Cartel
Cartel is the newest addition to the speakeasy bars that have been popping up around Jakarta recently. Opened just last week, the casual bar that specialized in locally brewed craft beer and crafted cocktails is hidden on the second floor of the building next to their sister restaurant Mookata at SCBD Park Lot 7C.
After walking up the flight of stairs (or take the elevator if you choose to), you’ll be greeted by wall to wall shelves that display various products that one would find in a vintage neighborhood grocery store. Push the middle shelves under the ‘Cartel’ sign and that’s how you enter the unassuming bar.
First thing that you’ll see when entering the space is the bright green and yellow neon sign of two hands, each holding a cocktail and beer glass on the wall. The cool breeze of the air-con will give you an instant escape from the hot weather outside (which is very welcomed considering how hot Jakarta’s weather is these days).
The bar is actually more spacious than what I imagined it to be. There are three seating areas—the main dining area, the bar seating and the three more private sections on one side of the space.
At Cartel, their line of four signature cocktails is called ‘The Protagonists’ which are the Velvetea Tarik, Pisco Mangoshu, Royal Boulevardier, and SCBD Breeze. I got to try a couple of their cocktails as well as their beer selections.
Velvetea Tarik (170k) • Mocktail Variant (120k) | 9.5/10
Vodka, Black Tea, Caramel
Strength : ○○○
Taste Profile : Sweet, Creamy, Nostalgic
A unique blend of Vodka, Black Tea, and Caramel in a cocktail inspired by teh tarik. This enchanting elixir combines the rich flavors of caramel and bold black tea, elevated by the smooth touch of Vodka.
The first drink I tried was their Velvetea Tarik. Ordered the mocktail version of this drink since it’s one of the menu that has a mocktail option. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting anything when ordering this but after my first sip, I was mind blown. If you’re a longtime reader of this blog, you probably know how much I like milk tea and this drink is probably one of the best milk tea I’ve ever had in Jakarta.
First off, it’s not too sweet. The amount of sweetness from the milk, caramel and and brûléed foam on top was just right. The black tea is really fragrant and the combination of all these elements certainly reminiscent of teh tarik, but not quite the same. They definitely put their own spin to it, making this drink pretty unique. If you’re a fan of milk tea or teh tarik or sweeter cocktail, would definitely recommend this menu to try. (I was actually debating to order a second glass but decided against it since there were other drinks and food that I wanted to try. If it weren’t for that, I’d probably order that second glass because it was that good.)
Royal Boulevardier (190k) | 8/10
Royal Special Edition, Bitter Liqueur, Sweet Vermouth Clip USD 100 Aromatic Spray Garnish.
Strength : ○○○○○
Taste Profile : Spirit-Forward, Oaky, Clean
The classic Boulevardier is elevated to a regal experience with the use of a premium Royal Special Edition whisky, meticulously aged in sherry oak casks, imparting rich, complex flavors. This distinguished spirit is expertly blended with a robust bitter liqueur and sweet vermouth, creating a harmonious balance of bitter and sweet notes. As a finishing touch, a USD 100 note is used as a luxurious garnish, accompanied by an aromatic spray, enhancing the olfactory allure of this sophisticated libation.
Very smooth and fragrant, but slightly on the bitter side for my personal preference. My friend liked this one though since she prefer less sweet and more bitter cocktail.
SCBD Breeze (170k) • Mocktail Variant (120k) | 7.5/10
Gin, Jamu, Citrus, Prosecco, Mint
Strength : ○○
Taste Profile : Refreshing, Bubbly, Tart
Inspired by the vibrant SCBD Park in Jakarta, the SCBD Breeze captures the essence of this dynamic urban oasis. This refreshing drink features a base of crisp gin, infused with the earthy and herbal notes of Jamu, a traditional Indonesian herbal tonic. Fresh citrus adds a zesty brightness, while a splash of prosecco provides effervescence and a touch of elegance. Garnished with a sprig of mint, this cocktail is a perfect blend of local tradition and modern sophistication, mirroring the park's blend of natural beauty and contemporary flair.
Taste profile just like what the menu describe. Refreshing, sweet, and sour all at the same time. The herbal note isn’t too strong and the citrus note definitely shines more.
Luwak Negroni (190K) | 8/10
Gin, Luwak infused Bitter Liqueur, Coffee
Strength: ○○○○
Taste Profile: Spirit-Forward, Clean, Nostalgic
Strong coffee luwak taste, very smooth and more on the sweeter flavor profile. If you drink coffee, you probably will enjoy this drink.
For their locally brewed craft beers, they have home brews, seasonal brews as well as new brews every Friday so you can ask the bartender for the availability of their brews.
Cartel Tasting Flight (110k)
Created to help you decide what you love the most, our tasting flight consists of 3 types of beer in a smaller portion.
I personally am not a beer drinker and not very well-versed on the subject, but it was interesting tasting their home brewed beer.
Instead of following the trend on just serving drinks at the bar, Cartel provided a selection of food menu that you can order along with your drinks, sparing you the hassle of looking or ordering food from somewhere else. They have a pretty good selection of Asian, Western and Indonesian menus for you to choose from. And the portion of the food is pretty reasonable compared to their prices.
Korean Fried Mandu Platter (88K)
Spam Fries (75k)
Popcorn Chicken with Salted Egg Sauce
Nasi Goreng Kampung Mewah (105k)
King Prawn Aglio Olio Pasta (105k)
Green Chili Honey Buntut Bakar (155k)
During my visit, the service was pretty good. The staff were also very friendly and quick to act when we call them to ask for something. The ambience of this place is pretty relaxing (but the music’s pretty loud, just like any other bar I guess) and I kind of like how there’s enough space between the tables so the place doesn’t feel too cramped. I can see this place to be a good spot to wind down with friends or even co-workers after a busy day at work.
One thing to note, parking at SCBD Park is valet and self-drive valet only which costs 100k. If you don’t want to do valet, other parking option is available at Lot 17 across from Lot 7C.
Cartel SCBD
Address: Jl. Jendral Sudirman Kav 52-53, SCBD Park Lot 7C Level 2, Jakarta Selatan, DKI Jakarta 12190, Indonesia
Telephone: +62 822 5888 7326
Hours: Sun-Thrs 11:30 am-11 pm | Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 12 am
Instagram: @cartelscbd
