When Yulius finally readied himself for a conversation with The Jakarta Post on Dec. 4, he revealed that it had always been his "philosophy" to be hands-on in FLYNN's day-to-day operations.

"Most of our customers are regulars, and most of our staff must keep them in mind. Which dish they would like, which table they might prefer, which type of mineral water they would want – we get to deliver those things by being hands-on," said Yulius.

Such proactive hospitality might be the reason why, despite its young age and the COVID-19 pandemic entering its second year, FLYNN is still standing as one of the capital city's hidden gems. Designed as a British pub in the heart of South Jakarta, the establishment aims to offer the intersection of contemporary cuisine and classic mixology.

Restaurateur: Yulius Novin, co-founder of FLYNN Dine & Bar Jakarta. (JP/Felix Martua) (JP/Felix Martua)

Sydney hustle

Born and raised in Jakarta, Yulius did not set out to be a restaurateur – at least, not initially. After graduating from high school, he pursued an art degree in graphic design at the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology in Malaysia from 2005 until 2009. His four years of college made him realize that drawing an artistic model was no different from engaging in his favorite hobby: cooking.

"If you think about it, cooking is an art. It's not just about the plating; when we cook something, we create the flavor. And art is all about creating as well, am I right?" he remarked.

In 2010, Yulius decided to pull the plug on his brief career as a graphic designer and attend Le Cordon Bleu Sydney. Understanding how costly the education would be, he and his parents settled on a mutual compromise in which the former would be responsible for the living cost whereas the latter would only be responsible for the tuition fee.

"I remember my parents gave me 10,000 [Australian] dollars, and I have never asked for more money ever since," he said.

Making ends meet in Sydney proved challenging for Yulius, especially considering how "the living cost in Sydney happens to be one of the most expensive [in the world]". During his stint in the city, he committed himself to a frugal lifestyle, which included working as a kitchen hand and "sleeping in a winter garden-like balcony". Furthermore, washing dishes at a winery for a living allowed him to observe the intricacy of operating a dining establishment.

Yulius was then accepted as a first-year apprentice at a contemporary cuisine restaurant, the Sydney-based Wild Sage. After he wrapped up his education at Le Cordon Bleu Sydney, he decided to spend an additional two years in the city to hone his cooking skills before permanently returning to Jakarta in 2014. After taking "a one month breather", he decided to apply for a job at Ismaya Group – by which he was then hired as an executive sous-chef at one of the group's dining establishments: Grand Indonesia's Publik Markette.

Ribs: One of FLYNN Dine & Bar Jakarta's signature dishes is US grilled short ribs. (Photo Courtesy of FLYNN Dine & Bar Jakarta) (Personal collection/Courtesy of FLYNN Dine & Bar Jakarta)

Fusion pub

After his contract with Publik Markette was up, Yulius figured it was time for him to take the next step in his career: opening his own dining establishment in Jakarta. His desire to be a restaurateur was rooted in the high risk-high return possibilities from being his own boss. "You can only earn so much by simply working for someone else in this country," he remarked.

The business district of Mega Kuningan soon became an appealing location for Yulius' upcoming business venture – the reason being the district was (and still is) packed with "highly educated" urbanites and expatriates that might be more suitable to his culinary vision and planned price range. Long story short: FLYNN Dine & Bar Jakarta opened to its first customers on Nov. 5, 2018.

As an eatery, FLYNN Dine & Bar Jakarta's tagline is "handcrafted feast of traditions", meaning that the food being served is handcrafted "and not ready-made", Yulius noted. Its focal point is contemporary cuisine: a fusion of different culinary styles encompassing Asian, European and Indonesian cuisines. For instance, one of its signature dishes, truffle capellini and steak, comprises grass-fed sirloin steak and enoki tempura. Another example is FLYNN's Dutch meat-based bitterballen that is complemented with Padang sauce.

For first-timers, Yulius personally recommends either crispy pork belly or US grilled short ribs (the latter for halal eaters). Furthermore, the meat and seafood ingredients are imported from overseas, particularly from Australia and Norway.

When it came to FLYNN's overall ambiance, Yulius aimed for "cozy" – hence, a bar was set up. He took cues from the dining habits seen in Western culture: "either before or after dining, [Westerners] often sip something like a Negroni or, as they would call it, digestive drinks". Described by Yulius as "a humble bar", it leans toward the classic type: offering the more commonly known liquor collections such as the Sterling Vintner's Collection Merlot and classic cocktails such as the old fashioned and cosmopolitan. One of FLYNN's customers' favorites is Thyme for Yuzu, the bar's signature cocktail, which comprises gin, thyme and yuzu citrus fruit.

Another deliberate element of FLYNN is the choice of background music, which Yulius described as "not really coffee shop songs" – the playlist mostly consists of lounge music and instrumentals. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., however, the background music is curated to accompany the "wine and dine" experience. A live jazz music performance takes place every Friday night as well.

FLYNN was deliberately designed akin to a classic British pub with splashes of pastel green paint, "heavy wood" tone and "very masculine" nuances. For the decor, the furniture consists of "old stuff" such as books, radios and a small television, further exuding a homely and vintage atmosphere. Yulius observed that thanks in part to its ambiance and interior design, customers and diners often spend their time at FLYNN "especially during the weekdays" for business meetings, family time and "some alone time".

Anton Pras, a Catholic priest and one of the regulars at FLYNN, offered his take on the pub.

"What's special about this place, I think, is the service and the food. The latter offers a lot of variety and I happen to like European food, but they also serve Asian food. I'm also fond of wine and they offer a few selections of it as well. Environment-wise, it's a very nice place. It's not really a fine dining place, nothing formal," he commented. "I do feel at home here."

Classic: The bar at FLYNN Dine & Bar Jakarta offers classic cocktails and liquor collections (JP/Felix Martua) (JP/Felix Martua)

A hidden gem, no more

The current pandemic, as expected, also affected FLYNN's operations. How did Yulius cope with the testing times? His answer, unexpectedly, was direct and plain.

"I just keep believing. That's all. I'm very glad that my regulars are still there. That's why we can still survive."

Stepping into the future, Yulius wishes for FLYNN to be more than just a hidden gem. On top of attracting new regulars, he would love to see the old ones returning to FLYNN as well, particularly the ones who have been feeling apprehensive to go outside due to the pandemic.

"When a customer who has not shown up for a long time finally comes to dine here and misses our food, I would feel so happy with that."

FLYNN Dine & Bar Jakarta is located on the ground floor of Menara Rajawali, Mega Kuningan, South Jakarta. During the pandemic, FLYNN opens from Monday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.. FLYNN also offers catering services.

For more details, check out its Instagram @flynnjakarta.