The Grill (Korean BBQ Restaurant)
By
Tibs
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The Grill is a Korean BBQ restaurant in Midplaza, probably one of the best of its kind in Jakarta. It is similar with Gahyo which I tried on the same day (by coincidence). I preferred The Grill, because there is more choice on the menu and the dishes are more affordable. It also looks more stylish and contemporary. We had two dishes: Ishiyaki Tofu Chige (Rp50++) and the recommended Bibimpap (Rp45++). Ishiyaki Tofu Chige (Rp50++)
Liyen is an authentic Chinese restaurant located in Kota. It is not very far from the Bank Mandiri Museum, maybe 3 minutes by foot. They specialize in Hakka cuisine (from Southeast China), with some recommended dishes like the Salted Chicked, the Grilled Duck, or the Fried Prawn with Salted Egg.
Abunawas is a middle-eastern restaurant, similar to nearby Hadramout , with mostly specialties from the Arabian Peninsula. I was quite disappointed with my experience there. The first time I came, it was 9.15pm and they were closing at 10pm so I was told to come back another day. I did come back, 2 days later, at 8.15pm, and already, the dining rooms upstairs, the nicest ones with a floor-seating area were not available (too late). We sat downstairs, while the staff was busy cleaning up the place, which gave us the feeling we were intruders. The waitress told us then there was no grilled meat available nor almost everything listed on the menu. I didn't keep the bill so I only remember the name of one dish (Mandi Laham). Here are the pictures (total bill was Rp120,000 with drinks):
Al-Tahrir is a Middle-Eastern/Egyptian restaurant located in Pasar Festival, on Jalan Rasuna Said. Intended as a meeting point for the Egyptian community in Jakarta, it is named after Tahrir square in Cairo. The most interesting is that it is supposed to stay open 24-hour (see 24-hour restaurants in Jakarta ), one of the only venues to do so in the area. Concerning the food, it is rather cheap. What I sampled tasted average, though. The Shawarma (Rp30,000) was made in the Egyptian way, with only tomatoes, peppers, and chicken. I usually prefer when there are more ingredients (onions, white sauce, garlic, herbs, etc...), hence my disappointment. I also tried the Mixed Grilled Meat (Rp110,000), which is quite big for one person. The cooking was fine, particularly the sauce and the spices, but the ingredients used were probably not the best quality. There are no miracles, you get what you pay for.
Doner Kebab is the largest chain of kebab restaurants in Jakarta. They serve their kebabs with beef, chicken or lamb and the price is reasonable, between 20,000rp and 30,000rp. There are quite many competitors too in Jakarta such as Opie's Kebab or Ali Kebab. I didn't expect too much when I tried their food in Taman Anggrek Mall but I was surprised because it actually tasted ok (or maybe I felt that way because I was starving). It is not too unhealthy also as you can ask them not to put any sauce. Even though it is fast food from a chain restaurant, I would still recommend Doner Kebab to you if you are looking for a cheap snack while inside a mall. Doner Kebab has locations all over the city, almost exclusively in food courts in malls: Information: Doner Kebab Instagram
Beer Brother Bar + Kitchen is located in Taman Kemang, a residential area of Kemang which has seen a recent surge in bars and restaurants. This new nightlife area comprises Umbra, Cowboy Bar, Parc 19, and the Colony Building. Beer Brother opened about a year ago and it has managed to become successful rapidly. It is quite similar with other joints such as Bremer or Beer Garden , but there are a few notable differences: The design and marketing of the bar is more sophisticated and original, the music louder, and the choice of food and drinks really extensive (the menu must have 25 pages). The prices are not that cheap though except for basic beer. I was there just before a Champion's League quarterfinal, on a Tuesday, and it was full with a crowd ranging from young expats to hip Indonesians and high school kids. Most people come with a big group.
Well, I was supposed to go to Taco Local on Jl Panglima Polim, but it was closed, under renovation. so I decided to go to the restaurant right in front "Holy Gyu". It is a Japanese Grill, but in a more casual way. The place is very small and looks more like a fast-food chain. I went there on a Saturday night and the place was almost full, mostly Indonesian crowd. I really liked the meat I had. Both the meat and the vegetables were tasty This place is for meat lovers, especially people who love Japanese-style meat, with Soy Sauce and vegetables on the side. Considering the high price of meat in Jakarta and in Indonesia in general, this place offers very affordable dishes. For 2 people we only paid 200 000 Rp. Usually, this can be the price of one dish in some Jakarta Restaurants. You also can have some Kobe Beef, which is known to be one of the most delicious beef in the world...
Hanamasa is a All-you-can-eat Restaurant Chain in Indonesia, with Japanese Gril and Barbecue. It is quite popular and there are many outlets in Jakarta. I went to Hanamasa on Jl Mahakam (near Gran Mahakam Hotel) and I tried the food. I was not disappointed by the food: there is a fair choice of meat, vegetables and other condiments. You can either boil it or grill it (Shabu Shabu or Yakiniku). The crowd there is mostly indonesian and the different restaurants are pretty full on the week ends. I also found the place very clean with good service. The best part in my opinion is the price: It is only 100 000 Rp / 120 000 Rp to get a buffet menu. This is one of the lowest prices compared to the more than decent quality of the food. I would then recommend it as a good cheap alternative to a more fancy Korean BBQ.
QQ Kopitiam is a chain of cafés with locations in several malls in Jakarta. "Kopi Tiam" is a Malay word for simple coffee houses in Singapore and Malaysia. They serve coffees, teas and easy-to-prepare dishes. QQ Kopitiam follows that idea but it is more upmarket, at least in the atmosphere. I visited the branch in Fx Lifestyle Center on Sudirman, which is very well located inside the mall, just by the entrance. The design is vintage/colonial and it seemed nice to me at first. I noticed many imperfections though: TV not working, plastic flowers, bad finishings, etc... Apart from the location, I was not really happy with my visit: The service was very slow as only 1 person was handling 8 tables. The WIFI was not working too. The menu is limited and offers mostly Indonesian/Malay street food dishes. I tried the Nasi Goreng and it tasted just average (around Rp40k net). Overall: I would not particularly recommend QQ, except for their usually strategic location
YOLO Public House is a Pub located in Kemang, right in front of KOI Restaurant Bar & Gallery. Yolo stands for "You Only Live Once", so Carpe Diem and enjoy life ! The pub food is good. The Yolo burger for 75 K is totally worth it. They have Live bands on Fridays and Saturdays which is pretty cool. Very important Burger Information: The burgers do have pickles here... The place opened in 2013. It is too small in my opinion, despite the 2 floors. And as many places in the area, I am not sure whether or not it will last very long...
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.
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 &
I recently discovered LapisLapis Sunter (multi-layers in Bahasa) located in the North of Jakarta (Jakarta Utara), near Kelapa Gading. Let´s face it, Sunter is not a regular place to hang out for expats or food lovers, but if you happen to be in this area to grab a coffee or for lunch, I strongly recommand LapisLapis Sunter.
Carl's Jr is a chain of fast-food burger restaurants, originally from the US. The main differences I see with its competitors (Mc Donald's, Burger King, FatBurger, A&W, Wendy's, Johnny Rocket) are the following: - They have salads, which is a nice alternative if you are with someone who doesn't want to eat junk food. - They have free flow drinks - The food is brought to you at your table - The french fries are better than elsewhere: Super crispy and with a good taste. But the quality of the beef is average.
Molly Malone’s Irish Pub opened in August 2012 on the ground floor of Plaza Arcadia Senayan. It is one of two authentic Irish bars in Jakarta, the other one being Murphy's in Kemang (same owners actually). Molly’s is divided into two separate sections, a traditional Irish pub and a live music venue Overall: With its location one floor below the infamous Red Square, it is ideal to kick start your weekend. There also have three comfortable VIP booths available to rent if you want a semi private area to enjoy the live music and soak up the party atmosphere.