Café Gitane Kemang (Jalan Benda Raya)

Café Gitane is a small and intimate French Restaurant in the south Kemang area, located on Jalan Benda Raya. The place is owned and managed by French people who are cooking and serving your dishes. Inside the restaurant, everything will remind you that you are in a French restaurant, from the Gitane logo ( French brand of cigarettes) to the posters of Pastis or the nice bar counter.

I went there 2 times and it was always full (good thing when to have a small restaurant!). The food was good and the service was pleasant. Try the crème caramel for dessert, you won't be disappointed !

Overall: Café Gitane is good if you want spend time in a cozy and intimate place while having simple good French food.

 

Café Gitane Kemang
Jalan Benda Raya #14
Jakarta Selatan
Telephone: +62-21 780 5671

Closed on Mondays , so French ;-)
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10 AM to 11 PM

Website: Cafe Gitane Jakarta 

Facebook: Gitane

For more reviews of French restaurants in Jakarta, read my review: My Favourite French Restaurants in Jakarta.

Bistro Garçon (French Restaurant)

The French restaurant Bistro Garçon comes from the same group behind Immigrant, De Luca, Rustique, and Monolog. I was happily surprised when I visited it to find out it is much more than your average restaurant inside a mall.

I consider Bistro Garçon to be a true independent restaurant, with a passionate young French chef eager to please his guests. The place is rather small and simple, with a discreet French theme. You have a bar at the entrance with a good selection of wines, and a menu featuring mostly classics of French cuisine.

Everything was perfect during my dinner in Garçon: The food, the portions, the presentation, the decoration, the service, the music, etc... They also have delicious pastries and desserts from their Japanese Chef.

In conclusion, with the current team in Bistro Garçon, I am confident to recommend it to anyone who wants to experience good French food in Jakarta at reasonable prices.

For more recommendation of French restaurants in Jakarta, check my review: The Best French Restaurants in Jakarta.

Bistro Garçon
Plaza Senayan
Level 4 No. 410
Phone number: +62-21 5790 0140
Email: Info@bistrogarcon.com
Twitter: @Bistrogarcon
Facebook: Bistro Garçon

Opening hours:

Everyday from 10 am 12pm (until 2am on Friday and Saturday)

Altitude (Gaia, Salt Grill, Enmaru) @ The Plaza

Altitude is a group of 3 restaurants located on the 46th floor of the Plaza tower, one of the most expensive office buildings in Jakarta (also home the the Keraton hotel). 46th floor, yes: Great view of course, but make sure to book in advance and ask for a table near the window (if possible in the angle of the building).

Luckily for my wallet, I only tried one of the three restaurants, Gaia, the Italian. The food was good, but not spectacular for the price: 550k for one appetizer and one main course. The quality of the service and the attention that we got, not only from the waiters but also from the managers, including 3 foreigners, may have been what we are really paying in the restaurant.

One thing felt very wrong: The music was clubbing style and they only had one CD. So we had Gangnam Style and Party Rock Anthem twice each in one evening. That's twice too much.

In Altitude, there is also an Australian Steak House (Salt Grill) and a Japanese (Enmaru) that I haven't tried but visited. Salt Grill Jakarta is actually owned, or partially owned, or managed by Luke Mangan. If you don't know who he is, then you are just like me. Wikipedia will tell you that he is a celebrity chef from Australia, and probably a great business man too.

By visiting Altitude, I could not help but think about how the level (and the prices) of the restaurants have improved in Jakarta. We still don't have a Michelin-starred restaurant, but we are going there in a couple years I'm sure.

Altitude is trying to do that, with imported management, imported food & wine, and imported concepts. Altitude is saying: Jakarta can be just like Singapore or Hong Kong. I like down-to-earth restaurants so for sure Altitude restaurants are not what I prefer, but if what you are looking after is more sophisticated dining venues, then you will be happy in either Gaia, Salt Grill or En Maru.

Overall: Recommended if you have the money and/or if you need to impress a date. You can also try the bar area, (officially Cloud Lounge & Living Room) which was rather crowded during my visit (on a Saturday night), and it had a DJ.

Tips: Dress up and book in advance.

Altitude: Gaia (Italian Restaurant), Salt Grill (Australian Grill Restaurant), En Maru (Japanese Restaurant)

The Plaza, 46th floor
Plaza Indonesia
Jl. M.H. Thamrin
Kav. 28 - 30, Jakarta 10350, Indonesia

Phone number: +62-21 2992 2448

Facebook: The Altitude @ The Plaza

Twitter: Altitude

Website: Altitude Jakarta

Opening Hours:
Sunday to Thursday from 11am to 11pm
Friday from 11am to 12pm
Saturday from 11am to 2am

 

Potato Head Garage (SCBD)

Potato Head Garage is the new branch of Potato Head, opened where the huge one-stop entertainment complex called Bengkel used to stand (Bengkel means Garage by the way). This area has now some of the most popular bars and nightclubs in Jakarta, including Lucy In The Sky and Fable. Probably the hippest location for nightlife in Jakarta as of today (June 2013).

For this reason, the area has become very crowded at night on Fridays and Saturdays, and it should be a stop for anyone who wants to mingle with the upper Jakartan class. For now there aren't too many foreigners as the availability of easy girls is limited... 

Back to Potato Head Garage: It is not my style but at least it is different from any other venues in the city. It is a huge warehouse-style room, with a 20 meter ceiling, many sofas on the side and a massive bar in the middle. The theme is a bit eccentric, with a sort of chapel next to the bar, a huge classical piano, and dozens of chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Should be visited once.

I noticed the crowd is mostly groups of friends, Indonesians and Indo-Chinese, sitting together and hanging out very casually... The atmosphere reminds me of SHY Rooftop in Kemang... It doesn't get too wild, a bit like a warm-up venue. The most interesting area is the main bar, where you have people who came just alone or by two, and they seem more interested to interact with other people. The music is a bit loud also, not proper for talking when you are in a group. I imagine (I hope) it is different during day time.

I didn't eat in Potato Head Garage, only had a cocktail which costed around 10 USD. This is standard for venues like that in Jakarta.

Overall: Recommended for groups of friends. If you are alone or just with another friend, or on a date, I would avoid. Very trendy place today, but my prediction is that it will not last more than 2 years.

Also, the aircon is extremely cold. We were all freezing inside.

Potato Head Garage
SCBD Lot 14
Jl. Jend Sudirman Kav 52-53




Jakarta South

Telephone: +62-21 5797 3330
https://twitter.com/pttgarage
Facebook: Potato Head Garage (from where I took the pictures)

Opening hours:
From monday to sunday: 11 am - 2 am

Portérhouse (PIK)

 

Portérhouse, located in newly-developed Pantai Kapuk Indah, is one of the main social hubs of mid-to-high class Indonesian in North Jakarta. It is a classic Jakartan hangout place, with a cozy atmosphere, long and communal tables, soft music, and a long list of sweet drinks and snacks. On weekends especially, it gets busy in the evening and you have live music or DJs on occasion.

Considering North Jakarta has a really poor choice when it comes to Western food, Portérhouse can be considered a decent venue with affordable price. Nothing worth coming from South or Central Jakarta if you live there though.

Overall:
I'd recommend Portérhouse if you happen to be in the area and you are looking for something similar to Bluegrass/Social House in term of crowd and atmosphere (at a lower lever of course).

Opening Hours:
Everyday from 11am to  midnight (2am on weekends).

Portérhouse
Rukan Crown Golf Blok B No 38
Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK)
Phone number: +62-21 - 4463 2017
Email: porterhouseind@hotmail.com

Twitter: Portérhouse Jakarta
Facebook (from where the pictures come from): Portérhouse

MooVina (Plaza Indonesia)

MooVina was opened by the same team (Svarna Group) behind Ocha & Bella, the popular Italian restaurant on Jalan Wahid Hasyim. The concept of MooVina is similar with long wooden tables and a lot of plants and flowers surrounding the restaurant. There is also a special attention to design with a few surprising items, and most important of all, good food prepared by an imported chef from France.

MooVina is not a copy of Ocha & Bella though. It is inspired by a romantic idea of France for the atmosphere, and the food combines French favourites with Vietnamese grill specialties.

It opened at the beginning of October 2012 and I'm sure it will be quite popular during the next few months. Please do not hesitate to share your thoughts about MooVina on this blog after you've experienced it.

MooVina Restaurant & Bar
Plaza Indonesia 3rd Floor #119 and 4th Floor #06
Jalan M.H. Thamrin Kav. 28-30
Jakarta, Indonesia 10350


Phone number:
Le Jardin +62-21 299 24567
Mezzanine +62-21 299 23999

Email: whatsup@moovina.com
Website: http://www.moovina.com
Twitter: Moovina Jakarta
Favebook: http://www.facebook.com/moovina/

The photos of MooVina on this blog review were taken on the twitter account of the restaurant.

Moe's Place Restaurant (Kemang)

Moe's Place is an American-style grill joint located in Kemang and opened on September 2011.

We went there on a saturday evening and found the place busy but not full. Clientele was mixed, partly expats and partly Indonesians, mostly families. There is a terrace outside to sit and dine which faces the parking lot and the street and there is also an upstairs room which we did not check-out. Downstairs inside offers enough room for approx. 40 diners.

The atmosphere was relaxed, a tad on the noisy side but still ok, and the staff was friendly and very attentive; there was also a manager of sorts around who kept an eye on everything.

The menu of Moe's place is fortunately quite small; a fact I came to appreciate in restaurants. They specialize in ribs, both pork and beef, hamburgers, steaks and pasta.
We ordered the following: one big garden salad (85.000), one full serving of baby-back-pork ribs (230.000) , one serving of beef ribs (180.000), both meat dishes  with coleslaw on the side. Drinkwise we had two Bintang (25.000 each), one Heineken (29.000) and a small bottle of water.
The good thing was definitely the pork ribs, which were nicely cooked and seasoned and the meat actually fell from the bone. The portion was – sizewise – generous, even for my carnivorous husband.

Unfortunately this is where the good things end: My beef ribs were almost ridiculous; sizewise as well as qualitywise. Those ribs were not what you usually get or would expect whe you order beef ribs. No rib bone with a chunk of soft meat around it (as in the pork ribs or even iga sapi), but slices cut transverse to the bone.  Those slices were very thin, certainly less than a centimeter and very dry and chewy and not even remotely  what I had expected (and what I have been served before numerous times in other places).  I’d say the fraction of this complete dish being actually meat was like 60-80 grams max!

The Marinade, by the way, was the exact same than the one they used for the pork. Big disappointment from Moe's Place!

The coleslaw was anything but tasty. What is supposed to be a very creamy yet crunchy, sweet and sour and slightly tangy affair  was in fact just a handfull of threads of dry raw shredded and absolutely bland cabbage with no carrots and no dressing whatsoever.  I love coleslaw, so this was: Big disappointment number 2!

The fries, which I had ordered as a side dish were ok but the portion was again very tiny (exactly 11 sticks!). So, two slices oft thin, dry and chewy meat, 11 sticks of fries and a spoonfull of raw cabbage set me back  IRD 180.000,- This is almost 15 Euros. Definitely not worth it.

The garden salad we shared as a starter was somehow ambitious (some croutons, some slices of cheese on top) but it also disappointed - apart from looking very tired - with blandness and a serious lack of taste and/or dressing (except for very few spots of something very sweet). So, definitely no salad people here. And sadly no one around to be asked how a coleslaw or a salad dressing is supposed to taste or to be prepared. Shame! Another downside was the fact that the place  (inside) was infested with mosquitoes and we were hardly able to eat undisturbed; other patrons even sported one of those battery-driven fly flaps in an effort to keep their kids mosquitoe-free.

When the bill came there was one item on it which we did neither order nor eat. No big deal,  it was removed right away. Overall we paid slightly less than IDR 700.000 (almost 60 Euros) for one good and one bad meal, a very ordinary salad, three beers, and legions of mosquitoes. Given the qualitiy of the better part of the food we consider this heavily overpriced.

Overall:
Would we go back to Moe's Place? Dunno. If nearby, the husband might go back fort he pork-ribs only, which he liked, or try the hamburgers, which looked good from afar, but considering the overall experience (and my empty stomach even after dinner) it is not very likely.

Opening Hours:

From 11am to 11pm on weekdays

From 11am to midnight on weekends

Moe’s Place, Kemang
Jl. Benda Raya No. 1B Kemang  Selatan
Phone (0)21 7883339

Website: www.moes-ribs.com
Twitter: Moe's Place Kemang

Facebook: Moe's Place Jakarta

Note: This review is a guestpost by Doris. Picture taken on Moe's Place twitter account.

Pad@28 Bar, Bistro & Coffee Corner

This review was written by a Max, a reader of this blog:

Located there, on the corner of Jalan Senopati and the road that takes you to SCBD, Pacific Place, SCBD Beergarden etc., lies a really nice restaurant called PAD@28. And I happen to believe that it is just about to make a big splash onto the gastro-scene of Jakarta.

There are a few reasons for this belief:

    1.    It is always buzzing with action. Weirdly enough, there aren't as many expats as you might expect from a place that serves duck confit, very well executed steaks, pork dishes (you heard me right - PORK, including a charcutterie platter) and really nice shots and cocktails. Mostly right now the clientel is still rich Jakartans in their late twenties and early thirties, with some 40+ people who still feel young.

    2.    The food is absolutely excellent. Whether it's a good-value-for-money snack at lunch-time (50-60k) or a real treat like an USDA steak (180-280k) all of their stuff is cooked with great attention to detail. Personally, I'm a sucker for their Duck Confit (89k).

    3.    The staff is really well-trained and the training manager really knows what she's doing, which is rare in Jakarta. Apart from Loewy, Union and a few others I usually find the service to either be to giggly and pushy or too lazy. Here, it's perfect!

    4.    The interior is pretty damn cool too. Downstairs, you feel like you're in the living-room of a hip NYC loft, while upstairs feels like a posh but unpretentious dining room.

So, there's my advice, check out PAD@28!

PAD@28
Jalan Tulodong Atas 28, Jakarta
(Near Senopati)
Tel: +62-21 527 4088

Mail: info@pad28.com

Facebook: Pad@28 (where all the photos come from)
Twitter: http://twitter.com/padkeeper28
Website: http://www.pad28.com/
Blog: http://pad28.wordpress.com/

Bobby D's (Kemang)

I haven't been to Bobby D yet, but it was recommended by a reader of Jakarta100bars. His comment was:

"Hi Thibaud, I'm in bobby D's now and haven't found a review for it on your site. It's a nice layout, apparently the guy that owns it is Australian. Had some food here which was quite nice.

The staff are quite friendly here too. They have a pool table as well...check it out :)"

I checked their facebook (where I took the photos) and it looks like a simple place with quite many events of all kind: Salsa, Sports, Sexy Night, Cuban, live music...  The prices seem reasonable too... Probably a good restaurant and bar to socialize in Kemang...

If you want more info, check one of the following:

Website: www.indoheart.com
Twitter : twitter.com/bobbyds_jakarta
Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/BobbyDsRestaurant
Facebook:  Bobby D's Kemang

Bobby D's Restaurant and Bar

The Mansion at Kemang, Shopping Arcade GF 001-003

Jl. Kemang Raya No.3-5

Phone number: +62-21 2905 5488/99

HP: 081808048894/93

BB Pin: 275fo2cf

Email: bar@indoheart.com / event@indoheart.com

Opening Hours:

Every day from 10am to Midnight.

Qi Restaurant (Sultan Hotel)

Located in Lagoon Tower, near Sultan Hotel, Qi Dine & Lounge is a restaurant coming from The Rych Concept Group (also behing Airman Lounge).

Qi serves fusion cuisine Japanese with a French twist. Favourites are the Smoked Salmon Parfait, the Surf & Turf, or The Rych Drunken Veal Check.

I haven't tried the restaurant yet but was contacted by the management to write a small text about it. Please do not hesitate to write your own comments on this blog about the place.

Qi Dine & Lounge
Lagoon Tower next to Sultan Hotel Complex
Jalan Gatot Subroto, Jakarta

Phone number: +62-21 572 7239
Email to qi.rsvp@therych.com
BB pin : 27D088D9

Facebook : Qi Jakarta
Twitter : @Qi_indo
Website: www.qi.co.id 

Opening Hours:

Everyday from 11am to midnight (later on weekends)

Otel Lobby (Kuningan)

I visited Otel Lobby just before Ramadhan, and was quite disappointed by the place. This lounge/restaurant was opened by a famous Indonesian socialite, Gaby Bakrie, the wife of one of the brothers of Aburizal Bakrie. As such, it is popular with Jakarta's richest.

We ordered 3 burgers (I wish we had tried more dishes but that's all that we wanted...) which were OK but the meat was rare, with blood dripping all over our hands when we were eating. My two carnivore friends had no problems with that, but I thought it was disgusting and could not finish.

The music was loud and terrible: Lady Gaga, Rihanna, David Guetta... The same you would get in X2 or Red Square, even though it was 7pm, in a restaurant supposed to be stylish.

The atmosphere of the place was dull, very un-happening. It was crowded, but the tables are so far from each other that it doesn't feel lively.

Overall: I will not return to Otel Lobby because even though it is expensive and pretentious, it fails to deliver on the basics. Just after our food was finished, we actually moved to nearby Bluegrass to have a drink.

 

Otel Lobby Jakarta

Bakrie Tower Annex Building
Jalan Epicentrum Tengah
South Gate Entrance
Kuningan, South Jakarta

Phone number: +6221-299-41324

Twitter: http://twitter.com/otellobby
Email: dissa@otellobby.com
Website: http://otellobby.com

Opening Hours
Everyday from 11am to 12pm (until 2am on weekends)

Beautika (Manado Food)

Beautika is the most reputed Manadonese restaurant in Jakarta, and my second favourite after Ikan Tude. It actually started as a beauty salon (hence the name), which was also serving some specialties from Manado. With time, the food became the main source of revenue for the owner and he finally opened a proper restaurant in 2001.

The food, as spicy as spicy can be, is mostly delicious and authentic. 2 problems: I imagine that the fish is frozen and I believe they do not serve pork. For these reasons, it won't save you a trip to Manado if you want to experience the original taste...

At last, it is way too expensive. My total bill for two people was Rp350,000, and we only had about 5/6 dishes to share.

 

Overall: I recommend Beautika for anyone who wants to try quality Indonesian food, regardless of the price, in a clean/hygienic setting. The atmosphere is rather functional: Tables and a TV, so I wouldn't advise it for a date or for important dinners.

Beautika Tanah Abang
Jl. Abdul Muis No. 70 A, Tanah Abang V         
Tlp. 021 - 381.2340
Fax. 021 - 350.5162

Beautika Kebayoran Baru
Jl. Hang Lekir No. 1, Kebayoran Baru
Tlp. 021 - 722.6683
Fax. 021 - 739.6137

Email: info@beautika.net
Website: http://www.beautika.net/

Fable Club @ Fairgrounds (Jakarta)

Fable is a new club opened in Fairgrounds (ex-Bengkel). Perfectly located in the center of the city and with an underground vibe, it has the potential of becoming a favourite of Jakarta nightlife. 

They've already had some interesting events in the past few weeks, with soul & hip-hop music as the main genre.

February, a reader of this blog sent me this interesting review that I'm sharing with you (Thanks to her!):

"I went to Fable on a Friday night. After reading the comment on this blog, I was prepared for the hostess to be rude and dress up to the nine. To my surprise, they were very nice and friendly and what more...free entrance.

I recommend the club goers to come after midnight because that’s when the party started. The music is mainstream R&B and hip hop. A little bit cheesy but the ambience is really nice: hardwood floors, sunroof top ceilings and cosy outdoor area.

It is definitely the place to go for those who like the friendly crowd of X2 but would prefer less-smoky and fancier club.

The crowd is mainly upper class Indonesians within young to very young demographic (early 20s). One guy told me he’s 18 (!) although I doubt it; he seems way younger than that.

Waitresses give away glow bracelets and necklaces to early birds and right after midnight, a number of hot and friendly hostesses swarm the dance party and make the party livelier. They pour shots of unknown liquors for those who don’t mind swapping bodily fluid with strangers (I keep thinking about the many mouths that shot pourer touches...but then again, it’s just me).

My friends and I ordered 1 bottle of gin and it cost us around 1.2 million rupiahs. I praise the waitresses and bartenders who are very helpful. The service is prompt and just right, not too intrusive. Based on my experience, one does not need to wait long to be served at the bar either.

Pet peeve: Wouldn’t it be nice if they actually make smokers smoke in the outdoor area? It’s just a couple of steps away. One can only hope.

Recommendation: dress up and be friendly.

Conclusion: I would definitely go back to Fable on a Friday night. "

 

Fable Club
Kawasan SCBD
Jl. Jend Sudirman Kav 52-53 Lot 22
South Jakarta, Indonesia
Phone: +62 21 515 5008 or +62 8119590668  or +62-21 5151 501
 

More information (I took the pictures of these sites):

Twitter: Fable_ALLin
Website: http://www.fable.co.id/ 

Facebook: Fable Jakarta