Holy Smokes - Slow Smoked BBQ (Jakarta)
By
Tibs
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Holy Smokes is a chain of slow-smoked Texas-style BBQ restaurants, with currently three locations in or near Jakarta (Alam Sutra, Pantai Indah Kapuk and Wolter Monginsidi). It is part of Ersons Food, a group founded by three brothers who also own the famous Holy Crab franchise (previously reviewed here ). I visited Holy Smokes in Wolter Monginsidi on a Thursday evening, shortly before closing time. It is easy to spot from the outside, with its massive, bright sign that makes you feel as if you had reached the Holy Land. By the time I entered, it was still relatively busy, which was not a surprise considering it is one of the most popular restaurants in the area. Its interior design is based on an industrial theme and it reappropriates some of the graphic codes and materials used on construction sites or factories. Add to that the large communal table at the center of the main dining room and you really get the impression of eating in a chic American canteen.
The Union Group (behind Union, Loewy, Cork&Screw, Benedict, Casa, E&O, The Dutch, Canteen, etc...) opened Caffè Milano almost 2 years ago. Following its success, they are opening a sister restaurant called Bistecca. This new venue is still under project and it will open in August 2016. It will be located next to The Dutch restaurant, one of the trendy spots in Jakarta nowadays. As the name suggests, the food will be mostly steaks and grilled meat, Italian-style. They will also sell fine Italian wines. The Head Chef is still Luca Pezzera. I will add information about prices, menu, opening hours, etc. when I receive them. Please comment if you know something! Update August 2016 : Bistecca is already open. Full menu available here: Drinks and Cocktails Menu Bistecca and Food Menu Bistecca .
The Dutch restaurant is a new gastropub set to open early 2016 in the SCBD area. Owned by the Union Group, it will be headed by Chef Chris Moes, a Dutchman who previously worked for Casa in Kemang and Canteen. The restaurant will follow a smokehouse concept: Cold cuts, cured meats, smoked meats and sausages will be prepared in-house. You will also have comfort food and some BBQ specialities. There is a big chance that it will become a popular hangout place even if the taste of the food is not good. Please leave a comment below if you've tried it. I'll make a full review a few months after the opening.
My title was voluntarily misleading. I don't believe there are true differences between both brands as they operate with the same concept. Both are chains of affordable steak restaurants which are lively, colorful and with a viral marketing all about Twitter and Facebook. They offer decent steaks, but it isn't the best imports or the best cooking you will find (except if you take their most expensive cuts). Holycow! was opened by self-trained Chef Afit Dwi Purwanto (who worked previously as a manager on RCTI channel) and his wife Lucy Wiryono, a TV host. So far, they have 6 branches in Jakarta, 1 in Bali and 1 in Yogyakarta. Their menu is short and features Sirloin, Ribeye and Tenderloin steaks from Australia and US. They also serve Wagyu beef. I visited the Bali branch which was very busy in the evening. Most of the customers were Indonesians, seemingly from Jakarta. I had the prime Tenderloin steak (imported from Australia) (91k +12,5% tax and service). I
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.