Publik Markette vs Caffé Milano
By
Tibs
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Following the opening of Central retail store and Uniqlo in Grand Indonesia, there has been a few new restaurants opening in this part of the mall. The two most popular are Publik Markette and Caffè Milano. I tried both of them for a quick double lunch on a weekday. In that same area, you also have Union Deli, Benedict and Nomz that I did not visit. Publik Markette was opened by Ismaya ( SKYE , Kitchenette , Pizza e Birra , Fook Yew, etc) and Caffé Milano is owned by the same people behind Union (some of which are also shareholders in Loewy , E&O and Cork & Screw ). The Union group's venues, concept and design, are more geared towards Westerners while Ismaya's concepts are very popular among local Indonesians and less among expats (except for a few venues such as Dragonfly ). Ismaya is usually more playful, more creative and innovative, while Union stays more classic and chic. Caffè Milano:
Le Quartier ("The Neighbourhood" in French, pronounced like the jewelry brand "Cartier") is a new French Restaurant, opened in 2013 in Kebayoran Baru, near Senopati. I liked the building facade of the Restaurant as well as the interior design. The decoration is well done and it really gives the feeling you are in a French bistro, with also a few modern touches. The overall impression is that it is an elegant and luxurious place, especially with their beautiful chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.
The Italian Restaurant Mamma Rosy is quite unique in Jakarta. To my knowledge, it is the only one which is entirely managed by an Italian expat family. At the top, you have Daniel Vigone, the main owner and manager, his mom (Mamma Rosy) who is behind the kitchen, and several other family members which I could not identify but seemed like their children/wife/sister. To see the whole family in the restaurant and in the kitchen gives you quite a good first impression and makes you feel instantly at home. If you have a bit of imagination, you could even feel as if you went to Italy...
PEPeNERO is a chain of Italian restaurants in Bali and Jakarta. They are almost copies of the Trattoria restaurants, so you can read my review about it also. I visited the PEPeNERO in Menara Karya, during lunchtime, and it was packed with both locals and expats. If you come with a group of people, I think you should always book in advance. The menu is large, written in Italian and English. Prices for a starter is around Rp50,000++, for main dish around Rp80,000++, and for a pizza around Rp50,000++.
There is a wide range of Italian restaurants in Jakarta, from fast-food pizza chains to fine dining options. I have tried, or heard of, the majority of the good places in Jakarta, and I hope this page will help you decide where you will find your favourite Italian food in the city. Among the chains of restaurants, there are two names that are above the competition: Izzi Pizza and Pizza Marzano . The last one is actually a British brand, but they make thin crust pizza and they have a whole Italian menu. In none of these venues you will eat authentic Italian, but they have fair standards when it comes to quality and service. They can be found a bit everywhere, more specifically in malls, and the average price for a pizza is Rp80,000 and Rp60,000 for a plate of pasta. In the same price range, I advise you to try Pepenero and Trattoria , two favourites among Jakarta expats. Without sacrificing taste, they offer excellent value dishes in a quite authentic atmosphere. If you ar
Ocha & Bella is a restaurant in Morrissey Hotel (ex-Citadines) which opened in March 2011. I didn't try the food there yet, only the cocktails, so I will keep this blog review short. For me, Ocha & Bella is one of the most charming modern-design restaurant in Jakarta. Its designer, Willis Kusuma, is also behind Social House and Pesto , but it reminds me even more of Maja House in Bandung. Ocha & Bella has a different vibe whether you sit near the bar, in the open-air garden, or in the main dining room. For this reason, I think it is suitable for any occasions: Dates, late drinks with colleagues, hang-out, or even solo.
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.
Pizza e Birra, owned by the Ismaya group , is re-inventing the wheel and proposes you an alcoholic version of Pizza Hut. The name is self-explanatory: Pizza e Birra has mostly pizzas (+ appetizers & soups) and beers (all kind, among which some fruit-flavoured) in its menu. The quality of the food is better than in any fast food but it’s far from being great cuisine. The beers, except for a few names are those that can be found in any other restaurant or bar. A good reason to go there is for the live music band on Friday and Saturday, and for the Beer Pong tournament that takes places once in a while. The big drawback is that of course, it is very expensive. I’m always amazed to see with how much confidence the Ismaya Group manages to transform everything it touches into something funky & modern. I would never have bet that eating junk food with Bintang, in a Muslim country, could ever be seen a hot thing to do. My opinion is that Pizza e Birra is a marketing concept that targe
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.
Trattoria is an excellent, good-value Italian restaurant in Indonesia . Except for their steaks, most of the dishes in Trattoria are very affordable and taste just as good as in Europe. That's very rare in Jakarta! I have been a regular for a few years already, for every occasion: Lunch with colleagues, dinner with friends, dates, etc.. It used to be full of expatriates, but now you will find most customers are Indonesians. The service is very friendly and efficient, and very often, you'll see the Italian manager (or owner?) around.