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

AOKI Japanese Resto at Grand Mahakam Hotel Jakarta

A vie weeks ago, I got a chance to taste a Japanese Restaurant called AOKI. Always interesting with Japanese dishes. They usually use something fresh and have an extra-ordinary traditional dishes. So here I am, with several blogger mates at AOKI.

AOKI Japanese Cuisine placed at the lower ground Grand Mahakam Hotel. From the main lobby, you will found the stairs that heading to the lower ground of the lobby. AOKI has a private dining concept with fusion Japanese authentic menu. You will find the green and unique sliding doors along the alley that bring you to your private dining room. Beside the  private dining area, AOKI also have public area, but its not too spacious.

Love Love Love those flowers and candles... feels so romantic

Public Dining Area

Private Area

Private Area

APPETIZER

FRESH CRAB SALAD - IDR 85.000
Crab Meat and Tofu with Sesame Dressing
A good start for our dining that night. The crab taste fresh. It mix with the tofu and topped with sesame dressing that make The crab chunk and the tofu taste great.

SPECIAL FRESH CRAB HANDROLL - IDR 75.000
Crab Meat and Tuna Wrapped in Soy Pepper
A great and unique presentation for this Fresh Crab Handroll. Instead of using nori sheet for the wrapping, AOKI use soy pepper. Love the combination of the fresh crab and tuna. Not smelly and really generous amount of filling. The dressing on top not too overpowering, it just balance all the ingredients inside.

CRUNCHY INARI SUSHI - IDR 85.000
Rolled Skin Salmon with Japanese Bean Curd
Sushi from AOKI cooked well. The rice is not too mushy or under cook.

SAKE YAKI MAKI - IDR 109.000
Rolled Crab Meat and Salmon on Top
Love the salmon. It so smooth and fresh. Taste decent.

SPECIAL GYU ENOKI MAKI - IDR 95.000
Beef with Enoki Mushroom
At first I thought it was a squid. But that's beef combine with enoki mushroom. Love the tenderness of the beef. There was a bit of melted cheese inside of it. The sauce become a glaze and caramelize and it taste a bit sweet.

KAKI AGE TEMPURA - IDR 95.000
Ebi and Vegetable Tempura with Sweet and Sour Sauce
The sauce that taste sweet and sour that make this tempura taste decent. Especially when it still serve warm. The veggies still have the crunchy texture. Which is great. Means it still fresh.

WAGYU SPICY BEEF USA - IDR 245.000
Served with Sesame and Sweet Sauce.
Beside the Wagyu Beef USA, AOKI also served the other kind of beef. Which are Kobe (IDR 1.700.000) and Tenderloin (IDR 698.000)
This wagyu beef was so so tender and melted in my mouth. See the color of the beef. It perfectly cooked with a hint of smokey flavor from the sesame sauce.

MAIN COURSE

DRY SUKIYAKI - USA (SIRLOIN / RIB EYE) - IDR 399.000
AOKI use beef from USA for this Dry Sukiyaki. No wonder the beef was so tender and juicy. The sukiyaki sauce taste a bit sweet and savory. Really soak up well into the beef. The chilli peppers add a bit hint of spiciness. Sprinkle with a bit sesame seeds. Loved this dry sukiyaki so damn much. It felt like melt in my mouth.So juicy and rich.

Dry Sukiyaki served with steamed rice with rice on top and sautéed vegetables. I think AOKI use OMEGA eggs for this menu. Because the eggs taste so smooth. A bit seasoning in the eggs, make it taste a bit sweet. Meanwhile the sautéed vegetables, it still have the crunchy structure when I ate it. The mushroom still soft. the green veggies not overcooked so it still have freshness inside. Tofu  and vermicelli add the goodness in that bowl. Love the sauce and the sauce much.

DESSERT

ES KOPYOR DURIAN - IDR 90.000
Lovely pinky Es Kopyor Durian. We can smell the Durian that really punch. The sweetness from the syrup a bit more strong. So when it collide with the durian, the taste become overpowering.

MOCHI ICE CREAM (MATCHA & VANILLA) - IDR 50.000 
Love this delicate mochi Ice Cream. AOKI have 2 selection of Mochi Ice Cream, Vanilla and Matcha. Both of the  the ice cream have a pleasant taste. The skin is chewy mixed well with the smoothness from the ice cream. It already cut into a bite-sized. So all you need to do is enjoy the cold in your mouth. Sweet ending.

BEVERAGES

Hot & Cold Ocha - Really fragrant

FRESH JUICE

Soursoup Juice - IDR 65.000
Great consistency of the juice. Fresh soursoup  and taste not too sweet.

Healthy Juice - IDR 65.000
Mixed Fresh Fruit and Vegetables. Both fruits and vegetables blend well together, without one of ingredients dominated each other

Mixed Juice - IDR 65.000
A combination of strawberry and orange. A fresh blending between sweet and sour. The color looks so pretty also. Looks like a sunset.
            

Lychee Ice Tea  - IDR 65.000
Freshening, fragrant with a fresh of lychee fruit in it 
 
At the end, I really had a great time having dinner at AOKI. Really great ambiance and balance with really great and delicate food. Not to forget the peoples, really nice & helpful. Horror story with a nice dessert also a family pictures end our joyful that night. Thanks a bunch AOKI Grand Mahakam Hotel for having us. Its a pleasure.

AOKI JAPANESE CUISINE
Jalan Mahakam 1 No.6, Blok M,
Jakarta Capital Region, 12130, Indonesia
Location: Lower Lobby Level
Lunch: 12.00 noon - 2.30 p.m.
Dinner: 6.00 p.m. - 11.30 p.m.

Reservation: Aoki Japanese Cuisine
Email: info@granmahakam.com
WEBSITE