Barong Bar and View, Fairmont Hotel Senayan Jakarta

September 30th, 2015. I went to Fairmont Hotel Senayan. After their grand launch back in August, Fairmont placed themselves as the most F&B establishment in Jakarta with total 10 restaurants / bar. Well, I couldn't agree more with those who said to me that Fairmont will be the most luxurious five star hotel in Jakarta. But their hospitality was also one of the best. I always felt welcome when I came to Fairmont. The environment indeed so regal, but I could feel their warm and friendly ambiance. Well, at that time, they welcomed me to Barong Bar and View.

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BARONG BAR

Barong Bar delivers progressive, innovative cocktails available in Indonesia using locally sourced ingredients mixed with classic techniques. A sleek yet relaxed ambience with emphasis on lounging and socializing; an enticing location where guests and local residents enjoy spending an evening drinking with friends in an upmarket yet animated atmosphere. The bar offers a refined selection of Champagne and premium spirits with particular focus on our renowned whiskey selection of rare and unique malt whiskey. The menu offers creative, simple, high quality dishes that can either be served individually or for sharing. These dishes have been created to embrace the cocktail offering.

Highland Daisy 180k

Scotch Whiskey, Benedictine, Rosemary, Raisin Honey Syrup, Lemon

When it arrived in my table, I thought, "Ugh, girly." LOL. Yup, the drink looked feminine. Tasted sweet with rich texture. I adore it.

Bénédictine is an herbal liqueur beverage developed by Alexandre Le Grand in the 19th century and produced in France.

Negroni 130k

Gin, Vermouth, Campari

Yeah, this was a masculine one. When I saw this drink, I suddenly thought, "Ah, ma man should drink this one." Too bad, my hubby cannot drink alcohol. A little bit dry, but strong enough to make me stop drink it. LOL. Don't ever make me drunk! You will be sorry hahaha.

Mango Mango 60k

Mango, Lime, Sprite

It's a non-alcoholic beverage. Sweet and fresh. My favourite. Yup, I always love mango. I said to my friend, "One mango is delicious. Two mango must be fantastic. How about three mango? Hahahaha." Well, ignore me, just stupid thoughts hahaha..

VIEW

Just adjacent to K22, View offers the best of creative culinary fusion with absolute respect for the ingredients to give guests a total experience of the senses. Superb view of Jakarta city skyline can be enjoyed though its floor-to-ceiling windows.

The Menu

Complimentary Bread

SNACKS

Gift of the Sea 95k

Tuna, Avocado, Watermelon, Vintage Caviar

Served in a hand. LOL. Scary right? Hahaha. Well, it's very unique. But tasted delicious. I love it. I finished it in a jiffy. The texture of the tuna was tender. Too small, actually. I wish it was much bigger hahaha..

Oyster, Lychee, Chili

Lovely oyster bowl with delicious oyster dish. It's so small, I gulped it down right away. LOL. The oyster was so fresh with firm texture and a little bit chewy. Only a little. Well, actually it's small because it was amuse bouche, special from the chef.

Hamachi, Citrus, Almond

Hamachi has a savoury flavour with buttery texture. Combined with citrus and almond, it's perfect for amuse bouche. But, for me, it's too sour. Hihihi. Yeah, sour dish was always my least favourite. :) The cute thing, they served it in sea urchin bowl. So cute!!!

The Japanese amberjack or yellowtail, Seriola quinqueradiata, is a bony fish in the family Carangidae. It is native to the northwest Pacific Ocean, from Japan to Hawaii. It is greatly appreciated in Japan, where it is called hamachi or buri (鰤). They are eaten either cooked or raw, and are a seasonal favourite in the colder months when the meat has higher fat content. Amberjack is typically thought of as a winter delicacy of Toyama and the Hokuriku region. Although it is frequently listed on menus as "Yellowtail tuna", it is a fish of an entirely different family, the Carangidae, rather than the Scombridae family that includes tunas, mackerels, and bonitos.

ONE: K22 Egg 80k

Sunchoke, Puffed Grains, Mushroom, Cassava

Eat this while it's still hot.. Actually I fell in love with the unique presentation and of course the process. First you open the cover. Then, you pour the egg. Then, eat that in your own style. LOL. Yeah, you can stir it, or you just eat one by one. Anything you like. Tasted very delicious. Well, sorry, but for me, half-cooked egg was always favourite. :)

The Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), also called sunroot, sunchoke, earth apple or topinambour, is a species of sunflower native to eastern North America, and found from eastern Canada and Maine west to North Dakota, and south to northern Florida and Texas.

Puffed grains have been made for centuries with the simplest methods like popping popcorn. Modern puffed grains are often created using high temperature, pressure, or extrusion. Puffed grains are popular as breakfast cereals and in the form of rice cakes. While it is easy to recognize that cereals came from whole grains, the expansion factor for rice cakes is even greater, and the final product is somewhat more homogeneous.

TWO: Foie Gras Roasted in Embers, Fermented Hibiscus, Sago

Quite unique to mix foie gras with sago. I always thought sago was only for desserts. But, the cute Chef Andrew Zarzosa surprised me with this dish. Combination of foie gras and sago with fermented hibiscus. Terrific!! The juicy texture from the foie gras and the chewy texture from the sago. Tasted like heaven in my mouth. Me want more. Me want more.

An ember is a glowing, hot coal made of greatly heated wood, coal, or other carbon-based material that remain after, or sometimes precede, a fire. Embers can glow very hot, sometimes as hot as the fire which created them.

THREE: Young Squid, Forbidden Rice, Yuzu, Sorrel

Not my favourite. Sorry, Chef. Squid was my least favourite in the seafood family. And the forbidden rice was like black sticky rice pudding. I didn't like it too hahahaha.. That's why I said it's not my favourite. Yuzu is a citrus fruit. Sour. Hahaha. Fix. *waving my hand to say goodbye to the dish* LOL. Sorry Chef!!! *winking my puppy eyes*

Sorrel is a slender herbaceous perennial plant about 60 centimetres (24 in) high, with roots that run deep into the ground, as well as juicy stems and edible, arrow-shaped (sagittate) leaves. The leaves, when consumed raw, taste like a sour green apple candy.

FOUR: King Crab, Beef Tongue, Parmesan-Tomato Dashi

OMG! It's very very very delicious. King Crab wrapped with Beef Tongue. Pour it with parmesan-tomato dashi. Tasted so fresh and flavourful. Taste-wise, the king crab was mild and juicy. The beef tongue gave a richer flavour to the king crab. But, the star was the parmesan-tomato dashi. Trust me. Recommended!

Dashi (出汁, だし) is a class of soup and cooking stock used in Japanese cuisines. Dashi forms the base for miso soup, clear broth, noodle broth, and many kinds of simmering liquid.

FIVE: Chayote Squash, Corn, Onion Roots

Typical chayote squash. Crunchy texture.  And the corn was unique in flavour. A little bit savoury and a little bit sweet. Well, I think it's in between. Err.. overall, it's unique. :)

Chayote squash is defined by its unique pear-like shape, its pale lime green coloring and the deep linear indentations along the fruit's thin skin that meet at its flower end. Its creamy white hued flesh has a semi-crisp texture that becomes succulent to cottony as it matures. Its central core contains small seeds, which though edible are most often discarded. Chayote squash's flavor is lacking in depth and offers a mere insipid taste, thus allowing it to be a carrier sponge of other accompanying ingredient's flavors.

SIX: Beef Rib, King Trumpet Tobanyaki, Quinoa

This was the champion of the night. The beef rib was juicy and tender. It was cooked for 36 hours. Can you imagine? It was soooooo delicious I wanna eat my friend's beef rib. HAHAHAHA!! Too bad, they all liked it. The king trumpet mushroom was also delicious. Perfect texture with perfect taste. Recommended dish!

 Apparently, "toban yaki" refers to the method of cooking on a ceramic plate.

Quinoa is a species of the goosefoot genus, a grain crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal, similar in some respects to buckwheat, rather than a true cereal, as it is not a member of the true grass family.

SEVEN: Surprise! [Dessert]

This surprise dessert was made by Chef Alvrie Manangka, It's chocolate bengbeng with chocolate and chocolate and chocolate. LOL. Yup, it's all about chocolate. Such an amazing surprise to end our fabulous dinner.

Thanks Fairmont Hotel for the fantastic dinner. It was a very lovely gathering with a hospitality gesture from the hotel. Cannot wait to be back again. Great job guys. :)

Barong Bar (Ground Floor)
View (22nd Floor)
Fairmont Jakarta
Jl. Asia Afrika No.8
Gelora Bung Karno
Jakarta 10270
Phone: 021-29703333
IG: @fairmontjakarta