From the brains behind the success of Three Buns and Potato Head Bar & Bistro comes the latest, and equally exciting, dining adventure in Jakarta, inspired by the Spice Route.
Like its sister establishments under the winds of the PTT Family, Attarine has a strong tropical ambiance and bespoke rustic design. High ceilings, an open kitchen and casual counter seats are all but the group’s trademark. But the distinguishing focal point here is its serving station, which takes the form of a real vintage car, parked right in the middle of the restaurant.
Since its official opening on the 15th of October, Attarine has swiftly garnered the attention of Jakarta’s foodies. First and foremost, it’s located on the trendy street of Gunawarman, the place to see and be seen. It also helps a lot that the menu is fresh, vibrant and utterly exciting. With spices as the main concept, it doesn’t take much to titillate one’s taste buds. When you think of how spice trade in the old days brought together people of different backgrounds in large-scale trade across such long distances, that’s probably enough reason to be interested in the first place.
Chef Jacob Burrell is a recent addition to the culinary world in Jakarta, hailing from California, where he was most recently the executive chef at the Big Sur Bakery and Restaurant, a fine dining destination that has been praised by The New York Times for its “hearty California cuisine with a curious soul”. He also served as sous chef at the three-Michelin-starred Manresa Restaurant in Los Gatos.
The menu at Attarine is truly a testament to Chef Burrell’s wide experience in integrating disparate cooking styles and ingenious use of fresh local ingredients.
For starters, we went for Wood Fired Flat Bread with green lentil purée with Middle Eastern spice blend za’atar, Cast-Iron Skillet Shrimp with chili, tamarind and coriander, Sesame Sourdough toast topped with roasted eggplant and fried garlic, as well as Stuffed Onions filled with minced beef and rice in a savoury broth, topped with seasoned kales. While the seasonings of the Stuffed Onions were a bit too strong for me, the other three turned out to be full of pleasant surprises.
Moving onto the mains, we were served Pan-Roasted ‘Fish of the Day’ Fillet, Lamb Shoulder Chops and Baked Pelawan Mushrooms. Here’s the verdict.
Simply seasoned with herbs, the fish was then aptly paired with marinated zucchini and tomatoes. With an extra oomph from the sambal condiment, the result was a heavenly experience. The BakedPelawan Mushrooms had a pleasant buttery taste with a nice kick of spice. And although I’m not a big fan of lamb dishes, I have to admit that Attarine’s Lamb Shoulder Chops succeeded my expectations: tender, succulent and flavourful.
Over at the bar await a number of refreshing cocktails and unique mocktails. Take, for example, itsJamu Royal —think turmeric, tamarind, honey, lemon juice, carrot and ginger beer— or Roasted Bloody Mary —a unique blend of vodka, roasted tomatoes and peppers, bird’s eye chilies, oregano, cracked black pepper and Worcestershire sauce.
Attarine opens from 11 AM to 11 PM from Sunday to Wednesday and from 11 AM to 1 AM from Thursday to Saturday.
Attarine
Jl. Gunawarman No. 11 A, Jakarta Selatan 12110
T: +62-21 2277 1256
www.attarine.com
