Kahyangan (Shabu-Shabu Restaurant)
By
Tibs
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Kahyangan has to be one of the most expensive Asian restaurants in Jakarta. It is part of Pullman Hotel, near the Hotel Indonesia roundabout. I read a few reviews on internet about this place, but I imagine the journalists didn't actually pay for their meals. If you eat there for free, it is a great place indeed. You have an incredible view over Jakarta, attentive staff (though they can be pushy to make you order more) and stylish design. Bring a date here and she should be really impressed.
If you've been to Grand Indonesia recently, you may have noticed a new café/restaurant/bar on the ground floor of the West Mall. Replacing Mad For Garlic, Greyhound is the latest venue of the Arena group , also behind several famous restaurants like Penang Bistro or Seribu Rasa. The name Greyhound will probably sound familiar to those who know Thailand well. This is where the brand first started, in Bangkok more specifically, in 1997. The owners came from the fashion industry and their idea was to create a venue that would unify their love for design and their love for food. Their first opening met with immediate success and, since then, they managed to open 30 more outlets in 6 countries, including in Hong Kong and Singapore. The one in Grand Indonesia is their latest franchise, and it comes with a twist. Unlike the other branches, it also has a lounge concept with a beautiful bar, a long list of cocktails and spirits, and DJ events on Saturd
Cloud is a rooftop bar/lounge/club located on the 49th floor of the Plaza Tower, just 3 floors above Altitude which is part of the same group. For many years, Jakarta was missing a real rooftop bar. Some clubs, restaurants and lounges were located on higher floors but never opened on the outside (for instance Vertigo, Pure, Kampus). SHY in Kemang was one of the first rooftop lounges but the Papillion building where it is located did not offer a very impressive view. Being located on top of one of the tallest towers in the city, SKYE was the first real rooftop bar in Jakarta, with an immediate success. It probably encouraged others to copy it and I am sure that we will see even more of them in the future.
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:
BART is the latest of the Rooftop Bars in the city. Going on the roof is a very good option in Jakarta since most of the place are closed, with no windows and with full AC. That is maybe one of the reasons why so many rooftop bars have opened recently in Jakarta, and why it is so trendy. BART (Approximate Acronym of Bar at the Rooftop) is the latest of this long series, it is located in Artotel Hotel on Thamrin near Sarinah. The Hotel itself is very art-friendly with a different Indonesian artist decorating the rooms for each floor. This hotel opened in late 2013 and in October 2014 they are just opening the rooftop bar, maybe after the huge success of Awan Lounge , rooftop bar of Kosenda Hotel , located 200 meters away.
If you are a Mexican food lover, you can read my review of my favorite Spanish and Mexican places in Jakarta. Keraton at the Plaza in Jakarta might be one of the most luxurious and elegant hotels in the city, along with The Hermitage , The Kempinski, The Mandarin Oriental or The Ritz-Carlton. They have a buffet with fine cheeses, fresh oysters, and a wide variety of meat. But I came here to taste their "Modern Mexican kitchen". It is a special Mexican menu designed by a friendly Mexican chef (see picture above), struggling everyday to get Mexican products in his kitchen in Jakarta.
Sana Sini (Here and There in Indonesian) is the new Restaurant of the Pullman Jakarta Indonesia. This Hotel, strategically located on Jl Thamrin near Bunderan HI and Plaza Indonesia has been under huge renovation in order to compete with the new 4-star and 5-star Hotels in the City (like The Hermitage or Double Tree Hilton to name a few). The Sana Sini is the main Restaurant of the Hotel and it is located on the first floor close to the reception and the Makaron Bakery. The first impression is that the place is very wide: You have the impression of being in a fancy department store ! You can walk through the different corners, each of them representing a different type of cuisine. You have Indonesian food at the back, a Chinese corner, a Japanese corner and Western food. You also have a very good selection of breads and cheeses. It is headed by a French Chef.
Is Jakarta becoming a hipster place ? Yes, if you refer to Awan Lounge, located in Menteng on KH Wahid Hasyim. I discovered this place thanks to a friend and we went there together to have a casual drink before going clubbing. Awan Lounge is located on 9th floor of the Kosenda Hotel, a recent boutique hotel located steps away from Ocha & Bella Restaurant . First advice: don't come with your car since the parking is very small ! Apart from that, I found the place very nice. This is definitely the kind of rooftop bar that this area needed. Kosenda hotel is a boutique hotel with a very unique style: I would define it as hipster but it could also be trendy/relaxing or even Arty-fancy. Awan Lounge is located on the rooftop of the Hotel. The great thing about this place is the view of the Jakarta skyline. You can see Thamrin Residence, Thamrin Executive but also The Plaza and Keraton at The Plaza from this Bar. They have elaborated cocktails starting at 99 K and also f
SKYE is the latest venue opened by the Ismaya Group, and for this reason, we can guess it will be the place to be in Jakarta for at least the next 3 months. The Menara BCA has 57th floor and is 230 meters high. Located on its 56th floor, SKYE's main attraction will obviously be the view over the city's skyline. The history of rooftop bars and restaurants in Jakarta has shown mixed results, with most places now closed ( Vertigo , Kampus , Pure , Cilantro , etc...). I wish more success for SKYE.
Afterhour is a famous pool-themed bar opened in Jakarta in 2001. Similar in the concept with Score or La Forca , you have quality tables and quite a lot of special events that make it a popular venue for playing pool as much as for hanging out with friends. You have a DJ every night so if you are not used to it, beware because it can be quite loud and disturbing while playing. Afterhour is more expensive than the average pool venues in Jakarta, especially the drinks at the bar.
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.