Seeing red at the new stylish Melt<\/p>\n
Broto Dharma, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The 9th floor of BRI II in Central Jakarta has been a road less
\ntraveled for this foodie since the celebrated Cappellini's closed
\nits doors a few years back.<\/p>\n
Remember that establishment, its groaning buffet spread and
\ntight quarters every Saturday night as families piled in to feast
\non the assorted seafood, sushi and Italian treats? Despite close
\nencounters of the unpleasant kind, with small children running
\nall over the place with nannies in tow, the buffet was great
\nvalue for money.<\/p>\n
But it must have been quieter on other nights of the week;
\nCappellini's disappeared sometime during the crisis. And so it
\nwas that we looked for other culinary hunting grounds around the
\ncity.<\/p>\n
Thankfully, there are now at least two reasons to make a
\nreturn trip to the 9th floor once again.<\/p>\n
One is Ganesha eks Sanskriti, a charming Indian restaurant,
\nwith good, attentive service and a great deal of a buffet on
\nSunday afternoons (free flow beer or soft drinks included in the
\nprice).<\/p>\n
And the second find, brought to my attention by another
\nconfirmed foodie, is Melt, the classy restaurant and wine lounge
\noccupying the other side of the floor (take a left as you get out
\nof the elevator).<\/p>\n
As soon as you enter the lounge area, one is enveloped by the
\nstylish design of the place, its interior bathed in deep earth
\ntones and reds, not that bordelloish garish hue, mind you, but
\none that is warm and welcoming. It's chic and young, but not so
\nthat you expect a group of ABGs to be chattering away.<\/p>\n
Artistic elements all come together in the long, L-shaped
\nroom, from the lounge and bar area, the well-lit tables and
\nchairs, to the well-appointed restrooms that would give Cafe
\nBatavia a run for their money.<\/p>\n
As my dining partner was already acquainted with the owners, I
\ncould not do my little incognito reviewer act, stealing off to a
\ncorner to sup on the tender vittles. Instead, I sat down for a
\nmeal with Simone Hahn who, with her husband, Andre, came up with
\nthe concept for Melt.<\/p>\n
They are in the mold of young, dynamic restaurateurs -- Dian
\nPurba of Cinnabar and Magnolia also comes to mind -- who have
\nreturned from stints abroad fresh with ideas and fully equipped
\nto give jaded dinners what they are looking for.<\/p>\n
A U.S. graduate in graphic design and also a self-confessed
\nlover of good food, Simone has combined her two passions in the
\nrestaurant's culinary offerings and the sleek, attractive decor.<\/p>\n
With an Australian chef on board, Simone offers a combination
\nof Western and Asian cuisine, but she is quick to add that it's
\nnone of that "cultural confusion" that occurs in experimentation,
\nwhere the end result becomes neither one nor the other but,
\nbasically, a mess (remember that shortlived Kemang eatery, now an
\nauto showroom, that had four kiosks for different cuisines of the
\nworld, not one of them serving up a passable meal).<\/p>\n
At Melt, from what I tasted, it comes together supremely well,
\nsuch as the "Californian lost in the kampung sushi" -- a roll of
\nspicy chicken, green onion, chili, avocado and mayonnaise (Rp
\n70,000), and a feast for the eyes with a little crest of fresh
\nroe -- in which all of the various taste sensations complimented
\neach other, and caramelized onion and cheese with crispy bread
\n(Rp 32,000), a sinfully rich treat.<\/p>\n
For the main course, we went with cuts of Kobe beef (Rp
\n300,000), another wicked departure from our various diets, but
\nwithout a doubt (here come the superlatives) the most tender,
\nscrumptious and, yes, melt in your mouth cut of steak I have ever
\ntasted.<\/p>\n
We were a small party of three, and we did not get to taste
\nthe other items on the menu, many of which sounded intriguing:
\nappetizers such as very spicy potato fries, crunchy green mango
\nsalad, chicken pandan; "Cozmo lunches" of tofu, raw vegetables
\nand humus, wrapped in mountain bread; Australian beef triple
\ndecker burger with fried egg, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, beetroot
\nand bacon; lobster sandwich with Japanese mayonnaise; various
\ncuts of steak, gindara and chicken breast with rocket salad, pine
\nnuts and lemon dressing, as well as assorted desserts for the
\nsweet-toothed.<\/p>\n
What is most impressive about Melt is the attention to the
\ndetail, from the young but professional waitpeople (I
\naccidentally dropped my fork and another was at the ready in a
\nflash), that distinctive decor, the great choice of titles on the
\nmenu (Some Like it Hot, for appetizers; Thrill of the Grill,
\netc).<\/p>\n
Melt, still in its soft opening stage when we visited,
\npromises a classy evening out on the town, whether you want a
\ndrink or a delicious meal, or a bit of both. So far, it's
\ndelivering.<\/p>\n
BRI II, Center Park 9th Floor
\nJl. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 44-46
\nCentral Jakarta
\nTel. 21-251-2732
\nOpen 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. (Sunday - Thursday)<\/p>\n
11 a.m. - 1 a.m. (Friday and Saturday)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/seeing-red-at-the-new-stylish-melt-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }