Hot Potato
Bruce Emond, WEEKENDER | Thu, 07/02/2009 4:27 PM |
Since opening earlier this year, Potato Head has quickly become one of the hottest places in town to dine and hang out. Despite its name and big-time status, Bruce Emond finds it is dishing out neither spuds nor ample helpings of attitude.
It’s a weekday evening, and the rain and traffic have cleared from outside the Jakarta Stock Exchange building. Potato Head, the bistro-style restaurant on the ground floor of Pacific Place, is still buzzing with patrons.
Its vintage industrial design bespeaks Cool Cosmopolitan City Anywhere, but the presence of safari-suited security men, its location in one of the biggest malls in town and the backed-up traffic outside identify it as thoroughly contemporary Jakarta.
The lounge sofas out front and ground floor bar area are full of executive types sampling cocktails and appetizers, while the tables on the upstairs mezzanine, lit with the quirky touch of nursery lamps, host couples, groups of friends and, off in the corner, a very large party of business executives apparently hashing out the fine print or congratulating themselves on sealing the deal.
The ambiance is relaxed and unpretentious; diners (most of them, at least) are not craning to see who has walked in with who. It’s a mix of young and old, locals and expats, the trendy and those who eschew that label but still want to get a look-in at the current popular spot
That’s exactly the diverse crowd that Potato Head’s owners are looking for.
Chef Sandra Budiman says the restaurant wants to banish the intimidation factor that often comes with the in-demand eateries in the capital for an everybody’s-welcome policy.
“Behind the concept of this place is that Jakarta needs something a bit more edgy in that sense, where there is an industrial feel but where you also feel right at home,” says the Cordon Bleu-trained Sandra, who spent most of her youth abroad before returning to Indonesia.
“We wanted to create something that was more welcoming for people, of any age, any background. On Sundays, we get a lot of families, but on weekdays we get a lot of partygoers who want to hang out with some nice cocktails and relaxed food and a nice ambiance.”
Architect Andra Matin has created an ingenious design that is something to behold, mixing the vintage (one friend remarked it reminded her of stepping into a 1940s airport) and contemporary seamlessly. Although industrial design can be cold and sterile, Potato Head successfully pulls off the delicate balance of being trendy while providing the desired welcoming comfort zone.
Out front are the comfortable sofas and tables, with planters containing herbs and vegetables serving as a barrier from the pedestrian traffic into the mall. The interior ground floor section, with a 12-meter bar and tables, has a more bistro-like feel. The mezzanine, reached by a winding wooden gangplank, is comfortable and spacious, a place to see and be seen without being distracted from one’s food or dining companion.
Then there is the playful side to the restaurant, from huge murals of spaceships and the menagerie of plastic bunnies, teddy bears and kittens to nursery lamps on the tables, the cute touch of children’s books used as bill holders and, of course, its name.
“We just wanted something catchy where people don’t forget the name, something playful. But then we realized some people would think that we were only serving potatoes, and I said I don’t want to do anything with potatoes because then I should just have a potato house,” Sandra says with a laugh.
The menu fits on a one-page board – there’s a handful of starters, a choice of two soups, sandwiches, main courses, pastas and desserts. That can be a good thing for diners spoilt for choice – and left confused – by lengthy food lists at other eateries.
In coming up with the menu, Sandra says she knew an entirely French cuisine of her background wouldn’t hack it in Jakarta, so she devised bistro-style eats that would be more familiar and palatable to diners.
“The menu covers a lot of things,” says the chef, who plans to refresh the menu every quarter or so and offer daily specials. “A few starters can do for the individual or share, because that’s the culture here. In the afternoon, people get together for a chat and like to share some appetizers.”
We tried out the food before meeting Sandra to see if it was worth writing about, and deemed that it was. First up was the smooth and satisfying oven-roasted tomato and sweet pepper soup, served with homemade pesto. Also judged tasty was the classic French onion soup, boasting crisp baguettes and a thick Emmenthal cheese gratin.
For the main course, we opted for the fennel roasted white snapper, served with garlic, chili, fresh basil and cherry tomatoes and the tempting wagyu beef burger. Not a great lover of fish myself, I was impressed by the subtle and bold flavors of the snapper.
Of course, the burger, served on a wooden cutting board, is no average fast-food patty, especially with a price tag of Rp 100,000 (plus Rp 15,000 for every additional topping, such as pork or turkey bacon, cheese, egg, etc). We decided to keep things simple, with just a slice of mild cheddar cheese to accompany Potato Head’s special sauce and grilled onions.
It was moist, take-your-breath-away delicious, and large enough for two of us to share after the soups.
We were satisfied, not stuffed, but there was no room for dessert (the restaurant serves Haagen-Dazs ice creams among its sweet temptations). Everything added up to a great dining experience, with the good food, crisply efficient service and, most of all, the laid-back and welcoming atmosphere that Sandra spoke of. It delivered on every count.
Tater Tips
• Lovers of all things nostalgic and the offbeat will be in their element. Park yourself in the Tolix chairs, designed by Xavier Pauchard in 1934 and originally used in the weather forecasting room of a French battleship. The bar stools are made of tractor seats combined with vintage stools; there also are vintage industrial lamps from Paris, hangars in Australia and factories in the US.
• Potato Head declares it wants to “revolutionize the Jakarta bar scene”, and it hired international bar consultant and mixologist bar solutions to come up with a special cocktail list. Try the attention-getting dragon fruit cocktail, or the fresh, palate-cleansing lime cocktail sipped through a head of bubbles. There also is an extensive wine list.
• As upscale Jakarta restaurants go, prices are reasonable. Starters range from Rp 42,000 (nori-wrapped prawn) to Rp 55,000 (escargots and the trio of mini flatbreads); soups are Rp 40,000–45,000. Mains begin at Rp 80,000 (the snapper, lemon chili garlic prawns, organic baby chicken) and top out at Rp 260,000 for the char-grilled prime black Angus beef tenderloin tornado.
It’s a weekday evening, and the rain and traffic have cleared from outside the Jakarta Stock Exchange building. Potato Head, the bistro-style restaurant on the ground floor of Pacific Place, is still buzzing with patrons.
Its vintage industrial design bespeaks Cool Cosmopolitan City Anywhere, but the presence of safari-suited security men, its location in one of the biggest malls in town and the backed-up traffic outside identify it as thoroughly contemporary Jakarta.
The lounge sofas out front and ground floor bar area are full of executive types sampling cocktails and appetizers, while the tables on the upstairs mezzanine, lit with the quirky touch of nursery lamps, host couples, groups of friends and, off in the corner, a very large party of business executives apparently hashing out the fine print or congratulating themselves on sealing the deal.
The ambiance is relaxed and unpretentious; diners (most of them, at least) are not craning to see who has walked in with who. It’s a mix of young and old, locals and expats, the trendy and those who eschew that label but still want to get a look-in at the current popular spot
That’s exactly the diverse crowd that Potato Head’s owners are looking for.
Chef Sandra Budiman says the restaurant wants to banish the intimidation factor that often comes with the in-demand eateries in the capital for an everybody’s-welcome policy.
“Behind the concept of this place is that Jakarta needs something a bit more edgy in that sense, where there is an industrial feel but where you also feel right at home,” says the Cordon Bleu-trained Sandra, who spent most of her youth abroad before returning to Indonesia.
“We wanted to create something that was more welcoming for people, of any age, any background. On Sundays, we get a lot of families, but on weekdays we get a lot of partygoers who want to hang out with some nice cocktails and relaxed food and a nice ambiance.”
Architect Andra Matin has created an ingenious design that is something to behold, mixing the vintage (one friend remarked it reminded her of stepping into a 1940s airport) and contemporary seamlessly. Although industrial design can be cold and sterile, Potato Head successfully pulls off the delicate balance of being trendy while providing the desired welcoming comfort zone.
Out front are the comfortable sofas and tables, with planters containing herbs and vegetables serving as a barrier from the pedestrian traffic into the mall. The interior ground floor section, with a 12-meter bar and tables, has a more bistro-like feel. The mezzanine, reached by a winding wooden gangplank, is comfortable and spacious, a place to see and be seen without being distracted from one’s food or dining companion.
Then there is the playful side to the restaurant, from huge murals of spaceships and the menagerie of plastic bunnies, teddy bears and kittens to nursery lamps on the tables, the cute touch of children’s books used as bill holders and, of course, its name.
“We just wanted something catchy where people don’t forget the name, something playful. But then we realized some people would think that we were only serving potatoes, and I said I don’t want to do anything with potatoes because then I should just have a potato house,” Sandra says with a laugh.
The menu fits on a one-page board – there’s a handful of starters, a choice of two soups, sandwiches, main courses, pastas and desserts. That can be a good thing for diners spoilt for choice – and left confused – by lengthy food lists at other eateries.
In coming up with the menu, Sandra says she knew an entirely French cuisine of her background wouldn’t hack it in Jakarta, so she devised bistro-style eats that would be more familiar and palatable to diners.
“The menu covers a lot of things,” says the chef, who plans to refresh the menu every quarter or so and offer daily specials. “A few starters can do for the individual or share, because that’s the culture here. In the afternoon, people get together for a chat and like to share some appetizers.”
We tried out the food before meeting Sandra to see if it was worth writing about, and deemed that it was. First up was the smooth and satisfying oven-roasted tomato and sweet pepper soup, served with homemade pesto. Also judged tasty was the classic French onion soup, boasting crisp baguettes and a thick Emmenthal cheese gratin.
For the main course, we opted for the fennel roasted white snapper, served with garlic, chili, fresh basil and cherry tomatoes and the tempting wagyu beef burger. Not a great lover of fish myself, I was impressed by the subtle and bold flavors of the snapper.
Of course, the burger, served on a wooden cutting board, is no average fast-food patty, especially with a price tag of Rp 100,000 (plus Rp 15,000 for every additional topping, such as pork or turkey bacon, cheese, egg, etc). We decided to keep things simple, with just a slice of mild cheddar cheese to accompany Potato Head’s special sauce and grilled onions.
It was moist, take-your-breath-away delicious, and large enough for two of us to share after the soups.
We were satisfied, not stuffed, but there was no room for dessert (the restaurant serves Haagen-Dazs ice creams among its sweet temptations). Everything added up to a great dining experience, with the good food, crisply efficient service and, most of all, the laid-back and welcoming atmosphere that Sandra spoke of. It delivered on every count.
Tater Tips
• Lovers of all things nostalgic and the offbeat will be in their element. Park yourself in the Tolix chairs, designed by Xavier Pauchard in 1934 and originally used in the weather forecasting room of a French battleship. The bar stools are made of tractor seats combined with vintage stools; there also are vintage industrial lamps from Paris, hangars in Australia and factories in the US.
• Potato Head declares it wants to “revolutionize the Jakarta bar scene”, and it hired international bar consultant and mixologist bar solutions to come up with a special cocktail list. Try the attention-getting dragon fruit cocktail, or the fresh, palate-cleansing lime cocktail sipped through a head of bubbles. There also is an extensive wine list.
• As upscale Jakarta restaurants go, prices are reasonable. Starters range from Rp 42,000 (nori-wrapped prawn) to Rp 55,000 (escargots and the trio of mini flatbreads); soups are Rp 40,000–45,000. Mains begin at Rp 80,000 (the snapper, lemon chili garlic prawns, organic baby chicken) and top out at Rp 260,000 for the char-grilled prime black Angus beef tenderloin tornado.
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