The Barrels (Summarecon Mall Serpong)
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Tibs
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The Barrels is one of the few decent beer-drinking joints you will find in Serpong/Tangerang. It is inside Summarecon Mall, on the downtown walk, and it is basic but lively. You have a big poster of a cave with barrels on the walls, some high tables and chairs in line, and the barrels... For a little above Rp250k, you can order a small barrel of Bintang to share with your friends. They also have local live music bands on weekends. Opening Hours: 10am to 1pm The Barrels Summarecon Mall Serpong (Downtown Walk #DGF-3), Tangerang Phone: +62-21 4586 4959 Instagram: The Barrels 1767 & The Wine Place
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
Bakerzin is a long-time favourite dessert restaurant in Jakarta. I had never visited it until recently, in the Central Park branch. The place was very busy and I could not get a table nor a waiter until a few minutes. My first impression was that everything was very confused and unorganized. The manager of the restaurant may have seen that I was getting impatient and he started to take care of me, which really improved the whole experience. The menu is not just a menu, it is a full book with photos and text. My initial plan was to eat, but the pictures didn't look appetizing. I just took a Strawberry Juice and a Cherry Flan. Both were very average and they didn't match with the expectations one could have about Bakerzin considering its prices, its marketing, its locations (high-end malls), and its success. Overall : I will not try Bakerzin again. Opening hours: From 10am to 10pm every day (following the mall schedule) Contact Details of Bakerzin Restauran
Angke is a very famous Chinese "Hakka" restaurant with two locations in Jakarta, in Ketapang and Kelapa Gading. I only tried the latter, which is made of one huge dining room half the size of a football field. I guess it is adequate for weddings and receptions, but I don't recommend it if you want to have an intimate dinner.
I came all the way from Sudirman to Jalan Pangeran Jayakarta, in Glodok, because I was told this street had some of the best Chinese street food stalls and warungs in Jakarta. When I arrived, it was already late but some venues were still crowded. I chose one of them, Chasio Garing Acc, for a simple reason: They had air-conditioning. It turned out their unit was not functioning very well, so I had a chance to sweat a little, and also to get a few mosquito bites. There isn't much to say about the inside as it looks like any typical warung: 4 walls with kitschy ornaments and posters, basic chairs and tables, and uncertain hygiene. I had eaten the best Grilled Duck ever a week earlier in Liyen , and the one in Chasio Garing Acc was quite disappointing. Since it is twice as cheap in the latter, there wasn't much to expect anyway. I also tried the Beef Kwetiaw: The ingredients were not very fresh and the meat low quality. I only had a few bites and couldn't
Padang restaurants are countless in Jakarta, and you may find one in almost every street of the city (for new comers and tourists, Padang is the name of a city in Sumatra). Most of the Padang restaurants are small street food stalls or simple "rumah makan" (basic restaurants), and unfortunately many expats can be reluctant to try this kind of establishment because the hygiene is not up to their standards. The Garuda food chain is a good way to experience Padang food because their venues are clean and comfortable, while the general atmosphere and the prices remain close from that of the original Padang food concept. After seating, the waiters will bring you about 15 different dishes, the most common ones, but you can also ask for more specific ones. Then you will be charged only for what you eat. Padang food is quite hot, though it's not, as many people think, the spiciest cuisine of Indonesia. If your stomach is fragile, ask for a lot of rice, ayam goreng bumbu, sa
Jun Njan (meaning "Always remember your roots") is a chain of traditional Chinese seafood restaurants with branches all over Jakarta. The one I tried is located in Grand Indonesia, and I don't know if the quality of the food in this restaurant is the same than that in other places. The menu list is extensive with a mix of various chinese dishes, with a focus on seafood. I thought the cost of the food was fair, given that the restaurant is located in one of Jakarta's most luxurious malls. Jun Njan was not very crowded when I was there, but it is rare: It is usually very busy and sometimes noisy. Not a good set for a quiet or romantic dinner... Contact details:
Kafé Betawi is a chain of Indonesian food restaurants located in various malls in Jakarta. I tried the one in Plaza Indonesia. Their concept is to sell typical street food dishes in a clean and cozy atmosphere. The prices are low, especially for malls and they are usually popular venues to eat probably for this reason. We had a few dishes in Kafe Betawi:
SushiGroove restaurants are usually located in malls and target young executives and students. They do not serve excellent food and it's expensive, but the place is usually busy and fun for hanging out. Their menu is creative, the setting is funky and the service friendly: Is it worth paying the premium? I think that SushiGroove is fine for a short meal on the way to the movie, but for anything more serious (especially a date), it is too similar to an expensive fast-food and should be avoided. Oh and by the way, in case you didn't guess, the food is Japanese, mostly sushis. Opening hours: Every day from 11am to 10pm.
Warung Leko is a chain of Indonesian food restaurants similar with Warung Tekko , previously reviewed on this blog. For me, there is no real difference between the two, but people always say one of them is there favourite, just as they would say Pepsi is better than Coke. They specialize in Iga Bakar and Iga Penyet (Grilled ribs and Smashed ribs with spicy sauce). They have other items on the menu, all the usual Indonesian favourites, but most customers go for the ribs only.
Warung Tekko is an Indonesian chain of restaurant catering mostly to middle class families. You will find them in all the major Indonesian cities, most of the time in malls. It is very similar with another chain of restaurants called Warung Leko (reviewed on this blog). Specializing in Iga Penyet (Fried ribs in spicy jalapeño sauce - Rp28,000), it serves good value dishes from all over Indonesia. The facilities are family friendly, clean and cozy and the food tastes good enough. Overall: I would recommend Warung Tekko for an affordable meal where you get what you pay for. However, they only have local ribs, which are usually not as tasty as those imported from Australia/US.