RIAN FARISA

C’s Steak and Seafood Restaurant is one of the Grand Hyatt Jakarta’s proudest restaurants. Located on the 4th floor, C’s specializes in grilled food and boasts an intimidating collection of about 3,000 wines.

The restaurant sports a modern design that leaves no corner  empty, while an impressive soft lighting scheme creates a warm intimate atmosphere. What sets the place apart from its hotel rivals is the open-style kitchen, which can be seen from the dining area, and has counter seating for those who want an uninterrupted view onto what  goes on in the kitchen.

The conversational ambiance and easy listening sound track helped us forget about all of the chaos outside on Jakarta’s congested streets. The excellent manners and professionalism of the staff seemed to be the biggest benefit of having the restaurant situated in a hotel.

We ventured to order the Dim Sum Platter and the Seafood and Steak Platter, and while we waited, we were  invited to try the fresh Australian Oysters. However, the dim sum arrived before the oysters.

The dim sum consists of hakau, scallop shaomai, and original shaomai — thin pancakes filled with beef, and spring rolls. The hakau  which has always been a favourite item was tasty but credit is also due to the other items. While C’s specializes in grilled food, it could  make a name for itself on its dim sum and pasta dishes alone.

Then came the oysters! This was a majestic display of Australian raw  oysters, very fresh, served on a lofty platter teeming with ice and lemons. The oysters were divine and refreshing, even those we didn’t add  lemon to. They tasted as all oysters should — as if they were caught moments before in the sea.

The Seafood and Steak Platter happened to be a very inviting main dish. Served on a long platter filled with frutti di mare and carne, it was a delight. There was the lovely Norwegian  salmon grilled to perfection, and thankfully without any trace of a fishy smell. With mild pink flesh on the inside and a slightly crispy outside,  the dish brought the best out of what salmon can offer. The platter also included two spicy beef sausages, and a very suitable companion  of beef steak and lamb chops, both medium-well done. The steak and the lamb chops were excellent. In the surf corner were huge prawns  and a lobster. The lobster was indeed very fresh as evidenced by that tell-tale hint of sweetness within its mild meat.

Overall, it was a very  satisfying dinner. However, we would probably have walked out of the restaurant feeling we had eaten an over-priced meal if we hadn’t  selected the surf and turf option, which was understandably expensive.

Grand Hyatt Jakarta, Jl. MH  Thamrin, Kav. 28-30

RSVP: 021 – 3901234

Opening Hours: 12 pm- 3 pm and 6 pm to 11 pm

Rating: 4/5

–Featured in Time Out Jakarta November 2010 edition (pictures modified and added)-