Big bites of hearty fare at the Aryaduta's JP Bistro
JAKARTA (JP): After dealing with our taxi's engine trouble but saved by the exceptionally helpful driver, it was with a warm glow and renewed faith in the human spirit that we were shown to our table in the JP Bistro at Hyatt Aryaduta Jakarta.
We decided to take the opportunity to survey our surroundings at leisure. Although this particular eatery calls itself a bistro, it is, in fact, much more. The decor is grand palais rather than rustic provencale, and there is not a red check tablecloth or napkin in sight. The predominant mood is mellow autumnal with contrasting light and dark wood paneling prevailing, all of which is accentuated by a wonderful parquet floor.
Having lethargically surveyed our surrounds and, surreptitiously, our fellow diners, the vast majority of whom were Westerners, it was now time to survey the menu, which was quite short, as one would expect in a bistro. Curiously though, despite the bistro appellation, there was a glaring dearth of French cuisine on the menu, apart from a solitary bisque and the old reliable coq-au-vin. The menu also contained an Indonesian section, various Chinese dishes, as well as pasta favorites and miscellaneous items such as Hungarian goulash -- definitely a case of East meets West with a little bit of Central Europe thrown in for good measure.
Time to order! I decided to kick off with the Seafood Chowder at Rp 31,000, while my companion succumbed to her oriental cravings by opting for the Lumpia Goreng (deep fried Indonesian spring rolls with peanut sauce) at Rp 23,000. Well, my chowder turned out to be hearty and satisfying, no doubt just what a Breton fisherman would enjoy tucking into on a foul winter's day (if he wasn't already fed up to the teeth with fish). It was generously laden with squid and chunks of various types of fish about the names of which our waitress was, unfortunately, unable to enlighten us. My companion pronounced her lumpia to be exceedingly delicious before almost starting to doze off in the corner.
It was then on to the entrees. There my companion finally settled for the Breaded Veal Escalope Viennese Style with Potato Salad (Rp 85,000), which our waitress assured us was an excellent choice. While my companion professed to be quite satisfied with what she had been given, she did in the end admit to finding it quite heavy going. Her comment put her finger on something that had been lurking in the back of my mind since I first noticed the kind of dishes being served up at neighboring tables -- namely that the food served in the JP Bistro is primarily of the heavy, northern European variety. For myself, hungry beast that I am, this was akin to manna from heaven, but for those who tend to peck, chicken-like, at their food, the large portions could prove daunting. The JP Bistro certainly doesn't seem to believe in any newfangled notions like nouvelle cuisine.
Given the miserable, wet weather and the rain beating against our window, I decided to be a hog and go for the 180 gram Grilled Australian Beef Tenderloin (Rp 95,000). This turned out to be a mouth-watering, taste-bud sensation which literally did melt in the mouth. The tenderloin was served with a major dollop of delicious, buttery mashed potatoes (with the other choices in the spud department being French fries, baked potatoes or country potatoes) and a choice of red wine or mushroom sauce. I opted for the red wine sauce, which proved to be exquisitely creamy and tangy. The only gripe here was that while the first half of the meat started out medium as ordered, by the time I had advanced to the second half of the meat, I was definitely into well-done territory. Do chefs ever really pay attention to how we want our meat cooked?
Well, by this stage we were both pretty bloated but, after a suitable period of R&R, we decided to chance our arms with dessert. I went for the Warm Apple Strudel with Vanilla Sauce (Rp 22,000) which turned out to be nothing less than delectable, while my companion indulged herself with the Swiss Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce (Rp 22,000). Despite lamentations about how much damage it would do to her diet (honored a great deal more in the breach than the observance, it would seem), it was also pronounced delicious.
We left JP Bistro feeling well sated and at ease with the world, just the way one should feel after leaving a fine eatery. Not only does it have slick service and an attractive ambience, it also has great food and portions which won't leave your stomach growling for more. (Bill Blake)