Charkoal, Jakarta

Bahasa l English

Jakarta's restaurant industry is growing rapidly. This semester, there are many new restaurants in the Jakarta area. This time, I went to the Charkoal restaurant, operated by Ismaya, an F&B industry group in Indonesia for a long time. Many of you may be familiar with its restaurants.

Charkoal is located in the SCBD neighborhood, which is well-known as a high-end destination for Jakarta society. With a capacity that is not too much and feels more intimate. The simple lighting setting adds an elegant subtlety, and there is an ember showcase in keeping with the Charkoal brand. The concept is not a joke; the entire food production procedure here uses embers from actual charcoal, with no gas stoves. Another intriguing fact is that dozens of natural fermentation ingredients in the jar are used as one of the keys to the flavor of each dish. The dinner set meal is available in two options: 14 and 17 courses. 

The second session, which I attended this time, began at 07:30 p.m. and lasted approximately two hours for this supper set menu. Begin with the welcome bread, which is served with a distinctive nori butter. Then there was some amuse bouche with a lovely presentation. Continued with the first cleanser to balance our taste buds with a truly stunning dish, Heirloom.

Amazing appetizer dish, with a variety of flavors in each bite. After that, we moved on to the seafood session, which had some fascinating seafood items. Of course, each dish incorporates fermented components as part of a more harmonic meal. There are four seafood dishes: hamachi with a tangy and fresh taste, oysters covered in butter crisp, scallops with delicious umami laksa sauce, and soft Murray cod.

Following the seafood, dinner resumed with the second cleanser, which had equally gorgeous dishes. Shine Muscat features intense thin slices of muscat grapes, soursop sorbet, and a fresh scent of eucalyptus and mint.

Half of the 17-course set menu's dishes had been served in around an hour. Continued with the main meal of poultry and beef. Starting with duck served with foie gras, then pork belly with chimichurri and yuzu pesto, and finally Australian beef MB9+ with indisputable quality and taste.

After finishing several savory courses, it's time for a sweet dessert. This session features Fig & Charcoal, an ice cream dish with an appealing presentation; the taste of traditional Indonesian ice, such as shaved ice with a modern design, and an ice cream mix with vanilla and charcoal flavor. The tape (Fermented Cassava) dessert is then served on a single platter in four varied shapes, textures, and flavors. As a closing touch, two chocolates with distinct flavors, Tiramisu Blitz and Smokey Negroni Bonbon.

The 17-course experience may feel quite long, especially for those of you who are not used to sitting for a long time with a lot of food choices. However, in my opinion, 17 courses spent in 2 hours is quite fast compared to several Michelin Star restaurants that require 3 hours for a set menu of dozens of dishes. The taste of the dishes is amazing with a dominant umami character in each dish. Of course, this dining experience can be a suitable choice for special events such as romantic dinners. It is recommended to make a reservation in advance with a seating capacity that is indeed very limited.

                                                                        Yovent, is a full-time content writer and social media influencer who loves to travel overseas with high passion and enthusiasm to explore the world of gourmand. Living in Jakarta with the diversity of cultures, foods, trends, and lifestyles gives him much inspiration to create the stories. Blogging since 2014, with more than 5 years of experience, he has a good capacity to work in food writing & photography.

Charkoal

SCBD, Jl Sudirman Kav 52-53, No. Lot 22, Jakarta Selatan

Tel: +6221 514 021 21