Our culinary cabaret: Jakarta’s top tables in 2024

From high-end cuisine to comforting local classics, these are the places to close out your year in delicious style when in the Indonesian capital.

Josa Lukman and Sheena Suparman

Josa Lukman and Sheena Suparman

The Jakarta Post

2024_12_16_158435_1734365944._large.jpg

Nine Table's menu presents a symphony of quality and authenticity. PHOTO: COLLECTED/THE JAKARTA POST

December 23, 2024

JAKARTA – With new dining spots opening on every corner, every day in Jakarta, it can be hard to keep up, especially if your dining companion always says, “You pick”.

Sure, 2024 might be full of unpredictability (and turmoil), but your food choices don’t have to be. We’ve made it easy for you by curating four of our favorite spots that opened this year.

From high-end cuisine to comforting local classics, these are the places to close out your year in delicious style.

Nine Table

Josa Lukman

My journey to discover the joys of Mediterranean living took me to One Satrio in Mega Kuningan, where I spent the better part of the evening munching on pasta, pasta, paella and yes, more pasta.

Nine Table, not to be confused with Hotel Mulia’s Table8, is the latest restaurant from Italian chef Roberto Fiorini, the genius behind the award-winning Casa Alba in Menteng and Alba on Jalan Sudirman.

Their menu presents a symphony of quality and authenticity.

My first bite was the burrata with spicy tomato, which was rather lovely as a delicate yet mild opener. But if you want to spice up your life, the spaghetti all’assassina has a satisfying kick without burning your taste buds.

Now, if you’re an Indonesian at heart who thinks you’ve not eaten until you’ve had some rice, the paella valenciana brings together the flavors of the sea in one generous pan. Be warned, though: The portions are large, which means you’ll either have to phone a friend or have the leftovers packed.

For beverages, Table Nine has an extensive wine list, but a carafe of sangria seemed fitting for the evening. I would have tried their tiramisu, but having seconds of the paella did me in.

I’ll leave that for the next payday.

BRIQ Bistro

Felicia Melody

Tucked away in Petogongan, South Jakarta, a quaint French restaurant with a striking burgundy door opened a few months ago.

BRIQ Bistro serves properly rustic French cuisine, opening at separate hours for lunch and dinner service. The space might be small, but its flavors pack a great punch.

Our culinary cabaret: Jakarta’s top tables in 2024

BRIQ Bistro serves properly rustic French cuisine, opening at separate hours for lunch and dinner service. The space might be small, but its flavors pack a great punch. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED/THE JAKARTA POST

For starters, the garlic butter escargot is a must-try. While escargot can often be tough when cooked wrong, BRIQ Bistro’s are tender and flavorful, revealing a mild earthiness paired with just the right herbs.

The steak au poivre is another highlight. My medium rare order was perfectly pink and tender, paired with creamy and savory pepper sauce.

If you’re not in the mood for steak, try the canard à l’orange, a crispy duck glazed with tangy orange liqueur, an elevated take on a classic dish.

If you still have room in your stomach after the meal, order any dessert. It’s worth the extra calories, trust me. I tried one of their weekly specials: A grilled pear served with beer cream and salted butter crumble, which proved to be an adventure of textures and flavors.

Despite being in a small yet cozy space, BRIQ Bistro is intimately delicious and has left me craving for more.

BanJoo 

Sheena Suparman

BanJoo is all about “Korean cuisine with a modern twist”, and it doesn’t disappoint.

Sharing a space with its fine-dining counterpart, JinJoo, and a modern steakhouse, WooBo, this spot in Kompound Jakarta in Kebayoran Baru is culinary heaven.

After going there a couple of times, I can confidently recommend a few appetizers: The char-grilled octopus pa jon, which is a Korean-style pancake with other friends from the sea; the truffle potato jon, which to me just looks like fancy Korean-style nachos; and the tuna radish tartar on seaweed chips that comes in a set of three that is definitely not enough.

The slightly spicy kimchi fried rice has a slight kick that keeps you wanting more. If that isn’t enough to fill your tummy, the large serving of WooDae giant galbi steak will definitely do the trick.

Our culinary cabaret: Jakarta’s top tables in 2024

BanJoo is all about “Korean cuisine with a modern twist”, and it doesn’t disappoint. PHOTO: COLLECTED/THE JAKARTA POST

But the highlight of this place, and perhaps of life in general, is the heavenly BanJoo fried chicken. From the crunchy skin to the flavorful meat and everything in between, this dish solidifies Korean-style cooking as the best way to fry a bird.

No matter how full we are by the end of the meal though, we can’t skip the panna cotta for a fulfilling ending.

Before we leave, I’m planning my next visit to explore the rest of the menu.

Cosmo Pony

Sheena Suparman

For an after-hours destination, our pick goes to the recently opened Cosmo Pony at The Grand Hyatt Hotel.

Designed to be “the living room of the city”, Cosmo Pony is a spacious venue that is packed on any given day. Booking a table beforehand is a must.

Once seated, we were handed a menu disguised as a trendy magazine called Rising City. We flipped through it to explore the food menu: Duck rendang pockets, anyone? Trust me, just order them.

Picking a drink was harder, though, with the endless array of concoctions.

Based on our limited experience, here are a few must-tries: Ugly Bananas, a mix of Japanese whiskey, orange, jasmine and egg white whisked together with bananas; and the Nuclear Midori Sour, a fusion of Midori, gin, absinthe and egg white. Notable mentions include Nastar Milk Punch and Godfather.

Our culinary cabaret: Jakarta’s top tables in 2024

Designed to be “the living room of the city,” Cosmo Pony is a spacious venue that is packed on any given day. PHOTO: COLLECTED/THE JAKARTA POST

If you’re with friends who love to drink as much as you, be sure to order the Margarita Royale, served in a rather large punch bowl.

For the extra mile, try the Tequila Cosmo, and consider booking a Silverbird for the ride home. Cheers!

Josa Lukman is an editor and head of the Creative Desk at The Jakarta Post. He is also a margarita enthusiast who chases Panadol with Tolak Angin, a hoarder of former “it” bags and an iced latte slurper.

Felicia Melody writes about lifestyle, beauty and fashion (and all things related to passion) from Jakarta. Some may say she’s all over the place, but she’s really just “always somewhere.”

scroll to top