Bengawan Restaurant @ Keraton at the Plaza Hotel
By
Nyoman
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If you are a Mexican food lover, you can read my review of my favorite Spanish and Mexican places in Jakarta. Keraton at the Plaza in Jakarta might be one of the most luxurious and elegant hotels in the city, along with The Hermitage , The Kempinski, The Mandarin Oriental or The Ritz-Carlton. They have a buffet with fine cheeses, fresh oysters, and a wide variety of meat. But I came here to taste their "Modern Mexican kitchen". It is a special Mexican menu designed by a friendly Mexican chef (see picture above), struggling everyday to get Mexican products in his kitchen in Jakarta.
In just a few years, the number of Mexican/Spanish/Latin restaurants in Jakarta has exploded. 5 years ago, to my knowledge there was only Amigos, and now I counted over 10 of them. I know it doesn't really make sense to mix Mexican and Spanish food into one single review as they are not related at all but I think they are part of a similar trend. Jakartans are craving for convivial ways to eat: Restaurants that are modern without being uptight and where the food can be shared with friends. Latin countries also have a positive image in the mind of many. Tell them Spain, and they think Party, Sexy, Friendly or Fun (and probably Soccer). Most of those new Spanish/Mexican restaurants are located in the expatriate areas of Jakarta: Kemang, Cipete, Sudirman/Thamrin. Only Caliente (Mexican) has a branch in Pantai Indah Kapuk and Tapas Movida has one in Cilandak (CITOS). I ranked the restaurants according to several criteria: Food, authenticity, value for money, atmosphere, co
Caliente is an affordable Mexican restaurant located in Kemang Village (Lippo Mall). It serves all Mexican favourites for a very reasonable price and the taste is good. The design of the place could be improved in my opinion as it resembles a fast food more than a restaurant. Caliente Mexican Restaurant Jakarta Lippo Mall Kemang, 3rd Floor #03, Jl. Pangeran Antasari Kav. 36, Kemang, Jakarta Opening Hours: Caliente is opened every day from 10am to 10pm.
Established in Indonesia since 1979, Amigos is a popular family restaurant , the first with Mexican food in Jakarta (now there is also Hacienda ). It has two main targets, American expats who miss their tacos, and Indonesian middle class families eager to discover another continent's cuisine. Actually, we are seeing a lot more of these lately as expats are being spoiled with much better places to eat... The food is junk food, but the atmosphere is friendly. If you want to eat quietly, don't go in the evening because they have live music which can be quite loud. Happy hour from 4pm to 7pm (50% off soft drinks, juices and beer). There are two branches: Amigos Kemang (It is the one with the best reputation) Jl. Kemang Selatan I