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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Flor

“Crafted with Passion, Baked with Precision.” That is the motto of Flor, one of the newer addition to Jakarta’s cafe scene that just opened six months ago. The bakery is part of Ismaya’s new viennoiserie concept in collaboration with pastry chefs Kevin Pratama and Saskia Auryn who bring in their expertise to create a selection of intricate and exquisite viennoseries, entremets and whole cakes that are both feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds.

“We devote careful time and attention to the development of our pastries and entremets, ensuring each creation is crafted with utmost care. Our products are available in limited stock as we bake only three times daily. To secure your treat, it's best to arrive early.

Rest assured, we believe that good things in life are worth the anticipation and patience.” —Flor

Avocado Chocolate (76k)

A blissful combination of flourless dark chocolate cake with dark whipped ganache, avocado mousse, and avocado insert, all embraced by sea salt chocolate sable.

Strawberry Basil (Toba Temptation) (80k)

Layers of strawberry mousse and coulis with sweet basil pesto on a soft vanilla sponge and crunchy almond streusel, crowned with a mascarpone chantilly.

Jasmine Mango Szechuan (84k)

Jasmine tea mousse, mango passion cremeux, and mango passion coulis with a surprising kick from the mango Szechuan peppercorns inserts, all embraced by a delicate vanilla sponge.

Raspberry Rose Lychee (79k)

Pistachio Calamansi (86K)

Pistachio mascarpone mousse, mascarpone chantilly, calamansi ganache, calamansi gel, pistachio praline, pistachio biscuit and a sprinkling of almond streusel.

Hazelnut (84K)

Layers of hazelnut mousse, hazelnut praline, and creamy sea salt caramel, all nestled upon a hazelnut sponge cake.

St. Honore (80k)

Layers of puff pastry paired with vanilla mascarpone chantilly and dulcey ganache, accented by creamy sea salt caramel, vanilla cake, crème pâtissière, choux au craquelin, and coated in caramel glaze.

Banana (76k)

Enchanting flavors and textures of Jivara banana ganache, Jivara mousse, caramelized banana, banana pudding, banana cake & chocolate streusel.

What i ordered

Truffle Mushroom (57k) | 7.5/10

A roller coaster ride of buttery pastry, mushroom magic, and a smooth-as-silk cream cheese finish.

Very strong savory truffle flavors. The middle part did feel a bit soggy, probably because of the truffle, mushroom and cream cheese that are sitting on top of it. But overall it’s still enjoyable. This was the only savory menu I tried on my visit.

Pain Au Chocolate (38K) | 9/10

Bicolor chocolate croissant made with layers of flaky pastry and filled with rich Valrhona Ariaga dark chocolate.

The layers on the pain au chocolate is exquisite. It’s super flaky to the point that I don’t think I can eat this without making a mess (and I mean this in a good way). The ratio of the chocolate to the overall pastry is also just right, making it not overly sweet. Really enjoyed this one.

Ube Croissant (52k) | 8/10

Ube-infused croissant and whipped ganache topped with almond crumbles.

The staff told me this is one of their best seller for their croissants so my friend and I decided to try it. This one was also not too sweet and I think to enjoy this, you have to get all the components in one bite. Also, the presentation and the color of this croissant is certainly very attractive.

Avocado Chocolate (76k) | 8/10

A blissful combination of flourless dark chocolate cake with dark whipped ganache, avocado mousse, and avocado insert, all embraced by sea salt chocolate sable.

Eating this certainly reminded me of one of my favorite childhood drinks, avocado juice with chocolate condensed milk. This tastes exactly the same but in form of a moist cake. I get why this is one of their best seller. The flavors are very familiar (especially for Indonesians I’d imagine) and it’s probably one of the reason why it’s so popular with the locals. Although I have to say, out of all the things I tried, this one was a tad too sweet for my personal taste.

Strawberry Basil (Toba Temptation) (80k) | 7/10

Layers of strawberry mousse and coulis with sweet basil pesto on a soft vanilla sponge and crunchy almond streusel, crowned with a mascarpone chantilly.

If you like strawberry, you should definitely try this one. It’s not too sweet, and the strawberry flavor certainly shined through. The most unique part was the sweet basil pesto inside the mochi-like component on top (and fyi, despite the fact that the staff told me it was mochi that was on top, no, it wasn’t mochi. The texture of the outer layer is solid).

Pistachio Calamansi (86K) | 8/10

Pistachio mascarpone mousse, mascarpone chantilly, calamansi ganache, calamansi gel, pistachio praline, pistachio biscuit and a sprinkling of almond streusel.

This one is another one of the best seller and I actually quite enjoyed it. The pistachio calamansi flavors blend quite harmoniously in my mouth as the sweetness and nuttiness of the pistachio was balanced by the acidic and refreshing calamansi.

Overall Experience

If you’re looking for a place where they sell desserts and pastries with attractive visuals, this is the place to go. Honestly, I had my reservations prior to my visit because usually in Jakarta, things that are visually pretty don’t necessarily taste very good. But after trying three of their pastries and three of their entremets, I can say that this place is worth trying, especially if you’re into desserts.

Their entremets are really well made, visually attractive, and taste pretty good. Although some are sweeter than the other, the overall consensus from my friend and I is that we think Flor is worth trying.

The cafe itself is not very big and they don’t have a lot of seatings. So if you don’t want to wait for a table, I would recommend making a reservation prior to your visit.

FLOR

 

Address: Jl. Gunawarman No.11 A, Jakarta Selatan 12110, Indonesia
Telephone: +62858 1111 0939
Hours: Mon-Thu 7 am - 6 pm | Fri-Sun 7 am - 8 pm
Baking Time: 7am | 11am | 2pm

Instagram: @flor.jkt

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