Bebek Tepi Sawah Restaurants
By
Tibs
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I visited the original branch of Bebek Tepi Sawah in Ubud a few years ago. I was disappointed at that time as it was expensive, overcrowded with groups of tourists, and the taste was really unexceptional. I blacklisted it in my mind and considered it a tourist trap. In the past few years, the brand has opened outlets everywhere in malls in Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Bali. I thought that the management may have changed and that it would be worth having another try. I did so in Beachwalk in Kuta. My first impression was not too good. I was greeted by an apathetic waitress that I felt I was bothering. She gave me the menu and left. It took me 10 minutes to get another waiter, more friendly, to come to me and take my order. The menu features all kinds of Indonesian and International dishes with a large choice of drinks. It is so big that I cannot imagine the team in the kitchen is able to prepare them all correctly. Since Bebek Tepi Sawah means "the duck from the ri
Monolog Coffee PIM Monolog Coffee Front Bakery Monolog Coffee Drinks Menu Monolog Coffee Food Menu Monolog Coffee Bar Counter I went to Monolog Coffee in Pondok Indah Mall. This Coffee place is located at the very end of "The Street", the Dining area of Pondok Indah Mall which closes at 12:00 PM. I have been attracted by a nice Bakery at the entrance with mostly Croissants and some American Pastries like Cheese Cakes or Carrot Cakes.
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++.
An excellent bar, De Hooi was not in our listing until now only because it is located a bit far from the center, in Pondok Indah, where we seldom venture. In this part of town however, it is easily the most popular and the most happening bar, attracting a good mix of both expats and locals, in an easy going and welcoming atmosphere. Many regular customer crowd the bar and it seems like most patrons know each other already.. Live music , free-wifi, and a good menu featuring American, Indian, Dutch, Indonesian food (you can take a look at it here: De Hooi menu part 1 , part 2 , part 3 , they do delivery). If you live in Pondok Indah, this is the place where you want to go to have fun.
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
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:
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
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.
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.