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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% Arabica Jakarta PIK Golf Island

% Arabica just opened its fifth location in Jakarta by introducing what could possibly be one of the most iconic structure of their outlet in Indonesia to date. Located in the middle of PIK Golf Island’s main roundabout, it’ll be hard to miss the unique modern circular structure enclosed by floor to ceiling glass surrounding it, giving you a glimpse of their signature all-white interior. 

On top of that, they’re also introducing their first drive-thru service in Indonesia at this location, offering you the option to grab your coffee on the go. The multi-award winning design studio Nomura no. 10 who’s responsible for many of % Arabica’s world-wide outlets including this one, certainly has done a wonderful job with the space.

*% Arabica Golf Island PIK will be open to public on December 9, 2023.

 

% Arabica Jakarta PIK

Address: Bunderan PIK, Jl. Pantai Indah Kapuk, 14460
Telephone: +62-811-1992-0007
Hours: Mon-Thu 8:00am - 10:00pm | Fri-Sun 7:00am-11:00pm

Instagram: @arabica.indonesia

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Bistecca PIK Avenue

Bistecca is an Italian-American steakhouse and Martini bar that is inspired by the upscale New York steakhouses of the 1950’s. After establishing themselves as one of the best steakhouses in Jakarta with their SCBD location, Bistecca opened their second location at PIK Avenue Mall in November last year.

Staying true to their SCBD’s location theme, the interior of the PIK Avenue location is also mid-century inspired. Dining tables and plush dining chairs are complimented with black leather sofas, a cocktail bar and shelves of books that are reminiscence of a living room and a private home library of an affluent homeowner from the era where they usually entertain their guests. The space feels elegant, intimate and definitely upscale but without the pressure of having to dress up too much to dine in at the establishment.

The Ambience

The dimly lit space creates a romantic atmosphere that is perfect for a date night or an intimate meal with friends and family. Personally, I do think it is a bit too dimly lit to the point where it almost feels like a blackout (especially with the type of candles provided on each table) and flashlight from your phones might be required to read the menu. But even so, it makes a perfect venue for a candlelight dinner (quite literally). Plus, the noise level at this place is low, which is always preferable for me. The music that’s playing in low volume in the background makes it easier to talk to your dinner companions without having to engage in a shouting match across the table.

The Food

Spaghetti Aglio E Olio (225k) | (9/10)

Spaghetti Aglio E Olio with Hokkaido Scallops.

Al dente spaghetti, nicely cooked scallops and the dish was well-seasoned.

USDA Prime Beef Rib-Eye (300 gr) (655k) | 9/10

The meat was perfectly cooked, juicy and tender with crispy crusts.

Shoestring Truffle Fries (85k) | 8/10

Creamy Parmesan Spinach (95k) | 9/10

Charcoal Grilled Broccolini (110k) | 9/10

Overall Experience

I had a lovely dinner at this place. The service was good. The servers were polite and friendly. The food came out pretty fast after I placed the order. One thing to note is that the air conditioning at the restaurant was pretty cold when I was there so if you get cold easily, you might want to dress accordingly. And the air con did make the food get cold faster. So if you want to have everything while it’s pipping hot, maybe ask the server to bring the dishes in waves instead of serving it all at once.

But overall, definitely recommend this place if you’re looking for a great steak house in Jakarta or a nice restaurant for a date night.

 

Bistecca PIK Avenue

Address: PIK Avenue Mall, Ground Floor, Jl. Pantai Indah Kapuk Boulevard, DKI Jakarta 14470, Indonesia
Hours: Everyday 11:00am - 12:00am

Instagram: @bisteccajkt
Menu

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Phoenix Gastrobar PIK

Phoenix Gastrobar is a newly-opened luxurious bar in Golf Island PIK and is the newest addition to HW Group’s extensive F&B portfolio. Located between the Golden Tiger and Gold Dragon PIK—which are also owned by the HW group—Phoenix Gastrobar has ample sofa seatings, two bars, live music stage and private dining and karaoke rooms.

I got to visit the place during their soft opening earlier this week and I have to say the place has one of the most impressive interior design out of all the places I’ve been to in Jakarta. The high ceiling, the angular shapes of the balconies as well as the diagonal narrow stairs that connect one floor to the other, combined those with dark brown wooden panels, big marble fountain, leather seats, gold brass fixtures and warm yellow lights, they certainly give this place a distinct unique character. Einstein Architects really did a great job in designing this place and I’m predicting that this will be one of the biggest reason for people to come visit the bar.

Since I visited during their soft opening, most of their menu were still unavailable so I don’t think I can give a proper review on the food and beverages for now. But if you’re into cool interior design, I’d totally recommend you to check this place out. Phoenix Gastrobar just had their grand opening today (10 Feb 2023) and is now open for public.

 

Phoenix Gastrobar PIK

Address: Ruko Golf Island. Jl. Pantai Indah Kapuk No.183, 14460, Indonesia
Telephone: +6281119225168
Hours: 12:00pm - 02:00am

Instagram: @phoenixbar.id

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Surasang Korean Grill House PIK • 수라상

If you’re looking for a Korean BBQ restaurant that serves excellent premium meat in PIK area, you might want to try the newly-opened Surasang Korean Grill House (수라상). Brought by the same group behind Sushi Maru and Aneka Fish that are well-known for their excellent food, Surasang just opened its door to the public early this week, establishing themselves as one of the (if not the only one as of now) premium Korean BBQ restaurant in PIK area.

I had the chance to try their menu last week prior to their grand opening during Rinku’s 7th Anniversary dinner that was hosted at Surasang and I’m telling your right now, their food was absolutely oh so amazing.

Banchan

The dinner started off with these nine homemade banchans that were made in-house. They all tasted great and my personal favorites were their fresh and fermented kimchi. They really nailed the kimchi flavors.

Beef Uni Yukhoe (125k) | 10/10

For appetizer, got to try their Beef Uni Yukhoe that’s served on top of a piece of bite-size bread. Everything in this dish works really well together. The uni was savory and buttery. The raw beef was fresh and tender. The bread has the right texture (not too crunchy but no too soft either) that created a nice contrast with the uni and the beef. Ate everything in one big bite and it was heavenly. The seasoning was on point. Bold flavors that certainly reminded me of Korean food’s deep rich signature flavors really came through on this dish.

Japchae (120k) | 7/10

The japchae was alright for me. It’s well seasoned, the portion was generous, but the texture of noodles was a little too soft for my preference.

Seafood Sundubu Jjigae (125k) | 9/10

Their seafood sundubu jjigae is one of the best one I’ve had in Jakarta. The broth has that really rich and bold seafood flavor, the spiciness was still bearable for me who doesn’t really eat spicy food, and plenty of silky soft tofu and seafood in the bowl. Really enjoyed this dish.

Meat Cuts

“Surasang Korean Grill House proudly serves the best of the best. From Australian grain-fed beef to certified rare Japanese Kobe beef, our team personally hand-picked the beef that are pinnacle in the industry. We combined the traditional korean barbecue and modern steakhouse to deliver you a refined korean grill house.” —Surasang

(Far Left) 60 Days Dry Aged Rib Eye/Porterhouse, (Middle Top in the Bowl) Diamond Cut Galbi, (Middle Bottom) Wagyu Chateaubriand, (Bottom Right) Olive Wagyu.

All the meat that I tried from the tasting menu was excellent. Fresh, high-quality, well-seasoned meat was grilled to perfection on the table one cut after the other before the server cut them into smaller pieces in front of us. Although everything tasted excellent, I do have some favorites from the bunch.

60 Days Dry Aged Rib Eye/Porterhouse 400gr (1,500K) | 9/10

Their Dry Aged Rib Eye is my second most favorite meat cut. Tender meat, perfectly cooked and it tasted great without any additional dipping sauce.

Wagyu Chateaubriand (1,300k) | 9/10

Japanese Olive Wagyu 250gr (2,500K) | 10/10

My most favorite meat cut of the night. The Japanese Olive Wagyu was the BOMB. The marbling on the meat was excellent, super tender and juicy and it literally melted in my mouth. It was so, so good. Would definitely recommend this to anybody.

Wet Aged Diamond Cut Galbi 250gr (385K) | 9/10

The galbi was also great. Tender meat and I really like the seasoning on it. I could really taste the sweet and savory flavors combined with the smokiness from the grill.

Sweet Marinated Pork Shoulder 250gr (155K) | 8/10

Makgeolli Honeycomb (100k) | 9/10

Makgeolli, Honeycombs, Lime Juice.

The honey cut down the alcohol taste from the makgeolli, giving it an overall sweetness to the drink which still works well with the makgeolli. It kind of felt like a dessert drink but I quite enjoyed it.

With only a few good Korean BBQ restaurants around PIK area, I think Surasang could easily occupies the first spot of premium Korean BBQ restaurant in that area right now (with most other premium Korean BBQ restaurants probably located in Senopati/SCB area). Would definitely recommend this place if you’re looking for a more premium meat cuts for your Korean BBQ cravings.

 

Surasang Korean Grill House PIK • 수라상

Address: Jl. Rukan Golf Island No.71-73, Jakarta 14460, Indonesia
Telephone: +62812 6000 3503
Hours: Weekdays 11:00 AM-09:00pm | Weekends 11:00 AM-10:00pm

Instagram: @surasang_id

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