WINC Collaborative Space and Cafe, My Soon-to-be Second office?

Calling itself as a collaborative space and cafe, basically this new comer brought an innovative concept, which has been flourishing in Jakarta and the cities around lately. The place became a one-stop solution for anyone who was in demand for a space which could function as a meeting point, whether for meeting, working together, coaching, or even holding small-sized events. It wasn't the one with highly formal and luxurious ambiance, as it's indeed intended for more casual catch-ups. 

Seemed like trying to satisfy the needs of various types of guests, the venue itself provided the space for both people who came solo and in groups. It was equipped by furniture and supporting tools like whiteboard, projector, small and huge tables, stationary, etc. Going more informal, you could even find spots where you could sit on the floor, or simply laying in relax on the couch. 

The cozier as well as more private space was definitely the second floor, which I divided into several sections with my imaginary virtual-line; the presentation and coaching section right after the stairs, the family and friends relaxing meet-up sections with two-level simple seatings and petite low tables, the teamwork and individual section at the back with communal and long tables respectively. Shortly said, it's like a minimalist library coming with contemporary design. I was doubtlessly sold to the idea and I guessed my mind had voluntarily signed-up for loyalist here. Required to order minimum 1 item to be able to occupy a vacant space at this level? Well, bring it on :). Glad news, it's close to my office so now I was spotting the calendar, trying to find the dates for doing agile-working from there.

Not just collaboration space, the cafe did offer other seatings for those who just wanted to dine in at the first level. Smokers were also well-treated here with the dedicated space in front of the venue, and when I said well-treated, I literally meant it as this open-space spot wasn't a small one like what coffee shop had generally. 

As a dessert addict, I wasn't only passionate in eating them but also in crafting them from scratch. Thus, I was beyond enchanted to find out WINC's having transparent kitchen, letting me to enjoy the live-show of the pastry chef preparing for the desserts. I was even planning for joining their upcoming pastry class when they set up another one again, just like what they'd done yet I didn't know in prior. 

The key star behind all the seductive-looking desserts was Nana Cake Boutique. In my guesstimate, the gorgeous chef, who seemed to be a very passionate and talented chef from the way she looked so serious in building every single cake, named Nana. I was sorry if it's wrong, but I simply wanted to say you're stunning with that awesome ability to produce all the appealing cakes. 

Being in a cafe specializing in cakes and having the DNA as a sweets-holic, for sure I was opting for those attractive slices displayed on the chiller. Honestly, not much choices were available there, for which I wasn't sure if it's because that time was still quite early in the morning or they intentionally only showed some of their cakes. Since at that time I didn't know all the cakes collections provided by Nana as I hadn't gone into the website, I didn't ask as well if I could order those not in the showcases. But next time I would surely do for those I was interested in. 

Hot Piccolo (IDR 25k)

Hot Cappuccino (IDR 28k)

Just like an anthem every time I visited a cafe, there they were, the duet of caffeine cups I made landed on the table - Piccolo and Cappuccino. The Piccolo was quite a differently served one as the glass looked more like an espresso glass for me. The taste was another surprise as it's too sour for my palate and the after-taste didn't really suit my liking, perhaps it's the cup for those who fancied coffee with high-acidity. Despite that I wouldn't say that The Cappuccino was the best one ever, I was more into it than the prior cup. It's not overly milky, yet the acidity of the coffee was neutralized to the proper level. I guessed next time would be the turn for the flavored latte ;)

Thai Milk Tea Cake (IDR 42k)

It wasn't only man who desired a partner, coffee did, and that's why I gave each of the cups one. I intendedly put the Thai Tea one as the initial trial as I'd spotted that it's more into spongy texture, while my dessert preference was more to either fudgy or cream-based one. I had priorly guessed from the appearance that it would be little bit too dry, perhaps because it's been quite long in the fridge, but let's keep it as my guesstimate only. I wasn't sure if the sponge cake layers did contain Thai tea flavor as I could barely taste it.  It was more from the cream layers, which was actually pretty decent, being not too sweet. But honestly speaking, my palate demanded bolder Thai tea sensation in it. 

Chocolate, Banana, and Salted Caramel Cake (IDR 40k)

I put my hope at the second cake, which was actually the one I chose myself as well. Luckily my friend agreed to order it, because if he didn't, I might insist anyway *smirking*. Reading the name, it somewhat reminded me of Banoffee, just that it neither had coffee nor was it a pie. The chocolate-based cake was dense and fudgy, yet still at the adorable level that it didn't create that uncomfortable bloated feeling (read: eneg. yeah pardon me, as I couldn't find any other similar term in English to explain it). The banana cream layer which was complemented by little banana cuts made the cake became more tantalizing as it suited the chocolate too well by giving fresh taste to balance the heavier cacao flavor. Not to forget, the salted caramel which made the overall cake was slightly too sweet, yet I still loved it so much and found myself couldn't stop from having another spoon of it. In summary, let's call it sinful indulgence!

As I left the place, I had recorded in mind that I would certainly be back again. I personally felt it's such a spoiling place for working. I got the peaceful ambiance, the spirit where everyone else around me was doing the same thing, and most importantly I got my pair of spirit booster - caffeine and sweets. For you who fancied savory dishes more, or wanted to work or kill time here but worry of being starving, you needn't worry as they did provide heavy meals. Currently the available options were indeed very limited, yet I hoped they would add much more soon :)

Taste: 7.5/10
Place: 8/10
Service: 7.5/10
Price: 7.5/10

Thanks for reading! :)

WINC SPACE

Address: Ruko Graha Boulevard Blok A 19, Gading Serpong, Tangerang

Phone: (+62) 81 8131 092

Operating Hours: Mon - Sun 9am - 11pm

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Semasa di Kota Tua, the Memory of Colonial Era

It's such an impressive mind behind the name of the coffee shop, which for me was able to perfectly revealed the character to be exposed from itself, a vintage place that would bring out all those beautiful old memories from our beloved capital city. Not just that, I was also mesmerized by the fact that they sticked with using Bahasa Indonesia for the name, yet it could still be a very catchy one, even better than many cool ones stated in English. 

Located in Jakarta's old city area, to be precise right across One of Jakarta's busiest train station - Jakarta Kota, this coffee shop could be easily found when you're given direction beforehand. If you're first timer without any priorly given clues, you might get lost or found it troublesome to get to the spot as there's no visible signboard guiding you to find the venue. I was almost passing it when my sight luckily fell on a signboard with quite small letters standing in front of the building. It's not that easy to be spotted as the board wasn't even dedicated for Semasa, but being shared with other corners within the building itself, which also shared information there. 

Semasa cafe was located at the third level of the rustic old-fashioned building, which was mostly covered in white walls and red bricks. It already looked quite shivery, for which I wasn't surprised at all, since it's been standing there for over 100 years, being the house to an insurance company in the Dutch-colonial era called OLVEH. 

Entering the tall-standing wooden doors, you would be greet by the birds-replica hanging on the ceiling. Some gorgeous old paintings were displayed, decorating all the corners. I wasn't sure if it's free space or rented ones for showcasing those artsy creations, but I certainly knew they looked awesome! I could see some people well took the advantage to use the space for photo shoots. I wasn't only talking about those simple snaps with cellphones by the amateurs, but also the real serious ones with complete advanced equipment. 

Going upstairs, there was Semasa di Kota Tua, occupying perhaps only quarter-size of the whole third floor. It wasn't a fancy one with elegant furniture, yet it didn't fail at all to amuse me. The simplicity proved its ultimate sophistication as I saw it's not only me, but also abundant tourists stopped by and taking tons of pictures of the place. There were only two petite round tables and a long communal one were provided there for the guests who wanted to sit down for awhile, sipping their cups of drinks while enjoying the panoramic scenery of our forever-hectic old city. 

I heard from my friend who knew the owner in person, this man who's mostly there all-day long taking care of the cafe himself, was a tea specialist who has been sharpening his expertise in this field for years. He's also the owner of the currently happening Pantjoran Tea House, so no wonder people mostly came to give a try on their tea. 

 

Following the crowd, I picked their Japanese Matcha (IDR 35k), one of the selections under tea group that's claimed as the best-seller. When delivered on the table, the owner would pour the boiling water into the cup that's been pre-filled by the green tea powder, then mixed it with the traditional Japanese tea stirrer. The way to enjoy it was pretty unique as the sugar was served separately in a braided shape. The owner briefed us that you have to chew it before having the tea in order to get the sweet flavor as the tea was quite bitter. I was quite surprised with the unique way it's served and I was initially a bit worried it would be extremely bitter. Gladly, when the truth was revealed as I had my first sip, it's indeed bold yet the bitterness level was surely acceptable. The sugar which came as the balancer to the taste, was decent as well as the sweetness was just right.

Japanese Matcha (IDR 35k)

Japanese Matcha (IDR 35k)

Japanese Matcha (IDR 35k)

Japanese Matcha (IDR 35k)

While I was having tea, my friend opted for their Hot Cappuccino (IDR 35k) which turned out didn't have that fancy latte art as usual ones we met in other coffee shops. Taste wise, it seemed to be not suiting our palate well as it's slightly too bitter, having the flavor more into black coffee. 'Cheating' on the coffee, my friend then mixed it with brown sugar and it turned to be much better. So I guessed now the black coffee lover already got one more option for what they should go for when coming to Semasa ;). Good stuff (and perhaps unique as well), it was served on a tray accompanied by 3 petite different cookies which in my guesstimate were Chocolate, Pineapple (Nastar), and Butter. They were simply the traditional ones you might commonly met in any occasions like Christmas, New Year, or Eid. 

Hot Cappuccino (IDR 35k)

Feeling incomplete having drinks only, we had one of the two choices of light bites provided. Basically, the choices they provided as your beverage-pairing varied everyday but they were typically desserts. On my visit, they had Giant Soft Cookie and Brownie, for which I picked the latter one to match my drink. I would rather call it sponge cake covered in chocolate than brownie as you might see and judge yourself from the picture. Nonetheless, please don't get me wrong as I didn't say that this matcha-powder-topped cake wasn't nice. It was a middling one with light texture and beautiful balance of bittersweet flavor from the compilation of matcha and chocolate. 

Brownie with Matcha Powder

Brownie with Matcha Powder

Overall, it's a wonderful experience visiting this place and enjoying the ambiance of ancient Jakarta. Amusingly, this coffee shop seemed to be appealing not only for us the locals, but also foreign tourists who took their city tour strolling around Old City area. 

For your friends or relatives who might haven't gotten the chance to physically visit the venue by themselves, you could let them see the pictures of the place, while giving them extra happiness by buying some handmade gifts sold there as well. Clothes, tableware, kitchen utensils, stationary, and many more; all of which were coming in vintage and distinctive design, and most importantly quite affordable prices. Surely worth the visit when in Kota Tua!

Taste: 7/10
Place: 8/10
Service: 8.5/10
Price: 7.5/10

Thanks for reading! :)

SEMASA DI KOTA TUA

Address: Gedung OLVEH, Jl. Jembatan Batu No. 50, Jakarta

Phone: (+62) 877 8622 5886

Operating Hours: Mon - Sun 11am - 5.30pm

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Colorful Korean Dining Spot by Gamsul Jakarta

I've heard of Gamsul before they opened their door for public for the very first time. Yes, passing the venue, I knew they're coming soon into the gigantic family of restaurants in PIK area. Looking from the outside only, the interior seemed awesome regardless it didn't look that much Korean to me. 

Today I was finally exposed to the colorful contemporary design, providing a cozy and spacious spot. It was actually a great idea to bring totally new ambiance for a Korean restaurant since for me it became one of the distinctive points for this restaurant. 

Consisting of two storeys, the first floor of this 3-day-old restaurant had a long bar table at the center where you could enjoy the live show from the barista crafting the beer, while sipping from your beverage cup. Whereas the second floor was made as dedicated smoking area, but I could see some people also utilized it for private events including meeting up with friends in large group. 

As you might have known, there were several types of Korean restaurants based on the type of dishes they served. Gamsul was the one providing a la carte dishes cooked in the kitchen and served for the guests, so it's not those DIY Korean barbeque :). The selections included Korean noodles and rice, as well as grilled and fried pork, chicken, and beef; simply said the menu you commonly found in any other Korean restaurants. 

Having my orders served on the table, I honestly thought it's too pricey considering the portion wasn't as huge as typical ones I usually had with similar price. Luckily, they were still in their opening promo period, for which they had 30% off if you posted your food pictures on Instagram. Nonetheless, let's wish the taste to go beyond expectation so I at least got satisfied with the pennies I paid *fingercrossed*. 

I started the course with their Cheese Buldak (IDR 169k) or what's more commonly known as Fire Chicken with Cheese, blending fried chicken, veggies, and (supposedly) tteokbokki or Korean rice cakes in sweet and spicy Korean traditional sauce. You might spot that I put 'supposedly' there, as yes I indeed expected to have those scrumptious rice cakes mixed in this dish yet I couldn't find one. Well, yes I was indeed sharing the dish with my friends so at first I guessed it's just me being unlucky thus I couldn't get it. However as I called it out, apparently only one of us got the tteokbokki and actually even for that piece, he was still doubtful if it's indeed tteokbokki as it's quite small. Yeah, kinda disappointing as we didn't order any additional tteokbokki, expecting that we would have it in this dish. Some of you might think I was stingy (yet I believed some would be in the same boat with me LOL), but sorry to say I wasn't expecting myself to pay this much just for this. It's still fortunate that the chicken was not bad with tender texture and scrumptious taste, but I wanted my tteokbokki please :(. 

Cheese Buldak (IDR 169k)

Cheese Buldak (IDR 169k)

Being typical Indonesian that time, we wanted to have our meals with rice so we ordered their Joo Muk Rice (IDR 89k). For those proclaiming themselves as Korean food lover, you're surely familiar with its ingredients featuring mushroom, various veggies, and seaweed. These fist balls couldn't suit my palate better with its tantalizing flavor and super rich mixture. I rarely loved rice-based dishes yet this one would surely be an exception. If only it didn't cost that much, I would call it the best Joo Muk Rice you would regret for not trying. *PS. 1 portion consisted of 5 pieces with bigger size than the picture; the waitress told us that they intentionally changed ours into more pieces with smaller size as they noticed we're sharing.

Joo Muk Rice (IDR 89k)

Not yet satisfied by the first main dish, we went for another one, Woo Koo Mi (IDR 179k), the pairing of beef and octopus cooked in sweet and spicy sauce as well. Simply said, it was another yummy one with juicy beef slices and decent texture of octopus. I could easily chew it and all the spices were perfectly blended into the whole dish. Voila!

Woo Koo Mi (IDR 179k)

Woo Koo Mi (IDR 179k)

In a nutshell, it was actually a palate-spoiling early-dinner, especially with the second and third dishes being there. If only it could come with more affordable price, I had no doubt to call this new comer as recommended!

Taste: 7.5/10

Place: 8/10

Service: 7.5/10

Price: 6.5/10

Thanks for reading! :)

GAMSUL JAKARTA

Address: Ruko Crown Golf Blok D 62-63, Pantai Indah Kapuk, Jakarta

Phone: (+62) 877 8102 1110

Operating Hours: Sun - Thu 11am - 11pm, Fri - Sat 11am - 00am

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