KAUM Jakarta at Menteng Jakarta

May 25th, 2017. Finally, I went to KAUM Jakarta. Actually I was asked to join to their pre-opening on May 19th, but I had another event. Too bad, right? When Natasha asked me to accompany her, without a doubt, I said yes. I remember on March 9th, I got the invitation to taste KAUM signatures menu in Attarine. Those dishes were amazingly delicious. And now it's time to taste the actual dishes with the real atmosphere of KAUM Jakarta.

Kaum, meaning “clan” or “tribe” in Indonesian, is an authentic Indonesian restaurant from the Potato Head Family. Before launching the first two outlets in Hong Kong and then Bali, the team behind Kaum embarked on an exotic culinary expedition, travelling across the archipelago to learn about the indigenous cooking methods, exotic ingredients, and authentic flavours of Indonesia’s tribal communities. The culinary collective also developed engaging relationships with many ethnic tribes and responsible small-scale producers around Indonesia, recognising their craftsmanship and the quality of their distinctive local produce. As a result of these efforts, both the menu and ambience at Kaum showcase genuine flavours that accurately reflect Indonesia’s heritage.

It's very easy to find KAUM Jakarta. Menteng area wasn't far from my place. As a matter of fact, it's quite near. When we arrived, I was stunned with the interior. They devided KAUM into 3 areas. The first area is the outdoor. The second area is the smaller room for more private events. The third area is the bigger venue for dining area. We were seated in the third area, with a different theme *they told us*. Curious enough? Just go there and enjoy!

Welcome Drink

MOCKTAILS

Rocket Juice 55k

Strawberry, pomegranate juice, citrus & bar-made rosella syrup. Shaken & served long

Tropical Smoothies 55k

Banana, mango, passion fruit, strawberry, citrus & coconut nectar. Blended & served long

Beach No-Hito 55k

Mint, bar-made spiced syrup, citrus & sugar cane juice. Crowned with Mojito foam & a chewy sugar cane stick

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SLOW PRESSED JUICE CONCOCTIONS

Merah 70k

Strawberry, dragon fruit, hibiscus, grape, beetroot, watermelon & apple

SODA

Bar-Made Pink Ginger Beer 40k

SMALL PLATES

Lidah Sapi Bakar Sambal Tangkil (West Java) 85k

Grilled ox tongue served with spicy melinjo leaves & green chilli relish

It was utterly tender. I think one of the most tender grilled ox tongue I've every had. I looks spicy but it's not. Combine juicy ox tongue with savory spicy from the sambal tangkil. Well-seasoned with distinctive flavour.

Ayam Berantakan (Chef's Inspiration from Aceh) 65k

Pan-fried chicken topped with toasted spicy coconut flakes, fried garlic slivers, fried curry leaves, fried oyster mushrooms & red chillies

I think the Chef got the inspiration from a popular chicken creation in Aceh. Aceh is well-known for their Ayam Tangkap dish. They called it  Ayam Tsunami because it's presented in a mess. I think it's the reason why the Chef named it Ayam Berantakan. I love the presentation. I called it a scrumptious mess. Tender and juicy chicken with a delightful taste.

Gohu Ikan Tuna (Maluku) 78k

Fresh tuna marinated in coconut oil, calamansi juice & fresh belimbi, served with kenari nuts & ginseng leaves

Raw tuna with sour and spicy flavour. For Japanese food lovers, you certainly know sashimi. Servings of raw meat, presented in a fresh condition. Apparently, Indonesia also have a food like sashimi, named gohu fish from Ternate. Gohu fish and sashimi are both made from raw food, in terms of fish gohu, the meat used is tuna or skipjack. And it's my first time to try gohu fish. Lucky me, right? Unfortunately, it's spicy. So, I didn't eat much. Maybe next time I will ask them to lower the level of the spiciness. :)

SHARING PLATES

Sate Sapi Wagyu Maranggi (Purwakarta, West Java) 130k

Chargrilled wagyu beef satay marinated with ginger, garlic, lesser galangal & crushed pepper

KAUM’s palatable sate maranggi from Purwakarta is one of the best part here. Tender wagyu beef with well-seasoned flavour. Absolutely one of the super recommended dish here.

Ikan Bakar Sambal Dabu Dabu (North Sulawesi) 150k

Grilled fish fillet marinated with tamarind water and turmeric paste, served with spicy fruit & vegetable salsa.

First bite, and it's a little bit tasteless. I think that's why they served it with spicy fruit, vegetable salsa and Amed sea salt on the side. Well, I didn't eat much, since I was disturbed by the bland taste. But, maybe next time I have to eat it with the sprinkling salt.

RICE & NOODLES

Nasi Goreng Cabe Asap 120k

Wok-fried rice with home-smoked chilli paste, fresh prawns, fermented krill, lemon basil & stinky beans

My Mom used to cook a fried rice like this, but this one was more spicy and more seasoning. Love the smoky aroma from the home-smoked chilli paste. It's addicting. And yes, we ordered 2 portions. Hahahaha. One of the best fried rice ever!

Mie Gomak (North Sumatra) 85k

Wok-fried noodles with shredded grilled chicken, andaliman spices, fresh curry leaves & coconut milk sauce

I read somewhere that it is not to everyone’s liking, and I agree with that. I, myself, didn't really like it. It's a little bit different from my kind of noddle, for sure. The spices were a little bit too strong for me. But the texture of the noodles was quite perfect.

VEGETABLES

Tumis Keciwis Tauco Pekalongan (West Java) 55k

Stir-fried baby cabbage with garlic & Pekalongan fermented soy bean paste

I don't remember whether I've ever tried this keciwis or not, but I didn't really like the stem. Too hard for me. But.. I love the fermented soy bean paste. It was really good. I can imagine I order warm rice and put the soy bean paste into the rice. Hmmm...

Pepes Aneka Jamur (West Java) 55k

Grilled assorted field mushrooms & lemon basil, wrapped in banana leaves

Love the aroma. Banana leaves are always good for making "pepes." But the texture was too dry with a "just-okay" flavour. The lemon basil enhanced the flavour, but I guess it needed more spices.

SAMBAL

Sambal Ikan Asin (Java) 20k
Salted grilled white bait & red chilli relish

Sambal Kluwek (Kalimantan) 20k
Roasted black nut & mixed chilli relish

Sambal Matah (Bali) 20k
Shallot, lemongrass, torch ginger, red bird's chilli & coconut oil salsa

Sambal Rica-Rica (North Sulawesi) 20k
Crushed lemongrass, ginger, red chilli & fresh lime juice relish

DESSERT SELECTIONS

Kue Lumpur Bubur Ketan Hitam (Java) 45k

Mud cake served with sticky black rice porridge

I was in love with this Kue Lumpur since the first time I tried it. It's really good with the gooey texture and the sweet flavour. I didn't need the sticky black rice porridge to enhance the flavour. It's already delicious with its own flavour. Super recommended!

Lapis Surabaya Selai Nanas Madu (East Java) 45k

Layered cake with caramelised pineapple jam & lemon curd

I always loved lapis surabaya. The caramelised pineapple jam is delicious and sweet. Scrumptious enough to end our exquisite dinner. One recommended dessert.

Klappertaart (North Sulawesi) 45k

Coconut bread & fermented cassava pudding served with caramel sauce

Klappertaart was never my favourite. Too coconut for me. Good thing, they put fermented cassava pudding with the coconut bread. It was adorable, for sure. The caramel sauce gave a heavenly boost. For klappertaart lovers, you should order this one.

Congratulations KAUM for the opening. We left KAUM with happy tummy and a lovely dinner experience. Cannot wait to be back to the alluring place.

KAUM Jakarta
Jl. Dr. Kusuma Atmaja No.77-79
Menteng, Jakarta
Phone: +62 21 22393256
IG: @kaum_jakarta