Top Arab & Middle Eastern Restaurants in Jakarta
By
Tibs
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Surprisingly for the capital of the largest Muslim country in the world, the number of Arab or Middle Eastern restaurants in Jakarta is quite low. I've counted about 25 of them, and I've tried 15. It may seem like a lot, but since Jakarta is so spread, you're not likely to have more than just a few near where you live. The good thing is that within these, most of them are decent and affordable. In particular, I advise you to try one of the Yemeni restaurants that offer the best value-for-money and the most authenticity. Here are my favorite Arab or Middle Eastern restaurants in Jakarta: 1) Al Nafoura (Lebanese) 2 Al-Jazeerah (Yemeni) 3) Turkuaz (Turkish) 4) Sinbad (Syrian/Yemeni) - Review not posted yet, the restaurant is located Jl. K.S. Tubun Raya No. 2 in Slipi (Tel: +62-21 530 8366) 5) Beirut Lebanon (Lebanese) 6) Hadramou t (Yemeni) As usual, I will update this list as I discover new restaurants. You're welcome to comme
De Leila is an Arabic nightclub located on the 8th floor of FX Sudirman. It is a popular party spot for tourists from the Middle East and particularly Saudis, Qatari and Emiratis. You have a few other nationalities such as Egyptians, Iranians, Turkish and Omanis. Even though most customers are Muslims, alcohol is served. The new De Leila was opened in 2015 (the previous one was on Jalan Gatot Subroto). It is still partly owned by the Ahmad Fahmy family (also behind Tanamur ). It is now more modern and spacious, with an upmarket feel. I have to warn you though that is a place of prostitution, with at least 50 freelance working girls from Indonesia, China, and Morocco. The music in De Leila is Arabic, either from their live band or from the DJ. It is best to book a sofa so you can enjoy the show with the best possible view. You can order shisha as well. There is also a mezzanine with pool tables and a smaller bar area. The entrance fee is Rp150,000 and it incl
Probably one of the most authentic Arabic restaurants in Jakarta, Hadramout specializes in Yemeni cuisine, particularly Mandi/Madhbi (basmati rice, meat, spices). By coincidence, it is exactly what I ate the day before in Al-Jazeerah in Cikini so I was able to make a useful comparison. I preferred the atmosphere in Hadramout: They give you the possibility to eat directly on the carpet, in small private areas, which is quite unique in Jakarta. I advise you to choose the areas closest to the kitchen, more intimate. On the walls, you'll also find some traditional instruments and artifacts from Yemen. As in Al-Jazeerah, all the waitresses wear the headscarf and the television channels are in Arabic. Of course, no alcohol is served. Concerning the food (Lamb Madhbi for 2, Rp121k++)), Al-Jazeerah was the best. The rice had the same taste, but the lamb in Hadramout was too salty and fatty .
To my knowledge, Turkuaz is only the second Turkish restaurant to open in Jakarta. Sesai Zorlu, its owner and chef, worked in the first one, Anatolia, for 10 years. From what I've heard, since he left, the quality of the food in the latter has been deteriorating and it is no longer the great restaurant it used to be. If anyone can confirm it would be appreciated... Turkuaz is quite small, with only about 30 seats available. There are plans to expand by the end of the year, with two private rooms and a lounge upstairs to smoke shisha. When we visited, on a Saturday night, it was full and we had to wait for 10 minutes to get a table.
Abunawas is a middle-eastern restaurant, similar to nearby Hadramout , with mostly specialties from the Arabian Peninsula. I was quite disappointed with my experience there. The first time I came, it was 9.15pm and they were closing at 10pm so I was told to come back another day. I did come back, 2 days later, at 8.15pm, and already, the dining rooms upstairs, the nicest ones with a floor-seating area were not available (too late). We sat downstairs, while the staff was busy cleaning up the place, which gave us the feeling we were intruders. The waitress told us then there was no grilled meat available nor almost everything listed on the menu. I didn't keep the bill so I only remember the name of one dish (Mandi Laham). Here are the pictures (total bill was Rp120,000 with drinks):
Al-Jazeerah is among the best and most famous Arabic restaurants in Jakarta. They have several branches now but the one I tried is the original restaurant, which is located on Jalan Raden Saleh. The restaurant doesn't look fancy but it is comfortable and clean. It consists of a large function room, to be avoided if you are a small group, and a smaller one in the back which is much more intimate. They also have a giant screen with Arabic channels. The night I visited, there was about 10 other customers, and all of them looked foreign, most likely Arab. The air-con was very strong and blowing everywhere in the room unfortunately, and it made me leave as soon as I was done eating.
Al-Tahrir is a Middle-Eastern/Egyptian restaurant located in Pasar Festival, on Jalan Rasuna Said. Intended as a meeting point for the Egyptian community in Jakarta, it is named after Tahrir square in Cairo. The most interesting is that it is supposed to stay open 24-hour (see 24-hour restaurants in Jakarta ), one of the only venues to do so in the area. Concerning the food, it is rather cheap. What I sampled tasted average, though. The Shawarma (Rp30,000) was made in the Egyptian way, with only tomatoes, peppers, and chicken. I usually prefer when there are more ingredients (onions, white sauce, garlic, herbs, etc...), hence my disappointment. I also tried the Mixed Grilled Meat (Rp110,000), which is quite big for one person. The cooking was fine, particularly the sauce and the spices, but the ingredients used were probably not the best quality. There are no miracles, you get what you pay for.
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.
Beirut Lebanon (also called Ali K. Baba) had been advertised to me as the best value Lebanese restaurant in Jakarta. The place doesn't look very good from the outside, and certainly not like a place you would want to eat in. The interior is better, very authentic, and simple. It is not pretty but you feel that it isn't fake, and that probably if you ever go to Beirut, you will find some similar eateries. I ordered the hummus (Rp 20,000++) because I wanted to compare it with the one I had in more expensive restaurants... No doubt about it, Beirut Lebanon's was way better. I followed that with a Shawarma (Rp 50,000++) and it was fine also, especially the white sauce to put on it. Though the value for money was excellent, there were no customers that day in Lebanon Beirut.
Doner Kebab is the largest chain of kebab restaurants in Jakarta. They serve their kebabs with beef, chicken or lamb and the price is reasonable, between 20,000rp and 30,000rp. There are quite many competitors too in Jakarta such as Opie's Kebab or Ali Kebab. I didn't expect too much when I tried their food in Taman Anggrek Mall but I was surprised because it actually tasted ok (or maybe I felt that way because I was starving). It is not too unhealthy also as you can ask them not to put any sauce. Even though it is fast food from a chain restaurant, I would still recommend Doner Kebab to you if you are looking for a cheap snack while inside a mall. Doner Kebab has locations all over the city, almost exclusively in food courts in malls: Information: Doner Kebab Instagram