The Urban Kitchen: Jakarta, West Java

How often, when dining out as a group, do friends or family argue about where to go for lunch or dinner? Some may want Thai food while others may crave Japanese seafood or, perhaps, pasta. Meanwhile, elder relatives may be yearning for local food such as nasi liwet solo (rice cooked in coconut milk) or ikan bakar Manado (barbecued fish). The genial gathering could be in jeopardy if each sticks to their guns.

However, arguments like these can be avoided if would-be diners visit Urban Kitchen, a new modern dining concept that allows guests to have food of their own choice.

Located at Senayan City shopping mall, Urban Kitchen comprises 12 outlets, each with its own cuisine, plus coffee, ice cream and beverage/juice bars.

“We’ve not only created a dining place but have designed a place with a lot of food and drinks to choose from,” Urban Kitchen manager Andrew Santoso said.

The outlets include Guilt Free by Essence, Italian (La Scala), American (Hot Pepper), Javanese (Nasi Liwet Keprabon) and Noodles (Mangkok Putih).

Other cuisines on offer are Thai (Sup Sip), Manado (Woku-Woku), Korean (Kung), Satay (Savoy), Malaysian (Little Penang), Chinese (My Kitchen) and Japanese (Sushigroove).

“It took two years to develop the idea and get everything ready,” Andrew added. The result is a spacious yet cozy dining place with a wide choice of foods to savor.

Of course, Urban Kitchen does not only provide a wide selection of food but good quality, too.

“We are happy to provide a dining place that is different from others. This provide visitors with a unique experience,” Senayan City marketing director Very Setiady said.

For sure, Urban Kitchen seems unmatched elsewhere.

Upon entry each visitor is given an electronic swipe card that functions like a credit card with a limit of Rp 300,000 (US$33).
Using the card, visitors may go to a kitchen of their choice, order food and pass the card to the attendant. The card is then swiped to record the purchase, and then returned to the guest.
Guests may move to other outlets or order drinks from the bars. Each time, the attendant will swipe the card to record the purchase.

After completing their orders, visitors wait in the seating areas that are divided into smoking and nonsmoking sections. After finishing a meal, visitors present the card to the cashier at the exit and pay the bill.

“This is not a fast-food restaurant so it may take time to cook food to order,” said Andrew, whose mother runs shabu-shabu restaurant Casa Suki on Jl. Mahakam, South Jakarta.

On weekdays, it is easy enough for waiters to find their customers and take them their food. At weekends, though, it is much busier and it can be quite a task for waiters to find where their customers have chosen to sit.

To limit the number of customers, Urban Kitchen is issuing only 400 swipe cards at any one time for the moment.

“We’re doing that to keep crowds within controllable limits,” he said.

Urban Kitchen
5th floor Senayan City
Jl Asia Afrika
South Jakarta
tel: 7278 1555

Review by Kurniawan Hari