Jl. Melawai VIII no. 4
Blok M
Kebayoran Baru
Jakarta Selatan
Tel. 7279 8463
Rarely does a restaurant come with a concept that dazzles, and even rarer is a restaurant that dazzles quietly. But rarest of all is a restaurant that does the latter the second time around, which is what Boci Boci—formerly Ambai—does, with its new lease on life. French twists that used to beguile puritans—camembert on hot plate, clams in white wine sauce—are now relaxed part of the restaurant’s oeuvre, which now seems to swing towards the tried and true. The ultra-sleek wood-and-planed-bamboo décor hasn’t much changed except for the island in the middle, which was mind-boggling in its heyday; now, in its stead, are three seating booths. Service has really leapt ahead, with one or two table attendants who really know their stuff.
In the main, the food on offer is still appetizer style—a kind of trendified izakaya—, light and quietly fashionable. Standouts include taro croquette, spicy eggplants and the wonderfully moist minced meat (tsukune) with sweet sauce, even if this is no yakitori place (unsurprisingly, the chicken wings and chicken breast with plum leaves are slightly overcooked).
Presentation aside, the sashimi moriawase is nothing to write home about, but the unagi kamameshi, subtly flavoured and generous, hits the right spot. The real stunner of the evening, however, is the black sesame ramen soup, which is green-slush hideous to look at but with an aroma that anticipates its own delight; the dish, which has a part-soup, part-gravy consistency, is built upon a sturdy fish and vegetable stock that brings out, to our endless fascination, the panache as well as the curative quality in black sesame. Here is a one-meal dish that affirms life as food is often known to do; you can almost hear the clientele, mostly Japanese businessmen, nod in agreement.
Price range: Rp 500,000 for 2
Operating hours: 18:00 – 23:00
Dress code: casual
Atmosphere: standard bearer Japanese hip
Alcohol: shochu, sake, wine, beer
All major credit cards accepted
Reviewed: August, September 2007
Selain menerbitkan seri Jakarta Good Food Guide yang telah memenangi sejumlah penghargaan, Laksmi Pamuntjak telah menghasilkan dua himpunan puisi, Ellipsis (salah satu buku terpilih harian The Herald UK tahun 2005) dan The Anagram; sebuah karya filosofis tentang manusia, kekerasan dan mitologi, Perang, Langit dan Dua Perempuan; dan sebuah kumpulan cerpen tentang lukisan, The Diary of R.S.: Musings on Art.
