MODERN MEXICAN KITCHEN AT KERATON AT THE PLAZA

A view weeks ago, a bestie of mine, Aline invited me to have a lunch at Bengawan at Keraton. Since I never been there and I just need to blink my eyes to Keraton, so I instantly said yes to Aline.

Bengawan placed in Keraton at The Plaza Building that connected with Plaza Indonesia Shopping Mall. If you enter from Plaza Indonesia, then the entrance is next to Bakerzin Restaurant. Just take lift to 7th Floor, then you'll find Bengawan Restaurant.

Entering the Bengawan area we'll find the very spacious and bright restaurant look. With wooden and chocolate theme, Bengawan look so earthy and pleasant to dine. The natural light comes from the big windows around the restaurant. It is possible for to see the Jakarta view. Especially when Jakarta trap in the traffic, sitting at Bengawan sofa's suddenly become relaxing.

The Bar Area

Bengawan served many kinda of food. Mostly are International and Asian kind of food. You can have it by buffet or a la carte. But this time, I'm not going to spread about their buffet menu. Because Bengawan have something special to offer. Its a MODERN MEXICAN KITCHEN by Chef Lamberto Valdez Lara.

Chef Lamberto make all those the Mexican food that already adjust with Indonesian's peoples palate. But you don't have to be worry with the taste and the authentic of the food, because Chef Lamberto only using the premium ingredients. Even the tortilla and the tacos shell are home made. He also guarantee all the freshness from the food, because he has worked with local farmers to bring the best ingredients from the farm to the tables. Curious already? Keep scrolling then...

Bengawan served a three course lunch that available (too bad) only for weekdays. And they give a very great deal for it. For only IDR 150.000 nett you already get appetizer, main course and dessert. What a deal. You should come and try it. But Bengawan still serve a la carte Mexican menu daily.

SOUP, SALAD & MORE

SOPA de TORTILLA - IDR 110.000
Chicken Strips, Avocado, Tortilla Strips, Sour Cream Pasilla Chilli
This soup is a really great food to start you dine. A very comfort and warm soup made from Pasilla chilli that have a hint of spicy taste in it. The texture is creamy but not too thick. The consistency is just right. Dig in to the soup, you'll find the tender chicken strips and the buttery and fresh avocado. To add the crunchy texture, there's strips tortilla on top of it.

AVOCADO ROASTED CORN SALAD - IDR 155.000
Corn Relish, Cilantro Pesto, Butter Lettuce, Vine Ripe Tomatoes
Love the dressing from this salad. The tangy flavor from the dressing really pop-out all the ingredients.  The fresh lettuce texture still crisp combine with the softness from the avocado. With a bit sweet taste from the corn. Love the balance of it all.

GUACAMOLE - IDR 125.000 (Double Your Guacamole add IDR 75.000)
Served with Crispy Corn Totopos
Avocado, Tomatoes, Cilantro, Chilli Serrano
This guacamole is so addictive. I guess this is the best guacamole I had so far in my Mexican food journey all this time. The imported avocado has the very great quality. It so smooth, buttery and taste fresh. Combine with with the chilli serrano, this guacamole great pairing with tortilla chips.

Crispy Corn Totopos
Corn Totopos that have triangle shape made from corn flour. Eventhough it has 3 flavor but I taste it a bit bland. Dip it with 3 choice of sauce, Salsa Verde, Sour Cream and Tomato Salsa. It makes the corn totopos flavorful.

MAIN COURSE

TACOS - IDR 165.000
Served on soft or crispy corn tortillas, Mexican Rice and Refried Pinto Beans. Order comes with Green and Red Salasa 

Choice From the Following For Your Tacos :
Carne Asada : Grilled Skirt Steak, Cotija Cheese
Chicken Tinga : Chipotle, Onions
Lamb Birria : Leg Of Lamb Slowly Braised for 12 hours
Vegetarian : Cactus, Portobello, Queso Fresco

Lamb Birria 
Leg Of Lamb Slowly Braised for 12 hours
To be honest I always afraid and skeptical when eating lamb. It just because sometimes the smell and the chewiness still left on the dish. But Bengawan had succeed bring the lamb in to a different level. It so juicy, tender and I didn't smell at all. Well no wonder, it through the slow-cooked to get the right texture. It cooked for 12 hours to get it tenderness. Loved the balance from the lamb, the salsa verde sauce and the freshness from the lettuce.

Carne Asada  
Grilled Skirt Steak, Cotija Cheese
Not different with the lamb above, the steak come with it juiciness and not dry. It also still tender and seasoning well. The cotija cheese that add a bit of saltiness that combine all the ingredients in it.

GRILLED QUESADILLA - IDR 125.000
Choice From the Following For Your Grilled Quesadilla :
Chicken : Mexican Cheese, Roasted Tomato, Chipotle Sauce, Crema Agria, Pico de Gallo
Steak :  Mexican Cheese, Roasted Tomato, Rajas, Chipotle Sauce, Crema Agria, Pico de Gallo
Portobello : Chipotle Sauce, Crema Agria, Pico de Gallo, Spinach, Tomato (Vegan)

Steak  
Mexican Cheese, Roasted Tomato, Rajas, Chipotle Sauce, Crema Agria, Pico de Gallo
The beef so juicy and tender.I love the combining of all sauce and ingredients. With a hint of smokey flavor from the chipotle sauce, all blend well together. No ingredients that too overpowering. The tortilla really soft and a bit crisp on the edge. Love this Quesadilla so damn much. I can be selfish when eating this.

IRON SKILLET FAJITAS
Your choice of grilled Fajita, Bell Peppers, Tomatoes, Onions, Guacamole, Mexican Rice and Flour Tortillas.

Choice From the Following For Your Iron Skillet Fajitas :
Chicken - IDR 255.000 | Adobo Marinated
Hanger Steak - IDR 265.000 | Tequilla Guajillo, Onion Marinated
Shrimp - IDR 355.000 | Garlic Sauce
Portobello Mushroom - IDR 265.000 | Braised & Grilled (Vegan)

Hanger Steak - IDR 265.000 | Tequilla Guajillo, Onion Marinated
I think I'll keep repeating how they cooked their meat. I'll wrote the same. It so juicy and tender. This is no bull-shit. It still sizzling when it came to our table. This hanger steak is devilishly good. It marinated well. Eventhough it become cold, but it still tender and not chewy. I tried to paired it with their flour tortilla. And it soooo good. OMG! Okay... I become mouthwatering now while I write this.

Mexican Rice and Flour Tortillas
Loved the beans. It taste decent. It also so soft and great seasoning. Topped with melted cheese, make the beans more good. In the other hand the rice a bit too  hard and dry. As for the Flour tortilla, the softness is so perfect. I rolled with the Hanger Steak above. And a lil' dip in guacamole. Soo goodd...

DESSERT

CINNAMON SUGAR CHURROS - IDR 95.000
Cajeta (Goat Milk) Caramel, White Chocolate Sauce, Chunky Mango Compote
Like the churros so much. It so flaky, crispy outside and still moist inside. Still warm when it came to our table. Served with 3 kind of sauce. Cajeta Caramel not too sweet with the right texture of thickness. White Chocolate Sauce also not too sweet. But I taste it more like condense milk than white chocolate. Chunky Mango Compote a combination between sweet and sour. As for me, I like the Cajeta caramel and mango compote. And I wish they add 2 more churros for the serving.

PASTEL 3 LECHES - IDR 95.000
3 Milks cake,  Berry Compote, Kahlua Sauce
The cake taste so milky. And the texture of the cake so moist and soft. The sweetness from the cake had balance with the berry compote. But I wish I get more kick from the sauce. The caramel crunch add the crunchy texture.

CHOCO-FLAN - IDR 95.000
Vanilla Flan, Chocolate, Pistachio Caramel Crunch
Love the Flan. It so moist and smooth. And the taste is not too sweet. This is somekind a comfort food. Nothing too overpowering between the chocolate and the vanilla.

BEVERAGES

Healthy Juice - Beet Root, Celery,  Strawberry & Orange

Fresh juice, but the celery was too overpowering. It make the fruits a bit lost

A very Fresh Ice tea with a huge glass. Freshening & Satisfying.

Overall, Mexican Food in Bengawan really appealing. They not just a usual Mexican food or Tex-Mex, but the real home Mexican food cooking. With the fresh and great quality of ingredients, make all the dishes become superb. Thanks Ms Fiona & Bengawan at Keraton for hosting us. You guys really make my day. Happy tummy.

BENGAWAN

Keraton at The Plaza, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Jakarta

Telephone: 62-21 5068 0000

WEBSITE || TWITTER || FACEBOOK

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)

Altitude at The Plaza : When Skyscraper Looks Amazing

A view weeks ago I've got an invitation from Altitude at The Plaza. It was an exclusive breakfasting invitation with several food blogger. Such a joy received the invitation.

Altitude placed in 46th floor at The Plaza Building Thamrin Jakarta. Altitude offer you experience dine in a high sky with Jakarta as a view. We can see Jakarta in 360 degree. Well, only from Altitude, traffic in Jakarta looks so damn fabulous.

There are 3 different kind of restaurants under Altitude. Each restaurant have their own concept.

SALT GRILL by Luke Mangan
Salt Grill 1st restaurant is in Sydney, Australia. Offering Australian signature dish. In Altitude Jakarta, Salt Grill leads by Chef Marjon ”MJ” Olguera who successfully bringing all the dish superb. With a skyscraper as a backdrop, enjoy dining in a fancy and elegant look of fine dining restaurant and bar.

ENMARU JAPANESE RESTAURANT
Enmaru is enhancing the experience of devouring delicious pub food. Get together in a modern, lively ambiance set in traditional Japanese decor in the heart of the city. Whether you just want to enjoy a great, freshly prepared food or ending a long day, Enmaru makes sure that the best meal is served at your table.
Entering Enmaru Restaurant, we can feel the authentic ambiance of Japanese. Enmaru really pay attention on details. It can see by their furniture and interiors. Dominated with wooden, Enmaru feel so earthy yet modern. Chef Takashi Tomie, is collaborated with Sous Chef Tsuchiya Yusuke to created the fabulous menu

GAIA by OSO RISTORANTE
Gaia is the best restaurant in town where you can find authentic Northern Italian cuisine. Gaia also a perfect place to have a good quality wine. The interior looks so elegant with a brown furniture make Gaia feel warmth and cozy. Executive Chef GAIA, Kenny Lim, is collaborated with Sous Chef asal Italia, Marco Caverni to invent a tasty menu.

Before the main dish, we offered Altitude beverages. Like always, I ordered something sour and fresh to balance my meal and I ended up with Virgin Mojito. And I have the right choose. It so freshening and great.

Virgin Mojito

APPETIZER
Tonight appetizer present by Enmaru.

Foie Gras Chawanmushi

Foie Gras Chawanmushi by ENMARU Japanese Restaurant
I want to hugs Chef Tomie when I ate this chawanmushi. Because this is the best chawanmushi I ever had! I guess, 1 lil' glass that Enmaru served is never enough. It so blew me away. The texture is so soft so delicate and straight melt in my mouth. Not to forget the foie gras, they make it also so tender. Mixing between savory and sweet really a great start for tonight dining. You have to try it by yourself, so you know that I'm not just brag about this chawanmushi.

Assorted 5 Kinds of Sashimi by ENMARU Japanese Restaurant
This sashimi  consist of:

•   Kinmedai (金目鯛) in Japanese means Golden Eyes Sea bream. The English name for it is splendid alfonsino.

•   Ootoro is taken from the actual under-belly inside the tuna

•   Kanpachi (間八): Greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili

•  Uni: (雲丹, 海胆) gonad of Sea urchin; may come in different colors

• Tsubugai (螺貝, ツブガイ): Whelk (Neptunea, Buccinum, Babylonia japonica)

All sashimi served really fresh and not fishy. Every sashimi is insanely delicious. Not just the taste, the presentation also so damn gorgeous. With the smokin' effect, make this dish looked so dramatic.

MAIN COURSE
Tonight's main course presented by Salt Grill by Luke Mangan

Fish to share: Stir fry of crab meat and shitake mushrooms, charsiu sauce, sugar peas and confit eschalot

The very juicy and delicate of Barramundi fish. It so well seasoning. Blend well with the mushroom. I had 2 portion for this barramundi hehehe... This barramundi is so heaven. Served with a very addictive mashed potato and salad. The salad consist of fresh Heirloom Tomato, Burrata cheese with basil red wine dressing

Boneless Chicken Leg Stuffed with Porcini Mushroom

Boneless Chicken Leg Stuffed with Porcini Mushroom by GAIA Ristorante
Boneless Chicken Leg  taste a bit crispy outside and so tender at the meat. Stuffed with Porcini Mushroom and poured with with sauce make this dish is extremely great. Served with fresh asparagus.

DESSERT
Tonight dessert presented by GAIA Ristorante

Pannacota, Tiramisu and Orange Cake by GAIA Ristorante

Pannacota, Tiramisu and Orange Cake by GAIA Ristorante served in one plate. Really great  to end tonight dinner. From those 3 above, Pannacota suddenly become my favorite. Not because it melts in my mouth. But the texture is so smooth make me want it for more. Others also taste great. A smooth tiramisu, not too sweet and so great in my lickin'. Not too forget the fresh Orange cake. Taste mixed between souw and sweet. Great for ending.

ALCOHOL DRINK

Passion Fruit Ketel One Vodka

Before really ending the night, Altitude served us one of their alcohol drink. The presentation quite unique. Served in a copper kettle. I taste it for a sip. The taste is so surprising. Vodka mixed with passion fruit ended up with a freshening drink with not too kick vodka taste. It all well balance. 

I really had a great time having dinner in Altitude. Every restaurant have it's very owned signature dish and all really worth to try. Not just give us an experience to dine, but really spoiled us with a great view and a great food. I definitely will comeback here. Have a nice dinner with my hubby with a great view of Jakarta.   

 Traffic never look this prettier when we look it from 46th Floor Altitude  from The Plaza Building

 

Thanks a billion for having me, Altitude. It was such a wonderful night experience. Can't wait to see you soon.

ALTITUDE The Plaza  
Salt grill by Luke Mangan – ENMARU Indonesia Japanese Restaurant – GAIA by OSO RISTORANTE  
The Plaza Tower, 46th fl. Jl. M.H. Thamrin Kav. 28-30 Jakarta 10350  
Phone: 021-2992 2448  
FB Fan Page: ALTITUDE The Plaza twitter: @ALTITUDE_ID