Arabian Tent Café (Shisha Lounge)

 

Arabian Tent is the Arabic café next to the famous restaurant Al-Jazeerah (see my review about it on this blog here). To date, I can say this is the most authentic shisha lounge you will find in Jakarta. Most of the patrons are foreigners from various Arab countries (mostly Saudi Arabia), and you'll probably be wondering if you are still in Indonesia...

Overall: Arabian Tent is a good find. We just tried a tea and a shisha, both were very good. but unfortunately I didn't feel comfortable nor welcome there. For this reason, personally I would not go back.

I noticed that many Indonesian girls were there, I wonder what kind of relationship they had with the clients...

 

Arabian Tent Café

Jalan Raden Saleh No.58,
Jakarta 10336, Indonesia

Al-Jazeerah (Jakarta Restaurant Arabic)

 

Al-Jazeerah is among the best Arabic restaurants in Jakarta in the mid-range price category. It is located in Jalan Raden Saleh, about 200 meters South from Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM), and it is a popular hangout spot for Middle Easterners in the city. Apart from the restaurant, you also have a  take-away kebab stand and a busy shisha café (called Arabian Tent Cafe, a bit weird, it seemed to me that an abnormal proportion of girls were inside).

In the restaurant, you have a large function room, to be avoided for dining, and a smaller one in the back. It doesn't look great but it is comfortable and clean. They also have a giant screen with Arabic channels. The night I visited, there was about 10 other customers, and all of them looked foreign, most likely Arab. The air-con was very strong and blowing everywhere in the room unfortunately, and it made me leave as soon as I was done eating.

For appetizer, I ordered Tabouleh (Rp26,000) and for my main course Mandi Laham (Rp70,000), a dish originally from Yemen with Basmati rice and marinated pieces of lamb. I enjoyed both a lot, especially after mixing everything together, and adding the slightly spicy sauce. It doesn't not seem like very complicated food, but all the ingredients were fresh and perfectly cooked.

Tabouleh (Rp26,000++)

Mandi Laham (Rp70,000++)

Overall: Recommended restaurant if you are looking for a good place to eat for Rp120,000 per person. Since it doesn't look beautiful or particularly authentic, do not come for the atmosphere. If you go into the "Arabian Tent Café", please let me know your impressions about it...

Opening hours:
Everyday from 11.30am to 3pm (last order 2.30pm) and from 6.30pm to 2am.
On Sunday and Holiday it opens at 8.30am.

Al Jazeerah
Jalan Raden Saleh No.58,
Jakarta 10336, Indonesia

Phone number: +62-21 3146 108 / 391 4444
Fax: +62-21 3160 182
Website: http://www.aljazeerahinjakarta.com/
Facebook: Al-Jazeerah

Note: 50 meters from Al-Jazeerah, on Jalan Raden Saleh, they are building a new Arabic restaurant with the same owner, same Chef and same management called Al Bahar-Al Ahmar restaurant. I will review it when it opens.

Al-Tahrir (Egyptian Restaurant)

Al-Tahrir is a Middle-Eastern/Egyptian restaurant located in Pasar Festival, on Jalan Rasuna Said. Intended as a meeting point for the Egyptian community in Jakarta, it is named after Tahrir square in Cairo. The most interesting is that it is supposed to stay open 24-hour (see 24-hour restaurants in Jakarta), one of the only venue to do so in the area.

Concerning the food, it is rather cheap, but what I had tasted average. The Chicken Shawarma (Rp30,000) was made in the Egyptian way, with only tomatoes, peppers and the meat. I usually prefer when there are more ingredients (onions, white sauce, garlic, herbs, etc...), hence my disappointment. I also tried the Mixed Grilled Meat (Rp110,000), which is quite big for one person. The cooking was fine, particularly the sauce and the spices, but the ingredients used were probably not the best quality. There are no miracles, you get what you pay for.

Chicken Shawarma (Rp30,000++)

Mixed Grilled Meat (Rp110,000++)

Overall: I didn't sample enough dishes to give a definitive opinion about Al-Tahrir, but for sure, it is not the place where you will enjoy the best Middle Eastern food in Jakarta. Yet, the owner and staff are so friendly that this restaurant is still a venue I would recommend for a light meal or to hang-out. Apart from the main room, you also have an outdoor terrace, perfect for a drink (no alcohol served) or for shisha.

Operating Hours:

Open 24-Hour, everyday (Since it just opened, they may change that so call them before to make sure)

Al Tahrir (near Taman Rasuna)

Egyptian and Middle Eastern Restaurant Jakarta

Pasar Festival Blok LG 02A

Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav C-22

Jakarta 12920

Phone number: +62-21 5263 187

Al Nafoura Lebanese Restaurant

Al Nafoura is the Lebanese restaurant of the hotel Le Meridien. It is a great place to eat, especially for dinner, when the dim-lighting creates an intimate atmosphere, perfect for a romantic date.

The food is not as good as in Anatolia, the most famous Middle-eastern restaurant in Jakarta, but the standards remain high for the city. Surprisingly, it isn't too expensive as well. You can manage to eat well for less than Rp200,000 per person, which is quite rare for a 5-star hotel restaurant.

On weekend nights (Friday and Saturday), there is a belly-dancing show from 7.30pm to 9pm and shisha pipes are available for smoking.

Opening hours:
Sunday to Thursday: 11.30 pm to 2.30pm and 6.30pm to 10.30pm
Friday: 11.30am to 10.30pm
Saturday and Sunday:  6.30pm to 10.30pm
Once you're done eating, you could try the live-music club Tiga Puluh, only a few meters away from Al Nafoura.

Al Nafoura Lebanese Restaurant
Le Meridien Hotel Ground Floor
Jl Sudirman Kav. 18-20
Central Jakarta, 10220
Phone number: +62-21 251 3131  or +62-21 571 1633

Website: Dining in Le Meridien Jakarta
Facebook: Le Meridien 

If you are looking for the best Arab restaurants in Jakarta, read my Top 10 of Arab restaurants in Jakarta

Anatolia Turkish Restaurant Kemang

Update August 2011: Since the Chef in Anatolia has opened its own restaurant, Turkuaz, I've heard the food is not as good as before here. I'll try to confirm as soon as possible. You're welcome to comment.

Anatolia restaurant is one of the only venues in Jakarta where you will find excellent authentic Turkish cuisine. Opened in 1999, it has gained a very good reputation among Jakarta expats and locals for maintaining high standards without being (too) expensive (Rp. 150k to 200k for a three-course meal). Specialty dishes include: Hummus, Ekmegi, Turkish coffee and Sebzeli Dolma, with all ingredients coming from organic vegetables from Kem Farms. Alcohol is served too.

The decor is completely traditional, with Persian carpet on the floor and some artefacts on the walls like porcelain and blow glass pipes. Everything is discreet but feels really authentic: You never think you are in a caricature of a Turkish restaurant.

You have belly dancing shows every night Friday and Saturday. The dancer seemed to be an Indonesian girl, but since I don't know how Turkish girls look like I cannot tell you more... You can also finish your night by smoking shisha.

Opening hours:
Every day from 11h30am to 10pm (11pm on weekends).

Awards: It has been awarded many times the title of best restaurant in Jakarta, in particular by Tatler Indonesia. Currently, the chef is Turkish, Mr. Sezai Zorlu.

Anatolia Turkish Restaurant
Jalan Kemang Raya 110 (A)

Phone number: +62-21 719 4668 or +62-21 719 4617
Email: anatolia@cbn.net.id

You have some more photos on its facebook pages and groups: Anatolia Restaurant, Turkish Dining

Beirut Lebanon (Lebanese Restaurant)

Beirut Lebanon (also called Ali K. Baba) had been advertised to me as the best value Lebanese restaurant in Jakarta. The place doesn't look very good from the outside, and certainly not like a place you would want to eat in. The interior is better, very authentic and simple. It is not pretty but you feel that it isn't fake, and that probably if you ever go to Beirut, you will find some similar eateries.

I ordered the hummus (Rp 20,000++) because I wanted to compare it with the more expensive restaurant Samarra... No doubt about it, Beirut Lebanon's is way better. I followed that with a shawarma (Rp 50,000++) and it was fine also, especially the white sauce to put on it.

Though the food is excellent value, there were no customers that day, in Lebanon Beirut. At the same time though, I'm guessing people were queuing in any other restaurants in Grand Indonesia and other malls. It made me think that restaurants located outside of malls seem to have troubles attracting customers, even though they are those with the best food and prices in Jakarta.



Back to our Lebanese restaurant, I strongly recommend Beirut Lebanon. Not only the food is good (I don't expect great, the best ingredients are hard to find in Indonesia), the waiters are attentive, the service fast and the setting authentic. Surely my favourite arab/lebanese restaurant in Jakarta.

Dishes served: Basmati Laham, Kafsa Dajaj, Kafta Kebab, Mushakal Mashawi, Hummus, Tabouleh, Falafel, Couscous, Baklawa, Muhalabia. Also, they have flavoured shishas.

Contact details:
Beirut Lebanon Restaurant
Jl. H. Agus Salim No. 57 (This street is commonly known as Sabang)
Jakarta 10350
Phone: +62-21 31938147

Open every day from 11am to 2am.

The entrance of the restaurant:

De Leila - Arabic Bar and Belly Dancing (Gatot Subroto)

De Leila is a popular bar with dangdut and arab music. I learnt that it is owned by the guy behind Tanamur and JJs, 2 famous discos in Soeharto's era Jakarta nightlife. It's kind of like an hotel bar but with arab expats mostly, so it is a tiny bit different: You'll see girls are a usually less skinny than regular indonesian girls, and apparently, somebody left a comment saying it's the place in Jakarta to go where girls do anal sex... Think global, act local?

They have middle-eastern food and shisha and a good atmosphere in general. It is not very famous in the non-arab expat community but you should try it, it's worth at least a visit.

Comment from SZ: "Arab bar. Many waiters getting bored, arabic pop music with prostitutes, yet nice girls, and rich middle-easterners dancing. Billard and Le Tour de France on TV. Surprising".

De Leila Arab Café
Gedung Patra Jasa
Jl. Gatot Subroto Kav. 32-34
Jakarta 12920

Telpon: +62-21-5203061, 5203063
Fax. : +62-21 - 5203064

Diritna Lebanese Café

Diritna is a tiny "mediterranean" restaurant where you can also smoke different flavoured shishas. The type of food available is Lebanese, Syrian and Jordanian. You have an outdoor section, a bit noisy, and a sort of aquarium, more quiet but not really cozy.

Prices are average, in between those of the upmarket Samarra and the value-for-money Beirut Lebanon.

I don't really like the settings, which looks a bit too much like a souvenir shop. It is best just to have a snack there, the meals are not that great tasting. Good falafels.

Open until quite late. Perfect for an after clubbing snack. No toilet.

Diritna Restaurant and Café
Jl. Kemang Raya 16 C-D
Kemang I Food Square

Phone: +62-21 7180854 or +6281806876526 or +6287882074556
Email: khdghazali@yahoo.com
Facebook: Diritna Mediterranean Restaurant

Harmiones Barrack café (Kelapa Gading)

A bar/restaurant, Harmonies Barrack is more popular for its discounted prices on beer than its food (Rp25k for draught Carlsberg). Not very pretty but easygoing atmosphere, especially among the shisha smokers. Mostly young, local crowd.

I think the Barrack is for Barrack Obama but I'm not 100% sure... Another similar beer drinking joint in La Piazza is The Barrels.

Harmiones Barrack
La Piazza, Ground Floor
Jl. Raya Boulevard Kelapa Gading Blok M

Phone number: +62-21 458 64998

Jalan Tebet (Jalan Tebet Utara Dalam)

A friendly/busy street in Tebet. A lot of nice fast food restaurants. Good music. Young and relax atmosphere. Shisha on the pavement: Excellent and cheap. 

Kemang Food Festival (Kemang Raya)

Kemang Food Fest is a very popular night foodcourt, especially with local high school and college students. If you party in Kemang, chances are you will end up there at one point of your night either to start it or to finish it, and you shall see many familiar faces.

On Friday and Saturday nights, it is so packed you may find it hard to find both a parking space and a table. It is now also quite common to have live bands, that I find really too loud but Indonesians don't seem to mind. Choose your table first, and then you can wander around to get the food you like best. The prices are not as cheap as before, but it is affordable (a meal for 25,000rp on average). A good place to smoke shisha as well.

For guys, if you come here late (after 3AM), it's a perfect place to chat up girls, and by girls I mean the nice, student kind. One area is particularly worth mentioning, it is the Dim Sum Festival, which is the meeting point for most clubbers once all of South Jakarta's clubs have closed. If I'm not wrong, the place is opened 24/7.

Address (look for bright signs on the side of the street):
Kemang Food Festival
Jl. Kemang Raya 19
South Jakarta

Similar places: Skydining Plaza Semanggi (in which the crowd may be a bit older).

If you love dim sum, check my article: Top Dim Sum in Jakarta.