Sutbul PIK

Sutbul is a new contemporary Korean dining restaurant that just opened in Golf Island PIK February this year. Focusing on traditional menus with a modern twist, Sutbul offers a variety of unique menus that are different from the dishes one usually find in a typical Korean restaurant in Jakarta. They also prided themselves in their meat cooking techniques where they use imported meat grilling rack from Korea with Binchotan charcoal, the purest charcoal on earth that burns with constant heat bringing out the best flavors in the meat it cooks.

The traditional meets modern concept also extends to the design of the interior of the restaurant. Although the choice of furnitures and fixtures decorating the space feel modern, there’s a certain air of nostalgia exuded by the burnt amber ceramic tiles and the beautiful Korean folklore traditional prints adorning the walls. This two-story restaurant feels stylish and modern but still warm and welcoming at the same time, making it a perfect place to go to if you feel like dressing up for a special occasion or for a casual meal with friends and family.

To start off the meal, they provide you with complimentary corn tea and seven different kinds of banchan. The banchan selections change from time to time but some of the permanent ones (at least the ones that I always got during my multiple visits to this place) are the sweet potatoes, fishcakes, pajeon/pancakes and the pickled onions. And I can say that their banchans are really good.

🍞 Makgeolli Bread 막걸리빵 (59k) | 10/10

Korean Rice Wine Bread, Charcoal Butter

Served in a steaming bamboo container, the Makgeolli bread is warm, soft and chewy. The texture reminded me of Indonesian’s Kue Mangkok, but softer and fluffier. The Makgeolli taste in the bread is subtle and not too sweet. For me though, as delicious as the bread is, the best thing about this dish is the charcoal butter. You got to dip the bread into the charcoal butter and get that combination of sweet and salty from the butter and salt. It’s soooo good. Easily one of my best new food finds this year and I’ve been ordering this on my subsequent visits to Sutbul since the first time I’ve had this. Although instead of having this as an appetizer, I now have this as a dessert.

🐟 Salmon Jang 연어장 (30k/slice) | 8.5/10

Soy Marinated Salmon, Onion

In Korean cuisine, “Jang” (장) refers to a family of traditional fermented sauces that are fundamental to Korean cooking. For the salmon jang, they are using Korean fermented soy sauce (ganjang 간장) so the taste of the soy sauce is different than the ones usually served with sushi or sashimi in a Japanese restaurant (don’t expect it to be the same flavor). The sauce tasted closer to the Korean soy marinated crab (ganjang gaejang  간장 게장) if you’ve ever had one of those. Taste wise, I think they really nailed the Korean flavor profile on the soy sauce. And the salmon pieces were fresh and thick with generous portion.

🥩 Yukhoe 육회 (Wagyu Picanha MB7 80g 250k) | 8/10

Raw Beef, Pear, Seaweed

The raw beef is fresh and cut nicely. The flavor of this dish is on the bolder side since they use soy sauce to marinate the beef (thus the slightly darker color of the meat) and the fresh yolk also added to the creaminess of the overall taste after being mixed together. The pear slices were sweet and fresh and worked really well to add a brighter note to the dish. I do wish the beef tartare is slightly colder than the room temperature that it was served on (but also, I was taking pics of the food for a while so it may contribute the temperature of the meat. Not too sure about this).

🍜  Perilla Cold Noodles 들기름 국수 (110k) | 10/10

Capellini Pasta, Perilla Oil, Perilla Leaves, Perilla Seeds, Seaweed

This is their signature menu that I haven’t seen anywhere else in Jakarta (at least as of now when I’m writing this post. If there’s other restaurant that’s serving this, I probably haven’t heard of it yet). Just like the name suggest, the flavor of this dish screams perilla, but in a nice refreshing way. The pasta is cooked al dente and the dish is really nicely seasoned with earthy, umami and creamy (but not too creamy and more on the lighter end of creamy) flavors. The seaweed powder also added a nice savoriness to the dish. If you like sesame oil or black sesame, roasted soybean, Korean mugwort flavored things like me, you’ll probably enjoy this dish. This is also a perfect dish to have during one of the hot days in Jakarta when you want something light and refreshing and it has become one of the menu that I always order on my every visit. 

🥩 Thick Cut Ox Tongue 우설 150g (425k) | 6/10

The Ox Tongue cuts were nice, thick and well seasoned but the texture was a bit tough and too chewy for my personal taste.

🥩 Beef Platter (1,450k) | 8/10

150g Sirloin (Top Left), 150g Chuck Flap (Top Right), 150g Rib Eye (Bottom)

The meat were nicely cooked although some pieces are a bit burnt on the outside so I took some point off for that. The Chuck Flap was the thickest one, has more fat and the juiciest out of the three cuts. I enjoyed this one the most. The other two are more on the leaner side but still enjoyable. 

🍰 Hotteok Ice Cream 호떡 아이스크림 (79k) | 8/10

Glutinous Rice Pancake, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, Walnut, Vanilla Ice Cream

Pretty good dessert although it’s a tiny bit sweet for my personal taste. The portion is pretty generous though so make sure you leave some room in your stomach if you want to order this dessert or share it with the table. 

Other dishes that I’ve tried during my subsequent visits (when I didn’t bring my camera so I have no pictures of the individual dish other than this one below) are:

🍽️ Sogogi Gukbap 소고기 국밥 (130k) | 9/10

Beef Bone Soup, Beef Shank, Shimeji, Shiitake, White Rice

A comforting bowl of soup with generous toppings of beef chunks, mushrooms, radish, zucchini (I think. Cmiiw), green onions and eggs. Unlike the usual white/clear soup gukbap that I always had, the soup on this one is red and reminded me of jjigae (Korean stew) style soup, only less concentrated and lighter. It is a bit spicy for me who can’t handle spicy food well, but for people who does, this is probably not spicy at all. 

🥩 Pork Belly 200g 삼겹살 (168k) | 9/10

One of the better pork belly in this price range that I’ve had in a Korean restaurant around PIK area. Nicely cooked pieces of meat that were crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. 

🥩 Pork Jowl 200g 항정살 (168k) | 9/10

Their pork jowl is also delicious. Same comment as the pork belly, nicely cooked pieces of meat that were crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. And this one is more tender than the pork belly. 

🥩 Marinated Pork Collar 200g 양념목살 (168k) | 7/10

This one’s a bit tricky. The marination of the meat was really delicious but the texture of the pieces of meat that we got were not consistent. When I tried this, I went with two of my friends and the pieces of meat that I had were good and nice, but they got the tougher pieces so it was not as enjoyable for them as it was for me (I took some points off because of this). But we all agreed that the marination sauce is really good.

After my visit, I also recommended this place to a couple of my friends who went and ordered this menu. The result was 50-50. Half of them got great pieces of meat, half of them got tougher meat. I ended up asking about this to the manager during one of my subsequent visits and he told me that as of right now, they’re still continuously trying to address the inconsistency of the meat. So if you want to try this menu, maybe ask the server first if you’ll be getting a good piece of meat or not on that day before ordering (they could probably tell you by seeing the meat they have in stock that day). Honestly the dish is pretty good, it’s just if you got tougher pieces of meat, it won’t be as enjoyable so I just want to put it out there as a disclaimer. 

I have been back to Sutbul numerous times for dine-in and take-out since my first visit and I have to say (apart from the pork collar) their food is consistently good. My go-to menus usually are: Perilla Cold Noodles (you got to try this if this is your first visit to Sutbul), Sogogi Gukbap, and the Makgeolli Bread. For the meat, pork jowl and pork belly are probably the top two meat options right now since I haven’t tried the rest of the beef cuts just yet and their pork meat prices are pretty affordable. 

Service at this restaurant is also really good. Super friendly staff (for introverts it could be bordering on too friendly though since the staff’s energy level is pretty high. Just an FYI) and prompt service. The place is also pet friendly so if you want to bring your furry friends with you, you definitely can. If you’re looking for a Korean restaurant with less than traditional menu, I would totally recommend this place to try. And with how frequent I’ve been to this place lately, who knows, you might bump into me too (say hi if you do!).

Sutbul PIK

Address: Golf Island, Jln Rukan Jl. Pantai Indah Kapuk No.12 Blok J, DKI Jakarta 14470, Indonesia
Telephone: +62896 0371 5091
Hours: Everyday 11:00 - 00:00

Instagram: @sutbul.jkt

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Knots

Knots by Union Group is the newest bakery in Kemang, South Jakarta that specializes in viennoiserie, baked goods and pastries. The bakery cafe also serves a variety of desserts, cakes as well as food and drinks if you want something heartier. 

If you’re living in Jakarta and a fan of Basque Cheesecake, you’ve probably heard of Knots prior to the opening of their flagship store. Knots was first known for their delicious Basque Cheesecake that they sell through online ordering and at their pop-up booth on various bazaars. Now, joining hand with the Union Group, they finally opened their offline store that serves as a place where people can come and experience their more extensive menu fresh out of the kitchen.

“Our Chief Croissant Officer, @thathousehusband, and Chief Pastry Officer, @letaresiregar, are on a mission to roll out the good stuff fresh every day.” —Knots

The bakery cafe is pretty spacious with coffee bar, cake display area and dining area with multiple tables for four to five people that accommodate about 60 people or so. The space is designed by Bitte Design Studio, an architecture & interior design studio who’s responsible for some of the most popular dining spots in Jakarta.

The Ritz (55k) | 7.5/10

Hazelnut, Valrhona Dark Chocolate
We name this pastry “The Ritz” to honour Ritz Le Comptoir Paris, the original creator of the distinctive shape.

The Ritz has a more prominent dark chocolate flavor that’s actually quite delicious. The outside was crispy and flaky, but the inside was a little bit dry when I had mine. Not sure if it’s because it’s been sitting out for a bit since I was taking pictures, but I wished the inside is more buttery. But overall, I think this could be a crowd pleaser for anybody who likes chocolate flavored pastries.

The Knots (85k) | 9/10

Hazelnut, Custard
Our commitment to classic viennoiserie led us to reconsider this whimsical design for the menu. But it became such a hit that we found the little edge we needed among the classics - introducing THE KNOTS.

The Knots was my favorite out of all the pastries I tried. The unique ribbon-shaped pastry is flaky on the outside and soft of the inside. The generous hazelnut filling was also delicious and the combination of that and the Valrhona Dark Chocolate definitely reminded me of Ferrero Rocher. Although I have to say, if you don’t really like sweet pastries, this one might be a tad sweet for you (at least that’s how I feel. But I still enjoyed it).

Parisian Melt (65k) | 8/10

Brisket, Caramelized Onion, Honey Dijon Mustard
Ham in a pastry is common, but using beef brisket brings a new dimension. Inspired by the Parisian melt sandwich, take our word for it - this is truly something else.

A great savory option for breakfast or brunch. All the components of the dish work well together giving you a good mix of umami flavors with a hint of sweetness from the caramelized onion and honey dijon mustard. 

Jet (100k) | 7/10

Valrhona Guanaja 70% Creme, Knots’ Knew Nothing White Coffee Mousse, Cocoa Biscuit, Chocolate Slice
A delightful mystery that intrigues with its shape, concealing layers of flavors within.

Jet is probably the most visually unique menu that they have. A 10 out of 10 for design and execution for me. As for the flavor, since it’s made mainly out of chocolate and coffee mousse, it is very intense and sweet. A little too sweet for my taste and for some reason, the flavor also reminded me of tiramisu. If you’re not a big fan of sweets but want to try it, would definitely recommend you to share this with the table because the portion is also not small. 

Knots Basque Cheesecake (65k) | 8/10

Here’s our version—the Knots Basque Cheesecake—featuring a melted-center creamy filling to give you that ‘ahh’ moment with every bite. We often say that there’s KNOTHING NEW under the sun, much like the timeless Basque Cheesecake. Though it’s been enjoyed for years, we’ve decided to try our hand at making it because it’s something we truly love.

First time trying their Basque Cheesecake and it’s pretty good. I’m not a big fan of cheesecake in general and by no means an expert in cheesecake but I know a lot of my friends also like their cheesecake.

“While viennoiseries and pastries are our heart and soul, people will likely expect us to serve brunch as its pairing. However, we’ve chosen to take a different direction by offering a selection of Asian fusion dishes, Think bold flavors, unexpected combinations and meals that strike the perfect balance between comfort and modern flair.” —Knots

Disco Fries (75k) | 7/10

Miso Apple Sauce, Smoked Brisket, Pickles, Parmigiano Reggiano

Bold flavors and generous portion. This is something that I think will pair really well if you have drinks on the side. But I do wished that the fries were crispier and this dish was overall a little too salty for my personal preference.

Dry Ramen (115k) | 8.5/10

Tare Sauce, Duck Breast, Onsen Egg

One of my favorite dish from the hot meals option. This Japanese inspired dry ramen has a really good, bold flavors. It’s umami and creamy all at the same time. Love that they serve it with chopped kimchi which adds a little kick to brighten up the dish. The duck breast was also seasoned and cooked well. Although I have to say, if you are really sensitive to gamey meat, you might be able to taste a little bit of the gaminess on the duck meat. 

Chicken Chop Butter Rice (100k) | 7.5/10

Dan Dan Sauce, Peanut Crunch, Furikake.

If you like peanuts, you’d probably enjoy the sweet nuttiness of their Dan Dan sauce. The chicken chop has crispy skin with juicy meat. It comes with butter rice topped with furikake that compliments the sweetness of the Dan Dan sauce. I think you have to eat the chicken with the sauce and the rice to get a more balanced flavor out of the dish. 

The Secret Menu (75k) | 8.5/10

Noodles, Chicken Katsu, Kimchi, Furikake, Onsen Egg

Knots’ secret menu is called The Secret Menu. You can order this as long as you know the name of the secret menu. First thing that hit my nose when mixing the noodles was the smell of Indomie Goreng. And turned out, it also tasted like Indomie Goreng, but the flavors are bolder and more complex. Perfect option for a hangover food. This dish also pretty spicy for my spice tolerance (although for my friend who eats spicy food well, she said it’s only a bit spicy).

Noise level at this place is pretty high. The music was blaring pretty loud when I was there. Not sure if it’s because it was their soft opening day so they have special sound system rented for the space or it’s just the regular volume level for their music. Parking is also limited and I believe they only do valet parking if I’m not mistaken. 

If you’re looking for a place that serves good pastries and food in Kemang area, with the numerous options that they have available, Knots is definitely a place worth trying.

 

KNOTS

Address: Jl. Kemang Timur Jl. Kemang Raya No.46A, RT.9/RW.3, Bangka, Kec. Mampang Prpt., Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 12730, Indonesia
Telephone: +6281188811004
Hours: Everyday 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Instagram: @knothingnew

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Donut Of Curiosity

Donut Of Curiosity is the newest donut shop in Jakarta that just opened last Sunday (Sep 8) at Ashta District 8 and will surely be the talk of the town (at least for the next few weeks) because of their unique store concept. Adopting a more simplistic approach, the store is decorated with just one artistic artwork inspired by the shape of donut dough being mixed. The enormous floor-to-ceiling knot-like concrete pillar structure that stood tall in the space is surrounded by concrete walls, soft pink carpeting and it also serves as a display for their donuts that are exhibited like artworks in a museum. The whole store screams modern and artistic and definitely invites curious gazes from the passerby. Although this kind of donut store might be the first of its kind in Jakarta, I have to say it also reminds me (in a good way) of Gentle Monster stores and Nudake cafes which adopted similar design concept and vibes.

Other interesting fact that I found out was Donut Of Curiosity is created by the same team behind the famous Scarlett’s brand. It’s said that it took the chef 1.5 years to research and develop their current dough recipe, which apparently uses 3 different kinds of flour for the mix resulting in their soft and chewy donut texture.

Currently, they are offering 10 different flavors—2 savory and 8 sweet options—for their donuts:
• Maple & Beef (32k)
• Truffle & Garlic Butter (32k)
• Valrhona (32k)
• Earl Grey & Milk Choco (30k)
• Brûlée & Yoghurt (28k)
• Lemon (25k)
• Pistachio (30k)
• Matcha Strawberry (28k)
• Smoked Vanilla (28k)
• Salted Honey & Kinako (25k)

(11 Sep) An update from one of the owners regarding the current ordering system:
Ordering system is split into 3 batches per day.
Batch 1 — 11:00 am
Batch 2 — 2:30 pm
Batch 3 — 6:00 pm

For those who lined up before the opening time, you can purchase donuts right away from Batch 1 until it’s sold out.
For Batch 2 and Batch 3, you can line up to place your order and payment anytime and then come back to pick up your order at 2:30 pm and 6:00 pm respectively.

If you don’t want to go back and forth, you can try to come near the time when the donuts are being restocked but availability of flavors is not guaranteed (while if you place an order prior to Batch 2 and Batch 3 time slot, then your order is guaranteed. At least this is how I interpreted the message that’s posted on the owner’s IG story. I’d suggest you to double check with the staff during your visit to make sure that the rules still apply just in case they make any changes to their ordering system).

Maple & Beef (32k) | 8.5/10

I tried one of the savory options—the Maple & Beef—which is also their recommended menu. The donut is soft and chewy. The sweetness from the maple glaze and the savoriness from the beef bacon were very balanced. And the arugula and mayo were nice additions to the overall flavors. A solid 8.5/10 from me. Also, would definitely recommend to consume these donuts right away.

The store has no seating so you can only do take-out for the donuts. There are round height tables available in front of the store where you can eat your donuts standing if you choose to. 

Also, special thanks to @munchandsnap.jkt for taking me to the pre-opening and getting me an early access to these donuts.

 

Donut Of Curiosity

Address: Ashta District 8 (UG Floor Unit 07), Jl. Senopati No.83, Jakarta Selatan, DKI Jakarta 12190, Indonesia
Hours: 11a.m-Finish

Instagram: @donutofcuriosity

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Peacock Lounge at Fairmont Jakarta

Peacock Lounge is one of the restaurants inside Fairmont Hotel Jakarta that’s well known for serving delicious afternoon tea as well as a selection of delectable desserts and main dishes. The spacious lounge is decorated with white marble tables with rattan chairs as well as comfortable sofas at the corners of the space. Complimenting their elegant chic interior, classical music is playing softly in the background, making this a perfect place to relax or to wind down after a busy day. 

Peacock Lounge’s decoration usually changes seasonally and currently, through the month of March & April, the lounge is decorated with spring sakura inspired theme, thus the presence of pink flowers and ornaments around the space.

A couple of days ago, my friend Winda (@munchandsnap.jkt) invited me to have an afternoon tea at the Peacock Lounge and so I went to visit the place with her. We had the seasonal Sakura Afternoon Tea set which includes tea (or coffee if you prefer) for two and its accompanying sweet and savory treats that are served in their iconic white leather chest of drawers. 

Peacock Lounge - Seasonal Sakura Afternoon Tea Set (Available until 30 April 2024). Menu courtesy of Peacock Lounge.

Sakura Afternoon Tea (588k) | 8.5/10

For the tea, they exclusively serve TWG teas and we tried the Sakura! Sakura! and Pink Flamingo. They were really fragrant and excellent, as expected from TWG I suppose. 

For the treats, they were delicious. The savory ones were well seasoned and the sweet ones weren’t too sweet at all, making them a perfect pair to have with the teas.

Out of the 19 treats served, my most favorite ones were the Mini Taco (white taco, lobster tartar, avocado, tomato pear) and the Mini Pastry Cup (smoked chicken torchon, sun dried tomato paste, gingerbread toast). There were so much great flavors on those two bites.

We also tried TWG’s Chocolate Earl Grey and Number 12—both were recommended by our server who told us these are some of the more exclusive teas that TWG has and are best served iced instead of hot. 

The Chocolate Earl Grey is supposedly the world’s first rich and aromatic black tea and is accented with fresh notes of rare bergamot and pure dark chocolate. I got to say this was delicious. The chocolate earl grey fragrance and taste really shine through and per our server recommendation, we added sugar after our first sip and it completely changed the taste of the tea, making the chocolate flavor bolder. 

The Number 12 was also interesting because the coffee flavor in the tea is really prominent. But since I don’t drink coffee, I can’t really give an accurate description for this one. But I did definitely taste the coffee flavor and Winda (who usually drinks coffee) said it was delicious.

Winda also ordered additional à la carte items to take home, which were the Lemon Basil Cheese Crumble, Teh Tarik Éclair and Raspberry Macaron. I got to try the Teh Tarik Éclair (Jasmine tea leaves infused in Balinese Tabanan chocolate cremeux) and although I really enjoyed the Jasmine tea flavors, I feel the chocolate cremeux filling was a bit much and ended up overpowering the jasmine tea flavor. I ate my second spoon with less filling and it was much better for my personal preference.  

This was actually my first time at the Peacock Lounge and I really enjoyed my visit. The place has nice interior and lighting, relaxing music, great tea selections and desserts and excellent service. And their afternoon tea set is actually one of the better ones out of the places that I’ve tried in Jakarta. 

If you’re looking for a chill, relaxing afternoon tea spot, I highly recommend this place. Also, if you want to try the Sakura Afternoon Tea Set, it is available until April 30th. 

 

Peacock Lounge at Fairmont Jakarta

Address: Fairmont Jakarta, Jl. Asia Afrika No.8, Gelora, Tanah Abang, Jakarta, 10270, Indonesia
Telephone: +62 21 29703333
Hours: Everyday 12:00 pm - 08:00 pm

Instagram: @peacockloungejkt

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Busaba PIK Avenue

Busaba is a Thai restaurant specialized in cuisines that are a fusion between traditional Thai and western flavors. Their menu is quite extensive, giving patrons a variety of dishes to choose from starting from appetizers to desserts. The ambience of the restaurant is modern with apparent Thai influence spread around the interior of the space. Busaba is part of Jittlada Group and the PIK Avenue location is the second location they opened early last December.

Crab Meat Fried Rice (100k) | 8.5/10

Fried rice with tender crab meat and egg.

The fried rice was nicely seasoned and pretty savory. They used long grain rice and it was cooked well—soft and fluffy and not mushy.

Clear Seafood Tom Yum (95k) | 8.5/10

A fiery and tangy clear Tom Yum soup with prawns, fish, squid and mushroom.

The clear seafood Tom Yum was also nicely seasoned. The flavor is rich but yet still very light. Really like the balance between the heat and sourness of the soup. Although I have to say, the portion was a bit small and there were definitely more mushrooms than the seafood inside the pot.

Salmon Salad (170k) | 8/10

A delightful Thai salad featuring tender pieces of salmon, fresh vegetables, and a spicy yet refreshing dressing.

The salmon was very fresh and was cut beautifully. The flavor of the dressing is very bold. It’s spicy and sour and everything goes well together. I can’t really handle spicy food so even though I could ate this, it got a little too spicy for me by the time I finished this dish.

Roast Duck Red Curry (130k) | 9.5/10

Tender slices of roast duck with the fiery goodness of red chili paste in a creamy coconut milk broth.

This was my favorite dish out out of all the four dishes we ordered. The red curry was super bold and flavorful with deep curry flavor and heat from the red chili paste. Very umami. The roast duck meat is firm but not dry. Had this with warm white rice and it was heaven. The only thing that I thought was a bit surprising was the peas were a little undercooked compared to everything that was in that bowl. If they were cooked nicely and maybe (if I want to nitpick) the duck skin is crispier, I would’ve given this dish a 10/10.

Mango Sticky Rice (70K) | 8/10

Fresh mango with sticky rice and coconut cream.

Everything on this plate was good and the coconut cream wasn’t too sweet. Would love it if the mango is a bit more chilled but overall a solid mango sticky rice.

Overall Experience

Love the food that I had during my visit. Service was also good. The food came out pretty quickly and the server was quick on their feet during our meal. Noise level in this place is pretty high, especially when the restaurant is full. I sat on one of the table with wide sofa and the height of the table is a bit low so it was a little bit awkward when I was eating cause I had to bent down quite a bit. I would suggest to go for one of the regular table for a more comfortable eating experience. But all and all, will probably go back to try their other menus.

 

Busaba PIK Avenue

Address: PIK Avenue Mall, Jl. Pantai Indah Kapuk Boulevard, Jakarta Utara 14470, Indonesia.
Telephone: +62878 6562 9477
Hours: Everyday 10 am -10 pm

Instagram: @busaba_id

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