Bacco

An email notice alert from a reader informing me that I was invited to a 'Wine Dinner' and the word 'free flow' made me all excited and flushed. The kind invitation was only for 34 sitting dinner and I was honored to be enlist. It's not your common food tasting session. Well to begin with, a Rp 500,000++ was charge per head and that includes a set menu designed and engineered by the very very talented; Chef Chandra (who is an ex-chef from Negev) and that include superb wine ! To good to be missed and the next thing I know, I was there 7pm sharp !

Bacco is situated at the Lotte Avenue Shopping Mall (LOVE), Kuningan South Jakarta. An additional rather so called 'shopping mall' introduced here in Jakarta. However, LOVE appears to me to be somewhat a little bit different from the rest, the tenants comply of Uniqlo and H&M; which we don't have it yet in any other mall. Then talk about the amount of Korean franchised or inspired saloon, restaurants and cafes. Basically you'll have a different shopping experience there, compare to anywhere else.

While I would categorize the food as 'fine dining' quality, the decor of Bacco is slightly leaning to a lounge feel; the ambiance, the music and the deep seating sofas over in the smoking area contributes to it.  A perfect place to you to have good food, hang out and maybe dance a little when you're feeling lighter.

Menu : Canapes : Salmon Vol Vent, Bruchetta, Cheese Tartlette
Price : Apart of Set Menu (Rp 500,000++)
Score : 7.75 / 10

>> Favourite would be the bruchetta! Crispy and full pack of flavors. The tomatoes are so sweet, a combination of fresh and tomato paste maybe? Then the salmon and cheese tartlette are in neck and neck. Pastry that is holding the salmon is just soft and yet not soggy at all. While the base of the cheese tart is flaky and creamy. And gotta love the fact it's canape and thus regularly flowing all over the dining floor. A glowing smile after each bite size pieces pops into the mouth.

Recommended Wine :  2010 Blanc de Bois Noir, Bordeaux Blanc

Menu : Seared Tasmanian Salmon with Mixed Beans, Candied Orange, Avocado and Cauliflower Puree.

Price : Apart of Set Menu (Rp 500,000++)

Score : 8.0 / 10 

>> Colors were so pretty! I love how Chef Chandra can used such a plain and common ingredient such as 'mixed beans' and include it into a dish and makes it posh. I guess the midas touch is certainly an essential factor in any cooking. Anyways, the seared skin was crispy and yet the meat was still soft and moist. The crispy skin gave a texture to the other side of the fish which makes a better chewing sensation. Talk about the candied orange, yumm! Tangy and sweet flavors that helps to cut the creamy sauce. Love the combination of each elements and presentation is definitely one aspect that is not ignored.

Recommended Wine : 2010 Chateau Vieux Dominique, Boedeaux Superieur

Menu : Saltbush Lamp Chop with Risotto Cake, Sundried Tomato, Olive Dust

Price : Apart of Set Menu (Rp 500,000++)

Score : 8.0 / 10

>> Hmmm...meat was succulent !!! On the scale of 0 - 10 on the medium rare perfection; would be a complete 10! Pink and tender, but not bloody. I'm not a fan of lamb and thus the portion was just perfect for me. Not over the top huge and yet just enough for me to enjoy. I'm training myself to enjoy lamb and Chef Chandra might just made me a believer. The black sauce is actually sundried tomato sauce which is sweet and even though it was slightly too sweet, I have to say that it compliments the meat very very well. Next, the risotto cake was beautiful, definitely well cooked. The outer layer was just crispy and the inner bit was moist and soft. I sure do not mind to extra helpings of the risotto cake. Superb cooking!

Recommended Wine :  2009 Chateau Bois Noir, Bordeaux Superieur.

Menu : Slow Roasted Wagyu Sirloin, Pan Roasted Perforated Potato with Chef's Salad

Price : Apart of Set Menu (Rp 500,000++)

Score : 8.5 / 10

>> YUMM ! I love the beef best. The beef was super super tender. Chef Chandra definitely brought the best out from what a Wagyu should actually taste. I love the red wine reduction sauce, subtle but yet has the right amount of seasoning to accompany the meat. Presentation went up the scale board with the playful plating of perforated potato and I thought the small cheese stick at the side was certainly different and yet blends in with the rest. Nothing on the plate was left untouched, everything went inside my big mouth and down it goes to my round tummy.

Recommended Wine : 2010 Chateau Rozier, St Emilion Grand Cru

Menu : Lavender Scented White Coffee Mousse

Price : Apart of Set Menu (Rp 500,000++)

Score : 7.5 / 10

>>  Gosh...again beautiful plating skill. The red carpet on the bottom of the plate was actually sliced watermelon. Simple, sweet and gives a fresh color to the eye. Very very smart. The bottom squarish shape was the white coffee mousse. It was easy on the sugar, nothing crazily over the top sweet but just the right amount tasted on the palate. The vanilla ice cream and the twill did much credit also. Vanilla ice cream adds the sugar bit which I very much love and the twill gave a good crunch to the whole packaged. I couldn't smell any lavender scent (the title of the dessert promised that) but I assumed it might infused into the cream sauce or maybe into the air bubble foam that certainly looked very gastronomical. Pretty and tasty at the same time.

A solid good job to Chef Chandra, he's one of those man that has a gifted palate and a midas touch. And thankfully I was at the right time in the right place, knowing the right people and hence getting a bite from his masterpiece. I would definitely come back again to Bacco and gorge myself on the menu selection. I truly believe no matter how posh the decor is, how many networking does the public relation or the owner knows, how expensive the ingredients are, at the end of the day the food itself will talk to the consumers because the taste buds never lie. Great hospitality, service and great ambiance are simply a bonus, the extra whip cream on the top to make it all even better. And Bacco certainly has the complete package.

Bacco

Ciputra World 1, Jl. Satrio Kav 3 - 5 Jakarta Selatan
Lotte Avenue Shopping Mall, Main Lobby LG - 38
Phone : +62 21 29888909

White Hunter & Han Gang

2 weekends ago FW and I had our Sunday lunch at Emporium Pluit Mall and I was responsible for choosing this restaurant (not going to be a good review). White Hunter, Han Gang and Incognito is situated very close to the main lobby, just right next to Fish & Co and Starbucks Coffee. In here, you are presented with 3 menus from all 3 restaurants and you can cross choose, mix and match your preferences. White Hunter serves Western food, Han Gang represents the Korean dishes and Incognito holds the Italian flag.

HAN GANG

I remembered my previous trips to Han Gang at their branch in Grand Indonesia wasn't bad but this time in Emporium Pluit was not the same. I'm not sure whether it's under the same or a different management (I think it's different) but food was disappointing in many ways.

Menu : Side Dish

Price : Free

Score : 2.0 / 10

>> The minute the side dishes is placed on your table you'll probably start to pick up your chopsticks and hit the nearest kimchi. This Han Gang only serves me 4 selection (other Korean restaurants usually they offer you more than 10) and the taste is wrong. The Kimchi and egg roll were bland, the green vege is soggy and as for the shellfish, I didn't bother to try --___-- "

Menu : Sundubu Kimchi

Price : RP 48,000 ++
Score : 4.0 / 10

>> Temperature of the soup was right, size for price that I can accept, amount of fillings inside were reasonable, but they failed at seasoning. This lacks the sour of the kimchi, the kick from the chili and even failed at the basic skill of salt seasoning. A big wake up call for the owners! Customers are running away by the minute.

Menu : Dolsot Djingeo
Price : RP 48,000 ++
Score : 3.0 / 10

>> This is basically a seafood bibimbap. They uses freshly cooked steam rice which was already a wrong move, As a result, soggy!!! It's like eating baby food and to make things worst, the super hot stone continues cooking the rice. Seasoning needs help too :'(

WHITE HUNTER

Both FW and I wasn't interested in having any more food but due to the "bargain"; a 20% off with BNI Credit Card, a minimum charge of RP 200,000 on food only, before tax that we need to add more dishes. The two main course above only accumulate 50% of the bill and thus here are the additional dishes we added to our bad lunch.

Menu : Wild Maki Salmon

Price : RP 58,000 ++

Score : 3.0 / 10

>> O MY LORD ! The price is more expensive than the sundubu kimchi soup and yet it's worse. The salmon fillings were extremely dried out, it's like it had been sitting in the freezer for 3 months and defrosted again and again until it reaches my table. A bad dish, please do not order!

Menu : Spring Enoki

Price : RP 29,000 ++
Score : 3.5 / 10

>> The only one thing that I can positively say about this dish is the fact it's big for an appetizer. 70% of it is because of the tempura / flour batter. The taste is lousy and just not ever going to order this again.

Menu : Chocolate Melt

Price : RP 35,000 ++
Score : 5.5 / 10

>> I put this picture slightly bigger than the rest of the picture is for a reason! This scores a 5.5 pointer, the only dish that passes my tongue. I'm not going to say this is good but definitely acceptable compared to the rest of the dishes we ordered. The chocolate did melt and oozes out of the sponge cake. Pricing and size was reasonable and most importantly it taste right, not superbly good but wasn't yucky at all !!

White Hunter, Han Gang, Incognito

Emporium Pluit Mall, Ground Floor