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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Dang Ok • 당옥

Dang Ok (당옥) is a small Japanese dessert cafe tucked in one of the alleyways of Garosugil (가로수길). They sell a variety of dessert selection ranging from cakes, mochi, tarts, ice cream, bingsu as well as a couple of savory sandos (Japanese style sandwiches). The cafe has about 12 indoor seatings and a communal table in front of the store that could fit about 6 people.

Matcha Bingsu (말차빙수) ₩19,000 | 8/10

Milk Shaved Ice, Matcha Powder, Korean Red Beans, Mascarpone Kiri Cheese, Matcha Condensed Milk.
우유빙수, 말차 가루, 국내산 팥, 마스카포네 키리치즈, 말차연유.

The matcha bingsu is not too sweet and the portion is a bit on the bigger side (definitely enough to share between two people). They use Japanese matcha powder that has pretty strong flavor and is spread in layers inside and around the bingsu along with the matcha condensed milk. It’s nice because I got the matcha in every spoonful of ice that I scoop from the bowl. There are also chunks of sweet red beans in the center of the mountain of shaved ice which added a little bit of sweetness to the matcha and they serve the bingsu with a side of matcha mochi. If you like a not-too-sweet matcha bingsu, you’ll probably enjoy this one.

Chestnut Montsil Tarae (밤 몽실타래) | 7/10

Roasted Chestnut, Mascarpone Cheese, Kiri Cheese, Chestnut Cream Cheese, Chestnut Jam, Castella with Korean Rice Flour (Coffee, Chestnut Milk).
구운밤, 밤 몽실타래, 마스카포네 치즈, 키리치즈, 밤 그림치즈, 밤 쨈, 쌀 카스테라 (카피, 밤우유).

The Chestnut Montsil Tarae is essentially the Japanese version of Mont Blanc. The spaghetti-thin strands of chestnut cream definitely make this a very visually appealing dessert. It’s very easy to cut into (which surprised me a little because I thought it’s going to be at least a little firmer) with the wooden knife they provided. And when the cake split open, I can see the different layers inside the cake. As for the taste, although I do like chestnut, I think the overall flavor was a bit too much chestnut for me and it was a little too sweet for my taste. But I think for those who love chestnut or Mont Blanc in general will like this one.

Black Sesame Warabi Mochi (와라비모찌 흑임자) | 10/10

The Black Sesame Warabi Mochi was the bomb. This was my most favorite thing out of the three desserts we ordered. They really nailed the texture, just like the warabi mochi I had in Japan. And the black sesame flavor is really nutty and earthy with the right amount of sweetness to it. They served it with kuromitsu syrup (which is made from a mix of dark brown sugar and white sugar) on the side for you to dip your mochi into or pour it over if you prefer. Will definitely go back again for this next time I’m in Garosugil area.

 

Dang Ok • 당옥

Address: 서울 강남구 강남대로162길 22 1층
Telephone: 0507-1379-1276
Hours: Tue-Fri & Sun 12:00-21:00 | Saturday 12:00-22:00

Instagram: @dangok_sinsa

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Genbu Premium Katsu & Bar Senopati

If you’re looking for a variety of delicious katsu menu and great Japanese Highball on tap, Genbu Premium Katsu & Bar Senopati is the place to be. Genbu announced their presence in South Jakarta by opening their third location in Senopati last December.

Still true to their original concept, Genbu Senopati carries all the elements that their flagship PIK location has—beautiful interior, delicious food and great service (you can read my full review on Genbu PIK here). What makes this location different though, is the presence of a highball machine at their bar that dispenses perfectly portioned, carbonated, and chilled highball from the tap. Imagine having a refreshing highball with their delicious katsu. That’s probably a good way to end the day after a busy work day or simply to chill with a friend or two.

Genbu Senopati has one small private room that could accommodate 6 people for special occasions or if you simply want a more private setting.

The Drinks

Horange-Cha (39k) | 8/10

Instead of ordering my usual Kitkat Mintini, which is usually my go-to for my every visit, since Genbu has added a bunch of new items to their menu, I tried their Horange-cha which is basically a mix of hojicha and orange juice. Pretty refreshing and I like it.

The Food

Salmon Aburi Canapé (59k) | 8.5/10

Chopped Aburi Salmon, Nori, Crispy Wonton.

Started my meal with the Salmon Aburi Canapé. The chopped aburi salmon was seasoned well and it was flavorful. But, unexpectedly, the highlight of the dish for me was the tartar sauce. The tartar sauce was the bomb and it really goes well with the salmon. I’m telling you, you got to dip it to the tartar sauce to get that wholesome flavor (seriously, you won’t regret it). I didn’t really care for the fried wonton because the size is a little bit too big for my bite and the texture was a bit soggy (maybe because I didn’t eat it right away). Maybe if they’re a little smaller and crispier, I’d give this dish a 9. But overall, it was still a great appetizer.

Salmon Rare Katsu (139k) | 8/10

Fresh Salmon, Crunchy Katsu.

Salmon Rare Katsu is another new addition to the their menu. The concept itself is pretty unique. They nailed the raw and fried texture giving it an interesting contrast when you bite into it. The deep-fried crispy breading sticks to the sashimi which is pretty impressive. The sashimi was fresh and tender and the size and thickness of the cut were also just right for a bite size. I do wish that the dipping sauce is a little saltier because it was a bit under seasoned for my personal taste.

A5 Wagyu Katsu Set (990k) | 9/10

A5 Kagoshima Wagyu Cutlet, Moritama Egg Yolk, Cabbage Salad, Rice, Kinpira, Japanese Pickles, Akamiso Soup.

If you read my other review on Genbu, you probably remember how I said that the breading of their gyukatsu was a little bit of a disappointment for me. I’ve given it a second chance after the chef revise the recipe but it still wasn’t as satisfying as I’d like it to be.

One and a half year later after my very first Genbu gyukatsu, I can finally say that their current version of gyukatsu is worth trying for. The chef has been going over revisions after revisions on their gyukatsu recipe to make sure that the breading sticks to the meat and doesn’t fall apart. And he finally did it. The breading does stick to the meat and doesn’t fall apart. It really has came a long way from the first version.

The meat is super tender and (I think is) best grilled to a medium for the doneness level. I still love the salt the most from the three dippings provided. The wasabi is actually also pretty good. It wasn’t too spicy for me and it gave that extra flavor and fragrance to the meat. Really enjoyed this dish.

Liquor on tap

After I had my meal, I ended up at the bar trying the different selections of liquor they have on tap while the chef explained each of the drinks to me.

Kakubin Highball (角ハイ) (120K) | 9/10

First, I tried the Kakubin Highball which is Suntory’s most iconic whisky mixed with soda. Served in a Suntory Kaku Whisky Highball chilled mug glass, the gold colored liquid is very light, smooth and refreshing. I imagine this would make a perfect pairing with Genbu’s dishes because it could help cut down the greasiness of the deep fried katsu.

Matsui Umeshu Brandy Soda (120K) | 9/10

Matsui Umeshu Brandy Soda is a mix between Japanese plum liqueur and brandy with soda. This one is sweeter and even lighter than the Kakubin Highball with a hint of aromatic ginger that came through in the aftertaste. I enjoyed this one as well.

Amaro Spritz (120K) | 8.5/10

Amaro Spritz is made out of Italian Vermouth from Cocchi with soda and orange peel. Very fragrant and the orange peel immediately hit my taste bud after my first sip. Would probably order this if I feel like I need a drink.

Daiyame Shochu Highball (120K) | 7/10

Mixed with an award-winning shochu made from 100% special ripen sweet potato in Kagoshima-Japan, Daiyame Shochu Highball has a unique lychee-like aroma with burnt-lemon after taste. Although it’s still on the lighter side, this one is the most bitter for me out of the four I tried.

Overall Experience

Genbu is probably the only restaurant in Jakarta (that I know) that has a very extensive selection of katsu with premium ingredients as well as menu that’s frequently updated with new interesting dishes. And that’s what makes going back to Genbu fun for me because I get to try different menu on my visits. I enjoyed the food that I had and trying their selections of liquor on tap was a fun experience. I’m not one to drink a lot of alcohol other than the occasional sip when I feel like it, but I have to say their on tap selections might make me inclined to order a drink in the future because they are all so light and smooth.

For those who knows me in real life, they know Genbu is one of the restaurants that I go back to pretty often. I’ve taken a bunch of my friends to try their katsu and every single one of them enjoyed their food. This visit was no different than my previous ones. I had a great meal and service was good as well. Will I go back to eat at Genbu again in the future? You bet I will.

 

Genbu Premium Katsu & Bar Senopati

Address: Jl. Suryo No.25, Rw. Bar., Kec. Kby. Baru, Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 12180, Indonesia
Telephone: +62813 8153 0133
Hours: 11am -12am

Instagram: @genbu.jkt

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Glou Wine & Bistro

French food with Indonesian twists. That’s the kind of food you’ll find at Glou Wine & Bistro, a cozy casual French bistro in Melawai. Opened last September by Jaddi+ in collaboration with Chef Renatta Moeloek and Chef Adam Rizal Pradana as the brains behind the French-(Peruvian-Spanish)-inspired menus, Glou also strives to highlight local produce by incorporating unique ingredients from all around Indonesia into their dishes. The idea translated into every plates that they served, giving patrons an elevated dining experience that is reminiscent of a home-cooked meal.

The Food

Roasted Cauliflower (75k) | 8.5/10

Charred bell pepper sauce, tahini, almonds and pickled shallots.

The cauliflower was roasted nicely, giving that right amount of crunchiness without it being to hard. The sauce was creamy, savory and there’s a smokiness from the charred bell pepper that works wonderfully with the roasted cauliflower. The crispy almond gave a hint of nuttiness and added to the texture of the dish. And the pickled shallots were amazing. Just the right thing needed to balance the cauliflower and the sauce, making the overall dish brighter and more refreshing. This was my favorite dish from my visit.

Bone Marrow Escargots (185k) | 8/10

Escargots in herb and anchovy butter on top of a bone marrow.

The dish is nicely seasoned in butter and herbs with lemon. A nicely executed straight forward dish. We did ask for a bread replacement (I think they gave us sourdough) per a friend’s recommendation because according to her, the bread that came with dish was way too tough and since we aren’t really a fan of tough bread, we followed her recommendation and glad that we did. Also, appreciate that the restaurant accommodated our request.

Fish Meunière (175k) | 8/10

Pan seared whole flat fish with herb butter and lemon, pickled green Pontianak chilli.

The fish was fresh, didn’t taste fishy at all. Nicely cooked where the fish meat is still tender and the flavors are reminiscent of Indonesian flavors for sure.

Steak au Poivre (465k) | 8.5/10

Grilled US Prime steak, unripe green peppercorns from Bogor, andaliman and parsley.

Super tender and juicy meat, sliced nicely sitting on top of a plate full of brown sauce. I asked for a medium for the degree of doneness of the meat and this was one of those rare occasions in Jakarta where I actually get a medium steak on the plate (most restaurants usually served it over or under unless I’m at a nice steakhouse). That was pretty impressive. The green peppercorn sauce was also very delicious. I thought it’s going to be stronger, but the peppercorns were actually very subtle, making the whole dish very enjoyable and again, reminiscent of local flavors.

Overall Experience

The food at Glou Wine & Bistro certainly lived up to the concept of the restaurant itself, a casual neighborhood French bistro that reminds you of home. I actually didn’t know what the concept of the restaurant was prior to my visit because it was a last minute decision to go to try this place. But after I’m done with my meal, the first thing that came to mind was that the dishes and flavors of everything I ordered tasted like French food but with familiar Indonesian flavors infused to them which I was pleasantly surprised.

Service was also wonderful. The server who waited our table was friendly, knowledgeable about the menu and made us feel at home. They adjusted the timing of the food according to our request, checked-in periodically without feeling too overbearing and our glasses were kept full the whole time we were there.

Noise level was a bit high for me since it wasn’t a full house when I was there but as the evening progressed, I did had to raised my voice more and more so that my friend could hear me speak.

All and all, if you’re looking for a casual French bistro restaurant with wine selections, Glou Wine & Bistro is worth checking out.

Glou Wine & Bistro

 

Address: Jl. Wijaya II No.56, RT.5/RW.7, Melawai, Kec. Kby. Baru, Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 12160, Indonesia
Telephone: +62821 7000 1270
Hours: Mon-Sun 11.00 - late

Instagram: @glou.jakarta

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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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