with an immediate success. It probably encouraged others to copy it and I am sure that we will see even more of them in the future.

Cloud is very similar with SKYE: It looks fancy and it is expensive (though not too much: a cocktail will be around 10$). For those who have been there, it looks much like Kudeta in Singapore, without the swimming pool.

There are some differences though between the two main rooftop bars of Jakarta:

- Skye has a more easy-going, artsy vibe and it is more popular with the Indonesian and Indo-Chinese crowd.

- Cloud seems to be targetting an older crowd, business type, more expat. I was there on a Saturday night and 50% of the clients were Indians actually. Cloud also has a cold room for drinking vodka.

Overall: I recommend Cloud and I will visit again. It was not that busy when I went there though so I hope they develop it into a real, busy bar.
Cloud Lounge & Living Room
The Plaza Tower 49th floor
Jl. M.H Thamrin Kav. 28-30
Jakarta 10350
Telephone: +62-21 2992 2448 


Opening Hours:
Sunday to Thursday from 11am to 11pm
Friday from 11am to 12pm
Saturday from 11am to 3am

If you are looking for more rooftop bars in Jakarta: You can also try Awan Lounge (Kosenda Hotel) which is trendy at the moment.
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Holy Crab (Seafood Restaurant Jakarta)

March 24, 2014, 12:54 pm
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Holy Crab is one of the most happening new restaurants of 2014. It is exactly the kind of concept that works well with Jakartans as it combines food, fun and novelty. For once, it is not in a mall, and its owner, Albert Wijaya, has a background in the kitchen from Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Los Angeles. He is also the Executive Chef of Holy Crab.

As the name suggest, Holy Crab serves various kinds of imported crabs (from Alaska) with a Cajun spicy sauce. It could be a restaurant like much others, but a few things make it rather unique:

- Clients are given a plastic apron/bib before eating. You can see everyone wearing it and it sets the atmosphere: Relaxed and fun.
- There are no plates, you eat directly off the table (where a paper is set) with your finger
- You can refill your soft drinks as much as you want
- Limited menu: It is mostly crab with also shrimps, lobsters and clams.
- The crabs are huge: We had only 2 legs of the King Crab and it was more than enough food (400 grams for both)... The Cajun sauce was excellent, but how much crab can a person eat?

The service was super friendly and it was nice to see the owner welcoming clients and being involved in the operations

Overall: Recommended even though the price is quite high (250,000rp per person for 1 crab leg each).
Opening hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 5PM to 10PM
Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 12AM to 3PM and from 5.30PM to 10PM

The Holy Crab Jakarta
Jalan Gunawarman No. 55
Senopati, South Jakarta

The place was very busy during my visit so I believe it is best to book in advance.

Phone number: +62-21 2923 6155
Email: theholycrab@ersons.co.id

Website: Holy Crab Jakarta
Facebook: Holy Crab Louisiane Seafood
Twitter: Holy Crab Restaurant
Instagram: Holy Crab Senopati
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Pong Me (Ping Pong Lounge)

March 24, 2014, 1:10 pm
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Pong Me is probably the first Ping Pong Lounge in Jakarta. The concept is quite simple, it is a bar/lounge with ping pong tables available for customers. The tables are free to use from 11am to 2pm, then you will have to pay 100,000 rp per hour. The management also organizes regular small competitions (networking nights on Monday for instance).
 
I visited for a late lunch and the music was quite loud, a mix of all the current popular pop songs. I would have expected the crowd to be mostly hipsters and youngsters, but all customers I saw where young executives in their 30s/40s.

The menu has nothing special, it is the standard combination of popular western and asian dishes: Pastas, Pizzas, Sandwiches, Nasi Goreng, Burger, etc. I took the Beef Quesadillas at 72,500k ++ . It was good, but it is not very difficult to make so I would not judge their food based on this only. I also had a Fresh Orange Juice which was actually fresh (but expensive at 55,000rp++)

The service was easy going but I didn't mind. They didn't really pay attention to what was happening as they were busy chatting and texting, but there is a button on every table to call them automatically.

At last, they had a super fast WIFI. I was there two hours and I must have downloaded 10 movies...

Overall: Recommended. I would like to come back on a busy night though as I imagine it must be quite fun to see everyone drinking and playing.
 
Pong Me Jakarta
Ping Pong Lounge
Jalan Gunawarman No.37 - Senopati
Kebayoran Baru
South Jakarta

Phone number: +62-21 7260 989
Fax: +62-21 739 4264

Facebook: Ping Pong Lounge Jakarta
Website: Pong Me Jakarta

Opening hours:
From 11am to 11pm everyday
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Jakarta Restaurants: Why Are They So Bad?

March 24, 2014, 2:22 pm
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I may have tried about 400 restaurants in Jakarta, and I would say only 25% of them taste good enough. Restaurants with Asian food are usually better, especially Indonesian, Chinese and Japanese ones.

For Western food, it is very rare to find a restaurant that serves good food unless a westerner is involved at some point (as a manager, chef, owner or consultant). My most common criticisms: Low-quality ingredients, over use of industrial cheese, sauces too salty or too greasy, no real butter, too much sugar, absence of taste, over or undercooking, etc...

Only when eating in the most expensive places (usually in 5-star hotels or reputed chains), the standards are satisfactory, though fast to deteriorate. Very few venues in Jakarta, to my knowledge, offer constant good western food at reasonable prices.

For Asian food, I consider that most restaurants serve street food quality at best. If you do not mind the hygiene and hot weather, you'll eat better sitting on a bench in Mangga Besar than in most restaurants in malls.
I believe the reasons for this problem comes from the following issues:

- Difficulty to hire trained staff and to maintain this staff within a restaurant on the long term

There are some fine schools to learn cooking in Indonesia (all the STPs, Sekolah Tinggi Pariwisata), but they produce few graduates. Basically almost 100% of a class will be hired by 5-star hotels or by the biggest restaurants chains. Most of them are also still young and it will take them many years to grow into fully developed chefs. Among those who reach a certain level, very few are opening their own restaurants.

Since the good staff is on such a high demand, the turnover for each places is quite high. New restaurants open weekly in Jakarta, so there is nothing easier than getting a higher salary for anyone a little ambitious. The lack of stability of the teams plus their relative lack of experience is the number one problem for restaurants in Jakarta.
 
- Difficulty to get a regular supply of quality ingredients at a reasonable price

The second problem is the quality of ingredients coming from Indonesia. I don't mean to offend anybody but until now, the agro-industrial companies in Indonesia fail to manufacture or produce quality products.

Take chocolate for instance. Indonesia is one of the largest producer of cacao beans in the world. And yet, chocolate made in Indonesian is low standard and any restaurant/bakery who wants to have a decent dessert with chocolate must import.

Fruits and vegetables also are rather disappointing, especially when you know how they taste in neighboring countries. Compare a mango from Indonesia and a mango from Thailand and you'll understand what I am talking about.

The same goes with dairy and meat products (especially cheese, yoghurt, beef, lamb and of course pork).

The Indonesian government is protecting local industries by imposing high tariffs on most imported food, but unfortunately this has not led to an improvement of the quality of locally-sourced ingredients.  I think it creates just the opposite: Producers feel protected and they do not invest to improve their methods and processes.

- Few independent restaurants

Restaurants owners in Jakarta are rarely chefs themselves. Most often, restaurants are owned by business people with a training in finance, accounting, marketing, public relation. They know how to make the place busy and profitable, but the food comes last. Spending millions of rupiah for the design and marketing of a place while buying the poorest quality ingredients in the kitchen is the norm. If restaurants where opened by chefs or by people with a real interest in food, I am sure that the quality of restaurants in Jakarta would improve dramatically. Unfortunately, the access to financing or the right connection needed to open a restaurant in the city makes it very difficult for anybody who does not belong to a certain elite.


There is also a bunch of smaller issues who contribute to the problem also:

- The price of kitchen equipment is usually imported and expensive. Smaller restaurants do not have the possibilities to buy the necessary tools for cooking properly.

- The menus tend to be extensive with many favorites from different countries. Keeping the menu short to a few well-mastered items could certainly help.

- Lack of control from authorities regarding the hygiene and the standards. I imagine that you can put a sign saying your food is organic with no MSGs, and no one will really check.

If so many bad restaurants in Jakarta continue to exist, it is because people still go there. Hopefully the public will become more demanding with time and put more pressure on restaurateurs to improve their quality. Changes can only come from them.
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