Nannini Jakarta : Rejuvenated

It is quite an achievement of its own for a restaurant to prevail more than a decade in Jakarta, and not just barely existing, but also continually adds color to the industry. As such is Nannini, established in 1995, and much known for its former name, Alesandro Nannini. At the moment the brand is being refreshed along with the addition of the new branch in Plaza Indonesia.

I had the opportunity to experience first hand what the fuzz is all about last week. Goorme, one of the leading culinary portal in Indonesia, prepared a tasting dinner, gathering almost all of the prominent food bloggers in Jakarta. I arrived with my default expectancy, that is full curiosity and a ready belly. Let me take you through it.

Beetle Juice (Orange, Pineapple. Kiwi, and Passion Fruit) 35k

A glassful of Beetle Juice welcomed me as I was taken to my seat. Loved the proper table arrangement, and the details right to the ribboned menu. As the name suggested, it was a clean refreshing fruity mix of Orange, Pineapple, Kiwi and Passion Fruit. A good thirst quencher and exactly what I needed to warm up my appetite.

While waiting for the appetizer, I took a short stroll of the surrounding to see the furnished design. I guess many foodplace nowadays are going for the similar approach, different in details but feels the same, wood panels, basic earthy colors, and unusual lights as eyecandy. The interesting feature for me was the high ceiling that gives a breathable sense of space.

As we waited further, Fitrah Bya, the operational manager gave a demo of his skillful hands mixing drinks and cocktails. Was interesting to watch, but as I'm not too fond into cocktails, I didn't give it a try.

Fitrah Bya, Mixing Cocktails w/ Fire

A little while after, we were presented with the first meal of the night, Wild Mushroom Soup. On a first bite, it was delish! I find the garlic bread is a good complement to the soup. The mushroom debris also added a good feature on the texture. Creamy and flavorful. A great meal for an opening.

Wild Mushroom Soup 50k (A medley of wild mushroom drizzled w/ truffle oil)

Up next was a trio of Nannini's signature Salmon, Striploin, and Cordon Bleu. Out of the three, if I have to score out the most likeable, it would be the Salmon. I might be biased as I favor fish over others. I liked the grill and the fresh fish, although the sauce was contradictory for my palate. The next would be Striploin and then Cordon Bleu being the last. As I tried the Striploin, I couldn't help but noticing that it was a bit cold on the plate. A little warmth could really help to elevate the taste. Steak lovers would agree with me. However, the saucing was delightful. In my opinion, it might help if they did not force themselves to have three main courses on a same plate. The outcome was obvious, we waited two hours for them to come out. Not to mention, the small portion that has to be shared for two. It's better to have one coming after another as it would be served at its best timing.

Fortunately, I had filled up my belly an hour before with Oh La La's Red Velvet. That piece of cake saved me from madness (seriously, you don't want to see me hungry!). So, as it turned out, I enjoyed the waiting with my dinner mate, Daniel Kauranny and Harry Soetardjo. From coffee processing, to photography, to a debate about wine and the questionable marketing behind, we talked and talked. I really enjoyed the company, thanks to you two.

Nannini Salmon 85k (Grilled fresh norwegian salmon w/ mesclun salad, balsamic dressing)

Nannini Striploin (Grilled striploin served w/ creamy champignon sauce & mashed potato)

Nannini Cordon Bleu 75k (Chicken breast stuffed w/ smoked beef, cheese, red wine gravy)

In between conversation, we had these two drinks: Pineapple Cinnamon Roshka (a mix of vodka, pine, lime wedge, and cinnamon) & Sangria (brandy, mix fruits and red wine). I haven't had any encounter with these two before, so I don't have a yardstick to benchmark with. I do remember noting down the roshka was sweet with a bitter end. Light cinnamon so it does not really annoy me who dislike cinnamon. The sangria was stronger on the liquor, it almost wipe out the flavor of the fruits. I liked the earlier than the latter.

Pineapple Cinnamon Roshka 80k (Vodka, Pineapple Liquor, Lime Wedge, Mix Sugar)

Sangria 125k (Brandy, Mix Fruits, Red Wine)

To close the dinner, we had Nannini Tiramisu, or in their best description: "Mascarpone mousse covered sponge cake drenched in Kahlua and Baileys." I liked it, the soft moist texture and the tasty mouse. It was an enjoyable dessert and a sweet closing, although my favorite is still the one made by a friend of mine.

Nannini Tiramisu 65k (Mascarpone mousse covered spongecake in Kahlua & Baileys)

And that was it. I hope I did a complete write up of what we had. Curiosity killed. And I went home with a happier belly. Thanks again to Nannini & Goorme for having us. I'd like to come back soon to have the 'full version' of your main courses. In the mean time, I wish you all the best with the new rejuvenated Nannini.

Cheers,


Fellexandro Ruby
Food Conversationalist & Photographer

Snack on my tweets @wanderbites and instagram @captainruby

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NANNINI
Plaza Indonesia 2nd Floor, Unit L2, No. T. 111
P: (021) 2992 3650
T: @nanninijakarta
www.nanninijakarta.com