Elite Traveler Asia Edition, Issue 6, The Guide, Jakarta

ASIA EDITION

TOP SUITES OF

PARIS 30

ISSUE 6

THE GUIDE

JAKARTA

BY GREG HARADIRAN

SALT ‘N’ SPICE Jakarta’s most prestigious tower, The Plaza, finally gets the kind of occupant it deserves with the opening of Salt Grill by Luke Mangan, one of Australia’s hottest culinary exports. Just like Glass Brasserie, Luke’s flagship restaurant in Sydney, Salt Grill Jakarta serves tantalizing Australian cuisine that includes dishes like Sydney crab omelet; chateaubriand; and licorice parfait.

The restaurant’s winning points are many and cover all that is essential for a truly world-class establishment. Star power of one of Australia’s most recognized chefs, endorsed by Sir Richard Branson, Bill Clinton, Tom Cruise, and even Mario Batali? Check. Genuinely great food coupled with first-rate service? Check again. An interior that projects understated luxury while allowing an unhindered, 180-degree panorama of the city? You bet. And then there is the impressive wine cellar holding over 1,200 bottles and an elegant cigar bar in which to enjoy an exclusive tipple.

In back, longtime Mangan hand Marjon “MJ” Olguera, who cooked with Mangan at the wedding of Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Princess Mary, oversees the kitchen operation. His long years with Mangan have instilled an ELEGANT DINING / SALT GRILL

instinct of what Salt Grill is all about: Honest, modern food crafted from the finest and freshest local and Australian ingredients.

Salt Grill has a capacity of 130, with three separate private VIP rooms and

CHATEAUBRIAND / SALT GRILL

LICORICE PARFAIT / SALT GRILL

a coveted chef’s table. It is part of Altitude, a new concept from Singaporebased F&B mogul PJ Partners that also boasts Enmaru Japanese Restaurant and Gaia by Oso Ristorante. In addition, the nearly 4,000-square-foot complex boasts a mezzanine level that doubles as a lounge/cigar bar and wine cellar.

Contact: General Manager Daniel Whitelaw, 62-878-7191-1689; daniel@lukemangan.com; www.saltgrillindonesia.com

A COVETED CORNER Hidden within a former landmark building is a new 1920s-esque gentlemen’s club promising safe haven for Jakarta’s whiskey aficionados who, until recently, have only had a couple of decent places where they could enjoy a dram.

WHISKEY BONANZA / NIP & DRAM

Nip & Dram’s two most prolific co-founders, Bogdan Vlase of Buddha Bar in Menteng and Klaus Woizik of the Luxury Collection’s The Keraton at The Plaza, each own an impressive collection of single malts they thought could serve a better purpose. And thanks to them, you can now walk into Nip & Dram and choose from more than 150 different single malts from Scotland and even 10 Japanese whiskeys, a good offering for a city not known as a whiskey drinker’s paradise.

Flip through the menu—make sure you ask for the Owner’s Collection Book, which details prized collectibles such as Invergordon 1965 and Macallans from 1947, the 1970s, and the 1980s—and euphoria will soon emerge as you discover coveted producers like Bunnahabhain, Port Ellen, Royal Lochnagar, Bruichladdich, Lagavulin, and Auchentoshan, on top of well-known labels such as Glenmorangie, Laphroaigh, Glenfarcals, and Caol Ila. The whiskey tasting set is a must in this place, as the bar’s selection continues to evolve on a day-to-day basis, as do the signature drinks, many of which are laced with the bar’s own aging barrel imported from Spain or the COLORFUL COCKTAIL / NIP & DRAM

EXPERT CRAFTSMANSHIP / NIP & DRAM

US. Pair any of those with a Partagas Serie D No.4 and you might just understand why celebrities such as Anggun C. Sasmi, Sophia Latjuba, and Titi Rajo Bintang are regularly spotted here and never seem to want to leave.

Contact: Co-owner Bogdan Vlase, 62-813-8837-2934; bogdan.vlase@nipanddram.com; www.nipanddram.com

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