As we stepped out of the elevator, it felt like we had reached an oasis of tasteful luxury. The three-piece jazz ensemble belted out Christmas tunes in flawless, unaccented English. They were pitch-perfect; the sound quality was thoroughly superb. Combined with the plush carpet, restrained seasonal decor, panoramic views of the city from the nearly floor to ceiling windows, and the calming browns walls and plush, green carpet, the Ritz Carlton’s Pacific Restaurant and Lounge achieved an upscale, sophisticated ambience.
Several of our party had run in a 5k charity race in South Jakarta earlier that morning and could better afford to consume the many thousands of calories that a brunch such as the Ritz's offers. Others of us were more slothful sybarites. One whom shall remain nameless (ahem) had to sample almost every dessert on the buffet, to judge which of the sweet temptations were most worth consuming, concluding that the mille-feuille, almond tart and poppy seed cinnamon roll were among the top.
But we're getting a bit ahead of ourselves. The champagne (or was it sparkling wine?) was very good, though the servers weren't as generous with it as some of us might have hoped.
Several of our party had run in a 5k charity race in South Jakarta earlier that morning and could better afford to consume the many thousands of calories that a brunch such as the Ritz's offers. Others of us were more slothful sybarites. One whom shall remain nameless (ahem) had to sample almost every dessert on the buffet, to judge which of the sweet temptations were most worth consuming, concluding that the mille-feuille, almond tart and poppy seed cinnamon roll were among the top.
But we're getting a bit ahead of ourselves. The champagne (or was it sparkling wine?) was very good, though the servers weren't as generous with it as some of us might have hoped.
Several fresh juices were on offer. The strawberry was just right: lightly sweet and just a bit pulpy, enough to remind you that this was the real thing. Pineapple, orange and kiwi were also available. All were invitingly displayed in one-serving, individual carafes nestled among crushed ice in large silver coolers.
The choice of food was appropriately varied, from Chinese pork belly and duck, to traditional Indonesian rendang, to sushi and traditional western cuisine. My favorites were the flat crab cakes, a sort of fusion of a latke and a crab cake, elegantly presented a la Japonaise with a mayonnaise sauce finely criss-crossing the dish, topped with small strips of seaweed and Katsuobushi shavings (or bonito flakes) that seemed to be alive, writhing, I later learned, in response to the heat of the dish.
The choice of food was appropriately varied, from Chinese pork belly and duck, to traditional Indonesian rendang, to sushi and traditional western cuisine. My favorites were the flat crab cakes, a sort of fusion of a latke and a crab cake, elegantly presented a la Japonaise with a mayonnaise sauce finely criss-crossing the dish, topped with small strips of seaweed and Katsuobushi shavings (or bonito flakes) that seemed to be alive, writhing, I later learned, in response to the heat of the dish.
The de-shelled shrimp coated with an egg-based sauce and lightly fried, and the rendang were less visually interesting favorites.
It was hard for me to imagine a more pleasant brunch in the capital. As soon as I said that, the true foodie among us mentioned that, in her opinion, Orient8 in the Mulia rivals the Ritz as the best brunch in town. I can't wait to see if she's right.
Planning your visit:
Pacific Restaurant and Lounge, Sixth Floor
The Ritz Carlton Jakarta, Pacific PlaceJl. Jendral Sudirman Kav. 52-53
Phone: (62) 21 2550 1888 http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/JakartaPacificPlace/Dining/Pacific_Place/Default.htm
It was hard for me to imagine a more pleasant brunch in the capital. As soon as I said that, the true foodie among us mentioned that, in her opinion, Orient8 in the Mulia rivals the Ritz as the best brunch in town. I can't wait to see if she's right.
Planning your visit:
Pacific Restaurant and Lounge, Sixth Floor
The Ritz Carlton Jakarta, Pacific PlaceJl. Jendral Sudirman Kav. 52-53
Phone: (62) 21 2550 1888 http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/JakartaPacificPlace/Dining/Pacific_Place/Default.htm
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