Bobby D's (Kemang)
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Jakarta100bars
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I haven't been to Bobby D yet, but it was recommended by a reader of Jakarta100bars. His comment was: "Hi Thibaud, I'm in bobby D's now and haven't found a review for it on your site. It's a nice layout, apparently the guy that owns it is Australian. Had some food here which was quite nice. The staff are quite friendly here too. They have a pool table as well...check it out :) " I checked their facebook (where I took the photos) and it looks like a simple place with quite many events of all kind: Salsa, Sports, Sexy Night, Cuban, live music... The prices seem reasonable too... Probably a good restaurant and bar to socialize in Kemang... If you want more info, check one of the following: Website: www.indoheart.com Twitter : twitter.com/bobbyds_jakarta Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/BobbyDsRestaurant Facebook: Bobby D's Kemang Bobby D's Restaurant and Bar The Mansion at Kemang, Shopping Arcade GF 001-003 Jl. Kemang Raya No.3-5
Alcoholics Bar & Grill opened at the end of April 2012 next to KOI Kemang. The originality with the place is that everything sold on the menu has been cooked using Alcohol. Personally, I think the concept could be effective, but the name of the restaurant is too ambiguous and misleading. We will see how it goes, but I'm afraid it will not attract the right customers... Alcoholics Grill & Bar Jalan Kemang Raya No 72 South Jakarta Phone number: +62 21 7195675 Mail: info@alcoholicsbar.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AlcoholicsBarGrill Website: http://www.alcoholicsbar.com/
Apero is a small lounge and restaurant (Italian food mostly) located in Citywalk Sudirman. The lounge is cozy and intimate, without being too fancy. It is worth trying if you are staying nearby because they have a large selection of affordable drinks and wine (one draught bintang is Rp30k++). Concerning the restaurant, I tried two dishes from their kitchen and I was not satisfied. We had the Pizza with Beef Pepperoni (Rp40k++), which had almost no taste, and the Salmon de Paris (Rp65k++). The fish did not seem so fresh and the pasta was dry. Here are some pictures: Beef Pepperoni Pizza (Rp40k++)
BackStage, a restaurant, bar and live music venue, is a popular hang-out spot located far north of Jakarta, on Ancol beach. There are two areas: The first one, inside, is more like a lounge than a restaurant, with sofas and small coffee tables for eating. From there, you cannot really hear the live music playing.
Le Bridge could have been a great place for having a romantic dinner or for hanging-out with friends, but the food there is so bad that I will never go back there again. Also, but this is not the fault of the restaurant, the sea in this area is quite polluted and smelly, so it isn't always pleasant, especially during the day. At night, it is better though since we cannot see the litter floating on the water. From the outside, Le Bridge looks like an upmarket café, located on a bridge right in front of the beach of Ancol. It is a nice sight since it seems to be on its own island, away from the shore.
By The Beach restaurant is located in Plaza Indonesia/eX, where Fashion Bar used to stand. I was quite seduced by the design of the place: It is a replica of a sunny, mediterranean beach restaurant, with large windows and wooden floor. They could have avoided the plastic palm trees and some very un-authentic artefacts, but overall, it is a nice looking venue.
Canteen is a hip restaurant located in Pacific Place and Plaza Indonesia. In both places, they are next to the bookstore Aksara, to which they are related. I visited the Canteen in Plaza Indonesia during the afternoon on a Saturday. It was quite crowded, with expats and visibly rich, cool Indonesians. Some of them looked familiar and could have been actors or singers. At night, I think it is best to make a reservation. I liked the setting, in particular the fact that it is in a quiet part of the mall. With large windows letting a lot of light inside, and comfortable seats, it is a cozy venue, designed to be a hangout spot as much as a restaurant. Their menu features continental food, with mostly Italian dishes. Everything seemed fine until I ordered my food: Salade Niçoise (Rp55,000++), Rib-eye steak (Rp110,000++), Bruschetta (Rp45,000++), and Orange juice. A 2-course meal with soft drink should cost you around Rp200,000+. To give you an idea of how expensive it is, in some 5-sta
I discovered Carlo de Huts while wandering in the Crystal Lagoon, the upmarket food court of the mall Senayan City. It looked like the kind of restaurant I usually avoid: A well-designed concept with mediocre food. They had a few tables outside and I was in a curious mood so I decided to try it anyway. A look at their menu confirmed my fears: Many popular and easy-to-prepare dishes, a lot of junk food and a twist of marketing to justify the expensive bill. I ordered the lasagna, with little hope I would be served something decent and I was right: My plate looked very nice, but there was too much cheese, not enough tomato and the meat didn't taste very good. They probably used some cheap ingredients, hoping to make higher margins on every dish. The total cost for my meal was Rp120,000, including a fresh orange juice which tasted ok. I think a normal price for such a meal should not be above Rp80,000. Overall, I do not recommend you to eat in Carlo de Huts unless you are not pick
FJ Bistro is a trendy restaurant and café, located in the back of the trendy clothing boutique Fj'L. You have large windows from the floor to the ceiling giving you the impression of being outside, as well as some neat furniture. The food is a selection of Asian and Western favourites, costing around Rp60k to Rp100k for a dish. Fj Bistro is not a cheap place to eat, but it is perfect for a Sunday brunch or Breakfast. It is usually quite crowded then. It also has a good reputation for its teas as it is the exclusive resaler for Indonesia of Mariage Frères tea. Practical Information: Open from Monday to Sunday from 11am to 11pm
After 8 years living in Jakarta, I finally visited Jaya Pub, the oldest expat bar in the city (since 1976). It is really a shame I never came before because the place would have deserved a review on this blog a long time ago. Owned by Rima Melati and her husband (also behind Le Bistro and La Bodega), Jaya Pub looks like a survivor. Not only has it been around for 35 years, it also hasn't changed during that time: Toto for instance, one of their employees, has been working here since the beginning. He is now 70 years-old, probably the oldest bartender in Jakarta. The decoration is nothing but the accumulation of all the souvenirs and photos gathered over time. You cannot help but feel nostalgic in Jaya Pub, especially if you've been an expat for a while already.
Koi Kafe Gallery restaurant is a long-time favourite among Jakarta expatriates. It serves both Asian (Chinese) and European (mainly French) food. Koi is usually considered as serving one of the best brunches in Jakarta. You can try it from 10am to 2pm on Saturday and Sunday, but make a reservation before because it is always full. Owned by a Belgian expat, the food is mostly great (among the recommended dishes, try the Grilled Camembert) and the service friendly. When busy, you may have to wait for a while to get your food though. Koi also hosts a gallery with some beautiful pieces of antique furniture and also some paintings. A meal will cost you around 150,000rp (appetizer, main course and dessert), which I believe is decent for the overall experience you get.
La Bière (the beer in French) is a restaurant with Indonesian and Western food, and more importantly, a late-night hangout spot in the Central Park mall (Tribeca). I didn't try the food, but from what many food blogs are saying, it is rather good, though more expensive than average. To have a beer, it is perfect especially on Friday and Saturday as it doesn't close before 3am. It isn't extraordinary, but you don't have so much choice if you live in the area anyway. Opening hours: Everyday from 11am to midnight (and 3am on weekends)
New bar/restaurant in Epicentrum Walk (near Taman Rasuna), opened by Andreas Stokowy, a German expatriate. Not visited yet but I took a look at their menu on facebook and it seems quite expensive. The chef is German so hopefully it is worth it. I'll try to visit soon and post a complete review. Moodz Jakarta Unit W126B & 128B Epicentrum Walk Komplek Rasuna Epicentrum Jalan HR Rasuna Said, Jakarta 12960 Email: marketing@foodevolution.org Phone number: +62-21 29941282 Website: http://metromoodz.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/MoodZ-Jakarta/179481528743989
After Cork&Screw , Loewy , Potato Head and Social House , Ninety-Nine (99) is the new chic place in Jakarta (in November 2010). If you want to be surrounded by rich Indonesians and expats, this is where you should go. Since the restaurant is located in the middle of Grand Indonesia, expect it to be full, especially on weekends. Ninety-Nine is actually an offshoot of the Ranch Market, a supermarket popular with expats specializing in premium, imported, and sometimes organic products. The restaurant maintains that quality reputation and offers some simple dishes using the best ingredients. To me, most of the food is American junk food, but they have some specialties from other countries such as tortillas, noodle soup, pizzas or nasi goreng. It's not always as healthy as it claims to be, but at least it tastes good.
The Olive Tree is one of the restaurants of Nikko Hotel. If you don't choose the buffet (Rp228,000++), the menu "à la carte" consists of various popular international dishes, plus some local favourites. We tried 3 dishes, the Tasmanian salmon (Rp155,000++), the Lamb Rack (Rp180,000++) and the Seafood Pesto soup (Rp50,000++). Note that the Indonesian dishes are much more affordable. The food tasted fine, just as you would expect for these prices. However, my overall feeling was that the restaurant lacks charm. We were the only customers that evening and it seemed like the whole place was sleepy.
Pancious is a popular chain of restaurants specializing in pancakes and waffles, with also some main course dishes such as pasta, steaks and burgers. They are all located in malls, including the one I tried in Plaza Indonesia. While the setting is unimpressive and dull, my first positive impression came from the friendly waiters, who welcomed me with smiles and took the time to chat. I ordered a cheese burger (Rp44,000++), a strawberry juice (Rp26,000++), and the regular pancakes (Rp26,000++). I was pleasantly surprised with all my food, which tasted good and was moderately priced (for a mall). The juice was made of real fruits, the pancakes were similar to what I had before in the US, and the ingredients of the burger were all fresh and fair quality. Cheeseburger (Rp44,500++) Overall : I was very satisfied with my experience in Pancious. It's not the place for a romantic dinner, but for a snack or an informal meal with friends, it is perfect. Opening hours: Everyday from 10am
Piccolo is a bistro in Bellagio Mansion, Mega Kuningan, serving a mix of Western and Asian food. It is very tiny, with a small dining area inside and a few tables on the outside. I was not impressed with the design: It is modern and intimate, with a high ceiling, but apart from its size, nothing can really distinguish it from its competitors.
Updated 2019: Social House is currently under renovation. In the meantime, you can check Paulaner Brauhaus which is just one floor above. Social House is a restaurant and bar with a nice view of Plaza Indonesia's roundabout. The atmosphere is supposed to be the feel-like-home type, but it is actually one of the hippest venues in Jakarta, so you don't feel that comfortable. Many celebrities and models come here, literally dozens of them on any weekend night. I tasted the pizza there and it was not worth what I paid for it: It was very small and not well-cooked. Drinks are very expensive as well.
Opened at the beginning of July 2011, Union is the most happening bar in Jakarta at the time of writing. The owners are also behind Loewy and Cork and Screw , and they haven't changed their concept: Union has a retro setting, serves expensive "chic" food (but with average taste) and its atmosphere is both cosmopolitan and busy. The best thing about it is actually its location, with a view on the Plaza Senayan Courtyard, which I find quite unique in Jakarta: I visited on a Thursday afternoon, and it was so full that we had to wait about 10 minutes to get a table. The waiter was friendly, but visibly overwhelmed and still new to the job, which is normal only a few days after opening. The menu has something for everyone: Burgers (one of them with foie gras, yuk!), pastas, grilled meat, asian favourites, etc... Nothing very original. The prices are quite high: On average, a meal will cost you around Rp150,000k without drinks.