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

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)

Prive Club & Mezza9

Privé is the nightclub replacing Indochine. It is a mid-to-upper class venue, popular mostly with Indonesian but you'll always find a few foreigners there. The new management has been rather successful compared to the previous one, and the club has a good image and decent crowd on weekend. Expect mostly commercial music unfortunately.

Also comes with 2 restaurants, Mezza9 and Privé Kitchen Cosmopolitan.

Operational Hours : 


Mezza9 : Everyday 11am – 11pm. 


Prive Club : From Wednesday to Saturday (9pm to 3am, 4 am on weekends). 



Privé Club & Mezza9


fX Lifestyle X’enter 8th floor


Jalan Sudirman, Senayan, 
Jakarta

Reservation & Info : +62 877 822 89045


Phone number : +62-21 2555 4489 


Fax : +62-21 2555 4490


BB PIN : 21FB5A10 



Facebook (where I took the pictures): Prive or Prive Club Jakarta

Twitter : @priveJKT
Web Site: www.privejakarta.com
Email: marketing@privejakarta.com / herard@privejakarta.com

Tartine Restaurant FX Mall

Tartine is a moderately priced eatery focusing on tartine, a french word for a slice of bread topped with anything eatable (just like a sandwich without a second piece of bread to close it). It is not haute cuisine but it is good enough and creative. Tartine is also very pleasant in its design: Elegant, yet simple and homey. For the price you pay, it is worth it not so much for the food, but rather for the atmosphere, very cozy.

Opening Hours:
From Sunday to Thursday: 9am to 12am
Friday and Saturday: 9am to 2am
Live Music from Wednesday to Saturday. Happy Hours: From 4pm to 6pm = 50% discount.

Tartine Restaurant
Jl.Sudirman Pintu 1 Senayan
FX Lifestyle X'nter Lt.FB No 02A.03
Jakarta, Indonesia
Phone: +62 21 2555 4222

Check their facebook fan group Tartine Restaurant for more information about events, discounts and pictures.

My own (bad) pics from my visit:

Bloeming Bar and Restaurant (FX Plaza)

Bloeming could be a nice bar if it was located in Scotland, or at least in Blok M or Jaksa. But to have it here in a mall makes me feel this is just another marketing concept. The design is original though, it looks like the interior of a pirate ship, with some beautiful wooden tables and furniture.

The main reason to go to Bloeming is for drinking beer. They have 32 kinds of beer from all over the world, many that you cannot find elsewhere in Jakarta. They also have flavoured beers, which are usually a way to have girls coming too.

For around Rp.200,000, you have an all you can drink promo lasting three hours.

Happy hours from 11am to 8pm, buy one get one. Acoustic nights and ladies nights on Thursday. Food is served also, not tried, but they advertise a lunch promo at Rp.55,000.

Bloeming Beer Bar fX Lifestyle X'nter
FB floor #12
Jl. Jendral Sudirman
Pintu I Senayan
Jakarta Selatan

Phone: +62-21 9692 1000
Opening hours: Weekdays: 10.30am to 2am. Weekends: 10.30am to 3am.

Website: Jakarta Bloeming Beer House
Facebook group with events, parties and promotions here
Twitter: @BLOEMINGBar

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

Apero Lounge & Restaurant (Citywalk Sudirman)

Apero is a small lounge and restaurant (Italian food mostly) located in Citywalk Sudirman.

The lounge is cozy and intimate, without being too fancy. It is worth trying if you are staying nearby  because they have a large selection of affordable drinks and wine (one draught bintang is Rp30k++).

Concerning the restaurant, I tried two dishes from their kitchen and I was not satisfied. We had the Pizza with Beef Pepperoni (Rp40k++), which had almost no taste, and the Salmon de Paris (Rp65k++). The fish did not seem so fresh and the pasta was dry. Here are some pictures:

Beef Pepperoni Pizza (Rp40k++)

Salmon de Paris (Rp65k++)

Overall: I liked Apero and could come back for a drink, especially before partying in upstairs Tribeca and Luv's Bar, but I recommend you to avoid eating there. Fashion Pasta is only 50 meters from here and it serves much more authentic Italian food.

Opening Hours:
Everyday from 11am to midnight (until 2am on the weekend)

Apéro Wine Lounge and Bar
Citywalk Sudirman, Lantai Dasar Unit 08
Jalan K.H. Mas Mansyur No. 121
Central Jakarta, 10220

Phone number: +62-21 2555 8950
Facebook: Apero Lounge Jakarta

BATS (Hotel Shangri-La)

An all-time favourite of Jakarta's nightlife. Very, very popular bar among expatriates, especially those who are already married. Easy to know why, considering the number of pretty, sexy girls. But the place isn't just about finding a partner. You can have a lot of fun partying there, because you will easily meet people in a relaxed atmostsphere.

BATS has a live band, imported from Quebec the more often and playing Top 40 songs. A bit annoying because it's hard to talk and hard to find a place to seat though, but at least you will be pushed in the crowd and on the dancefloor. The entrance fee is quite expensive, around Rp. 100,000, but they will serve you a very large beer. Good to go on Sunday or Monday because it is one of the few places still crowded. Very tasty steaks at the restaurant.

I shot a video of the live band:

Opening hours:

5pm - 2am (Sunday - Thursday)

5pm - 3am (Friday and Saturday)

Dinner: 7pm - 10pm

Happy hour from 5pm - 7pm 

BATS Jakarta

Shangri-La Hotel (Level 1)
Kota BNI
JL. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 1

Phone: +62-21 570 7440 ext. 6401
Official website here: BATS Jakarta

More photos taken in BATS (sent by reader):