StarG

Oh.. welcome to FT, ducati999 .
I think many would appreciate if you subscribe to this thread - as you can see we get some restaurant questions from time to time and it seems that you know your way around Jakarta very well!

CGK

Hmm don't know what to say. But what do you mean "wait until ordr is restored"...
Well I will assume you will never have an interest to visit Manila, Phnom Phen or Siem Reap...

Talking about taxi drivers trying to get your business, hmm I had been touting worse than in Jakarta when I went to Istambul. Even getting of at LHR, someone approached me offering the taxi...

CGK

Welcome to FT, ducati999. I personally will not rate Cafe Batavia for its ambiance... But I am only a visitor in Jakarta. So, perhaps that's my bias. But I know, so far, whatever StarG suggested, it has been good.
Crystal Jade at BNI Building is the best I think. There are so many Crystal Jade this and that like in Entertainment Ex, Plaza Indonesia etc, but I would rate far below from the one at BNI Building.
My friends suggested to go to Nanjing at Hilton, but I have not tried yet. They said the food is very good.

oontiveros

Agreed, Emilie is definitely tops. I have many friends who think so as well.

Disagree as to Scusa, we had a group of 4 the last time and we took one of the private rooms upstairs...was very very nice and private. Scusa is known for their white truffles and is rated quite highly in Jakarta.

Cafe Batavia is nice for new visitors and so is Oasis in Menteng.

For ambiance and excellent food and service, try the Three Muses and Champa (Indochinese) on Jl Widjaya. Selatan. These are also rated very highly.

Crystal Jade is always nice but I will have to try the one in the BNI it seems.

Sunday brunch, the Four Seasons or the Mulia are always good.

oontiveros

Sorry have no idea what you are talking about.

CGK

Any one try "Kembang Goela" restaurant? I heard it's good Indonesian food.

StarG

It is indeed good - owned by the same tai tais as Mirah Delima restaurant opposite the Pondok Indah Hospital.

ducati999

Hi all...

If you have tried Merah Delima, then Kembang Goela is just the same. Yes, same owners as the Korean Chain Gang Gang Sulai Restaurant and Warung Kita (you can find these coffee shops in Sogo Supermarket basement Plaza Senayan or Automall). The food in Merah Delima/Kembang Goela is called Peranakan Cuisine and you can easily find them in Kuala Lumpur, much better ones and way cheaper as well. Kembang Goela in Central Plaza Sudirman in CBD near most major hotels, its clean and nice place but again foodwise so-so. I like the long sausage on wooden block, but the chiken satay was mediocre. Merah Delima is way out in Pondok Indah so unless you live or plan to go south, the traffic is a nightmare. Warung Kita offers the best deal, the food is good and the price is cheap !. If your stomach can take Padang food you should go to Medan Baru @ Pasar Baru Area or Garuda in Jl. Hayam Wuruk. Medan Baru actually use marijuana is one of the dish

If you want a really outrageous decor and eat peranakan then you should try Dapur Babah in Jl Veteran or Lara Jongrang. Both places are owned by a local antique collector who also own Tugu Hotels in Bali and Malang. A picture of a deceased chinese guy and his ancestral tomb is literally next to your table. Its a bit odd..l think.. foodwise aslo average.

Nine Muses @ jl Wijaya, it is actually a music club and occassionally feature live performance (jazz??). I've been there once and food was not memorable, its more style than substance like so many places in Jakarta.

Champa aslo @ Jl. Wijaya...forget it...infact forget all Thai/Indochinese/Vietnamese places in Jakarta, you're better off eating the beef noodle soup @ Golden Mile Shopping Complex in Singapore. Overated but food really disappointing. The only decent Pho i can get is a little place called Vietopia in Jl Cikini, the owner still use the real Thai basil grown in her home garden..

I spoke to my Japanese friends yesterday and they recommend these places. Infact Jakarta like Bangkok has quite a number of Japanese restaurants (easier to get chef work permits ??) compared to KL or singapore, so you are better off eating Japanese here ;

Furusato near or @ Parama Guest House jl Wahid Hasyim
Goemon @ Kyoei Building Jl Sudirman
Tsukinofune @ Ambara Hotel
Ambai @ Blok M Complex
En @ EX Building Jl. Thamrin

ah..someone mentioned to me that Oasis is for sale ?? There is also another good Korean restaurant at the corner near Emilie ??

StarG

Just a little correction, Merah Delima & Kembang Goela AFAIK are owned by the same group of ladies, among which the Gang Gang Sulai's owner is one of them.

Tsukinofune and En are both very good.

The Korean restaurant: maybe that is Arang22 at BEJ complex?

ducati999

yes you are quite right..actually the last time i went Batavia Cafe i feel sorry and sad, indonesians just neglect these part of town instead prefers to build more mundane pastel colored "ruko" office buildings... the place feels like a bit like Havana...almost and slowly BUT not yet dying...

I think you mean Nan Xiang @ Hilton, yes the lan-mien and dumplings are very good and almost comparable to Crystal Jade's quality and consistency. Been there twice never disappointed. Clean and huge dining hall, its the ONLY reason to go to Hilton. If you like Chinese Steamboat you should try Lao Beijing @ WTC Mangga Dua Mall, this is a part of Tung Lok Group, the Singapore chain restaurant (there was a Singapore Lao Beijing long time ago near Orchard Tower?? but where have they moved ??). Its has lots of good variety quality plus all you can eat.

oontiveros

DIsagree with you on Champa. Don't expect Pho to be authentic almost anywhere in Asia except Vietnam, and then it's a matter of opinion between North and South. The other fusion dishes are quite nice though and the place is very nice.

As to Nine Muses, I have been there several times and the food was quite good. Maybe not consistent in your case. Don't know.

Goemon is good. That's the best as far as I have seen.

Lao Beijing is also quite good. But far for me from Selatan. What is the name of the xiao long bao place in Senayan Arcadia? It's halal but decent.

Don't care for Gang Gang Sulai's Korean food.

LezBFriends

Hi guys,

New to this thread. Having read some of the recommendations made here, I feel compelled to voice my opinion, so here goes:

Kembang Goela, Merah Delima and all the restaurant in this group, I think they are mediocre at best. The only reason they are frequented by people is because they are fairly affordable (even though they are supposed to be cheaper, as they are actually street food) and well located. Otherwise, why would you want to have "sanitized" street food in a pretentious setting? I don't consider them as real restaurants as I know for a fact that they source a good portion of their menu offering from elsewhere and just repackage and markup.

Lara Djonggrang, Dapur Baba..... strictly for tourists who are into those sort of over the top, more-exotic-than-actual Asian feel. So ambience wise, even though they are tired cliches of so many other such themed restaurants, I can understand why people (especially western tourists) will patronize them. Food wise.... aweful is the most appropriate description.

Crystal Jade group of restaurants..... used to be good, but are now becoming mediocre and inconsistent. I believe it is because they are now no longer part of the excellent Crystal Jade Singapore group. In case you don't know, the local partner (franchisee) had a fall out and decided to go it alone while illegally still using the Crystal Jade brand.

Nine Muses, Champa and all the restaurants at Jl. Wijaya.... I think you can forget about them. I don't know why people bother to go to these places.

As for French restaurants.. all the previous good ones are either gone (Java Bleu) or have gone down in standard (Riva). Lots of new ones such as Cassis, Madeline, etc. but only 1 stands out as being good; Emilie at Jl. Senopati.

So far my comments have been fairly negative.... now my picks on what is good!

For Japanese
Ambai at Blok M
Kho Tavern - Plaza Senayan
Y Grill - Nusantara Building

For French
Emilie - Senopati area near BEJ
Java Bleu - Cilandak (to bad it's closed)

For Local Food
Pondok Laguna - Batu Ceper
Pondok Prapantja
Sedap Malam - Batu Ceper
Medan Baru
Soto Pak Sadi - Walter Monginsidi
Camu-Camu

For Chinese
Sanur - Jl. Juanda
Nan Xiang - Mandarin Hotel
Lao Beijing - Mangga Dua
Soup Place - Plaza Semanggi

Many more next time.....

StarG

Never been to Lara Djonggrang, but I have to disagree about Dapur Babah, Kembang Goela, and Merah Delima.
I think it all depends on what you order, and based on what I have had at these places, they are quite good.
"Pretentious setting": Not all restaurants can have the luxury of real culture/heritage at their venues. Aren't all others pretentious anyway?

I go to Dapur Babah for the Nasi Goreng Bang Samin, the Lumpia Semarang, and Ice Shanghai - not for the ambience.

StarG

It's Din Tai Fung, Sir.

Gang Gang Sulai is Indonesianized Korean food IMHO. For the more authentic one, Arang 22 is the place to go.

oontiveros

Gosh, well, that's the thing about food...everyone has different standards and tastes. Oh well, one will just have to go to every restaurant and decide for themselves.