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

Turkuaz

 

It's been a while since I actually went to this Turkish restaurant 'Turkuaz'. I have got to say that I wasn't too hyper or excited going for this. Well, the main reason is that Turkish food somehow relate to the strong smell of 'lamb' meat (which I'm not a big fan of). But as a food enthusiast, it's a sin to reject food in any cause. So, the 7 of us had this for a late Sunday lunch. There weren't much crowd during that time, only around two other tables were occupied. Turkuaz is situated on the Gunawarman Street, just besides Lobbie (the lobster eatery) and thus not a problem to locate it. The decor is plain and very much insipid and dim. What's with the lighting? I think they need more lights everywhere, the lack of it makes the place smaller and somehow 'dirtier'. Wasn't impress with the decor, but what about the food? Let's chat about it !!

Menu : Top Left (Zeytinyagli Hummus), Top Right (Teryagli Cam Fistikli Hummus), Bottom Left (Acili Hummus), Bottom Right (Etli Hummus)

Price : Rp 55.000, Rp 90.000, Rp 60.000, Rp 75.000 ++

Score : An average of 7.0 / 10

>> Gosh, so much hummus dip to begin. I got confused caused it very much all taste the same after a few dips. I'll try to break it down.

- Zeytingali : Pureed chickpeas with tahini with extra virgin olive oil. The most subtle of them all.

- Teryagli Cam Fistikli : Pureed chickpeas with tahini with sauteed butter pine nuts. The most expensive but rather much the same with Zeytingali. Except for the extra crunch.

- Acili : Pureed chickpeas with tahini with sauteed fresh chili, shallots and homemade chili paste. My favourite among all 4. Love those sauteed onions and chili, which gave that sweet taste. Gotta love the slight spicy kick it gave.

- Etli : Pureed chickpeas with tahini with butter sauteed lamb and chili flakes. I gotta admit that they were quite generous with the lamb portion. The smell was there, so not much of a fan of this (being biased, sorry).

Menu : Patlicanli Kuzu Incik Kebabi
Price : Rp 235,000 ++
Score : 6.5 / 10

>> This is the chef's signature lamb shank dishes and the waiter urge us not to miss on this one. The sauce has strong herb and spices smell; infused with the sweetness of tomatoes as the sauce, which was still a liking for me. The lamb meat itself was as predicted tender, slit easily off from the bone and yes strong in lamb odour. Not my favorite but definitely popular amongst the lamb shank fans. Forgive me for my biased opinion on lamb meat, but hey by all means try this menu!

Menu : Left (Icli Pilav), Middle (Burgul Pilavi), Right (Sehriyeli Pilav)
Price : Rp 28.000, Rp 28.000, Rp 20.000 ++
Score : 7.5 /10 ,  7.0 /10 ,  6.0 /10

>> The photo look like a single dish? Well it's actually 3 different menu that we ordered. The chef  helped to save the table space and thus put all 3 into a single to share plate.
- Icli : Slow cooked rice with almonds, pine nuts, raisin and Turkish spice. Love the sweetness from the raisins and the crunchiness from the pine nuts. My favorite among three.
- Burgul : The texture of the rice is somehow similar to couscous. It has that brittle and sand like effect on the tongue. The spices was fragrant and I thought it was pretty tasty overall.
- Sehriyeli : The cheapest among three and the most bland. It's basically a slow cooked vermicelli with rice. It didn't make too much sense to me. Vermicelli with rice? Ummm...wasn't a hit for me.

Menu : Sis Kebab Beef, Sis Kebab Chicken, Karides Guvec,
Price : Rp 210.000 , Rp 85.000 , Rp 205.000 ++
Score : 7.0 / 10

>> Again, the photo looked like one single dish but in fact 3 separate dishes. All three meat ; beef, chicken and jumbo shrimp were marinated and char grilled. I'm not a chef but I definitely think all three are in fact marinated with the same spices and sauce. They tasted the same. Well, they all taste good don't get me wrong ! I like the beef best, they were cut into cubes and thus a good size to bite and chew on. It was tender and definitely not overcooked. An important issue would be the portion versus the pricing. This plate cost exactly Rp 500.000 ++ and giving a better portion to the customer is very much advised. I don't think 4 shrimps should cost Rp 205.000 ?? But overall base on taste, it's a 7 pointer for me.

The final question of 'will I come back again'? Hmmm....I think I might, but there is a big BUT ... I probably come back in a long period of time. Nothing in the near future and I'm not sure either hahaha !!

Turkuaz
Jl. Gunawarman No 32, Kebayoran Baru. Jakarta Selatan
Phone : +62 21 72795853

Shammah - JS Luwansa Hotel & Convention

Left To Right : Pastry Chef, Chef, Executive Assistant Manager

14th June 2013 was the grand opening day for this four star hotel situated in the heart of CBD area in Jakarta; Jl. Rasuna Said, Kuningan. Within that short amount of time, JS Luwansa debut entry into the competition arena between hotels in Jakarta is something to be watched out by her peer. I was thinking to myself, what would make a hotel to be a great hotel? That I wonder and came to a conclusion that service and experience will simply be it. Grand hotels can many times overlook their occupants, be it because of the size scale or the fact that they weren't too worthy of their attention. But I would say that the amount of warmth, attention and hospitality shown by the JS Luwansa team was impressive. And I can sense their sincerity and passion into turning this hotel as not only one of the best but also serves to last !

But anyways, this review will be on their food catered in the 'Shammah' Restaurant. You wouldn't miss out on this place because it is exactly on the front porch of the lobby. The decor was a straight forward modern and sleek design. I like the fact that Shammah has a limited amount of ability to contain people; because then the attention poured to every customer would be at their maximum. I would say around 50 people would label Shammah as a 'full house'. Their capacity to contain people might be considered as 'petite' but the flavors that is produced was simply beautiful ! Six of us was treated for a dinner course of Mediterranean feast. Hey, I'm not fasting during this Holy month of Ramadhan but I could definitely feel the blessings upon me ^_^ haha !

Menu : Duo Ahi Tuna
Price : To Be Advise (Not in the Menu)
Score : 7.75 / 10

>> Ahi tuna done in 2 ways; poke and seared. Freshness checked, seasonings checked, portion as appetizer checked, taste a BIG checked, would I want a second portion ... yes please! I love raw fish because of a lot of factor, not only it is loaded with good oils, it super healthy doesn't make you go side ways hahaha. But above all, the freshness of the meat when seasoned the right is just heavenly. I love how this has a strong flavor of local herbs. I could definitely smell curry powder but still didn't overpower the tuna itself.

Menu : Soup of the day
( Country Pea Soup with Crispy Pancetta )
Price : Rp 60,000 ++
Score : 8.0 / 10

>> I have to be honest, when I saw 'pea soup' on the menu list, I wasn't too excited about it. But on the first glance of the beautiful bright green color made it tempting to me. Green has that 'healthy' connotation in my mind and that is always a good thing I suppose. Upon the first sip, I love it ! I never knew something so 'boring' such as 'pea' when handled under the right hand can be turn into something so tasty !! I love the calmness of the taste, you can still sense the peas but it didn't smack you on the face. Do you get it? In simpler way, it was subtle and harmoniously collides with the cream and seasoning when it settles on your tongue.

Menu : Surf and Turf
Price : To Be Advised (Not in the Menu)
Score : 8.0 / 10

>> This is not your normal surf and turf you get in your usual continental restaurant. This is definitely a few notches higher than that! The lobster was delish! I was glad that they didn't hold back on the ingredient and appreciate it by a mile. Lobster was beautifully grilled and beef fillet was all juicy, tender and cooked to a perfect medium. By the way, saw that mountain of yellow behind the beef? That is the super yummy potatoes !! Imagine hash brown but instead of grilling and frying, it's cooked with broth and a little cream. Greatness !

Menu : Paella Mixta
Price : Rp 120,000 ++
Score : 8.5 / 10

>> How I love the Spanish rice; paella ! This is my favourite main course dish that was served! Imagine the rice was seared, braised, simmered slowly in a shrimp saffron broth! Just imagining it and writing about it is making me drool. One of the best paella I ate was at Tapas Movida (Date of review : 3rd June 2013) and I must say this is a serious contender.

The way they both serve the paella is a huge difference, Tapas Movida do it a huge pan for around 5 servings while Shammah is more of a single portion. Additionally, the shrimp and tender slices of beef were nothing short of tasty !! A recommendation from me.

Menu : Braised Rosemary Lamb Shank
Price : Rp 128,000 ++
Score : 7.75 / 10

>> I must say Shammah undercharged this dish. I would pay around Rp 150,000++ for a several factors. First, the portion is more than enough for one. There is a bed of steaming garlic mash potatoes which I must say delicious!! Secondly, the lamb shank was beautifully cooked. The meat flakes off from the bone easily and the rosemary sauce was the perfect condiment! Third, I love how the taste of the sauce manage to hold the whole dish together. It was delish with the garlic mash potatoes, it was also great with the steam vegetables.

Well, pricing is a relative issue but I reckon this must be one of the more popular dishes in Shammah both because of the very reasonable pricing and also most importantly taste.

Menu : Mashawi Bahria
Price : To Be Advised
Score : 7.5 / 10

>> A platter of goodness. Grilled lobster, prawns and snapper accompanied with mixed grilled vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplant, paprika served with Rice Saydieh on the side. Lobster was as expected; grilled to perfection. The prawns and snapper was nothing short of it too.

But what I want to highlight was this Saydieh Rice. It was my first time having it and I must say it's a cross between long grain and risotto. It has the shape of a small size risotto but not as mushy. It's a more intact form like our day to day long grain white rice. Shammah cooked it with saffron and I love it. It's not like everyday that I get to eat 'fancy' rice. Hahaha !

Menu : Mahsawi Mushakala
Price : To Be Advise
Score : 7.5 / 10

>> This resembles a lot like the one on top; Mahsawi Bahria. You can judge from the similar name I bet. Well anyways, the difference between these two is the everything except the Rice Saydieh. Mahsawi Mushakala is more of meat on the side while Mahsawi Bahria is seafood! We have grilled tenderloin, lamb chop and chicken served together with mixed grilled vegetables; tomatoes, paprika, eggplant and the
'fancy' rice on the side.

If you are allergic to seafood then this is would the one to order for. Nothing short of goodness !

Menu : Green Tea Crepe Cake
Price : Rp 40,000 ++
Score : 7.0 / 10

>> This is your mille crepe done in a slightly different way. Instead of plain, Shammah offers with green tea or better known as 'matcha' powder. And in addition, besides using vanilla pod mixed in vanilla or butter cream, Shammah infused Grans Marnier, mascaporne and cream as the fillings in between. The dollop or mango citrus on the bottom was a big surprise. That sting you get from eating a sour sweet mango cuts through the heaviness of the cream filling. It taste good inside and out.


Shammah Restaurant - JS Luwansa Hotel & Convention
(Besides Plaza Festival Epicentrum)
Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav C 22, Kuningan Jakarta 12940
Phone : 021 - 29543030

Tapas Movida

Last Sunday, I had a super late lunch with a bunch of pretty interesting people, interesting meaning in a positive way of course! Hahaha..anyways I was introduced to this Spanish Restaurant that had opened in 2011 in Cipete Raya, South Jakarta. I was all excited and pumped about it and I must be honest that I'm a virgin with Spanish food. The only time I tried was at Moya and way back to remember anything about tapas, paella nor sangria. So this place called 'Tapas Movida' was a great welcome, differentiating itself from all the fusion food that Jakarta is flooded with !

As mentioned in their website; 'Tapas' refers to the authentic and original Spanish appetizers and 'Movida' refers to the post Franco-era eruption of entertainment and artistic freedom enjoyed in Spain which they celebrate with their emphasis on enjoying yourself. To add on, besides the great food and a pleasant service they do try and set an ambiance that resembles true Spain setting. I've never been to Spain but upon entering the door, it's obvious that their presentation of Flamenco themed indoor and Gaudi inspired outdoor areas was nailed!

Menu : Montadito de ternera con queso azul y cebolla caramelizada
Price : Rp 30,000 ++
Score : 9.0 / 10

>> This was the first tapas that was served and I was blown. Presentation is simple and straight to the point as  a 'tapas'. This is basically beef tenderloin, blue cheese and caramelized onion stacked on top of each other with a piece of cut bread on the bottom. One bite and I smiled ! Today's meal is going to be really good! The flavor was packed full and gotta loveeeeeee the caramelized onion. Sweet, salty and a the combination with blue cheese was surprisingly a good marriage!

Menu : Pintxo de pollo moruno con salsa de yogur y queso
Price : Rp 17, 500 ++
Score : 8.0 / 10

>> Look like your ordinary satay? Well, it's chicken skewers with much much better cooking herbs and condiment at the side. The sauce inside the shot glass is actually yogurt with cheese and it's gooooddd. The chicken was cooked well, and the herbs infused into the meat was surprisingly has this familiar taste with 'satay'. Must be the 'smokey taste' effect from the grilling process. Nevertheless, gotta try this too !

Menu :  Champinones rellenos
Price : Rp 25,000 ++
Score : 7.5 / 10

>> This is a good breakfast or a brunch menu but because it taste great, it's very much quite alright to have it in the afternoon. Mushroom cooked in garlic butter fill with ham, mozzarella cheese topped with fried egg. Well apology for my photography skill, thus you can't figure out much about the layers but all you need to understand is that, this is delicious! Ever heard the phrase 'breakfast for the champions'...champinones, champions..resembles right? Hehehehe...silly ^_^

Menu : Cordero al horno
Price : Rp 195,000 ++
Score : 8.5 / 10

>> If you are a loyal reader, then you'll know probably by now that I'm not a big fan of lamb but this might be a game changer. This roasted lamb shank with sauteed potatoes, pan fried asparagus and lamb juice is not only NOT heavy with lamb 'smell' (which is the main reason as to why, I'm not a fan of the meat), the meat flakes so easily off the bone and the tenderness of the meat just screams 'cooking to perfection'. This is the menu to try if you are a lamb shank lover.

Menu : Panceta Asada
Price : Rp 70,000 ++
Score : 9.5 / 10

>> Holly Molly, damn it was a blessed Sunday afernoon and look what I got to eat !! It's roast pork belly with red wine juice reduction on the side. Look at the glistening layer of pork belly fat that is just shining and calling out your name! Hahahaha, disregard my 'drama' writing but this dish deserves all thumbs up. The crispy layer of the pork is crunchy, still manage to keep the layers of belly fat intact and gooey! Pour the beautiful red wine juice, swirl the pork belly to get every angle covered and pop it into your mouth. Boom! Foodgasm is guarantee! This is definitely worth you ignoring your cholesterol level.

Menu : Esparragos trigueros con huevos pasados por agua
Price : Rp 30,000 ++
Score : 7.0 / 10

>> For ladies that are keeping a crazy eye on their waist, try this and you'll still able to enjoy your meal. This appetizer dish is pan fried green asparagus wrapped in Spanish ham, served with a 4 minute boiled egg. I love the presentation, it's pretty and aren't you curious what does a 4 minute boiled egg look like? You got to come, order and take the top off the egg! I have to recommend that the Spanish ham is drop dead good ! It's different from Panchetta or your average bacon, it is actually called 'Jamon Serrano' or more commonly known as 'Serrano Ham'. This taste better than your morning fried bacon by miles.

Menu : Albondigas
Price : Rp 45,000 ++
Score : 9.0 / 10

>> Another yumm, another smile, another dancing tastebuds! This is a dish of Spanish style meatballs, cooked in red wine and caramelized onion sauce. Gosh, anything Tapas Movida does with caramelized onion, it's goooood !

Look, the meatballs itself were alright, good bite size pieces, quite a handful of meatballs too for the portion. But the beauty is in the sauce ! Thick consistency, with chunks of onions happily submerged in the soup of red wine sauce. Rip the bread and dip it deep until it is soaked, put it your mouth and yeaaa! I bet you'll having dancing tastebuds, or at least, I did ^_^.

Menu : Gambas al ajillo
Price : Rp 55,000 ++
Score : 8.0 / 10

>> I know alot of the pictures in this review involves a bowl of something with sauce and chunks of bread at the side. Well, I realized that but it just further explains that the sauce is damn good ! Again, this traditional Spanish prawns cooked in olive oil, garlic and white sauce is beautiful. The prawns was cooked very well, wasn't chewy and still maintain that firm texture in every bite. The sauce is of course glorious, same style as above; rip the chunks of bread and dip it into the sauce until it is soaked and enjoy it! For those 'vampires' who are scared of garlic stench staying behind in your mouth, don't worry. It is subtle and yet impact-full.







Menu : Paella de Marisco
Price : Rp 330,000 ++
Score : 9.5 / 10

>> Wohooo !! I found the best paella in town and I mean it ! I love this yellow rice and could never find a good restaurant selling a decent paella. Find no more yulian, because Tapas Movida is here ^_^ hahaha. This chicken & seafood Spanish yellow rice is so big that I'm pretty sure it's enough for at least 5 adults, especially with all the additional tapas, you'll go home a happy happy man with additional 2 kilos on the scale. The rice is beautifully done, it has that uniform yellow color from the saffron and love the rather 'sticky' effect this rice got. I'm not sure whether it is a special kind of rice or a special cooking method but let the Spanish chef do the working and us do the eating.

Menu : Sangria (Traditional)
Price : Rp 295,000 ++
Score : 8.5 / 10

>> Hahahaha, okay I first didn't record down the pricing on this drink but  a friend helped out and hence much details now. There is two types of Sangria served here, the traditional and the deluxe (Rp 395,000 ++). The difference is this traditional sangria is not too strong on the alcohol. Well, it definitely involves wine and a good splash of sprite, with all the fruit juices and fresh fruits inside the mixture. A very refreshing and complimentary to  the food served. Trust me, you won't be thrown away by the alcohol if you're not much of a drinker. While the deluxe is slightly more pricy but with a good mixture of 14 spirits of alcohol. So, depending on your mood and your alcohol tolerance level, the sangria is definitely one of the 'must try' among the menu list !





Overall, I know the title of the dishes are a bit tricky, but bookmark my page on your phone and just show it to the waitress when you're there. No big fuss right? Bottom line, like ambiance, like the price tag, loooooove the food. Which comes down to 'Yes, I'll definitely come back' and you all should all try it for yourself. I bet you'll come back as a regular !!


Tapas Movida
Jl. Cipete Raya No 66, Jakarta Selatan.
Phone : 021 - 7510851