First in Indonesia: STARBUCKS RESERVE

March 20, 2014 - Starbucks Indonesia officially opened its first Starbucks Reserve store in Jakarta. Since it opened its first store at Indonesia in 2002, Starbucks has building an authentic and global coffee culture and expertise, its care for the community and ability to consistently deliver a unique Starbucks Experience to customers across Indonesia. Starbucks currently operates more than 169 stores in 12 cities across Indonesia.

Placed in Starbucks Gran Indonesia, that be the first outlet who bring the new ambiance for its outlets. I'm so amazed with what they've done with their outlets. Inspired by Indonesia heritage. The store is the latest sample of Starbucks ongoing approach to create locally relevant designs that honor the culture of the neighborhoods they serve. The store features a mixture of reclaimed boat wood on the floor and wall finishing. The vintage cross-modern furniture and community table also offers customers a comfortable place to work connect with each other.

When you see the furniture above, look at the table shape. It looks like made from a huge cable reels. With the earthy theme, Starbucks now look so warm and cozy. Beside the furniture, the one that captured my eyes was the paintings on the walls. It made by the Indonesian artist the painted the special heritage of Indonesia like 'Batik' , Indonesian's map and Indonesian flowers that inspired by the beautiful Flores, and even the floor recycle made from boat at Sunda Kelapa Harbor Jakarta. It shown that we have a very rich and beautiful country. And Starbucks really did well in capturing it all.

And for you smokers, Starbucks also have an outdoor area. This area looks like a ship deck. With a little bulbs in the ceilings.

STARBUCKS RESERVE

Beside new store appearance, Starbucks also launch their newest coffee. Like Anthony Cottan, Director of Starbucks Coffee Indonesia said, that Indonesia has been grown become a local culture flourish, and customers increasingly looking for an ultra-premium coffee experience. That's why Starbucks now launched STARBUCKS RESERVE to fulfill the customers needs.

Starbucks Reserve is a category of ultra-premium coffee that elevates the coffee experience. Starbucks has introduced 2 new Starbucks Reserve coffees in Indonesia: Starbucks Reserve Sun-Dried EthiopiaYigarcheffe and Starbucks Reserve Finca Nuevo Mexico. Both of them rare and extremely limited coffees, each hand-picked for their distinctive flavors and unusual locales around the world.

Starbucks Reserve Sun-Dried EthiopiaYigarcheffe
At that time we got a chance to try their Starbucks Reserve Sun-Dried EthiopiaYigarcheffe. This exquisite, naturally-processed coffee comes from the village of Aricha in the district of  Yigarcheffe in the Southern region of Ethiopia. It has acidity in the flavor. We can taste fruity in our palate.No wonder, since it consist of rich layers of strawberry, bing cherry and baking chocolates notes. So, it taste sweet, a bit acidity and fruity.
So great paired with dried fruits, dark chocolate and sweet citrus. But that time, Starbucks paired the
Sun-Dried EthiopiaYigarcheffe with butter croissant. The taste of the butter suddenly covered all over my mouth. It taste so great. The buttery and fruity taste is so good mix together.

Sun-Dried EthiopiaYigarcheffe paired with Butter Croissant

Starbucks Reserve Finca Nuevo Mexico
Finca Nuevo Mexico literally means New Mexico. This coffee provides a lush environment where we can taste the toasty aromas with candied  citrus and a brown sugar sweetness. This coffee come from Nueva Mexico coffee farm. The acidity is is more higher than the Ethiopia one.

Sumatra Lake Toba
For the local coffee, Starbucks have Sumatra Lake Toba. This wonderful coffee comes from several villages around Lake Toba-Dolok Sangul to the Southwest and Seribu Dolok to the Northwest. Sumatra Coffee Lake Toba has more pronounced herbal flavor and a full-bodied syrupy mouthfeel. The label art is inspired by traditional pattern designs and icons in Indonesia. FYI, Lake Toba is the largest lake in Indonesia and the largest volcanic lake in the world.

Anthony Cottan, Director of Starbucks Coffee Indonesia brewed the Starbucks Reserve along with the barista

Barista brewed the Starbucks Reserve

Toni Wahid - A coffee Expert share his experience about coffee world & his experience about his favorite things in Starbucks. He loved the black coffee & cinnamon roll when visiting Starbucks Coffee.

To accompany our coffee, Starbucks also served their petite canapes. Some of them taste really good paired with their coffee.

Overall, as a coffee lover, I definitely so damn excited attended to be the witness of Starbucks Reserve first outlet in Indonesia. As usual, Starbucks never failed deliver their best coffee. It always came from the best coffee seeds. If usually you see the Starbucks barista identical with their green apron like its sign board, but for Starbucks Reserve, they using black as their signature color. Look edgy and stylist though.

Starbucks Reserve Exclusive Tumbler - IDR 450.000

I Heart with this tumbler so damn much ♥♥

Starbucks Reserve

Grand Indonesia Mall Ground Floor

Jl MH Thamrin No 1

Jakarta 10310

021-23580530

WEBSITE || TWITTER || FACEBOOK

Black Listed Coffee at Lotte Shopping Avenue

Several weeks ago, I met up some friends at Lotte Shopping Avenue. We decided to meet at Black Listed Coffee. Since the place looked cozy for us to chit chat and doing some works with our laptop. Yes they have a good WI-FI connection here.

Black Listed placed in Lotte Shopping Avenue 1st Floor. From the facade appearance, it already look so eye-catching. Dominated black and yellow colors with modern chic theme. And there's a big written on their wall that wrote "King Charles Banned Coffee House". Well, no wonder, in the year 1675 coffee become a taboo things. It been banned. Back to the future, Black Listed has become one of must visit coffee shop. I love how they manage their interior.

Look at the cute couch and pillow. It wrote the coffee brand on it. Others, they put the wooden chairs. And the area is divided into two area. Indoor and outdoor. I still prefer the indoor one.

 Black Listed also served many variant of food. It start from appetizer, main course, dessert, cakes and of course choice of coffee.

Truffle Fries - IDR 35.000

I really love their truffle fries. Te truffle oil was so fragrant. With a bit dry herbs on top, make this fries taste more great.  You should try this.

Blacklisted Burger - IDR 69.000

Stacks of Onion Rings, 100% ground Australian Beef Patty & Beef Bacon, Melted Mozzarella on homemade charcoal bun with coleslaw& potato wedges.
This burger that first captured by my eyes. Black big burger with a generous amount of cheese. Why the bun color is black? Because they use charcoal powder in to it. I like the consistency of the patty. They grilled it right. It still juicy and its so thick. The beef bacon also good. Not dry. To add the crunchy texture, they put the onion rings in it. 

Tea in a Pot – IDR 22.000

English Breakfast – Earl Grey – Peppermint – Chamomile – Green Tea

Ice Lychee Tea - IDR 29.000

Refreshing Ice Lychee Tea. Great balance between the tea and the lychee syrup. The tea always always freshening in any occasion and with any food.

So overall, my experience in Black Listed was great. The service was great and also with the food. My next visit, I'm going to try their coffee fosho...

Blacklisted Coffee
Lotte Shopping Avenue, 1st fl.
Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio Kav 3-5
021 - 2988 9166
FACEBOOK || TWITTER || WEBSITE

Koffie Warung Tinggi d/h Tek Soon Hoo

If you search the most old Coffee Shop, you should peek on Coffee Warung Tinggi. It already through 5 generation.  And it still served the good quality of coffee seed.

For the elder peoples, they probably know this coffee shop as Tek Soen Hoo. It use located at Hayam Wuruk Area around 1878. So you can imagine how old is this coffee shop. Now it run by the 5th generation under the OPCO  Group who also managed Yellowfin, Stark Bierhause, Portico, Domain and many others.

Entering Koffie Warung Tinggi Area, you'll be greet by the vintage look of the furniture. With the spacious room, we can see big convy sofa with wooden furniture. If you don't want to sit at the sofa, just pick on the bar area where you can have your coffee while watching the barista make your order.

If you not a smoker, then too bad. Because Koffie Warung Tinggi don't really separate the smoking area and the not smoking area. But it has a very good WI-FI connection.

Koffie Warung Tinggi some snacks and main course for you. Some of their menu infuse by Melayu tradition, Chinese 'Peranakan' also Indonesian-Dutch kind of food. But this time, I'd like to try something heavy to catch up the late lunch.

Nasi Uduk - IDR 48.000

Their version of Nasi Uduk is pretty decent. It so savory. The coconut milk really soak well with the rice and the rice also cooked well, not too mushy. Like the consistency of the fried chicken also. It seasoning well with a crisp skin layer outside but keep tender inside. Other sides are tempe and tofu. With balado ati  (Liver in chilli sauce). This Nasi Uduk surely can make you full instantly.

Hot Tea (refillable) - IDR 28.000

Peach Ice Tea - IDR 32.000

Love the Peach Ice Tea. It so freshening. It have the good balance & consistency between the tea and the peach. So it make it not too sweet.

Overall, I had a pretty good time here in Koffie Warung Tinggi. I surely will comeback soon to try their coffees. Too bad my last visit, I'm still feeling un-well. So made me avoid coffee for temporary.


Koffie Warung Tinggi d/h Tek Soen Hoo
Grand Indonesia Shopping Town, 5th fl. (West Mall)
Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 1
Jakarta Pusat 10310
021 - 2358 0312
Opening Hours: 11 AM - 10 PM
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Cloud Lounge and Living Room

About a weeks ago, my friends take me to the a place called Cloud Lounge and Living Room. I'm so excited when heard that this place is above the sky and the entrance is from the Altitude - The Plaza. I already imagine a great view with a great ambiance.

Cloud Lounge and Living Room still under the same roof with Altitude that located in The Plaza Tower. To reach  Cloud Lounge and Living Room, we need to take the elevator to 46th Floor of the Altitude then the reception will take you to 49th Floor using extension elevator that placed inside the Altitude. Still excited.

When we first stepped into the Cloud area, we greeted by the receptionist. Since we want to be a bit narcissistic get picture with the view, so we asked to be seated in the outside area. Because I already made my own research about Cloud Lounge and Living Room before visiting here. And it look so promising. With a 360 degree view of the skyscraper, I already imagine that I can seat in front row looking at sunset. But too bad, that place where we can see the Jakarta city view was already FULL PACKED! Whaatt?? It can't be! It only 5pm when we arrived. Apparently, some of those peoples already made a reservation since  a week ago. OMG! FYI, at night the outdoor area, look so attractive, with colorful bright table and bar that has flame on it.

And finally, we just can accepted to be seated in the back area.

The back area, was less attractive.  The weather that day was a bit foggy and the view was blocked by the building. So what we can see was only bricks with a less view. Sigh! And to make it more 'perfect' the back area is so damn HOT. Can't stop from sweating.

Well, after that, we tried to get calm down, and ordered some of their menus. First thing in my mind was, i want something cold to turn down the hot temperature.

Exotic Sunset - IDR 60.000

A very preety drink to  have. The fruit is so generous A mix fruit of lychee, kiwi and strawberry. It so refreshing for a hot weather. Pretty success chillin' us a bit. A combination between sweet and sour. With an ice shavings that poured with strawberry syrup.

Kiwi Ice Tea - IDR 50.000

This Kiwi Ice Tea also taste so refreshing for a hot weather. I taste a hint of kiwi blend with tea. But too bad, the kiwi fruit not so fresh. Maybe too long in a refrigerator or something. But I just wish, I can see the greeny color from the kiwi.

Pistachio Ice Chocolate - IDR 45.000

I expected a bold taste from this drink. But a lot of missed at the end. Nothing dominated this drink. Not the pistachio and not even the chocolate.

Guacamole with Pico De Gallo and Corn Chips - IDR 45.000

A crunchy corn chips really good for afternoon snack. The guacamole taste great. I like the combination between the guacamole and the pico de gallo. And fresh and the texture is good.

Broken Fried Eggs with Spanish Beef Sausage and foam Potato - IDR 80.000

A simple dish come out from this food. A half cooked scrambled eggs with creamy sauce. The beef sausage pretty good. And the potato pretty soft too. But, this dish was not my things. Not suitable with my palate. The eggs a lot dominated than the cream itself.

Smoked Salmon Pizza - IDR 140.0000

Thin crust pizza with smoked salmon and olives on top. I smell a bit fishy from the salmon. But luckily the cheese and the olive can cover it up a bit. Best served while it' warm. You can taste the melted cheese blend with the salmon.

Brownie with Hagen Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream - IDR 55.000

I expect the very moist and spongy brownie. But then, this brownie beyond my expectation. It even not a brownie at all. It was dry and tasteless. No chocolate I taste from this brownie. The only things that right from this dessert is only the ice cream (of course... it's Hagen Dazs for God sake!!), the pistachio and the cherry.

Skyscraper from Clouds area

At the end, Cloud Lounge and Living Room beyond my expectation. I didn't get the experience of the 360degree view. I don't feel the atmosphere at all. And to make it more "perfect", the service was SMILELESS a.k.a without smile. How could they serve a customer without a smile at all? Do we look like that we can't afford to pay you or something? If you run a business that deal with other peoples, better you treat them like you treat yourself. Because it become useless if you served good food but with not good attitude. Need improvement on this Clouds!

Cloud Lounge and Living Room  
The Plaza Tower 49th fl. Jl. M.H Thamrin Kav. 28-30

Jakarta 10350

021 - 2992 2448 (connecting via Altitude)