Sharing our dining experiences: May 2012

Monday, May 28, 2012

Ninety Nine

If you enter to Grand Indonesia East Mall Ground Floor, right from the main entrance, looking down to the square below, you would see the black tents with tables and sofa with retro tiles, it gives you that cosy vibes.

Turned out, it's called Ninety-Nine, it occupies quite a space for its dining venue, adjacent to it is a Bakery shop offering more upscale bakery and cookies in pretty boxes and close to Ranch Market too.

We went there for dinner, with Reservation to be safe but looked like it was quite safe if you just walk-in for weekend night, not sure on weekday.

The menu certainly an extensive one, offering local and western dishes; with cocktails to boot. What I found quite odd was they do offer Breakfast Menu but when I asked the waiting staff they said they only open from 10 am? But shouldn't you open for breakfast hour if you offer Breakfast menu in your restaurant?And later I found on the web, it claimed to open from 8 am?

Plenty of waiting staff but somehow, it felt like understaff, we gotta catch their attention for our order or other requests that night in our seating area (which was non-smoking)

In my opinion, it may be a right place to have an upscale cake and cup of tea at Grand Indonesia while having a rest after your window-shopping. For having a meal, I would rather visit other venues in same East Mall section.

Placemat with QR Code

Simple Baby Blue Menu

I was so tempted to order Nasi Goreng Kurus Segar, which healtier/vegan fried rice version and certainly fit for weight-concious gal

Nice napkins

View to the open area/smoking section/from entrance

My seafood aglio olio, tasty but found it a tad oily

My ice lemon tea

The tomato basil thin crust pizza, not bad either

Ninety-Nine

Grand Indonesia East Mall Lower Ground

Jl. MH Thamrin No.1 Jakarta Pusat 10310
Phone: +62-21 2358 1199

http://www.ranchmarket.co.id/our-specialties/about-the-restaurant/

Opens daily from 8 am (?) to 10.30 pm

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Union - Dinner

It was my 3^rd time to Union now, the 2^nd time was just for a late night drink; this time, we went there for dinner..was so looking forward.

Reservation is always a Must if you are going to Union, due to its popularity, even though how many months running, it was even became more popular than before.

Well, what not to like at Union? Good food, great vibe, fantastic service, convenient location.

When we came to table, I saw the put the Reservation sign which indicated from the timing, I think it was a nice gesture. The place is still packed for sure!

And bakery section was so popular, most of the cakes sold out by late noon. But my cheese cake was still there and I reserved it first even before we sat down. Later, we were being informed the Red Velvet was available and again, we ordered it in advance for take away.

Didn’t feel like eating any fishy that night, as I’ve spent most of my meals few days earlier on fishes and definitely not ordering any steak; so when I saw Nasi Goreng on the menu, I was excited. When it came, didn’t look that huge of a portion but after going few spoon, it was huge indeed..

This time, I missed my Green Tea for few days so naturally eating fried rice, I felt drinking tea would be the appropriate choice.

Again, I found it was a good nasi goreng, Union’s chefs proved to be overall good cook, either western or local dishes to dish out. Service was prompt and I was surprised they managed to reserve my cheese cake accordingly and when asked for it after meal, it was served promptly.

Night view to courtyard on Saturday night was certainly a different atmosphere…

I hope Jakarta would have more restaurants like Union in all aspects!

The Menu

Our Reserved Table sign, how courteous!

From the courtyard entrance

Looking to kitchen area

One of my fave part of Union Restaurant

Tasty bread and butter

My Green Tea

Union Nasi Goreng, delicious and huge portion

Scallop Pasta

Grilled salmon with mashed potatoes

My fave Union cheese cake

Union Brasserie, Bakery and Bar
Plaza Senayan, 1st Fl Unit Sogo
Jl. Asia Afrika No. 8, Jakarta 
Tel: +62 21 5790 5871

Opens daily from breakfast to late

Social House - Brunch

Back in SOHO, this time for Brunch! I was pretty excited as I felt the food at SOHO is to my liking so looking fwd to see how was it for brekkie/brunch.

We came about 11 am with reservation done (better be!), there were crowds indeed and most of them were foreigners. It was a good atmosphere indeed, relax and casual

But another thing that still puzzled me, was their Menu…it was a spread of menus! Got the normal menu, the brekkie menu, the drink menu then I dunno what else but there was!

As normal, I always wanted to go for my full brekkie, this time I saw they had one in ‘open skillet’, I was curious so ordered it and voila, here it was, not like I normally had..something different but still tasty. It was poached eggs with tomatoes puree with sausages and bits of bacon all in one, served with crispy bread that so tasty when you dipped it in your puree; I added the sautéed mushroom, it was worth it!

My gal pal ordered prawn pesto which was spicy and delicious and an egg benedicts with smoked salmon on top of long bread instead of muffins, I said to myself to order the egg benedicts next time I come here for brunh.

We ordered ice-lemon tea which was refreshing and didn’t expect there was a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, it certainly a different ice lemon tea. Finished my drink faster as usual so gotta ordered another round of drink, I ordered the energy booster, a mixed of juice but I forgot the details.

The waiting staff came to our table with an ipad for a short survey about the dining experience in SOHO; I found the idea very appealing, it showed how technology savvy they are and improvement believer by getting the patron’s feedback on the spot.

Always a sucker for doing feedback/survey… ^_^ , so I were happy to oblige the survey..

All in all, SOHO is a great place when you feel like having your meal in a posher restaurant while you are in Grand Indonesia.

The Drink Menu

Menu on Hanger..SOHO's trademark!

This was the all-day brekkie menu? I lost count already on how many set of menus they have

I couldn't remember what menu was this...so many menus, right?

The 'trees' inside the restaurant

It was connected to Harvey Nichols before but now Harvey had closed down..I guessed due to location and price range factors

My brunch dish, scramble eggs with sausages and fresh tomatoes puree in a skillet with add-on sauteed mushroom, gotta gave 2 thumbs-ups!

The prawn pesto, also delicious!

Egg benedict with smoked salmon, insteaf of using muffins, they used baguette; definitely a must try next time!

Energy booster juice!

Yummy homemade ice lemon tea and it came with vanilla ice-cream, so I guess it was like an ice lemon tea float

Social House Jakarta
Grand Indonesia East Mall 1st Floor
Jakarta, Indonesia, 10310

Tel: +6221 2358 1818, 2358 0450

Restaurant:
Opens from Mon to Thu and Sunday from 8 am to 10.30 pm
Opens on Friday and Saturday from 8 am to 12 am

Bar, Lounge, Winehouse:
Opens daily from 8 am to 1 am
Grand Indonesia East Mall 1st Floor
Jakarta, Indonesia, 10310

Tel: +6221 2358 1818, 2358 0450

Opening hours: From 8.00AM to 1.00AM from Monday to Sunday
http://www.ismaya.com/socialhouse/

Restaurant:
Opens from Mon to Thu and Sunday from 8 am to 10.30 pm
Opens on Friday and Saturday from 8 am to 12 am

Bar, Lounge, Winehouse:
Opens daily from 8 am to 1 am

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Kitchenette @ CP

Saw how popular Kitchenette at Plaza Indonesia when they opened for few months, it was always full house, we thought more to the interior decor factor as a place for See and Be Seen, it was something different indeed, with its indoor alfresco area.

So, it was quite a surprise to hear that it also opened at Central Park Mall, which is located at West area, not sure if the market segment at that area would appreciate the menu and price, considering the folks there are more into standard restaurant with price a major factor.

But surprise surprise, when we came, it was full (no reservation made)..we got 2 options, either would like to dine at Kitchenette or Pizza E Birra which both under Ismaya Group and at this vicinity, they shared half space each.

The minus point was, we were told, once we sat at Pizza area, we couldn't ordered menu from Kitchnette and vice versa. If that's the case, then Ismaya Group better put an enclosed separator as if these 2 outlets are standing side by side. Not to mention, Pizza area is a smoking area.

I wanted to eat the Crepes which was speciality of Kitchnette but there was no seat and there was seat available at Pizza but I couldn't ordered the Crepes, a bit boo hoo...

We opted to wait for our seats at Kitchnette and after around 20 mins (with mosquitos started swarming on the alfresco area), we were seated near the entrance.

Waiting staff definitely friendly and courteous; but the crowd, was definitely not same crowd at Plaza Indonesia.

Then it struck me, most of restaurants in Jakarta nowdays have their menu in English, so it's under assumption that all patrons do understand English. When the reality actually shows majority of Indonesian especially older generation, don't understand English. But since, most waiting staff in Indonesia/Jakarta comes with courteousness and politeness, you always can ask more.

Back to Kitchenette, I saw the menu for the crepes and I must said I saluted them for the creativity in using Girls and Boys name for the dishes but it just too many. Some even has some similarity but slight different ingredients.

Definitely an ideal place to have afternoon break or light meal, but if I need to queue for a meal here, I think I'd rather pass. It would be a good place for a big group hang out too.