Shangri-La's Satoo offers fulfilling indulgence, breathing space
Shangri-La's Satoo offers fulfilling indulgence, breathing space
Chisato Hara, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A din of animated conversation wafts up the curved staircase
leading down to the new Satoo restaurant at the Hotel Shangri-La
Jakarta.
At bottom, the space opens up suddenly to the right, into a
cosy deli in orange, mahogany and off-white, lined with glass
cases of chocolate truffles, cookies, freshly baked breads and
delicate, yet rich, cakes.
Straight ahead is a textured sandstone wall bearing the
restaurant's name and underneath, its motto: Indulging the
Senses.
Satoo is a derivation of the Bahasa for "one". As
Communications Director Ratna Sjamsiar Idris explained, the
spelling was altered to give a more contemporary feel, as it
offers an international menu -- but it is also one-of-a-kind in
more ways than one.
Attendants in gold-and-orange tunics welcome with a smile and
lead the way in to Satoo -- formerly the Coffee Garden -- and the
bright, lively atmosphere of the cafe-restaurant is now palpable.
"During the week, we generally have small groups of
professionals having a business lunch or a quick bite to eat...
You won't see many children then, but at the weekend, it's mostly
families with children and entire extended families here," said
Ratna.
The restaurant expands to the left and into the hotel garden
in a kind of greenhouse wing, where guests sit at garden tables
lit by natural light that filters in through aqua-tinted glass.
To the right are the open kitchens: Dessert, Jamu, Indian,
Continental, Asian, Noodle and Pasta, Cold Kitchen, Sushi and
BBQ/grill. There is also a full-service bar, and the walls are
decorated with wine bottles from around the world, ethnic
ornaments and earthenware.
While the restaurant was about 80 percent full on the Thursday
The Jakarta Post visited, it still felt roomy with its high
ceilings -- even with guests rising here and there to fetch their
next course -- offering a space to breathe in this otherwise
traffic-cramped city.
"The restaurant is 1,408 sqm, and we have a seating capacity
of 425, whereas the Coffee Garden could seat only 260," said
Communications Coordinator Gloria Vera Kristie, or Oya.
"We can say confidently that we are the largest cafe-
restaurant in a five-star hotel," said Ratna. "And Satoo is
certainly the only restaurant in town that can boast eight open
kitchens."
It's clear that Satoo takes pride in the freshness of its
ingredients, prepared in sight by chefs in white uniforms topped
with a black painter's beret.
"We like to think of them as a kind of artist that works with
a palette of fresh ingredients. Personally, I think the chef's
berets make them look like Pablo Picasso," she added.
Authenticity of the cuisines on offer is also a concern at
Satoo.
At the Chinese barbecue section of the Asian kitchen, for
example, is chef Chen Gui Ming from Guangzhou, China. Just four
months in Indonesia, he speaks only a little English and a
smattering of Bahasa, but his expertise with the cleaver is in no
doubt, as he wields it gracefully behind a hanging row of
glistening Peking Duck.
At the Indian kitchen is newcomer chef Dimple Sharma, who mans
the tandoori ovens. The menu rotates daily, with three curry
dishes as well as vegetarian fare, and what Indian course is
complete without naan and other unleavened breads, hot from the
oven?
The pastas are also freshly made, with fettucine, angel hair
and spinach ravioli all waiting to be plunged into boiling water
at a guest's command. Guests can choose from a selection of
sauces, including basil pesto, tomato pesto and bolognaise from a
simmering wok.
While the Cold Kitchen offers an array of cold cuts and salads
-- including gado-gado, and the Sushi counter features Japanese
side dishes such as buckwheat noodles, Satoo's special touch is
its Jamu Kitchen.
"It is Shangri-La's policy to provide something unique to the
host country. While we thought initially of Padang food, we
decided on jamu in the end, because the herbs and spices in jamu
are directly connected to this country's history and existence,"
said Ratna.
The jamu concoctions are created by Ibu Pariyem of Solo, who
has been making the health tonics since 1965. Before coming to
Satoo, Pariyem, like all traditional jamu ladies, sold her tonics
door-to-door, a basket of multicoloured bottles strapped to her
back.
Other specialties include the Capi XXL -- a Capirinha for four
served in a jumbo Martini glass -- and an ice cream teppanyaki --
homemade ice cream folded around sweet fillings on a chilled
marble slab and served with a sprinkling of toppings.
At Rp 120,000++ for adults and Rp 60,000 for children, the
lunchtime buffet has enough to keep a guest going back for more
until dinner -- but it may do to remember that the dinnertime
buffet is Rp 145,000 for adults.
Satoo is open from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., and while the buffet may
close at 10:30 p.m., it also has an a la carte menu for those
with a late-night cravings. For midnight owls and early risers,
the deli is open 24 hours a day. The restaurants two semi-private
rooms -- and soundproof, at that -- can be booked for business
meetings and other functions.
Reservations are not necessary, but Ratna recommends large
groups and families to call at least three days in advance for
weekend visits, as walk-in guests may have to queue on a waiting
list.
Satoo has been open only about two months, but obviously, the
word has spread quickly -- the restaurant is vibrant with
hundreds of lunch-goers tucking into their meals amid the buzz of
excited voices.
I-Box
Chef Sharma fires up Tandoori Kitchen
A native of New Dehli, chef Dimple Sharma has come to command
Satoo's Tandoori Kitchen from the Holiday Inn Bangkok.
"Bangkok life is faster," said Sharma, who has been in Jakarta
for only a month -- it is also his first time to live in
Indonesia.
Trained at the Pusha Catering College in Chandigarh, Sharma
infuses his dishes with a quiet passion -- and all are guaranteed
authentic Indian food.
He appears shy, but said he appreciated his Indonesian guests
and their enthusiasm for his native cuisine.
"I have a lot of interaction with the customers. They ask a
lot of questions about the ingredients in the dishes. They really
like Indian food," he said.
The Indian menu was added to Satoo specially, upon demand from
the Coffee Garden's regular clientele.
"We ran a survey to see what improvements we could make, and
what our guests really wanted," said Ratna. "When the surveys
came back, the majority had indicated they wanted authentic
Indian food -- so we brought in Dimple."
Tandoori cuisine is traditionally the domain of men, and
according to Sharma, only about 2 to 3 percent of all tandoori
chefs in India are women. And at home, it is Sharma who serves
tandoori dishes to his family -- his specialty is chicken tika
masala.
As for his name, Sharma said his mother named him so.
"Because the most famous Bollywood actors all have dimples,"
he said, the corners of his mouth rising into a dimpled smile.