Our epicure expert continues a sting operation to bring you the truth about the culinary scene in Jakarta. No spoon is left to chance in the quest for revisions honest, balanced, long-time favorite with hottest new restaurants in town.
This month, young loving crowd Social House.
gastrointestinal geeks everywhere will have noticed the recent trend towards a more relaxed approach, casual dining. Escoffier might be turning in his grave at the thought of Jason Atherton's Pollen Street Social in London, or speakeasy style restaurants in Manhattan today. No starched linen, no trolley service, no servers in the tail. A restaurant is more formal lighthouse good food. It is a meeting place. A co-opted Office. Concept: eat, yes - but to socialize too
.Social House, cool-kid restaurant group Ismaya darling, is Indonesia's answer to social-dining scene. A seal hipster like this would not be caught dead in a shopping center in New York, but this is Asia, while the east wing of Grand Indonesia is an appropriate location. Trekking your way through stores allows a slightly less-than-glamourous entrance, but once you are rewarded with an open and inviting space. The light wood décor is offset by trees and bushes pieces adorned with garlands. In true social style, the space is divided into functional areas :. There are private rooms, a bar, a dining room and even raised a wine shop (with decent choice and average prices)
Like any civilized social life should we started in the bar. There is a long list of particularly imaginative cocktails, otherwise always tempting ,. I still think those who need to dress their alcohol consumption as a dessert (vodka creme brulee , anyone?) Do not drink that, and therefore probably should not. The wines by the glass, although unbalanced with four reds and two whites were reasonable quality and adequate prices. But as they have a wine shop, they could afford to add some white to the list at least. We sampled a classic Californian Cabernet Sauvignon Woodbridge Robert Mondavi to Rp.104,000, which was lovely, and throughout the dinner, the two whites on the list, Alexis Lichine Sauvignon Blanc (Rp.85,000) and Domaine Chandon Chardonnay (Rp. 144,000), which were fine.
Alas dear readers, therein lies the rub. Because unfortunately Social House could not help. Like a kid in a candy store, he just had to go for that tote that includes everything from a menu, "international", or as I prefer to call "undecided". Here, the food concept ranges from sushi, sashimi, noodles, fajitas, pizzas and ubiquitous steak to pasta.
Indonesia Restoration: why, why, why should we try to please everyone? You know as well as I can not anyway. Yes, you are located in a shopping center with a variety of taste buds with fat wallets walk around it. But that does not mean you can successfully answer all.
You have the belief in your kitchen and in the tastes of your guests, choose what you are good at, and let the globe-trotting gastronomy with hotel buffets.
Encore. If you can not beat 'em, join' em. So we did - and partly, we were pleasantly surprised
.To whet our whistles on this gourmet international gallop, we started with the "small plates" from a couple of culinary canons. First up, crispy roti prata thick seafood curry dip (Rp.69,000) was both an original idea and, frankly, quite moreish. The 'dip' was a rich medium spicy Malaysian perfect sauce for scooping with that flaky bread-like pastry. Success.
Beside that was a tuna maguro tataki crispy garlic ponzu sauce Rp.75,000. The portions are not large, but the fish was fresh convincing (though of course, not that spankingly, just-off-the-boat fresh you get in Japan), and the ponzu was quite tasty.
For something more substantial, we divide the Wagyu beef burger with Brie, Emmental, eggplant, arugula, sundried tomatoes, sauce and fries Social House. The burger patty itself was actually juicy, although the onion rings could have been crispier. Overall it was not a disappointment to Rp.165,000.
Which was a let-down is the service. Disorganized, forgetful, and just a little too casual (even for social-concept dining room), overall the team came out as essentially inept, but friendly. Like many places in Jakarta now, their hiring policy is obviously based on the freshness of your haircut rather than any sort of ability to do the job.
I must not repeat that I prefer my steak without sushi side. But since nothing will change the same amount of dithering that menu, we'll put that aside, because Social House has its good points. Yes, there are improvements in the kitchen, and certainly the service, but overall, I confess, I want to - most likely with a group of friends, and the emphasis on the conversation rather than consumption. After all, even though I'm known for socializing.
Please check
Power :! Rp.374,000
Beverages Rp.437,000
Service 10%
Rp.941,000 (. inc tax) for two
social House restaurant & Bar
great East Mall Indonesia 1st Floor, JL. MH Thamrin No. 1, Jakarta 10320,
62 21 2358 1818 www.ismaya.com/socialhouse