Dish of the Week

“I recently had dinner again at ALICE by Tom Aikens at The Langham Jakarta and, as always, it was an experience that left me smiling long after I left. The food here is consistently excellent, from coffee and tea to their cocktails. But what truly makes ALICE special is the people. The service here is not just attentive or professional, it is warm in a way that feels genuinely heartfelt. From the moment you arrive until the moment you leave, you feel welcomed and cared for. Special thanks to Adin, Carol, and Rafly who went above and beyond during my visit. They were not only quick and efficient but also incredibly kind and sincere. The kind of kindness that makes you feel like you are being hosted by close friends rather than served in a restaurant. It is rare to find this level of genuine warmth, and it made the evening even more memorable. The last time I visited was a few months ago, and now they have a new menu. I loved the old menu, but the new dishes are just as fantastic. And the desserts remain the shining star of ALICE. If you come here, you absolutely must try them. Here is what I had this time: • Ravioli de Ricotta et Tomatoes Fondues (10/10) The ricotta flavor was rich and creamy without feeling heavy. Balanced perfectly and absolutely delicious. Highly recommended. • Poulet “Jaune” Rôti aux Poireaux (10/10) Perfectly roasted chicken with a crispy skin and juicy, tender meat inside. The sauce was full of flavor, and even the fries were something special—simple but exceptionally done. • Escalope de Saumon à l’Oseille (10/10) The sauce looked creamy but was actually light with a refreshing tang, pairing beautifully with the perfectly cooked salmon. The fragrant rice served alongside tied the dish together wonderfully. • Profiteroles Tor Sauce au Chocolat (10/10) Quite simply the best chocolate dessert I have ever had. Vanilla choux filled with ice cream, generously drenched in rich chocolate sauce. It was so good that I completely forgot to take a photo before finishing it. One thing I truly appreciate is how family-friendly ALICE is. I brought my 1.5-year-old toddler, and they provided a super comfy Yamatoya baby chair along with coloring sheets to keep her entertained. It made the dinner not just stress-free but genuinely enjoyable, even with a little one. Cakes and pastries to take home: • Vanilla Bean (10/10) Beautifully shaped like a vanilla bean, with a rich and fragrant flavor that was perfectly balanced. • Langham “Ma Cherie” (10/10) A unique blend of cherry and sakura, fragrant and gently floral with a delicate tanginess. I have never tasted a cake quite like this. • Méditerranée (10/10) A dream for chocolate lovers, with deep hazelnut chocolate notes that were rich but never overwhelming. • Pastries Buttery and flaky croissants, perfect pain au chocolat, and indulgent cheese pastries that were all simply outstanding. Every visit to ALICE leaves me not just satisfied but genuinely happy. It is a rare place where excellent food meets heartfelt service. For me, it is not just one of the best places in Jakarta for dinner, it is also where I have experienced some of the warmest hospitality and the most unforgettable desserts in the city.”

“I visited Sura with a friend for a late lunch. The place wasn't busy since we came way past lunch hour. The interior is pretty nice and interesting with plenty of seatings available around the room. They have very straightforward menu with only 2 protein options for the steak: the Double Wagyu Hambak Steak or the Spicy Chicken Hambak that are served with free-flow white rice, soup, and omega-3 egg. What we ordered: Double Wagyu Hambak Steak (148k) | 9/10 Not gonna lie, I was pretty impressed with how juicy and flavorful the steak is. The smokiness from the all the grilling and torching definitely added a new layer of complexity to the flavor of the meat. Dipped the meat into the egg yolk and the overall flavor tasted creamier. With or without the egg yolk, the meat tasted good. Beef & Chicken Harmony Hambak Steak (138k) | 8/10 I also tried the Spicy Chicken Hambak that my friend ordered. It also tasted good and the meat was juicy, but it is on the spicier side for me who can’t really eat spicy food. The flavor profile tasted like Sate Lilit Bali. Another thing that deserves a special shoutout is their Korean Beef and Daikon Radish Soup. I’m a sucker for a good soup and theirs was so goooood. It’s nicely seasoned and the flavor is pretty much the same as the ones I’ve had in Korea. Super comforting. Service was really good (shoutout to Imel who served our table during our visit). The server explained the menu clearly and checked in with us periodically to see if we need a refill or anything else. She also gave my pregnant friend a boiled egg since she can’t eat the raw egg so that’s something you can probably ask the staff if your don’t eat raw egg. All and all, it was a really good meal and would definitely come back again for their Wagyu Hambak Steak.”

“This place is easy to miss, setback from the street, almost under the tracks of the MRT line. From outside, you would never have any idea of the quality of the food and drinks or the enthusiasm and friendliness off the staff. Yes, it can be noisy, but it caters to young people. That said, even old people like me are always welcome. Just tune out the background and enjoy eating or drinking what you ordered. There are several places in this area of Jakarta offering coffee and similar food. But by comparison, the Full Yolk seems to have the formula just right. The Full Yolk is worth the full quota of 5 stars. The staff are outstanding and so friendly I wondered if we had already met. The food is superb. The menu is limited, and a little bit out of the ordinary, but everything is just done so well. The only thing I could find to fault is the fact that The Full Yolk is already a victim of its own success, and seating can sometimes be hard to find. But just be patient. It's worth the wait.”

“When my team first entered the cafe it had a very cosy "coffeeshop" vibe until we went up to the second floor where the ambiance was more of a casual dining restaurant. We tried most of the dishes on the menu including the thai green curry, pad thai, pineapple fried rice and the signature tom yam. The food took us by surprise as the flavors were absolutely amazing! We were all taken aback by how such a simple cafe had such amazing and authentic tasting Thai food. Don't let the menu pictures fool you, the sauces, curries and flavors are to die for! Will be back soon!”

“Great dinner place in Jakarta! Keep in mind that this restaurant is one of those 'fine-dining' restaurant, therefore a reservation in advance is required. The price is quite high, especially compared with other restaurants and the low living cost in Jakarta, but it will certainly provide you with a unique experience. The restaurant's main idea is molecular gastronomy, which simply means weird sciency foods! This does not mean that they serve weird ingredients, it is just that they are presented or made with bizzare techniques, and some of these will definitely blow your mind! I really like how they have a certain theme for their food. When I came here, the theme is movie, as such they present the food in such a way to replicate a cinema, they also have some interesting acts performed by the waiters, etc. Back to the 'molecular gastronomy', the food itself is delicious and they never look or taste like what you imagine. Majority of the menu is traditional Indonesian food that is presented in a completely new way, they will present each of the dish and explain to you what it is made of and how to eat it. There are around 15 distinct dish, the portion for each of them is quite small, but there are plenty of them, so you don't need to worry about not feeling full after the feast. As with regular restaurants, they will start from appetizers, then to heavier meals, and finally some deserts. Always keep your eyes open as they have a lot of surprises in their disposal. The restaurant itself is quite secluded, they do not have a sign to show where they are located, my suggestion is just to drive to the general area using your GPS, then when you arrived, open your car's window and start asking the people on the street for the restaurant. I believe they have a valet service and try to find this, they should be standing on the side of the street and will definitely point you to where the restaurant is.”

“Wow the yakitori was so smoky and delicious. The meat was sooo juicy, the seasoning is on point! Will be back to try more menu I came back! I tried their lunch set menu Karei (fried flounder). This one was good. Crunchy, soft, savory and kinda salty. You get soy sauce, mini salad, miso soup, rice, fried flounder and coffee jelly. The coffee jelly was soooo nice. Not too bitter, not too sweet. I also ordered the yakitori : sasami cheese, enoki buta bara maki, and momo. Back again on july 2024 The coffee jelly was still my fav. My friend tried the yakitori don and sake ochazuke and they love it! The drinks was also nice and refreshing. Zaru sobanya enaakkk 🤤🤤🤤 segerrr”

“Asoka restaurant is the in-house restaurant of Aston Kartika in the Grogol district of Jakarta. It's located on the 23rd floor and serves as the breakfast buffet restaurant for guests staying at Aston. Surprisingly the restaurant has a dedicated smoking section.”

“For you guys who likes to have a dinner and karaoke-ing, this might be the place for u.. The karaoke rooms are right next to the restaurant. U can still order the food from the restaurant, but u gotta pay it right away. A bit discomfort for me, but, since i like the restaurant food, i order from there anyway. U have to try the rice ball. I think it's the winner. Haha.. the chicken cheese is delicious.. not so much for the okonomiyaki.. a bit dissapointed for the kimchi taste, and the fried chicken is not bad.. but it's not crispy, coz it has like a sauce pouring over it. For those who want to try soju, u should try the grape one. It's sweet, n u the liquor is not too strong.. but the same with other sweet liquor, u have to be careful. As u might not know when it's makin' u drunk 😅”

“I came here on a Monday around lunchtime, and there were plenty of empty tables. I was dining alone, but they still asked if I had a reservation—so I’d recommend making one just in case. The menu is quite varied, offering everything from brunch to dinner, with a wide range of options to choose from. They also have an extensive drink selection and a few dessert choices. I really loved the ambiance! Great lighting, the music wasn’t too loud, the temperature was just right, and I appreciated the thoughtful amenities in the washroom. For lunch, I had the Miso Carbonara (155K). It came with a decent portion of al dente fettuccine, beef bacon, mushrooms, and a creamy miso butter sauce. The flavor was rich but not too heavy, though I do wish the pasta had been coated more evenly with the sauce. To drink, I ordered the Ice Sweet Tea (30K)—just a regular black iced tea, but it was nicely refreshing. I also tried the Rose Mint Coffee (50K), an espresso-based mocktail with a hint of mint and rose. I couldn’t really taste the rose, and the mint was a bit too strong for my liking, but I did enjoy the slightly fizzy, cold presentation. With tax and service (+21%), I spent around 290K per person. Overall, the food and service were great. I do wish the floor staff were more familiar with the menu, but they made the effort to double-check with the back-of-house team, which I really appreciated 😊”

“Best place to enjoy the all you can eat menu with many things to choose. They also provide many varieties of drinks. The bar menu was also come with many varieties, such as salad, tartare, fish, brownies, and also ice cream. The other thing I love about the restaurant worse the ambience of the restaurant at this very classy yet exclusive. One thing I think they need to improve was the delivery time of the meet. The last time I went here the next table to mine was standing up and asking for the meat to come from the waitress. The price for the regular buffet was 260,000 rupiah.”