Issei
Issei is a Japanese restaurant and sake bar that is located on the first floor of the Elysee SCBD building. The restaurant prides itself in its yakitori and sake selections that they serve in house. I visited the place about two months ago for dinner for the first time. The interior of the restaurant is definitely interesting. The first thing I noticed when I entered was is the high ceiling that is decorated with black, wavy, solid curtain like screens which certainly give the restaurant a modern atmosphere. The dining area is pretty spacious with a combination of regular tables in the main area and booth seatings further back in the restaurant if you want some privacy.
“The design is inspired by organic pattern of natural landscape. This idea is translated into free flow curvatures that are applied into the geometry of the seatings and hanging screens.
The dark dominated color palette combined with warm illumination gives an enigmatic yet warm interior atmosphere.
Locally dan naturally sourced materials such as dark stained wood, natural stone and gravel are combined to simulate an experience of being outdoor in the nature.” —Studio Kota via Archdaily
On the mezzanine floor, they have a private room that has more of a cozy dining/living room atmosphere. On one side of the room, there’s a long table that could seat about 10 people, and on the other side, there’s the living room area which can accommodate another 10 people. TV and karaoke system are installed in the room, making this a perfect choice for a small to medium size gathering if you’re looking for a private space.
During my visit, I tried Issei’s All-You-Can-Eat yakitori package. They have two options, the Chicken Yakitori package which costs IDR 169K++ and the Premium Yakitori package which includes beef, pork, and chicken which costs IDR 249K++. I tried the Premium Yakitori package and ordered a bunch of different stuff from the menu. Some are better than the others but overall, they’re pretty good. Here are what I tried (the ones with the ⭐ were the ones I enjoyed the most):
The most unique dish of the night was this Smokey Quinoa Tsukune. Really enjoyed the play on texture between the crunchy quinoa and the tender, juicy meat. Plus, the dish presentation was really fun.
Other additional information that might be useful, parking space is limited at Elysee building. I arrived pretty early for dinner (before 6 I think) and got a self-parking space, but I found out later that after 6pm (cmiiw), they only do valet parking. Or if you prefer to self-park, there’s a parking space across the street but the building’s kind of old according to my friend who parked there. Noise level in this restaurant for me was medium to high due to the live music and the music from the speakers was playing at the same time.
Overall, I think if you’re looking for an All-You-Can-Eat Yakitori place (although I’m not sure how long they’ll have this package for so I suggest you check with them first prior to your visit) or a Japanese restaurant and sake bar, Issei is worth a try.
ISSEI
Address: Elysee SCBD 1st Floor #7. Jl. Jendral Sudirman - SCBD Lot 21, Jakarta Selatan 12170, Indonesia
Telephone: +62878 8621 8888
Hours: 11.00 - 22.00
Instagram: @issei.id
