Chicory Patisserie (Menteng)
By
Nyoman
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I discovered Chicory Cake Shop & Café randomly while heading to Kuningan from my home. Located on Jalan Sumenep, in the heart of Menteng, they serve a whole range of European pastries: Tarts, croissants, almond combs, choux and financiers. Decorated in an old-fashioned way with wooden bistro tables and chair, it really looks like a tiny "salon de thé" as we have in France. The Pastry Chef is an Australian and he is the one who makes all the pastries everyday. Chicory is surfing on the trend of the French Bakeries and Café recently opened in Jakarta like Paul Bakery in Pacific Place Mall or Eric Kayser in Plaza Senayan. This place is different as it is not a franchise. The quality standards are just as high in my opinion, just like the ones you could get in Europe or in other 5-star hotels in Jakarta. The price is a bit high though, around Rp50,000 for a pastry. Overall: Chicory is a recommended neighborhood pastry shop. It is great for meeting a close fr
Hide Yamamoto is a Japanese restaurant located in Lotte Shopping Mall in Ciputra World. It is headed by the famous Chef Hide Yamamoto who had a prestigious career as an Executive Chef for Mandarin Oriental and Ritz-Carlton. He then started to open various restaurants around the world, notably in Singapore's Marina Bay Sands. Hide Yamamoto is probably one of the best new Japanese restaurants in Jakarta at the moment. It is similar with Tatemukai in Grand Indonesia. It is fine dining, modern Japanese cuisine at relatively expensive prices. I recommend you to try it if you are already familiar with Japanese cuisine. They also have robatayaki, a private sushi room for 8 persons and 2 private Teppanyaki rooms (8 and 10 pax).
Nip and Dram is a Whisky and Fine Spirit bar located in Landmark Center near Jalan Sudirman. In Jakarta, it is as close as it gets from a true Gentlemen's Club. While it is not member's only, it is clearly targeting a male, upper-class crowd. Women are allowed of course, but the feel of the bar is very masculine. The team behind it is a group of 10 people, Indonesians and Expats, among which (from what the waiter told me) the owner of Blue Bird, the previous GM of Keraton at the Plaza (Klaus Woizik) or the previous GM of Buddha Bar Jakarta (Bogdan Vlase). The prices are among the highest of any other bars in Jakarta. Cocktails start at 165,000rp++ and the (extensive) list of alcohols includes bottles costing up to 50 million rupiah per unit. They also sell cigars.
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
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 PT Menteng Heritage Realty. It used to be operated by GLA, a small management company headed by Grace Leo, and based in France, but a few months after opening they stopped it to manage it independentl
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.
Altitude is a group of 3 restaurants located on the 46th floor of the Plaza tower, one of the most expensive office buildings in Jakarta (also home the the Keraton hotel). 46th floor, yes: Great view of course, but make sure to book in advance and ask for a table near the window (if possible in the angle of the building). Luckily for my wallet, I only tried one of the three restaurants, Gaia, the Italian. The food was good, but not spectacular for the price: 550k for one appetizer and one main course. The quality of the service and the attention that we got, not only from the waiters but also from the managers, including 3 foreigners, may have been what we are really paying in the restaurant. One thing felt very wrong: The music was clubbing style and they only had one CD. So we had Gangnam Style and Party Rock Anthem twice each in one evening. That's twice too much. In Altitude, there is also an Australian Steak House (Salt Grill) and a Japanese (Enmaru) that I haven
SKYE is the latest venue opened by the Ismaya Group, and for this reason, we can guess it will be the place to be in Jakarta for at least the next 3 months. The Menara BCA has 57th floor and is 230 meters high. Located on its 56th floor, SKYE's main attraction will obviously be the view over the city's skyline. The history of rooftop bars and restaurants in Jakarta has shown mixed results, with most places now closed ( Vertigo , Kampus , Pure , Cilantro , etc...). I wish more success for SKYE.
Opened in 1998 in the Park Lane Hotel, Riva is one of the best French restaurants in Jakarta . It is a fine dining venue with mostly classic dishes: Steak au poivre, Foie gras, Salmon, Boeuf Bourguignon, etc.. Nothing experimental, you should not be too surprised by the food you will eat. The restaurant looks old-fashioned, but it feels charming and unpretentious. I really enjoyed the open kitchen, which allows you to spy on the chef while he cooks. It is always impressive to see for yourself all the efforts that come with your meal. The menu is not very long, and it changes regularly. I saw that they have it on their website here , but it isn't updated. You can still have a look to get a general idea about their food though. I chose as an appetizer the Baby Organic Spinach Salad (with Parmesan, Lemon extra virgin oil dressing, and Truffle boursin crostini) and for my main course the Steak au Poivre (Seared wagyu beef rump rolled in crush white pepper, pomme dau
Amuz is a French fine-dining restaurant opened in October 2010 by chef Gilles Marx, who previously worked in Riva . The venue sets you in a Parisian décor, circa 1900, with exposed metallic beams, large windows and classy furniture. The clients on that day were mostly rich Indonesian/Chinese women but it might have been just a coincidence... The menu is classic and should change depending on the availability of seasonal products. A la carte , the price for an appetizer is around Rp200k, and for a main course Rp350k (up to Rp650k). I took the lunch meal, more basic: Rp250k++ for a 3-course set lunch. This is an excellent deal.
Bimasena, the luxurious spa in the Dharmawangsa Hotel, in South Jakarta, is a fantastic place to get a massage, especially if you are a newcomer to Asia. Some will say that it is overpriced, and it may be true for a country like Indonesia. However, if you compare the price of a massage in France and in Indonesia, the whole perspective changes. The low cost of living in Jakarta gives you a very good opportunity to enjoy pleasures that can only be rare when in your home(western) countries. Bimasena, as it is located in a 5-star hotel, has mostly expatriates patrons and travelers, plus it is popular with a small Indonesian elite. Apart from the traditional Indonesian massages, including lulur and aromatherapy, Bimasena spa also provides some more uncommon massages, like the Hawaiian Lomi Lomi Nui massage or the 90-minute Ayuslomi Ritual. A very special selection of oil is used but I won't describe them here since the massage girls will let you smell them before you start. Yet, the b
Casa d'Oro, along with Toscana in Kemang has the reputation of being one of the best Italian restaurants in Jakarta for upscale, fine dining. Located in the 5-star Hotel Kempiski, Casa D'Oro doesn't have a very impressive setting, except for the stylish glass-window wine cellar in the middle of the main room. On the day I visited, a Tuesday, the restaurant was empty except for my table and another expat couple. The service was professional and helpful, but a few minor errors were made (wrong knife, confusion in the plates, etc..). I cannot say I was amazed by the food I tried (Codfish for Rp268,000++ and Black squid pasta for Rp168,000++). It was excellent home cooking, but for the price, i would have expected something more creative. Without wine, your minimum bill in Casa d'Oro will be Rp350k to Rp400k, and I don't think this is good value compared to the other Italian restaurants in Jakarta .
Emilie is among the most famous French fine-dining restaurants in Jakarta. It is currently headed by Mickael Robin, who previously worked as Chef de Partie in the Michelin-starred Espadon in Paris. I visited Emilie for lunch on a Monday and it was empty. The prices are very high: If you order à la carte , you should pay between Rp100k and Rp250k for an appetizer, and between Rp350k to Rp600k for a main dish. If you include the drinks, you'll end up paying Rp1 million for your meal. I avoided that by taking the lunch set menu: 3 courses for Rp300k++ (2 courses is Rp240k++). I had the following dishes: Amuse-Bouche Chicken Liver Terrine with Orange Marmalade
Kahyangan has to be one of the most expensive Asian restaurants in Jakarta. It is part of Nikko Hotel, near the Hotel Indonesia roundabout. I read a few reviews on internet about this place, but I imagine the journalists didn't actually pay for their meals. If you eat there for free, it is a great place indeed. You have an incredible view over Jakarta, attentive staff (though they can be pushy to make you order more) and stylish design. Bring a date here and she should be really impressed.
Lyon is the French restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental hotel. It serves French dishes, many of them not usual for high-class restaurant since they are quite regional specialties. There are also some more international dishes, notably everything that comes from the grill. There was a very interesting promo when I tried it, called Normandie, for which you get entrées, soup, main course and dessert for Rp220,000++. It is an excellent deal and makes the place cheaper than many trendy restaurants in Jakarta who often offer very poor taste. If you order dishes "à la carte", the prices vary from Rp100,000 to over Rp600,000. I think that including drinks and one side dish or dessert, your dinner shall costs you around Rp400,000. Casserole normande I was extremely pleased with my food, the best French food I've tried in Jakarta, and surely one of the best restaurants in the city. The waiters were trained and professional and only made one mistake, they forgot to bring the c
Malio Club is the club located at the entrance of Gadjah Mada, in the same complex as Malioboro . It is the HOTTEST place to go to in Jakarta if you ask me: They have sexy dancers doing striptease almost all night long (at least on weekends), and they go fully naked. You may have ten of them on stage at the same time, with girls (prostitutes only) walking around everywhere, many of them wearing only lingerie or bikinis. I had never been to such a trashy place in Jakarta before, and it is much more naughty and sexy than anything I've ever seen. I wish I had taken photos but the security is really tough over there and you don't want to mess with them. Among the clients, many rich people, including a few expats, some Chinese, and some Arabs/Indians. Huge bordello also since they have rooms upstairs.
Opened in 2009, Orient8 is the French and pan-Asian restaurant of the 5-star Hotel Mulia, in Senayan. I visited it with a friend in November 2011, and only tried their French food.
Rosso is the fine dining Italian restaurant of the 5-star Shangri La . In the same hotel you may also find Satoo , a top-notch all-day buffet restaurant, and B.A.T.S , a popular expat bar. I visited on a Monday night and it was almost full, with mostly expatriates and business travelers. Consequently, though the waiters were very efficient, they were not always immediately available and it gave me the impressions they were understaffed. The design of Rosso is chic and modern, with a high, painted ceiling. The sitting is comfortable, on sofas or in a booth, and the tables are distant enough to allow for private conversation. There is also a cozy lounge in Rosso's smaller room. I didn't try the wine, but there seems to be quite a large selection on the menu.