I knew this would be good.
Upon entering the cafe, on the second floor of the Italian Cultural Center, at 117 Jl. Cokroaminoto, in Jakarta's tony Menteng neighborhood, I noticed rolled dough on a red plastic tablecloth covering a round table on my right. A cooking class was underway in the opposite corner of the cozy dining area.
No fuss has been made with the decor. Cigarette burns pocked the vinyl sofa upholstery. There are black and white photos on the wall, evoking Italy of the 1950s and 60s - Sophia Loren, Fellini, La Dolce Vita. I felt relaxed, resolved that I had found a new favorite place to eat and hang out.
The menu is, thankfully, not extensive (who wants to pore over endless options that might or might not actually be available?), though there were more than sufficient choices to allow one to return many times, never having the same meal twice.
The cafe offers salads, appetizers, pastas, osso bucco, and pizzas. I chose the grilled vegetable pizza, which was delicious. It had just the right amount of salt; the flavor of the vegetables and olive oil came through. The thin crust was just a tad chewy in parts, but mostly crispy and light.
There are two sizes of pizzas from which to choose. Despite the name, the kid's size is ample enough for an adult.
It's just not right to end a meal without dessert. There were three options; almond parfait, soft brownie, and carrot cake. Surprisingly, no tiramisu. I like it when the waiter has a recommendation, and he was emphatic about the parfait, which was delightful. Creamy, chilled, with a soft biscuit base. Not too sweet.
I finished the meal with an americano coffee, which was robust and perfect.
The cafe is open for lunch and dinner.
Contact information is as follows:
Italian Institute of Culture Jakarta JL. Hos Cokroaminoto, 117
Menteng, 10350 Jakarta - Indonesia
telephone: +62 21 3927531 - +62 21 3927532
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