If you happen to be around the Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD) area, South Jakarta, and suddenly crave a delicious steak, you are in the right place.

If you happen to be further away from the SCBD when your appetite strikes, it would be well worth the trip for the succulent rib-eye or tri-tip that await.

On the sixth floor of the elegant Pacific Place Mall, adjacent to the Blitz Megaplex cinema complex, sits the Argentinean steakhouse Brasas which delivers a tasty fix for those with a yearning for char-grilled meat.

The exuberant head chef Nicolas Arriola runs Brasas, the first and only Argentinean steakhouse in town.

"This is the first of its kind," Brasas spokesperson Harry Prabowo said last week. My friend and I were visiting the dim lit restaurant and enjoying its casually refined atmosphere.

"We're trying to bring out a fine dining experience but in a low key, casual way," Harry said.

Decorated in a warm minimalist style, the restaurant does not exude the presumptuous aura sometimes associated with fine dining restaurants.

Arriola arrived, introducing himself and launching into a discussion about the problems with local politics. The greetings were hardly over and he was complaining about the passing of the anti-pornography law and the increase in import taxes.

"But let's not think about that right now," he quipped. "We will be serving you some food".

For appetizers there were empanadas (stuffed baked pastry) with two different fillings of mozzarella cheese and mashed sweet corn, and the uniquely Argentinean palm heart cream wrapped with cured beef ham. The appetizers were just right to prepare us for the heavier meals.

Next in the entr*e was a creamy risotto with mushrooms. It was quite rich, with a very strong mushroom flavor. My friend, who struggles to swallow anything from the sea, dared himself to raviolis stuffed with tiger prawns and salmon sauce.

"It tastes good," he said. From his expression, I think he was just being polite.

But after tasting Arriola's grilled black sea bass, he was a converted fish connoisseur, his eyes gleaming as he said, "Wow, this is delicious".

The sea bass come from the cold fresh waters of Chile, sent frozen to Indonesia.

"You can't find fish that taste like that in Indonesian waters because its too warm. Tuna, yes, but not sea bass," Arriola said.

My friend nodded, convinced by the quality of this dish.

The beef steaks were a work of art on their own. We tried everything from the veal rack, rib eye, and tri tip with mashed potatoes and also the grilled variety, which had been soaked in balsamic vinegar.

With six different sauces from diablo steak to mushroom, blue cheese, green pepper, tomato, Chimichurri (made from chopped parsley or cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, onion, and paprika with olive oil), every bite was a completely unique experience.

The tri tip and veal rack were tender, while the rib eye was a joy to slice and very juicy.

As imported meat from Argentina is not available in Indonesia, Arriola uses Australian meat and certain varieties from the United States, such as the short rib.

"We cannot find the quality of Argentinean beef in the Australian cuts, so we switch to the American. So it (the quality) is closer to the real thing. Not healthy at all but it's more authentic," Arriola said.

Arriola also uses New Zealand beef from grass fed livestock, but said the majority of customers chose the grain-fed alternatives because they are tenderer.

The dinner ended with a warm piece of browny, with caramel and ice cream coffee, in a pool of whisky and cream. A sweet end to a meaty dinner.

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