Sailendra Presents Italian Adventure with Bella Pasta

Sailendra is always full of surprises. Celebrating the incoming summer, Italian delicacies are here at J.W. Marriott Jakarta, brought to you by Executive Chef Francisco Holmes-Brown. Hold on to your summer travel plan and start early with the Bella Pasta promotion, available only on May 20 to 29, 2016.

Anticipation of what's in Bella pasta

The bright and large-windowed Sailendra has made this restaurant a personal favorite for us. We’re welcomed with a beautifully decorated long table and an antique coffee bean grinder. Of course, there are plenty of pasta on display. That’s what we’re here for. It’s a reminiscence of what’s eating Italian style feels like. According to Chef Francisco, in his hometown, food aren’t served per-portion but shared among family members. Pastas are served in large bowls and passed around among everyone on the dining table. Fresh welcome drinks are available, a spritzer-like, and mix berries. Something to cool off the hot summer outside.

Food arrives soon after. And here’s what’s on our menu.

Soup Salad and Beyond
Caprese Salad translates to heirloom tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella with balsamic reduction, pesto and olive oil. Fresh veggies are always welcome and tempting mozzarella doesn’t help from indulging this Italian tradition right from the start. This particular dish doesn’t need extra seasoning because it’s already tastes right.

Everyone’s favorite is this soft Tuna Carpaccio, served with rocket leaves and lemon vinaigrette. There’s also a hint of pumpkin that enhances the flavors. So, give this healthy Sicilian scoop a try.

Panzanella Salad gives a vibrant first impression. Bell Peppers, tomatoes, red onion, olives, ciabatta bread and balsamic vinaigrette create complex flavors, but in a good way. Don’t be discouraged with the red onion because it doesn’t smell. It only gives the hint needed to create a perfect salad.

Call it comfort food, cos we don’t mind eating this Pappa Pomodoro Soup all day. A Tuscan bread and tomato soup, served with basil and (large) Parmesan shavings. It’s hard to stop dipping the bread into the delicious soup. But main courses are here. Too bad

Panzanella Salad

Caprese Salad

Tuna Carpaccio

Pappa Pomodoro Soup

What main course? We’re full! Haha. In case you’re wondering what makes Italian food so special, we have the answer: simply irresistible. J.W. Marriott simply describes is as a cuisine “emphasizing on its simplicity and quality of the ingredients, where most of the dishes having only four to eight ingredients.” On the contrary to it’s simplicity, the pasta variations are incredibly unique with hundreds of different shapes including penne, macaroni, spaghetti, linguine, fusilli, lasagna and those that are filled with other ingredients like ravioli and tortellini. 

Anyway, here are the stars of the day.
First one to arrive is Wild Mushroom Red Cappelletti. These little hats (pasta) keep a secret mushroom inside, and served with brown butter, chives and Pomodoro Basillico. The sauce tastes fresh which reminds us with the soup (we have to move on from this), and fresh. Perfect al dente and kept calling us to finish it even after all the main course are served. Well, we did. Who said we’re full? 

Italy has many shoreline and it’s only fitting that there’s Seafood & Squid Ink Ravioli served on the table. If you love seafood (even if you’re not a squid ink fan), you’ll love this dish. The fresh seafood is there on the first bite and the sauce is there on the first love. Upon describing this dish, the French term, Velouté, is used. Literally, it refers to a soup or sauce made of chicken, veal, or fish stock and cream and thickened with butter and flour.

Wild Mushroom Red Cappelletti & Seafood & Squid Ink Ravioli 

    

Still from the water, Baked Mediterranean-style red snapper cooked with Tomato, olive, capers, herbs and lemon, is next in line. The ingredients are simple, but they managed to create such a rich flavor with herbs being the focal taste of the dish. This is perfect for those who are always hungry but don’t want to worry much about health. This one is baked.

Thanks to the spiced used in The Beef Involitini, the dish is tempting. Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, thyme and parsley in tomato sauce, what else would you ask for. The breadcrumbs inside and the soft beef are paired with tasty sauce.

What’s Italian dine without Seafood Risotto. The “rice” dish is just perfect to occupy the empty space in our belly. Even if we don’t have any. The sauce blends with the rice real well and topped with seafood and crunchy crumbs. 

Beef Involitini

Baked Mediterranean-style red snapper

Seafood Risotto

And just when you thought you’re done, here comes dessert. If you’re here with the whole family, the gelato selection will amaze the kids. But as adult, we’re trying our best not to look too excited with the dessert. But if you’re here with us, you can tell we fashionably failed. The desserts are too good. The one served on our table is dessert trio of these delights:

Semifredo macadamia coffee will surprise you from the first look. A semi-frozen dessert mainly consists of eggs, sugar and cream with a texture of frozen mousse. Add coffee and you’ll get the Italian thrill. Second is the classic Tiramisu, which means “cheer me up”. You can never serve proper Italian meal without cooking the perfect Tiramisu, so this one is surely a favorite. Mixing moist and crunchy, it challenges your tongue to scream “delizioso.” Then the sweet journey ends with Panna Cotta, another Italian classic from Piedmont region. Soft with a hint of sour. The presentations hit the heart with wooden spoon and macaroon.

Left to Right
Semifredo macadamia coffee, Panna Cotta & Tiramisu

So, before we bid you farewell for the summer holiday, stop by Sailendra and start your traveling early with palate adventure of Bella Pasta.

Where is this?
Sailendra Restaurant
J.W. Marriott Jakarta
Jl. DR Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung Kav E.1.2 No 1&2, 

Kawasan Mega Kuningan  

Jakarta 12950 Indonesia 

(021) 5798 8889