Pondok Laguna was one of my worst dining experiences in Jakarta. I may have been unlucky, but from what I've seen, I can only recommend you to avoid it.
It was a big disappointment because Pondok Laguna is actually extremely popular with Indonesians, some of whom consider it as one of the best Indonesian restaurants in Jakarta. Most of the time, it is hard to get a table even though there is enough room for at least 200 persons.
The place looks touristy, with a giant fish sculpture towering above it on the outside, and a Balinese-like atmosphere inside. Most of the restaurant is in the open-air, and on each side there is a fountain with tropical plants.
The main room does not allow for an intimate or cozy meal. It is extremely noisy, with people entering and leaving all the time. On top of that you have that annoying Balinese music, which reminds me of the worst venues in Kuta.
Most tables can accommodate 20 to 30 people so you might also sit next to random customers. The service is impersonal: It is hard to get just a minute of attention from the waiters, who seemed visibly understaffed and unable to handle complaints.
We ordered Es Delima (Pomegranate juice, Rp13,200++), Es Jeruk (Orange Juice, Rp18,700++), Ikan Gurame Bakar (Fish, Rp54,600++), Cumi Pete Taoco (Calamaris, Rp38,000++). The drinks came rather quickly, but instead of pomegranate, we were served some jelly with the appearance of the fruit. The orange juice was truly terrible. Obviously, it had been done with oranges that had started to rot, and until today I still have that unpleasing aftertaste in my mouth.
We started to wait for our main courses... After 45 minutes, we saw that many people who had come after us were already eating so we asked if our order was on its way. The waiter smiled and asked us to wait, without even checking in the kitchen. I asked him again 15 minutes later, and he did exactly the same. Finally, after 1h15 minutes of waiting, I decided to leave the restaurant without eating. I told the waiter to bring me the bill for the drinks only, and surprisingly, he came back with the fish (the calamaris came 10 minutes later).
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| Ikan Gurame Bakar (Rp54,600++) |
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| Cumi Pete Taoco (Rp38k++) |
The presentation of the gurame had nothing special, and its was taste just average. They used a sweet soy sauce, very heavy, which was not a good match for a fresh fish. I didn't try the calamaris but my friend told me it was worth a 5/10, and that you could find better food pretty much everywhere.
Finally, I asked for the bill, but it never came so I went to the cashier to pay.
Overall: Personally, I will not visit Pondok Laguna again and I don't understand how it manages to get so many positive reviews. I guess some people must enjoy the animation. The prices are also reasonable.
Opening Hours:
Everyday from 11am to 3pm and from 5.30pm to 10pm
