Buzz Cafe, new kid on the block offering style and good food

Les Coffier, Contributor, Jakarta

Jl. Pecenongan in Central Jakarta is one of those streets that lead something of a Jekyll and Hyde existence. By day it is like so many other roads in this part of town: dusty, full of small shops and business premises, with a sprinkling of bengkel (small workshops) and cafes.

By night, it comes alive with the sizzling of hot oil in woks when the warung (foodstalls) open up, selling all manner of delicious hot food, with the accent on seafood and Chinese food. Judging by the expensive cars parked there, the customers come from far and wide.

Towering above all of this at the southern end is Alila hotel, directly opposite the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) offices.

Location: Jl. Pecenongan runs northward from Jl. Ir. H Juanda, which is a short distance north of Monas (National Monument) Square. There is a large Toyota showroom at the intersection between the two roads. The hotel is on the left-hand side and is the only tall building on this side of the road.

Looks: The property describes itself as a boutique hotel, for great attention has been paid to its modern, sophisticated design, which must be almost unique. Although there are other boutique hotels in Jakarta, none is quite as large as this, and none has the clean, crisp, sparsely ornamented minimalist design concept running through every aspect of its existence, right down to the design of light switches.

Buzz Cafe repeats this with simply designed but functional dining room furniture, muted pastel shades and a turquoise-tiled open kitchen at the back. The permanent buffet counter has induction panels where the hot food containers stand - again, very neat, stylish, clean and also childproof.

The restaurant can seat around 140 people in reasonably spacious surroundings. The waiting staff look smart in their trendy orange and black uniforms and are both helpful and attentive.

What's it got: South African-born executive chef Graeme Ritchie offers a combination of Asian (Thai-influenced), Japanese and Mediterranean cuisine that is well-presented, combines ingredients in interesting ways, has subtle flavors and, above all, is very tasty. There is also a good range of red and white wines available.

Graeme previously worked in both South Africa and Malaysia and is deeply committed to providing guests with a memorable fine dining experience that will have them returning for more.

The restaurant will also cater for diners' individual needs. For example, special vegetarian dishes can be prepared, including ice cream with unusual flavors (how about garam masala, the spices used in Indian cooking!), as many members of Jakarta's Indian community live nearby, at Pasar Baru.

Mediterranean starters include smoked duck salad, fig compote walnut dressing (Rp 40,000++) or seared scallops with saffron risotto and shellfish jus (Rp 55,000++).

There is a good range of sushi and sashimi, pastas and sauces, and designer pizzas, where diners can select from almost 30 individual toppings (Rp 5,000++ or Rp 10,000++) to be added to the standard base with tomato and cheese (Rp 25,000++).

Asian mains include stir-fried seafood and chicken kway teow (noodles) at Rp 40,000++ and chicken tandoori (Rp 85,000++). Japanese mains include unagi kabayaki (grilled Japanese eel) at Rp 85,000++, while Mediterranean examples are baked salmon roulade, with spinach, anchovies, black olive sauce, red wine reduction and saffron oil (Rp 145,000++) or ragout of seared beef with tomato, spinach, blue cheese, beef jus and cream (Rp 130,000++).

Taste factor: Would the food live up to what it promised? A friend and I tried a selection of dishes to put this to the test. We began with three starters, green papaya salad, agedashi (Japanese) tofu with tempura sauce, plus smoked and roasted tomato soup with garlic and herb straw.

In fact, if we had wanted a light meal, we could have stopped right there, as the three dishes complemented each other very well, giving a good range of textures and flavors. The salad was marvelously fresh, with a riot of color and a tangy bite, while the soup had a rich, smoky flavor and coarse consistency, worlds away from its canned and creamed "poor cousin".

The mains were a pizza topped with beef bacon, anchovy and olive oil-infused peppers, plus roast lamb rack with sundried tomato crust, pumpkin puree, asparagus and rosemary jus. The toppings on the thin-based pizza combined very well while the lamb was moist, full-flavored and juicy, especially the gravy that came with it.

Desserts included flamed strawberries with balsamico and black pepper, plus warm sour-cherry tart with cinnamon ice cream and prune syrup. I chose the strawberry dish as much out of curiosity as anything else and was well rewarded, as the ingredients, although unusual, combined together in an exciting symphony of tartness and piquancy. The ice cream was smooth and reassuring, like a mug of hot chocolate on a cold night.

The meal was washed down with Perrier water and ice lemon tea, with cappuccinos afterward.

Price points: The entire meal came to Rp 515,000, including tax and service. Considering the quality of the food and the care that had gone into its preparation, this was a reasonable price.

Minus points: Although the dining room is quite large and does have some quiet corners, couples may find themselves a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of space.

Verdict: Both the hotel and restaurant are still "new kids on the block", so many of the guests will be seeing them for the first time. I'm fairly confident that they will return, though, as the food is excellent and the ambience very stylish.

Buzz Cafe at Alila Jakarta: Jl. Pecenongan Kav. 7-17, Jakarta 10210, Jakarta Pusat, tel. 2316008, fax 2316007, website: www.alilahotels.com. The restaurant is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. during the week and 6 a.m. to midnight on the weekend. Major credit cards are accepted.