Sunday Brunch! That’s it! It’s time for the new level. Not just an ordinary all-you-can-eat buffet, but it’s an exclusively designed Sunday Brunch buffet with limited time and you gotta book yourself a seat first. Long story short, my friend had asked me out and of course I said I’m coming, and then booked the place one week prior. The price however, was a bit stunning since it was my first Sunday Brunch. Expect to pay IDR 268,000++ for Sunday Brunch with free flow soft drinks and juices or IDR 288,000++ with free flow red or white wine. I had to admit that before agreeing this offer, I felt reluctant a bit but since this was a rare offer and an intriguing adventure, I said to myself why not? Let’s hit the road then! *grinning*

Since Sunday Brunch only available from 10.30 AM until 2.30 PM, we decided to come a bit early so that there would be plenty of time should we wish to appease the monstrous appetite. Haha.. Intermezzo! So, lately I have been a quite frequent patrons for breakfast at Hyatt Jakarta with my other friend. They do close the breakfast buffet at 10.30 AM and we always start the breakfast at around 9 AM and that was a huge space of time for me to try everything. Let’s say that when we first came to Rosso, we were still rookies for a hotel dining. Therefore I conclude that coming too early does not necessary at all. Coming late would be a disaster of course, but at least 2 hours would be enough to taste everything from appetizer to dessert. Just take your time, don’t be too ambitious, prepare your stomach (a.k.a less breakfast), and don’t drink too much. That’s the secret art of maximizing the satisfaction in your all-you-can-eat dining experience.

We were given the menu explaining things about the brunch and we’re supposed to pick one from several options for the main dish. As for the rest, it’s gonna be all-you-can-eat! I picked Veal wrapped in cabbage, layered with mushroom, spinach, and cheese sauce. Sounds yummy eh? My partner chose Grilled sea bass with marinated vegetables, roasted potato, and balsamic emulsion. Enthralling! Haha.. Well, you can also pick other options such as Risotto with asparagus, tiger prawns, and fresh spinaches or Beef fillet mignon with pancetta sage potato, sauteed capsicum, and black truffle sauce. You might also want to know about ‘V’ crispy polenta with capponata, breaded mushroom, and basil pesto sauce or even try the Marinated chicken breast with roasted baby potato, grilled zucchini, and diavola sauce. Well, to be honest, these options might be obsolete by now. I do expect that Chef Alessandro Santi who runs the place, might do more experiments about the Italian main dishes there and the menu may be updated from time to time. FYI, that was the menu for March 2009, but at least you got the real image about Rosso right?

We can order the main dish anytime we’re ready. So first, we gotta indulge ourselves with the exquisite appetizers. There was a buffet made of ice blocks filled with fresh frutti di mare such as tiger prawns, scallops, crabs, and even lobsters. Further, we found the salad and pasta bars with many ingredients that I love such as asparagus, mushrooms, sliced beef made into carpaccio, many kinds of cheese, and others! You can also find meatballs that can be dipped with tomato sauce and pasta that you can take with ease. On the opposite table I found juices and drinks but you’d better save it for later.

The most interesting part here was the pasta bar, made and served personally by the Head Chef Alessandro Santi. We’re supposed to pick the type of pasta and the sauce. Doesn’t sound that interesting eh? But you’ll find it interesting once you know that Rosso provide pasta dishes like starting from Traditional Lasagna Bolognaise, Dover Sole Cannelloni, Saffron Fettucine, Spaghetti Rustichella, Farfalle, Black Olive Gnocchi, or Sea Bass Agnoloti and with sauces that you won’t find anywhere like Tiger Prawn Sauce, Eggplant Pesto, Porcini Sauce, or Black Truffle Sauce. Now now, you wouldn’t wanna pick too many appetizers (except for the fresh raw seafood) if you know that Rosso make such recipes. Personally made and delivered by the chef himself, showing that he cares. Such personal involvements really do make people appreciate food more and not only through the taste. By the way, I chose Ravioli with Tiger Prawn Sauce and that was a good choice!

Next, we’re ready for the main dish but first we’re served with another appetizer from the kitchen, the ‘V’ Minestrone soup with basil pesto, roasted pine kernels, and extra virgin olive oil. Well, I hate to say that it was like any other vegetables soup but still a decent one for sure. Not long after we finished with the soup, the main dishes came. My choice, the Veal wrapped in cabbage, layered with mushroom, spinach, and cheese sauce, was not exactly as I had thought. The veal might be tender, but the cabbage somehow didn’t fit into the taste. I actually favored the spinach only as the companion for the veal and topped that with mushroom for more decency in taste. However the so-called cheese sauce didn’t feel like cheese at all. It was nonetheless quite satisfying but it was beaten black and blue by the brilliance of the appetizers. That’s a shame because the main dish was supposed to be better.

As for my friend’s choice, the Grilled sea bass with marinated vegetables, roasted potato, and balsamic emulsion was somehow better but still not that special. Well, I don’t know whether it’s because the tongue of an Asian, notably Indonesian, was suitable enough with European dishes because we seem to fond more for sharper taste equipped with plenty of spices. Pretty bland for my tongue so I suppose this would be the homework for the chef. Adapt and conquer! That’s what we’re doing wherever we are right? Well, that’s for March 2009 menu. Perhaps now should be better.

Afterwards, we just can’t wait for the desserts! Plenty of cakes, ice cream, and colorful things to be plundered in the dessert section. I can tell you one thing, the best part of the dessert was the Pannacotta! Extraordinary! You gotta try it if you come to Rosso. Well, the tragic thing about the dessert was that I was beaten by my inability to try to finish all of the desserts. To wrap it up, they offer us coffee or tea as the finisher. After I finished the coffee, everything seemed to be blurry just like a dream that just passed away through a phase of my life. It was indeed like a dream come true and I do really wish to get a chance for another Sunday Brunch adventure. Perhaps Scusa for a comparison study. ^^

The Judgment (based on scale of 10 score plus the comments):

1. PRICE (6/10)

IDR 268,000++ for Sunday Brunch with free flow soft drinks and juices

IDR 288,000++ with free flow red or white wine

Pretty reasonable judging from ingredients used and things that you can’t find that easily outside. It’s a loss though if you can’t keep up with the goldmine. Hoho..

2. INTERIOR (8/10)

Dominated but red and good interior. Makes your dining experience doubled by the lascivious and elegant look of the joint.

3. SERVICE (7/10)

What else could you ask? Even the chef himself deliver the food personally to your table.

4. TASTE (7/10)

Excellent appetizers and desserts. They need to work out more for the main dishes though.

5. OVERALL (6/10)

Additional Information:

RSVP Required!!

Location : Shangri-la Hotel, Jakarta