Food Review: 3 Best Cafes to visit in Jakarta

Posted on May 31, 2013 by theRantingPanda in Food

With more than a dozen flights offered by at least 5 airlines from Singapore, jetting to Jakarta has never been more convenient. It has become almost customary for me to visit this city almost every year, with a flight time of merely 90 minutes. I love the food in Jakarta, as there is almost every kind of cuisine in this city. The shopping malls are impressive and the city is so fast developing that new restaurants spring up almost every time I re-visit the city.

If you have not been to Jakarta, here are 3 cafes to check out if you are clueless where to have a good meal:

Magnum Cafe

We have heard of Magnum ice-cream in Singapore but how about a whole cafe with a Magnum theme? This is the proposition of Magnum Cafe in Jakarta, with a grand red carpet to welcome patrons as they sashay in style into the cafe. It is not uncommon to be greeted with a long queue during weekends and peak hours, so avoid it if you can.
The seating capacity is not big, although there is an outdoor area, which can be pretty unbearable in this equatorial climate.
A recommendation here is to customise your own Magnum stick – choose your flavour, select your choice of topping and the dip. Fuss-free.
I tried the Crown Jewel – 3 sticks consisting of the Pistachio coated strawberry stick , almond coated Vanilla stick and the Dark Chocolate truffle stick. It is sinful, but worth a try if the calories are shared among a few people.
Overall Experience: Nice theme cafe to chill with friends or family, which is not available in Singapore yet. The novelty does wear off though, given that it was my second visit to Magnum Cafe Jakarta.

TheRantingPanda says:
Budget: S$5-S$15
Taste Bud: 3/5
Ambience: 3/5
Overall Experience: 3.5/5

Magnum Cafe
Grand Indonesia, West Mall Level 6, Jakarta

Union
Located in the high-end Plaza Senayan in Central Jakarta, Union gives me the vibe of P.S Cafe in Singapore – the casual American bistro style cafe. I love the setting of Union, with its glass top ceiling and casual dining ambience.
We tried the Creme Brulee, which turned out to be above my expectations. It is not too sweet, and I think the crust is burnt to the optimal degree.
I heard about the Red Velvet with Pistachio cake from Union, and indeed, it was legendary that it puts the cake from P.S cafe to shame. The pistachio coating is perfect beyond words, while the red velvet cake simply tempts our next bite.
Overall Experience: Definitely on my to-visit list the next time to Jakarta, where I can’t wait to try the Brunch and other desserts. Union is awesome.

TheRantingPanda says:
Budget: S$15-S$20
Taste Bud: 4.5/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4.5/5

Union
Plaza Senayan, Level 1 (within Sogo)

Pancious

If Sydney is governed by Pancakes on the Rocks, I daresay Jakarta is ruled by Pancious. As a specialist Pancake house, there are more than a dozen pancake options on its menu, from dessert pancakes to the savoury pancakes.
I could not resist ordering the Beef Bacon & Eggs, with has the perfect combination I want in my Brunch. Topped with a sunny-side up egg and sauteed mushrooms, the pancakes are light and fluffy.
For desserts, I would recommend the Apple Crumble with Vanilla ice-cream. The waffle is equally good, done to the right texture and is perfect to have with the apple crumble and ice-cream.
Overall Experience: Cafes which specialises is usually good, which I couldn’t agree more for Pancious. Definitely a pancake house to return whenever I am back in Jakarta.