Coming all the way from Singapore to Jakarta, Joe and Dough might be not a stranger anymore to.some people here. Honestly speaking I wasn't aware of the brand till it had its first footstep here in Jakarta. Anyway, welcome and glad to have one more place to satisfy my sweet tooth craving!
The place chosen to establish the first baby was exactly the city's center-of-crowd located right at the heart of the capital city, Plaza Indonesia. I have always been in a love-hate relationship with this mall as it's too complicated for me to memorize its directory. I would try helping to ease you in finding the place, but one simple note, when get lost simply ask the security as they're very helpful and completely knowledgeable! Easy tips, if you happened to know Sephora, Joe and Dough outlet was located right across it at the L2.
The outlet was quite spacious and I loved the unique interior. They tried to make the outdoor ambiance delivered to the guests despite we’re actually dining in a closed space. The glass window allowed direct sunlight to come in and you could even enjoy the view of wide green-grass yard with cute paintings, right next to your seat. Most of the tables could only accommodate small groups, so if you came with a big one, you might have to sit separately except if you occupied the long sharing table near the entrance door. Unfortunately we couldn’t go outside, while I thought that’s the most Instagenic spot to get some snaps *frowned*.
As the place was a specialist of pastry and coffee, those ‘superstars’ of them were displayed right at the front entrance. This would ease those who only wanted to stop by for takeaway I guessed, besides to attract those passing-by for sure!
The service was kinda slow, bluntly speaking, as I needed to ask the waiter before being offered a table and needed to call them once again for placing my order. Besides, making additional requests took quite some time, such as asking for sauce or cutlery (the sauce even didn’t make it till we left the place. Perhaps he said yes but forgot it? Well I didn’t know). Another point to improve was perhaps the customization, such as my friend requested to have her Matcha Latte without whipped while it came with beautiful whip on top.
Thankfully, the beverages and the foods delivered on the table didn’t take that long and they did look awesome, just as great as the picture showed and the description told us.
Iced Matcha Latte (IDR 46k)
Raising your curiosity even more, let's start with the drink first before going to the 'climax' (read: food). My first impression on the Matcha Latte when looking at the presentation was 'WOW! It looked thick!'. I even thought it appeared to me more like shake. Despite it's indeed slightly thicker if relatively compared to common Matcha Latte, but the texture wasn't as heavy as shake. The taste wasn't bad at all, and if you're a fan of whipped cream, you got that extra happiness here.
JD Cookie Cup (IDR 55k)
Not only cute, their signature cookie cup was delectable and couldn't suit my palate better. The 4-oz coffee was so pleasant for me and I enjoyed each of my sip as it matched my preference, being not acidic yet bold. The doze was just right, and I could balance the slight bitterness with the sweetness from the cookie and chocolate coating in the inner layer of the cookie cup. Yes, that cup was surely edible and as a big fan of cookie I surely enjoyed finishing my cup. Thanks for curing my craving on Dominique Ansel's Cookie Cup! At least this was way closer to home and way easier to get <3
Short Ribs Mac ans Triple Cheese (IDR 180k)
Moving on to the more fulfilling part, F.O.O.D!! Starting from the savory one, their main course, for which my friends and I opted for their favorite Ribs paired to Mac and Cheese. As a beef and cheese lover, this combination surely made my curiosity roared! The pasta was cooked al dente, with a hint of smokey scent (perhaps coming from the sauce or the ribs?). I loved how the sauce being creamy and cheesy at the same time, but with right level that wouldn’t get you feel nauseated. The 'choir' of mozzarella, parmesan, and cheddar was just too lovely! Not stopping there, the ribs were so tender and juicy, like literally melted right at the first bite. If you’re in the same boat as my sister who loved some fats in the meat, this meal couldn’t suit you better!
Matcha Chocolate Croissant (IDR 30k)
Feeling like wanna try everything on the display, we (sadly) had to come up with choices as our tummies wouldn’t be able to handle that much. The first pick from the sweets selection was this Matcha Chocolate croissant, whose layers looked too perfect to be true! The glossy golden brown color was such temptation, including the shining matcha chocolate coating. It’s impeccably flaky and I enjoyed the buttery scent very much, which was well complemented by the bold green tea flavor. I wished I could have another matcha filling burst out when I sliced my croissant, but I could still say I overall loved it.
PB&J Cruffin (IDR 35k)
I guessed this second one was made of same base, just coming in different shape. I loved the presentation better, besides I might be bit bias as I was indeed a hardcore fan of peanut butter. I knew the apple one was another favorite and perhaps their signature, but I was such a lame when it came to peanut butter so there’s no such bargain for not having it on the table. I was delighted knowing my untold wish came true with this piece of heaven, as I got uber generous filling inside my cruffin; overflowing strawberry jam inside and royal doze of thick peanut butter on top! I would call this a sinful piece of addiction as I loved every single element in it, how the fresh jam mixed well with the peanut taste, and the cruffin itself came as flawless main element. Shortly said, they crafted an awesome trio for my premiere visit to Joe and Dough and they delivered a remarkable closing to the dining session.
All in all, I would right away give a nod for coming back here for their pastries, and I would look forward to having their cakes on my next visit! Anyway, I was more than excited to welcome their next outlet in Pondok Indah Mall!!
Taste: 8/10
Place: 7.5/10
Service: 6.5/10
Price: 7/10
Thanks for reading! :)
JOE & DOUGH
Address: Plaza Indonesia L2 #011C, Jakarta
Operating Hours: Mon - Sun 10am - 10pm
