[Review] Le Quartier

Was over at Le Quartier the other weekend for late lunch, and it was still bustling. We've passed by numerous times, but only had the time in our books recently. The decor felt very European/Parisian Chic, almost like we were overseas for a while.

Complimentary basket of bread, they were nice and toasty but arrived only after some of our mains have arrived, which we thought was odd.

Soupe A L'Ognion Gratinee - 76thousand

What's a trip to a French Bistro without a cuppa of good ol' onion soup. Most definitely of the best ones we've tried here in Jakarta, do give it a try, especially in this wet, rainy season. 

White Ham and Truffle Oil Pizza - 136thousand

 Stone baked pizza served with green peas pesto, white ham, mushrooms, rockets and grated cheese. This is one of the two disappointing dish we had that day, the pizza dough was soggy which gave it a weird texture. In addition, we found the pizza to be too bland for our liking, so everything just fell flat.

(Random addition, the menu stated spinach, but pretty sure they were rockets.)

Fried Eggs and Oxtail Hash - 98 thousand

Fancy name but is really a simple dish which is just alright. This dish and the next probably fits better for brunch, not quite filling to last through the day.

Poached Eggs on Salmon Zucchini Cakes - 98thousand

Differing from the typical Eggs Benedict, they switched the bun for salmon zucchini cakes. They were quite alright, side for the slightly overcooked eggs.

Assorted Mushroom Risotto - 116thousand

Mushroom risotto served with lemon rind, soy peas and rockets. The lemon overpowered the mushroom, so it tasted more like lemon and peas risotto. For a mushroom risotto lover, it was a disappointing dish. Scoot over to Cacaote or De Luca for better ones!

Angel Hair Aglio Oilio with Herb Marinated Chicken Breast - 140thousand

Hands down one of The Best in town! The traffic all the way to Le Quartier is well worth it just for this dish alone! We don't hear Le Cousin W singing praises for a dish that often, it was just that good!

Red Velvet and Marshmallow Ice Cream + Salted Caramel and Caramelized Banana Ice Cream - 36thousand/each

The Red Velvet&Marshmallow consisted of red velvet crumbs, bits of marshmallow and an ice cream base, so overall, it as a weird texture to it.

For the Salted Caramel&Banana, the banana dominated the combination as you could barely taste caramel, not what we were expecting.

Parfait of Lemon and Raspbberies served with Sherbet - 66thousand

Lemon parfait set with raspberry jelly, topped with white chocolate crushed pistachios, fresh raspberries and creme Chantilly.

Orange - Grand Marnier Souffle - 78thousand

The soft and fluffy soft and fluffy didn't blew our minds away, it was just alright.

 Overall, it was an enjoyable meal. Le Cousin E mentioned that their grill selection was marvelous, so look out for our Take 2 on their grills. Otherwise, it was a good change of atmosphere from the typical fancy restaurant. It seemed posh yet relaxed at the same time. Don't get put of by the hefty price tag. Treat yourself to a hot cuppa Onion Soup, and Aglio Olio pasta; it's near the end of the year, you've earn a good meal. :)

Le Quartier

Jl. Gunawarman No. 34

Kebayaran Baru

Jakarta Selatan

Telephone : (021) 7278 8001

Operation Hours :

Monday - Sunday : 7.30AM - Onwards

[Review] de Luca

Visited De Luca on a weeknight and it was packed, we had to sit at the smoking area even though none of us smoked! With cozy, dark ambiance, we don't know when the next non-smoking table would be available. Goes to show what a crowd favourite it was, and it's been around for quite a while too!

Green Smith Mocktail - 52thousand

A concoction of green apple, mint, lemon and soda; even though it did state green apple, we think it's tad too sour to enjoy. A wee bit more mint and sugar would've made it refreshing.

Farfalle with Beef Bacon and Mushrooms - 78thousand

Pretty self-explanatory, looks simple, but it was delish! Being the first to be served, the dish came out pretty quick, and piping hot too! You know how some cream-based pasta could be too overwhelming that you get sick of it after a while? This was no where near it, Le Sister could easily finish it in one seating. Just a minor concern would be the pasta was a little too al dente to Le Sister's liking.  

Overall, it was a good one. If you're not a fan of cream-based pasta, they have tomato-based and aglio olio-based too. There are a few other promising options that we would like to try on out next visit.

Supremo Pizza - 78thousand

Mozzarella di Buffala, tomato sauce, pepperoni, cherry tomatoes and mint leaf. We finished this in a blink of an eye! Definitely one to look out for. The ingredients were fresh, and the dough was thin yet has a nice grip to it. First time eating fresh mint leaves, and it was a great first taste. Who knew mint leaves would taste so yummy!

 Lamb Shank - 198thousand

Lamb shank served with mashed potatoes, greens and gravy. The most expensive dish, yet not the best. (Don't judge a book by it's cover, ey?) The lamb came out dry and hasn't been marinated well, so the meat just tasted like meat? The mashed potatoes still had lumps in it, and could use a little bit more butter. And the gravy? It was too thick. Overall it wasn't that bad, but not one that we would order on our next visit.

Like previously mentioned, this was one of the more expensive dish on the menu, and the servers keep pointing this menu to us. As we couldn't decide on a final main, we went ahead with their suggestions. After finishing our meal, the servers (more than 2) came up to our table asking how the Lamb Shank was, and not about any of the other food which we enjoyed. We found it rather rude and amusing at the same time.

Panna Cotta - 52thousand

 We're in pursuit of the yummiest Panna Cotta in town, and this definitely do not make the cut. It was dense, and didn't go really well with the nuts, but it does have a fragrant aftertaste.

Overall, it was an enjoyable dinner where we could see ourselves coming back, and we can't wait to head on over. For dessert, jump right opposite to their sister company, Monolog for a slice of our favourite Raspberry Velvet cake. Imagining it right now is putting a smile on our face. :)

de Luca

Plaza Senayan P1 101B

Jl. Asia Afrika No. 8

Jakarta 10270

Indonesia

Telephone : (021) 572 5170

Operation Hours:

Monday - Friday : 11AM - 11PM

Weekend : 11AM - 2AM

Convivium Take 2

We've blogged about it previously, and we're back! (Read it here.) We happened to be around the area, so we stopped by for late lunch. Although it looks prettier during night, it's also cozy during the day. 

Calzone - 85thousand

A pizza wrap filled with mozzarella, prosciutto cotto, and mushroom. The crust is crispy and well seasoned, and this is coming from someone who'd usually toss away the crust.

Cannelloni al Salmone e Spinaci - 90thousand

Pasta rolls with smoked salmon, spinach and cheese sauce. It doesn't looked appetizing as the plating were tad lacking, but it was really good. The salmon was smoked really well, and matched really well with the cheese sauce. The only setback was that it was slightly too salty.

Tagliata su Insalata di Funghi Champignon - 150thousand

The last time we came, we named it The Best Steak; this time round, it didn't quite lived up to its title. We had it medium too, and it's cooked perfectly, just that it was slightly burnt on the outside. Otherwise, the meat was still very fragrant, not a single piece left behind, the mushrooms too.

Strawberry Lemonade - 32thousand

Albeit sour, it was really fresh and refreshing. Do try it! But don't forget to ask for some additional syrup. ;)

They stand by the motto of serving "homemade Italian cooking", and props to it. It's not an easy feat to maintain good quality dish, and they've been around for quite some time already. Definitely visiting back for an Italian fix.

Convivium Cafe Deli

Jl, Panglima Polim IX No. 1

Kebayoran Baru

Jakarta 12160

Telephone: (021) 7269963

Business Hour :

Tuesday - Sunday: 11:00AM - 10:30PM

[Review] Convivium

We're aware that this little gem has been around for quite some time now, we've been wanting to try this out for ages and we finally did, on a Saturday night with Le Cousins.

The place was just nice and cozy, with not that many tables set out, it feels somewhat homey. It is designed with mainly wooden panels, an open kitchen and little knick knacks filling the racks. It's probably the Christmas decorations though, we went last month after Christmas.

Complementary bread sticks to start the meal.

Cold Cut Platter - 160thousand

Had this as our appetizer, it came with salami, 2 types of prosciutto and parma ham if i'm not mistaken, served with bread. They were light and full of flavour,

Clams Mussels Soup - 45thousand

Mushroom Cream Soup - 35thousand

Both soups were disappointing, the Mushroom Cream Soup was too thick and filling. We'd recommend ordering a heavier main, and leave out the soup.

 Green and White Tagliatelle with Meatballs - 65thousand

The 'official' name on the menu was something else, but that is what it says on the receipt.

A tomato based pasta served with meatballs, the sauce itself was decent, but the meatballs were really good!

Tagliatelle al Porcini - 65thousand

Homemade tagliatelle served with sauteed porcini mushrooms.

Tortellini al Salmone con Burro e Salvia - 65thousand 

 A homemade pasta filled with salmon in butter and sage sauce. We were taken aback when this dish arrived on our table, thinking who would want to order this little one. Boy, were we wrong, this was really yummy and skillfully seasoned, just enough butter to taste but not too overpowering.

Definitely a recommended dish!

Pizza Carnivora - 80thousand

Tomato based with mozzarella and beef bolognaise

 

 Tagliata Mushroom with Truffle Oil - 180thousand

The star of the night!! Medium cooked steak served with mushrooms and truffle oil. When it came it didn't looked convincing like the Tortellini, we even let it sit on the table for quite awhile, not daring to try it. 

However, this is hands down one of The Best Steak, we've ever tried. It smells good, tastes good, textures good; it deserved an A++. This coming out from our foodie Cousin A, really is a feat, considering he lives in a country where steak is almost a staple.

Pannacotta - 30thousand

Being an Italian restaurant, Le Sister thought it'd be a good idea to order a pannacotta. Definitely a miss from us. The texture's all wrong and thick, and too milky. The only dish that we did not finish. Such a disappointment.

 

Gelato Sorbetto Sampler - 70thousand

Came with 9 flavours in shot glasses: 

Gelati - Risotto Mascarpone, Earl Grey, Bacon, Squid Ink, Red Velvet

Sorbetti -  Orange Basil, Lychee, Lime Rosemary, Strawberry Chilli

We didn't get to try the Bacon, they were out of it, so we had 2 servings of Red Velvet in exchange. Although the Gelato sounds tad gross, they tasted mostly creamy. They did not taste exactly like how it originally is. We all prefered the Sorbetti more, as they were light and fresh, especially the Orange Basil and Lychee. Strawberry Chilli was alright as well, you only get the chilli kick as an aftertaste.

Definitely a fun one to try when you're dining in a group.

Cold cuts and cheese for sale as well, if you find them addictive at the end of the meal.

It's definitely a place we'd stop by when we're feeling for a homey Italian or a good steak. :)

Convivium Cafe Deli

Jl, Panglima Polim IX No. 1

Kebayoran Baru

Jakarta 12160

Telephone: (021) 7269963

Business Hour :

Tuesday -Sunday

11:00AM - 10:30PM

[Review] Ocha & Bella

Even though it has been around for quite some time now, it's the first time we had a meal here. Under the same management as Moovina, in Plaza Indonesia, Ocha & Bella is located at the Morrisey Hotel. We came on Sunday for lunch, and the place is decorated for a luaua - a Hawaiian party.

 

The entrance, with an open kitchen on the right.

The view of the open kitchen from the other side, with the traditional pizza oven.

Indoor dining area.

Al fresco area.

The Peach Blossom Ice Tea! Le Sister decided to try this out compared to her default Strawberry Ice Tea, and she loved it! You can taste the peach really well, and there's a hint of cucumber, thus the cucumber as garnish. On the other hand, Le Cousin T had the Raspberry Lemon Tea, and it didn't taste like raspberry at all!

A regular ice tea already costs 20thousand, whereas the Peach Blossom Ice tea is 35thousand. So if you're planning on trying something new but safe, we recommend the Peach Blossom!

The Rock and Roll Salad from their Japanese Menu. Asides from the typical greens, they added fish flakes (the ones you'd normally eat with takoyaki), peas, and walnuts, topped with teriyaki dressing, refreshing but not overwhelming, giving it the hint of Japanese food.

Quattro Formaggi Pizza - which is basically pizza topped with 4 different kinds of Italian cheeses. The pizza served were of thin crust, which Le Sister prefers compared to the regular ones you would normally get at Pizza Hut.

Pappardelle e Salsiccia - pasta tossed with pork sausage and broccoli with cream sauce. Pasta was decent, nothing out of the norm,but it's probably best to share this dish, as eating it all at once the cream could be a little bit overwhelming.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina - grilled T-Bone served with mushroom sauce and garlic spinach on the sides. The average size of this dish is around 1kg, and the chef personally showed us the meat first before he proceed on grilling it. Although it was tad too red to Le Sister's liking, she enjoyed this dish alot! It was juicy and aromatic, everything you would want of a good steak!

At around 750thousand per dish, it'll costs around 200thousand per person, which we think is well worth it for this dish!

Ocha & Bella

Morrissey Hotel

Jl. K.H. Wahid Hasyim No. 79

Menteng, Jakarta

Indonesia

Telephone : (021) 310 5777

Fax : (021) 315 6777

Business Hour :

Weekdays : 11AM - 11PM

Weekend : 11AM - 12AM