Shangri-La's Rosso: A Brunch Worth Every Penny

We think Rosso’s Brunch worth every penny (or cents?). Here are the reasons why.

• A-la-Carte Menu is included in the price. Seriously, it’s like you get the best of both worlds. You can pick and choose the orders, play it on repeat and it will always come to you. Personally, we think it’s like having the fun of buffet and the convenience of regular order-to-table dine. 
• Serious goodness is listed on the menu. And it’s only fair if we list them here for you. Our favorite is Filetto Di Manzo. Foie Gras and perfect medium beef tenderloin are still unbeatable.

• Uova Alla Franco: Black bun with Poached Eggs and Salmon Tar Tar served with Truffle Hollandaise Sauce.
• Uova Strapazzate: Ciabatta Bread with Scrambled Eggs, Pecorino Cheese, Rocket served with Black Truffle Paste and Red Pesto
• Uova Al Prosciutto: Toasted Soft Bun with Fried Egg, Parma Ham and sauteed Parmesan Spinach
• Spaghetti Polpa di Granchio E Acciughe: Spaghetti with Crabmeat and Anchovies served with Fennel Sauce and Spicy Bread Crumbs
• Filetto Di Manzo: Beef Tenderloin and Foie Gras served with Sauteed Parmesan Spinach and Gorgonzola Sauce
• Agnolotti Di Bufala E Pesto: Homemade Agnolotti filled with Buffalo Mozzarella served with Basil Pesto Sauce
• Filetto Di Cernia: Grouper Fish Fillet in Mediterranean Tomato Sauce served with sauteed Mixed Vegetable

• That serious goodness arrived on the right portion for share. So after Filetto Di Manzo.try Uova Alla Franco which has wonderful poached egg and Uova Al Prosciutto with its delicious Parma Ham.

 A-La-Cart Menu from top left: 

Uova Alla Franco, Uova Strapazzate, Uova Al Prosciutto, 

Spaghetti Polpa di Granchio E Acciughe,  Agnolotti Di Bufala E Pesto,

 Filetto Di Cernia and Filetto Di Manzo

Pepperoni Jalapeno Pizza and Double Chessy Bites

Pepperoni is often found on pizza. But now it has a new, foreign friend called Jalapeno. PHD introduced Pepperoni Jalapeno pizza on double cheesy bites crust paired with Nacho Cheese Dip.

It’s been a busy week at the office, and despite being on payday, we weren’t able to go out and eat fancy. So, it’s pizza time. We ordered PHD and came pizza in a box for lunch in no time (well, it’s PHD’s promise that the pizza will arrive within 30 minutes or you’ll get free voucher) to our office desk. When we opened it, we see a pizza covered in the familiar pepperoni and something else. No worries, Pepperoni lovers, there are plenty Pepperoni on each slice. While Pepperoni is a regular, Jalapeño is more often seen on Mexican – Spanish dishes and probably makes you wonder what makes the chili pepper is doing on an Italian classic.

Jalapeño brings a unique sour hint to the pizza and we like it.

But wait, that’s not all, there’s still another surprise called “double cheesy bites.” Even though the pizza came with every crust, we opted for chicken sausage and mozzarella cheese in one crust. When you dip the piece into the Nacho Cheese Dip, it makes the perfect blend on your mouth. While this probably isn’t going to be love at first bite for some taste buds, but it leaves a nice after taste that make you crave for more. Before you know it, you’re picking another slice and dipping it on the Nacho Cheese. 

We definitely love the combination because aside from pizza, we often think about ordering snacks and ended up with too much food on our table. The Double Cheesy Bites Crust can act as the fun snack. Just like you can order any crust with the pizza, you can order the crust with any pizza. Pepperoni Jalapeno Pizza starts from Rp.78k and the Double Cheesy Bites is at Rp.98k and is only available for the 6-piece regular pizza size.

Now we’re thinking, would pineapple make a great trio on this pizza?

AW Kitchen Pizza Story

AW Kitchen is always fun. They serve good food and great taste. No wonder we’ve been coming back here again and again. This time for pizza and cocktails. AW kitchen has this open kitchen on the side where you can see the oven and watch how your pizza is created. Nothing beat the feel of freshness when you see your order going in and out the oven then to your table. We love the feel of knowing the cooking process.

But before we dive into the pizza and how it tastes, let's take a look on the appetizers.

 

Homemade Pasta Countdown at AW Kitchen by Akira Watanabe

Pasta party brought Fiona back to AW Kitchen by Akira Watanabe. She was there for her fiance's birthday dinner. But today is all about pasta. Please follow Fiona and her pasta-venture and be prepared to droll over the delicious dishes.

Hi, this is Fiona.

  

Let's begin with two different kinds of cold pasta served as appetizer: Tiger Prawn Capellini with Gazpacho Sauce (red) and Japanese Mushroom Capellini with Japanese Radish Sauce (green). I have an internal conflict about which one I like better. But in the end, the sourness of gazpacho sauce, played with sweet and tender shrimp and fresh summer veggies win the battle.

  

Then just like magic, plates of homemade pasta appear on the table. Fortunately it's for sharing so I can try them all. I guess this is when insanity started to surrender to taste buds.

Lobo’s New Charm

While the invitation is really interesting, the traffic seemed to prevent Fiona from going. But who can resist a charm? So there she was, arriving late like Cinderella at the dance party, to a beautifully decorated table and welcoming bread served alongside cute-looking butter.

This is Fiona’s charming dinner journey by Chef Jan Schwittalla at Lobo Restaurant, The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta. 

The new member of Lobo team, Chef Jan Schwittalla arrived as the restaurant’s Chef de Cuisine. His 14-year of culinary experience results in a modern twist on the traditional French Cuisine. The first to arrive on our table is Amuse Bouche, a dynamic starter that’s created personally by the German chef, different menu for different day. I was lucky because the one I had was a pretty dish served in egg shell, decorated with a nest. Inside are white and black alba mushrooms with Hollandaise sauce. On the side is a spoon with edamame and truffle foam which gave a surprising kick to the mix. 

That was one of the all-new 24 dish signature a la carte menu brought to Lobo. Here comes the rest.

Indonesian Fusion of Temoe Bistro

There’s a new hotel in town and it means there’s a new eatery to try. Temoe Bistro at GranDhika Hotel at South Jakarta area is a perfect spot for friends, co-workers and a dine-in with your loved ones.

Entering GranDhika Hotel, you’ll find Temone on the left side with a line of friendly servers. It seems a little dim at first, but when you stepped it, this place is homey. Our attention goes to the graphic rug under the table and the complementing decoration on the ceiling. There’s also a large, comfortable sofa that makes you stay for hours. There’s a semi-outdoor section here, wrapped in large glass windows which would be awesome during the day (too bad it’s dinner time when we’re there). The semi-outdoor space is for smoking and Acoustic jazz live band on weekdays.

Let’s talk about food.

Pan Seared Foie Gras is seriously delicious. Crunchy toast brioche bread meets the melt-in-your-mouth seared duck liver with onion marmalade. It’s not easy to create this kind of foie gras because it’s 80% fat. This one is pan-seared and a must-try for foie gras fans because the onion marmalade adds on to the superb combination.

Pan Seared Foie Gras

Wagyu Soto

Wagyu Soto is still your traditional beef soup, but with a few upgrade like wagyu 5+ quality beef. Cooked medium (surprise!) and served separately from the broth so you can easily mix it accordingly. We prefer having it dipped in the soto broth. Chef Hariyadi wanted to create a new twist of Indonesian food, while keeping the rich herb soto broth. Let’s say he exceeded expectation. The dish is served with steamed jasmine rice, emping cracker, sambal and pickles.

The classic Quattro Formaggi Pizza is to die for. We can safely say that the chef is an expert in Italian dishes because the 4-cheese topping pizza is something we would like to order, take home and enjoy it in front of the TV with a bottle of soda and a bunch of good friends.

Quattro Formaggi Pizza

Dessert already? No way. But the Cherry Clafoutis Crumble did make a sweet ending to our first date at Temoe Bistro. The baked cherry cake crumble served with mascarpone cheese is a must-order for dessert lovers. It’s real cherry made as compote and combined with crunchy crumble. Then comes mascarphone cheese to complete the trio. This dessert makes you want to order another plate.

This Bistro is rather impressive, especially for a new place inside a new city hotel. They have a wide variety of quality menu and the place is super comfortable for those who just want to stop by after hours. It’s also a good stop for those who enjoy jazz and wine. Even for those creative worker who simply need a place to sit and well, be creative, this one place is recommended too. We got a glimpse of Salmon and Scallop in Gulai Sauce on the menu, another interesting concept for Indonesian fusion fans. Our advice, go through the whole menu and find the one that jump at you. The bistro is good at composing Indonesian fusion food, so don’t skip the chance to taste them.

Where is this?
Hotel GranDhika Iskandarsyah – Jakarta
Jl. Iskandarsyah Raya No. 65 Jakarta
021-2912 7788
Opening Hours:9:00 AM – midnight (Sunday-Thursday) and 09:00 AM – 01:00 AM (Friday and Saturday)

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.

First Taste: Meat Lovers’ New Best Friends

Our all-time favorite pizza got a revamp! Meat Lovers, PHD’s signature product, now arrives in three sauces: Honey BBQ, Cheesy Mayo and Spicy Tomato. A tempting challenge on the classic mix. Are you up for it?

Choose your favorite sauces

The first sauce, Honey BBQ, is the best out of three. The sweetness of BBQ paired perfectly with the savory hint of the meat and cheese. This one reminds us of a burger. If you don’t want to wander too far from the Meat Lovers you know, choose this one.

The second serving, Cheesy Mayo, throws your diet plan out the window. Thick layer or cheese and fatty mayo is best for cheese lovers out there. Topped with generous meat, this one is best shared, if you are sincerely able to let one slice move from your plate. But, well, the chance is probably close to zero. Determined to cater everyone, the third one is Spicy Tomato. You’ve probably guessed that this one is dedicated to the curious adventurers out there. We expected chili flakes or a little hint of Tabasco, but this one is heavy on the tomato side. With this level of spicy, this pizza would still fit children’s tongue. Good news for family. The pizzas start from Rp75k and sauces aren't sold separately.

Cheesy Mayo - Spicy Tomato - Honey BBQ

Our Favorite Honey BBQ

Meat Lovers has always been a safe bet whether you’re a regular customer who doesn’t want to risk quality comfort and familiar taste, or a new customer who ask upon arrival on the counter: “what’s your specialty?” With the sauces, it’s like you find three new best friends, each with different personality, while still sharing the same ideology. PHD guarantees your order to arrive within 30 minutes or you would be given free pizza voucher.

Apparently the pizza also gets an upgrade. PHD now served Sausage Pastry Crust (add Rp20k to your order). Sausage wrapped in Zuppa soup’s crunchy pastry are topped with Parmesan Cheese. This fancy (but yummy) extra is available for all toppings, not just Meat Lovers, if you order regular/jumbo size. So, while you’re there, why don’t you give surprise a bite.

Pastry Crust

Perfect for friends

We’re glad to be the part of the invite sent out by PHD a while ago to taste the new generation of Meat Lovers. If you’re hungry after reading our story, please proceed to phd.co.id or call 1500-600 to order this new trio. Then tell us which side you’re on.