Cali Deli is a Vietnamese chain of deli-restaurants that gained its inspiration from a restaurant in California and established itself in Jakarta 7 years ago. Although Pho would come to mind for most people when discussing Vietnamese food, Cali Deli specialises in Vietnamese sandwiches with an Indonesian twist (they do of course offer broth soups [...]

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Pyongyang is the capital of North Korea and the name of a restaurant chain operating outside of the fatherland. I had no idea what to expect from a restaurant run by the infamous North Koreans complete with North Korean staff.  I’ve always wondered why there were North Korean embassies and Ambassadors when emigration is forbidden [...]

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 “White rice is lacklustre, lifeless, tasteless and irritating to prepare; brown rice is flavoursome, wholesome and easy to prepare”. Maud Grieve F.R.H.S. (1858-1941) – A Modern Herbal (pub. 1931) Every society has a staple food: my London upbringing revolved around potatoes, varieties such as King Edwards in winter for baking and Whites for salads. We [...]

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Gluttony is my favourite sin. Indulging in a calorific piece of kobe beef, an extra helping of bacon on your pancakes dripping with maple syrup or the bliss of losing yourself in a moist cake that could make a nun blush are pleasures I will afford to take should judgement day come. By no means [...]

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Sky Lounge at Mercure, S.L.A.M, is on the 19th floor of the newly opened Mercure Simatupang.  Slam is in a roof top lounge bar that has an open-air section as well as an air-conditioned room. The open air section has a mix of styles which translates to funky and modern. Comfy contemporary rattan chairs juxtaposed [...]

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Welcome back to Alcoholics Bar & Grill. Those of you who have ventured into Alcoholics know, customers are heard and valued here. Chef Patrick listened to his diners when they enquired about pork and ribs, which paved the way to a new favourite on Alcoholics’ menu – Baby Back Ribs. Recipes for popular dishes such [...]

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Tapas are appetisers or snacks that make up a wonderful part of Spanish culture and cuisine. The smaller portions enable you to taste a variety of dishes without over ordering or over eating; I like to think of it as a conveniently located miniature buffet. Tapas are designed to encourage conversation by allowing diners to [...]

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Jakartans who take their love of food seriously, rarely settle for a meal in a mall. Restaurants located in malls offer convenience, but nothing more. The service is horrible, and the food is bland at best. But ask anyone in the know to rattle off their top five restaurants in Jakarta and odds are none [...]

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If you’re yearning for a festive feast with all the trimmings but you lack the inclination to cook at home, then simply head to one of Jakarta’s big hotels offering Christmas Eve dinners and Christmas Day brunches. Prices range from Rp.175,000 to Rp.988,000 per person, usually not including the “plus-plus”, which is generally 21% and [...]

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What are the things you look for when choosing a venue for a dinner date? Good food, possibly to share for a bit more intimacy. Candlelight seems to make anyone look sexy, great mood lighting for a date. Maybe a bar or lounge nearby so you can continue your evening. If it’s a first date [...]

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On Jalan Kemang Timur Raya you can find an array of galleries and home decor shops; Kemang has an abundance of shops that live to fancy up homes. Some of these businesses have cleverly tempted patrons to stay longer with sweet and savoury treats. Lio Gallery Bistro, Bar and Lounge has done just that. Restaurants [...]

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Commune first opened its doors in Singapore before making its way down to Jakarta. Commune started as a furniture business before expanding into the culinary world. Chris Zikif and Julian Koh personally design all furniture and accessories sold in the Commune showroom here on Jalan Suryo. They seized the opportunity to fulfil one of their [...]

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Jakarta may not seem much from an outsider’s perspective, but for us that live here, we know that hidden within the city’s walls are little pockets of cool in places most people wouldn’t think to look. We found a little French art nouveau bistro tucked away at the back of a modern building on Jalan [...]

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Alcoholics Bar & Grill Jalan Kemang Raya no. 72N Jakarta Selatan 021 7195675 info@alcoholicsbar.com If you’re trying to wean yourself off the booze, maybe it’s better you stay away from this extremely pro-alcohol spot in Kemang which just opened on the 28th of April, aptly named Alcoholics Bar & Grill. Run by duo, Chef Patrick [...]

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