Baxter Smith (Senopati)
By
Tibs
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Update 2021 : Baxter Smith is currently closed due to COVID-19. You may want to check their Instagram page below for any updates about their reopening date. Baxter Smith is a bar and restaurant that opened in Senopati mid-2016. I only went there once for a special event on a Friday night, so I'll keep my review short until I can try again. The bar is on the 3rd floor and it was quite busy, with an all-Indonesian crowd. It seemed people where visiting for the first time, out of curiosity. The DJ was playing good, non-commercial tunes between progressive and tech-house. The bartenders were fast and the drinks cheaper than the average for Senopati.
Cazbar is a long-standing expat hangout in Mega Kuningan. If you are a newcomer in the city, above your thirties, you may want to try going there to meet other people. It isn't as busy as it used to be, but there are many regulars who come for the laidback atmosphere, the friendly waitresses, and the decent pub food. Also quite many Indonesians among the customers. Upstairs of Cazbar, there is a area dedicated to watching sports, with mainly (each time I go there), English Premier League + Rugby. The bar also have free wifi and some imported newspaper titles.
Located in Menara Rajawali (opposite Loewy), Arrack and Spice is one of the newest openings in Mega Kuningan. It is owned by the people behind the successful Hause, a trendy rooftop bar and restaurant set amid a cute garden in MD Plaza Tower (Kuningan). Arrack and Spice is a more formal venue, but it shares some similarities with Hause: Experimental food and drinks, tasteful design, regular events, and an overall willingness to appeal to millennials (for instance by offering healthy and vegetarian dishes). It is split in three different areas:
Brownbag is a small restaurant serving sandwiches (all the classics), some popular main courses and drinks (mostly coffee). They also serve Macarons and Poffertjes. The place is comfortable, with soft lounge music, the wifi is fast, and the waiters are professional. My sandwich was a bit expensive and small (74,000rp including tax for the Roast Beef) but it was fresh and good. Overall : I recommend Brownbag for any quick meal at any time of the day if you are staying near Menteng. Update: After a second visit to Brownbag, I realized they only have one CD for the music. Brownbag Jakarta Menteng Central Jl. H.O.S. Cokroaminoto No. 78 - 80
Probably one of the most authentic Arabic restaurants in Jakarta, Hadramout specializes in Yemeni cuisine, particularly Mandi/Madhbi (basmati rice, meat, spices). By coincidence, it is exactly what I ate the day before in Al-Jazeerah in Cikini so I was able to make a useful comparison. I preferred the atmosphere in Hadramout: They give you the possibility to eat directly on the carpet, in small private areas, which is quite unique in Jakarta. I advise you to choose the areas closest to the kitchen, more intimate. On the walls, you'll also find some traditional instruments and artifacts from Yemen. As in Al-Jazeerah, all the waitresses wear the headscarf and the television channels are in Arabic. Of course, no alcohol is served. Concerning the food (Lamb Madhbi for 2, Rp121k++)), Al-Jazeerah was the best. The rice had the same taste, but the lamb in Hadramout was too salty and fatty .
Duck Down Bar is the latest opening from the Biko Group, one of the most successful nightlife brands in Jakarta. Most of their venues, such as Beer Garden, Beer Hall or Lola target young and hip Indonesians from the mid-to-upper class, and Duck Down Bar is no exception to that. I visited on a Friday night (9/11/2018), following a friend's recommendation. The bar is located in the basement of the Soho building on Jalan Gunawarman. You need to go down a flight of stairs, and then you arrive in a medium-sized L-shaped room. There are no windows and no natural light, but the ceiling is high enough to prevent you from feeling too claustrophobic. Everyone is smoking inside so it can get a little suffocating. The design is pretty cool, they tried to recreate what could be a student bar in Europe in the 1990s, the sort of cheap but cozy place that would play bands like Nirvana, the Pixies, etc. One major difference here is that you are in the most expensive neighborhood
Al-Jazeerah is among the best and most famous Arabic restaurants in Jakarta. They have several branches now but the one I tried is the original restaurant, which is located on Jalan Raden Saleh. The restaurant doesn't look fancy but it is comfortable and clean. It consists of a large function room, to be avoided if you are a small group, and a smaller one in the back which is much more intimate. They also have a giant screen with Arabic channels. The night I visited, there was about 10 other customers, and all of them looked foreign, most likely Arab. The air-con was very strong and blowing everywhere in the room unfortunately, and it made me leave as soon as I was done eating.
Meat Me Steakhouse & Butchery is a chain of restaurants specializing in local and imported steaks. It serves good quality meat for a reasonable price. You can also buy meat for take-away. Opening Hours: From Sunday to Thursday from 9pm to 11pm (until Midnight on Friday and Saturday) Facebook: Steakhouse Jakarta Twitter: Meat Me Shop and Restaurant Website: Meat Me Steakhouse Email: meatmeshop@gmail.com
While I was staying in Mercure Simatupang , I had the opportunity to try their rooftop rum bar, Karumba. Located on the 19th floor of the hotel, it is a Carribean-themed venue with a more than 180° view of Jakarta's skyline. In particular, you can face the Central Business District and, in the late afternoon, the sunset. It is a simple bar, semi-open, with a relaxing atmosphere. Everything is made to help you forget the daily stress of living in Jakarta: Laid-back music, smiling waiters and waitresses, colorful furniture and posters, and even a small swimming pool... Based on my observations, it seems to be popular with Indonesian women. Many will come in large groups to celebrate birthdays, baby showers, weddings or "Arisan" (social gatherings).
Graffiti Bistro is a restaurant and café located on the ground floor of the Mercure Simatupang Hotel . Opened all day from breakfast to dinner, it serves both International and Indonesian food. It has a playful design, with an industrial theme. Some of the walls have giant watches and clocks attached to them, while the others are painted with colorful graffitis. There is also a collection of around 50 framed photographs. The restaurant space is quite large, with at least 80 seats and a small outdoor area. During day time, large bay windows provide ample natural lighting, making it a relaxing space for hanging out or for meeting friends. It is not sophisticated or trendy, and it is even relatively quiet, but I enjoyed it a lot for working on my laptop during long afternoons. I also had a few breakfast and dinners there when I stayed in the hotel in March 2017.
Update Dec 2016: Lucy has been renovated due to noise complaints from neighbors. It is now covered by a large glass building (as in the first photo above). It looks more upmarket than before but it is still popular with the same crowd (young, trendy Jakartans). Located near Jalan Sudirman, in Fairgrounds (ex- Bengkel ), Lucy In The Sky is a rooftop restaurant/bar with an open-air garden terrace and a laid-back, close-to-nature atmosphere. It is probably partially owned by Tommy Winata, the ex owner of Bengkel and owner of the land of SCBD. The location of LITS is probably its best assets as it gives the feeling of escaping the city. Though in the heart of Jakarta's business district, it is surrounded with plants and flowers, which makes it relaxing, and a perfect spot to look at the skyscrapers around. Similar ambiance than SHY Rooftop but less expensive (80k for main dish) and with a better view.
The Pallas is a new restaurant, lounge and event space that opened in Fairground in SCBD. It is owned by the All In Group which is also behind Fable (in the same building), Odysseia and Mirror Nightclub in Bali.
¿Por Que No? was opened in 2015 as a Spanish tapas bar and restaurant in the neighborhood of Menteng, at the northern end of Jalan Rasuna Said. While the food is decent but definitely not haute cuisine, it is an interesting venue to hangout and drink before party. Cocktails are just above Rp100,000 net and Bintang at Rp50,000 net, which is not that bad considering the central location. The food is more expensive and the portions small (obviously, small like tapas). There are 2 different areas, indoor and outdoor. Outdoor is a small rooftop where regular events are organized. In particular, they have some techno nights that attract a young and fun crowd. You also have jazz nights, open mic nights, etc. Check their Facebook page or Instagram below to get their latest schedule.
Just in time for the beginning of the Euro 2016, the Shangri-La Hotel in Jakarta has opened a sports bar within the famous B.A.T.S . The new venue is located right after the entrance, before you walk down the stairs to the live music area. It is laid-back, ideal if you want to have some beers in a more quiet atmosphere. They also serve some popular foods such as French Baguette, Pizza Margarita, Turkish Kebab, German Bratwurst or Fish & Chips. The most important games are displayed on a large screen by an LCD projector, while less important ones are on TV. There is also a pool table and a foosball table. June will obviously be focused on football/soccer games of the Euro 2016. You can also expect to watch NFL, AFL, NBA, MLB, Rugby, the Olympic Games, Formula One, Moto GP, etc when a special event will be scheduled.
Kila Kila is a brand new rooftop restaurant serving fine dining Indonesian cuisine. It is located not far from Pacific Place Mall and offers a beautiful view over SCBD. It is managed by Akasya Catering, a famous company owned by Enny Latief. They provided the food for numerous VIP events such as the wedding of Edhie Baskoro, the son of SBY. If their food is good enough for the president of Indonesia, it should be good enough for you too.
I rarely go to Grand Sahid Jaya Hotel on Sudirman (it is located right next to Le Meridien Hotel), but I did go there recently because I heard there was a new Indonesian restaurant. The name of the new place is "Bengawan Solo" (it is not related to the popular coffee chain located in many malls in Jakarta), named after the longest River in Java. It is located on the lobby level of the Hotel. I had a great dinner there, I like the idea of having truly Indonesian (or Javanese) food like chicken satay, Sosis Solo, Nasi Goreng, Bebek Goreng, Gurame Bakar or Iga Sapi Asam with a modern presentation you would find in any western restaurant. The decoration of the place is also modern with Indonesian Wayang and other javanese objects. The place reminded me another Indonesian restaurant Seribu Rasa , located in Menteng, but with a more indonesian crowd. I would recommend Bengawan Solo for a business lunch or dinner or if you want take somebody who is in t