Here's an upscale-ish but affordable restaurant for you: Basil Bistro & Lounge at the Talavera Office Park, Cilandak (next to Cilandak Town Square). Nice, modern place with pretty good food arranged tastefully on white presentation platters, perfect for quick business meeting or pleasant mid-week dinner with friends or family. Service in all criteria is quick and courteous.
The food is good, although some of it are pretty mediocre. You'd have to know what to order. But overall the taste is excellent, not disappointing and combined with the pleasant atmosphere and various discounts and promotions make this little gem in South Jakarta a definite go-to hangout destination.
My favorite recommendation is the John Dorry Fish served with mashed potato and the Field Green Salad, although I didn't have a chance to taste the latter. But it must be good, because the server totally recommended it to us but they sold out on it. Instead I ordered the Caesar's Salad, and it was already plenty good, with chunks of real parmesan cheese and creamy dressing. It was light and fresh, perfect for our main entree.
Half-eaten (I was HUNGRY!) and hastily re-arranged for a picture Pan Fried Norwegian Salmon. Terrible, terrible photo quality. I'm really hating the fact my camera broke and I don't have a proper camera.
My favorite recommendation is the John Dorry Fish served with mashed potato and the Field Green Salad, although I didn't have a chance to taste the latter. But it must be good, because the server totally recommended it to us but they sold out on it. Instead I ordered the Caesar's Salad, and it was already plenty good, with chunks of real parmesan cheese and creamy dressing. It was light and fresh, perfect for our main entree.
The Caesar's Salad
I got the specials which is pan fried Norwegian Salmon. It was mediocre, with the salmon just a tad bit too dry and hard. In the US I cook a lot of salmon so I know I can simulate the cooking more or less, with the juice still retained inside the fish. I think they used Japanese soy sauce in the cooking, I can taste the umami effect and the fact that the fish is browned. It costs Rp. 100,000.
Half-eaten (I was HUNGRY!) and hastily re-arranged for a picture Pan Fried Norwegian Salmon. Terrible, terrible photo quality. I'm really hating the fact my camera broke and I don't have a proper camera.
On the upper side you can see a piece of hijacked Dorry fish next to the greens.
The John Dorry Fish, however, was excellent. It was perfectly breaded, it was airy, and it was a pleasure to eat. It was balanced very nicely. Served with cream sauce, the fish is juicy, crispy and delicious. I didn't have a chance to snap a picture of it, because we were hungry and ate it as soon as it came. Needless to say, this is one dish I'll keep coming back to. It was Rp. 60,000, truly a great value. It came with mashed potatoes and greens. I would prefer the mashed potatoes to be a little bit creamier and buttery, though.
I hear that the desserts are also heavenly, but I'm not one to care about desserts. But I notice things like various chocolates cakes sure to drive the ladies nuts.
Perhaps the biggest value with this restaurant is their frequent, seemingly never ending promotions. They have things like 50% off every third Thursday of the month (for ladies only. I know.), 25 - 30% various promotions (check with management) and weekly special promotions like "Eat with 4 friends and cheapest main course is FREE." I just missed their Heineken promo "Buy a bucket of 5 for Rp. 120,000 and get FREE 4 snack samplers." Sign up with management to get those email newsletters. The manager's name is Yaqub and he's friendly - he'll remember your name for the first time. You can also follow them at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jakarta-Indonesia/Basil-Bistro-with-Lounge/45909249159
I hear that the desserts are also heavenly, but I'm not one to care about desserts. But I notice things like various chocolates cakes sure to drive the ladies nuts.
Perhaps the biggest value with this restaurant is their frequent, seemingly never ending promotions. They have things like 50% off every third Thursday of the month (for ladies only. I know.), 25 - 30% various promotions (check with management) and weekly special promotions like "Eat with 4 friends and cheapest main course is FREE." I just missed their Heineken promo "Buy a bucket of 5 for Rp. 120,000 and get FREE 4 snack samplers." Sign up with management to get those email newsletters. The manager's name is Yaqub and he's friendly - he'll remember your name for the first time. You can also follow them at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jakarta-Indonesia/Basil-Bistro-with-Lounge/45909249159
Basil Bistro & Lounge
Talavera Office Park Ground Floor #106-107
TB Simatupang Kav. 26
Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia
(021) 9130 - 9969
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