10 Worst Restaurant Chains in Indonesia
By
Tibs
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The restaurant chains listed below are on my personal blacklist. I consider they are the worst in Indonesia when in comes to the quality of the food they serve. They are also among the unhealthiest you'll find here. If you care just a little about your body, you should avoid them by all mean. Most of them serve industrial, frozen food heavy in salt, sugar and fat. Ingredients are rarely authentic, especially those that are expensive in Indonesia like cheese or beef. They will always use the cheapest stuff, regardless of the taste. Cooks rarely have any background in cooking. They are often just high-school graduates with little training who only know how to stir-fry, deep-fry and pan-fry. It's not their fault though, the culprits are the bosses who decide on the recipes and one the ingredients used. If you work for one of these chains, sorry about this post, it's not personal. I have nothing about the service or the staff. As far as I know, you do a great j
Le Quartier ("The Neighbourhood" in French, pronounced like the jewelry brand "Cartier") is a new French Restaurant, opened in 2013 in Kebayoran Baru, near Senopati. I liked the building facade of the Restaurant as well as the interior design. The decoration is well done and it really gives the feeling you are in a French bistro, with also a few modern touches. The overall impression is that it is an elegant and luxurious place, especially with their beautiful chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.
Update 2017: Safehouse has changed location and it is now in Menara Anugrah (still in Mega Kuningan). In just about a few weeks, I received 3 emails from readers recommending me to try Safehouse in Bellagio Mansion in Mega Kuningan. As I am a docile blogger, I went there last Friday with a friend. It is located where Piccolo used to be, and it is a mixed concept: Restaurant, Bar, Club, Store. It was opened by the designer and make of the sneaker brand "SomeAreThieves" (which is why the place is called Safehouse). The idea behind the restaurant was to promote the brand by attracting the trendy crowd of Jakarta. They hired Tomasso Gonfiantini, the Chef who opened the first Trattoria in Jakarta (before it changed its name to Pepenero ). He actually came to see us, which was nice, and recommended us one of his sandwiches, which according to him are the Signature food of Jailhouse. My sandwich was the "Gourmand" (95,000rp++) and it
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.
Bluegrass Bar & Grill is located next to Epicentrum Mall, off Rasuna Said street. A good place to meet other expats, it became popular quite rapidly after opening and it still is. The food is American: Steaks, ribs, burgers, wings, nachos, etc... Hip atmosphere, on the expensive side (similar with other venues like Union , Loewy , etc..). Surprisingly, I realized that there wasn't such a big offer in Jakarta for this type of food for those who expect a stylish design and decent quality. Along with the 24-meter bar, I think this is what explains part of the success of Bluegrass. On the minus side, the service could be greatly improved, and in particular the friendliness of staff. Overall: I recommend a visit once in a while for a casual, after-work eat. It is a good place to bring a date. Update 2014: The new Bluegrass has opened, with a slightly different address inside the Bakrie Tower. It looks nicer than before I think and the service has improved! I'm c
Star Deli is a popular venue for snacks and beer in Kemang, with a Hollywood theme. American owned and American food (burgers, sandwiches, etc.). You'll notice that they usually hire friendly and sexy waitresses... Recommended for an easy-going early night out. It is also a good place to meet other expats. They have a pool table as well and live music on weekend nights (Top 40). Prices are more expensive than the average for Kemang, but still reasonable: Around Rp30,000 for beer and Rp50,000 for hard drink. Happy hours from 5pm to 7pm. Open every day.