Kahyangan (Shabu-Shabu Restaurant)
By
Tibs
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Kahyangan has to be one of the most expensive Asian restaurants in Jakarta. It is part of Pullman 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.
Al Nafoura is the Lebanese restaurant of the Hotel Le Meridien. It is a great place to eat, especially for dinner, when the dim lighting creates an intimate atmosphere, perfect for a romantic date.
Monty's is one of the hippest and most exclusive venues in Jakarta at the moment. The day I visited, you had 1 Ferrari, 1 Lamborghini, 2 Porsches, 2 Jaguars and several nice sports cars parked just in front. That should give you an idea of the crowd. It was opened by Klabo , the same group behind Nip & Dram and Ivy Kitchen. From what I've heard, the owner of Blue Bird Taxis is one of the shareholders. The Restaurant On the first two floors is a restaurant serving classic European food. They have all the priciest ingredients that you can possibly import in Indonesia such as caviar, lobster, truffle, charcuterie, cheese or wagyu beef. There also serve several organic and healthy dishes. The kitchen is headed by a Norwegian expat who previously worked in Grand Hyatt as an executive sous-chef. The price is rather expensive: On average for a 2-course meal you'll spend at least Rp500,000 (without alcohol). You can try it for lunch as they have a
TWG (The Wellness Group) is a distributor of quality teas founded in 2008. On their logo, which is a copy of the one of Mariage Frères, it is mentioned the date 1837 but it is obviously a deception. They also have some words written in French such as "Mélanges Exquis" or "Grand Crus Prestige", probably aimed at making consumers believe it is a French brand. But TWG is from Singapore and there is no shame in that. Part of their marketing strategies is the creation of high-end boutiques / restaurants / tea salon. There are already over 40 branches around the World, especially in Asia (only 1 in Europe and a few in US). The ideas is to position TWG as a luxury company by opening in premium locations, with a chic design and fine dining service. I had TWG Teas on several occasions and they were good for a non-expert like me. It seems to me that tea is a basic product, a commodity and I don't think there are "Grand Crus" like there are with
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.
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
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.
Face Bar, part of the Face group, is one of the oldest bars in Jakarta. It is still popular, especially with expats and tourists, in spite of being expensive and even though dozens of similar lounges have opened all around the city. The secret of Face Bar is undoubtedly its interior design, which combines old antiques with more contemporary paintings and sculptures. It is quite small, and there are always some regulars, in particular foreign journalists. There is a pool table too but it is rarely used. There are two fine dining restaurants in the same building, each one with a theme: Lan Na Tai (Thai food) and Hazara (Indian cuisine, reviewed on this blog here ) Face bar is usually a recommended nightlife spot by many magazines/websites about Jakarta. Myself, I like to take my friends there when they come to Jakarta, because it is the kind of venue that would be popular in Europe. Don't expect something very happening though, it is a bar to chill and relax, not to party.
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
Ocha & Bella is a restaurant in Morrissey Hotel (ex-Citadines) which opened in March 2011. I didn't try the food there yet, only the cocktails, so I will keep this blog review short. For me, Ocha & Bella is one of the most charming modern-design restaurant in Jakarta. Its designer, Willis Kusuma, is also behind Social House and Pesto , but it reminds me even more of Maja House in Bandung. Ocha & Bella has a different vibe whether you sit near the bar, in the open-air garden, or in the main dining room. For this reason, I think it is suitable for any occasions: Dates, late drinks with colleagues, hang-out, or even solo.
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.