Holycow! Steakhouse And Steak Hotel by Holycow! What Differences?
By
Tibs
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My title was voluntarily misleading. I don't believe there are true differences between both brands as they operate with the same concept. Both are chains of affordable steak restaurants which are lively, colorful and with a viral marketing all about Twitter and Facebook. They offer decent steaks, but it isn't the best imports or the best cooking you will find (except if you take their most expensive cuts). Holycow! was opened by self-trained Chef Afit Dwi Purwanto (who worked previously as a manager on RCTI channel) and his wife Lucy Wiryono, a TV host. So far, they have 6 branches in Jakarta, 1 in Bali and 1 in Yogyakarta. Their menu is short and features Sirloin, Ribeye and Tenderloin steaks from Australia and US. They also serve Wagyu beef. I visited the Bali branch which was very busy in the evening. Most of the customers were Indonesians, seemingly from Jakarta. I had the prime Tenderloin steak (imported from Australia) (91k +12,5% tax and service). I
The Hype is there, in this place of Seminyak... You feel it as soon as you get in this Restaurant & Bar. First you have the decoration: How to describe it ? The owner of the place, Australian Adrian Reed, tried to imitate a 1960's Acapulco ambiance (in Mexico), with images of Mexican Wrestlers and "Dia de Muertos", the Mexican Holiday. It is very colorful and very impressive at first sight. When you look closely at it, it is mostly an accumulation of old objects, weird paintings on the wall and other decoration that doesn't make any sense. The people who are going to this place are 90% tourists and expats. That is the case for all the hype venues in Seminyak. Basically all the people who stay in Potato Head Beach Club during daytime are coming to this place after Beach/Pool time. The music is good and the place hosts many events since they have a stage in the middle of the Bar. I like to go there for a drink since the place is very open. Pricewis
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
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.
Cocoon is one of the hippest and most expensive beach clubs in Bali, along with KuDeTa and Potato Head. Located on Jalan Double Six in Seminyak, it is about 100 meters from the beach, and not far from many other renowned venues such as Bacio, La Vida Loca or Déjà Vu. In the inside, everything is perfect and definitely world-class: The food, the parties, the design, the atmosphere, etc... It is pricey, around Rp 600,000 for a meal per person, but you can also order just a drink for around Rp100,000. There are some more private areas for bigger spenders too in the form of "cabanas". Because it is flashy, exclusive and absolutely unauthentic, it is not for everyone. I'm sure that at least half of the people I know would prefer eating padang food in a warung instead of spending an afternoon in Cocoon.