The Apartment

I remembered The Apartment as one of the IT places in Jakarta to be and to be seen. Back in the days before I even realized the waves of new restaurants springing up in Jakarta, The Apartment was already jetsetting on the media, boasting its novel idea of a restaurant with the interior of an entire apartment, replete with jacuzzi and bath tub! Of course such publicity and novelty got everyone, including me, impressed.

Newspaper-inspired new menu layout

A few years after promising myself to visit, I finally understood, for the first time, all the brouhaha back then. The ambiance of The Apartment is indeed pleasant & casual. In the evening, it emanates a somewhat romantic feel. My first visit in 2011 left a good impression. Damn, I wanted to come back again!

The bedroom, bathroom & kitchen for dining areas

Much to my dismay, on the second visit in early 2012, my fond memory was shattered by the uninspiring dinner with my cousins. The interior still looked the same, but I was annoyed by the fact that smoking indoor is allowed here. No offense to the smokers out there, but you would be much more considerate and appear civilized to smoke outdoors. Soon, I also found out that the food menu has been significantly truncated! Where's the delish Calzone that I had last time? Most of the interesting stuff I found in the food menu the previous year, are gone, only to be replaced by standard, uninspiring choices. Although I must admit that the drinks menu now have more variety and new twists. Is this their strategy to place The Apartment as a lounge / bar, and not so much as a restaurant anymore? Perhaps.

Left: Penne Pesto Chicken IDR 65,000
Right top: Spicy Spaghetti IDR 75,000
Right bottom: Penne Gorgonzola IDR 75,000

Top: Tom Yam Goong IDR 75,000
Mid: US Sirloin Steak IDR 235,000
Bottom: Prosciutto crispy crust Pizza IDR 100,000

Now, commenting on the food, all of them tasted pretty standard. If I have to pick the best of those we ordered, I'd choose my cousin's Penne Pesto Chicken over my own Penne Gorgonzola. For the great distance we travelled just to come here & the price we paid, my cousins and I agreed that it's not really worth our effort, because seriously, I can get much more delectable pastas elsewhere nearer and more reasonably priced. BUT, as every cloud has its silver lining, The Apartment can be a great option for lunch or after-work dinner or meeting venue for those working in Rasuna Said area. To visit or not? The choice is in your hand. Adios! =)

The Apartment

Menara Gracia, Ground Floor

JL. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. C-1

Ph: (021) 5200380