Il Mare satiates Italian food lovers

Il Mare satiates Italian food lovers

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Down on the ground floor of the Mulia Hotel in Senayan,
Italian food lovers can savor various Italian dishes and
beverages in an atmosphere of tranquility.

Only the melodious voices of tenors Jose Carreras, Placido
Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti are heard.

The tables are adorned with red and blue ribbons with yellow
flowers while the walls are terra-cotta red.

Three or four huge porcelain vases give an accent to the
spacious room. A medium-size bar in the middle of the restaurant
offers various wines.

I ordered iced lemon tea and, then, Pizza al Tonno (pizza
topped with tuna fish), for a starter.

Unlike the American pizza commonly sold at pizza restaurants
around town which is full of toppings, the Italian pizza is
thinner and the base crispy. A medium round pizza costs Rp 50,000
(US$5).

"This is the original Italian pizza. The ones sold at some
pizza restaurants here are the American modification. But, I
think the taste of the (American pizza) is not bad," Italian Chef
Gabrielle Noe told The Jakarta Post.

For soup, customers may choose from Minestrone alla Genovese
(Traditional vegetable minestra with pesto) or Crema di piselli e
asparagi con granchio al burro di aragosta (Asparagus and green
pea cream soup with crab meat and lobster butter).

Ministrone and Crema di piselli cost Rp 36,000 and Rp 38,000
respectively.

Muslim customers need not worry about the dishes, because
those containing pork have been obviously highlighted.

Like other Italian restaurants, Il Mare also relies on
spaghetti and pasta, such as lobster spaghetti, lasagna and
tortellini stuffed with meat and Parmesan cheese, as its
specialties.

For the main course, customers could choose from the menu.
Capellini con gamberi, Capesante, Aragostine e Pesto Alla
Genovese (Angel hair with prawns, scallops, lobster and pesto
sauce) costs Rp 110,000.

Spaghetti all'aragosta (Spaghetti with lobster, garlic and
spicy tomato sauce) is offered for Rp 165,000.

"These are the favorite dishes for the past five or six
years," said the Venice-born Chef Gabrielle.

Despite his skill in serving appetizing Italian pizzas,
Gabrielle said that for him the pizza was not so special. That
kind of pizza, he said, was common in Italy.

According to him, the pizza dough could be prepared a day in
advance. "The dough made of flour, water and egg could be
prepared in a few hours," he said.

Gabrielle always uses fresh ingredients to prepare seafood
dishes that have a distinctive Northern Italian flavor.

For Sunday Brunch, Il Mare offers a selection of Italian and
international cuisine, from cheese and cold cuts, carved roast
beef, to pates de foie gras.

For dessert Il Mare offers Macedonia di frutta con gelato alla
vaniglia (fresh fruit salad with vanilla gelato) or Sformato
tiepido al cioccolato fondente con gelato al bailey's (hot
chocolate melt with berry compote and baileys ice cream).

Macedonia and Sformato are Rp 44,000 and Rp 46,000
respectively.

For those gastronomes who love Italian food, Il Mare could be
just the place to satisfy their palate.

Il Mare Restaurant, Mulia Hotel, Jl. Asia Afrika, Jakarta
Phone: (021) 574 7777

Opening hours:

Sunday Brunch: 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Lunch (Monday - Saturday): 12 a.m. 2:30 p.m.

Dinner: 6 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.