Tag Archives: Brunch

The Pancake Co. by DORÉ: The Rise of Japanese-style Pancakes

October 30, 2020 Rian Farisa Leave a comment

Good food is the reason to explore Plaza Senayan these days, especially the lower levels of it. Traditionally here, people are going upstairs for the renowned food court and the shopping mall’s signature restaurants. Downstairs, a gourmet supermarket has many other things aside from its goods and the foreigners visiting it. As a foodie, it’s a playground full of wonders to explore.

The Pancake Co. by DORÉ resides within the area of the supermarket, at a lot once rented by several curated shops. The name DORÉ it self came from DORÉ by LeTAO, which has been known for the past four years for its successful cheesecake business in Jakarta. Last November, the management decided to venture into new terrain and The Pancake Co. by DORÉ opened just a couple of months back.

You might think that it’s another pancake shop but quite surprisingly, it isn’t. Unlike the American-style pancake – flat, floury, and with flavors coming from the toppings only, this one is the total opposite. But before you can taste one to see the difference, a friendly word of advice, you need to build up your patience to wait for 20 minutes of cooking preparations.

The dough needs to be shaped into thick circle over the grill pan and then cooked evenly. It is in contrast with the usual flat pancake we have been very familiar with. Currently, you can choose over four types of toppings to accompany the pancake here. Ask for the original that has vanilla ice cream, maple syrup, and nama cream. There are options also for chocolate lovers and those who want to enjoy fruits with it.

Once served, it is recommended for you to enjoy the pancake immediately. Its fluffy consistency cannot be retained for long and will quickly shrink in just under 5 minutes. So, unlike the usual floury pancake, The Pancake Co. by DORÉ’s version has the souffle-like texture that’s both spongy and creamy. DORÉ’s specialization in anything cheese makes it possible to create a formula that has a lot of flavors offered inside. Add a bit of ice cream or maple syrup if you will, but personally, I like it just the way it is!

Heading to other parts in the menu, The Pancake Co. by DORÉ offers all-day brunch dishes. Among those that are recommended are the Spiced Eggs Benedict with beef and chicken bacon or Emmental Cheese Toast using brioche and served with the house specialty corn soup, perfect also for dipping. The Chicken Quesadillas proved to be a decent sharing menu and served with homemade sour cream, guacamole, and mango salsa.

As for the main course, the Classic Carbonara is a must-have, especially because it’s complemented with onsen egg and the luxuriously smoky, sliced Scarmorza cheese. Another must-have would be the garlic fried rice topped with steak, onsen egg, and a drizzle of truffle oil. And for the desserts, you can always opt to have sliced cheesecakes – courtesy of DORÉ by LeTAO.

Described as a happy and lively place, The Pancake Co. by DORÉ would be a worthy visit if you are planning to have your daily dose of pancakes with your loved ones and enjoying European-style brunch dishes with Japanese touch. Come prepared for the waiting list and the 20-minute wait for its unique souffle pancake. But need not worry because not far in the future, The Pancake Co. by DORÉ will open another outlet. Can’t wait for that!

This article was published in Passion Magazine

THE PANCAKE CO. BY DORE – PLAZA INDONESIA

Address:
Plaza Senayan, LG Sogo, Jl. Asia Afrika No.8, Senayan, Jakarta

Website:
https://www.instagram.com/pancakecobydore/

Opening hours:
Daily, 10am – 10pm

Jakarta

Why You Should Visit Fairmont Jakarta for Sunday Brunch This Weekend

March 16, 2018 Rian Farisa Leave a comment

Jakarta seems can’t get enough of Sunday brunches and there’s no sign of stopping. Jumping into the fray now is Fairmont Jakarta with its self-styled Moonlight Sunday Brunch. Naturally, there are many reasons for you to book your place there and enjoy it this weekend.

Spectrum is perhaps among the most highlighted of many all-day-dining restaurants of five-star hotels in Jakarta. Based on my personal experience, Spectrum has that edge with many inventive cuisines from time to time. Partly perhaps because of the initiatives done at VIEW, the hotel’s premier fine-dining restaurant. But most of all; it’s because of Fairmont Jakarta’s brilliant Indonesian chefs, their free rein of creativity, and for me personally – Spectrum has among the best Indian food in town!

Spectrum is located on the 2nd floor of this extravagant, prestigious hotel in the southern part of Jakarta. For Moonlight Sunday Brunch, Spectrum prepares a wonderful lineup of buffet selections, carving stations, a wide array of cheese selections, blini and caviar, alluring antipasti and fresh seafood, and many more.

The fresh seafood part is among the best in Jakarta as it encompasses wide selections such as the sweet prawns, tiger prawns, Fine de Claire oysters, king crabs, mud crabs, clams, and many others. Spectrum also introduces its so-called halal charcuterie with choices such as the air-dried beef or the bresaola, the turkey ham, lamb salami, lobster terrine, and cured sea bass or smoked salmon.

When I said earlier that the cheese selections are widely arrayed, well, indeed it is. Premium cheese cuts from the usual parmesan wheel to brie and camembert as well as comte and gorgonzola are available with fresh grapes, biscuits, or dried fruits as the accompaniments.

The star of the show however, comes from the carving station. Chef Edi Pancamala initiated an ambitious approach to introduce something special to this station. By not setting aside the usual selections like the ribs or the fish, he instead featured the steamship!

Weighed around 30 kilograms and came from the thigh of the cow, the specifically ordered steamship takes three days just for marination and cooked at optimum temperature using sous-vide method. Furthermore, the herb and seasoning rubs were also applied and the presentation is indeed very eye-catching.

I personally had around a couple of huge slices of this majestic cut and grew very fond of it. It’s a cut unlike others and has a consistency that is less meaty but gives away a brand new experience and appreciation for the blessed beast – if I may say so myself. It’s definitely a must-try for brunch regulars of Jakarta.

Last but not least from the savory section is the a la carte menu that comprises of eight choices from burrata, scallops, lamb pie, eggs Benedict, and more. Ending the whole experience would be the neatly arranged and delightful desserts, influenced by both worlds – Indonesian and abroad.

For those who wish to spend the weekend with their family and loved ones, the Moonlight Sunday Brunch at Spectrum restaurant is available every Sunday from 12pm to 3pm and priced at IDR 625,000++ per person – including coffee, tea, special mocktail and fresh juices.

SPECTRUM
Not halal-certified (serves alcohol, some dishes contain pork)
Some dishes are suitable for vegetarians

Address:
Fairmont Hotel Jakarta
Jalan Asia-Afrika no. 8, Jakarta – Indonesia
T: +62.21.2970.3333

Jakarta

Weekend Brunch at Salt Grill by Luke Mangan, Jakarta

July 8, 2014 Rian Farisa Leave a comment

Not more than a decade ago, several restaurants ruled the skies of Jakarta but probably only less than a handful of them survived. Even I would call that an overstatement provided perhaps only one or two survivors left remaining, but safe to say, certainly there’s a time when Jakartans were probably not into sky dining anymore.

However, things started to change and sky dining becomes a trend anymore. One of the pioneers is of course, Altitude with its four star-studded restaurants located on the 46th floor of The Plaza, right in the heart of the city.

Fate brought me at last to Australian celebrity chef Luke Mangan’s Salt Grill to experience Altitude’s initiative of a weekend brunch that features some of the finest dishes for you to choose to your heart’s content and topped with fresh additions from the buffet.

Highlighting the ala carte dishes, one must surely know where to start and that goes for the eggs benedict – done marvelously with good crumpets and hollandaise sauce. My wife was the one who chose it and certainly she opted for that good salmon gravlax. Interestingly for the substitute, you can choose for the avocado.

A fellow blogger friend of mine, Verdi a.k.a The Hungry Doctor picked the Sydney crab omelette, which was an interesting subject because of the Asiatic and of course, the crab, but we agreed that other choices we made that day were better.

Take it for example – the baked barramundi or the chicken roast, starred as the roast of the day. Both of these exemplify how Australian cuisine can incorporate well with its neighboring continent’s influences but deliver a degree of finesse only found in five-star establishments.

On a lighter note, you can also opt for buttermilk pancakes or pappardelle pasta alternatively, but please do make room for desserts as Salt Grill offers an interesting poached peaches, mascarpone sorbet, with berry consomme, which I failed to try, as well as commendable mocktails and iced teas.

This delightful opportunity of having a solid brunch from 46th floor overseeing the skyscrapers and the blue skies are for only IDR 350,000++. It’s a real bargain I must say and many places do offer brunches as well, but certainly not with this kind of ambiance and atmosphere.

So, next stop would be another great brunches at Salt Grill’s neighbors – Enmaru and Gaia. Hop on with me, lads!

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SALT GRILL BY LUKE MANGAN
Halal-friendly (some of the menu items contain alcohol and pork)
Suitable for vegetarians

Address:
Altitude at The Plaza, 46th fl, Jalan MH Thamrin Kav. 28-30, Jakarta – Indonesia
T: +62.21.2992.2448

Opening hours:
Everyday, TBA
Weekend brunch is only available on weekend and public holiday, 11am – 3pm

Website (ALTITUDE) | Website (Salt Grill) | Facebook | Twitter (ALTITUDE) | Instagram

Spend: IDR 350,000++ (Weekend Brunch only)