Coming from a not-so rich family, eating out in lavish restaurants is like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. You know, restaurants that charged prices that actually drains your wallet, aka. around 50k-100k rupiahs and those are very expensive, personally for me. As a foodie myself, the only thing that keeps me from actually spending money on those is collecting food pictures from websites and just...look at them. One by one.
Yep.
When summer holiday started, a friend of mine from America came back to Jakarta. So, my friends decided that we should have a lunch in this restaurant called 'Union', located in Plaza Senayan. One of my friends reserved the place for us to dine. I have heard many reviews on this particular restaurant, and it is indeed very lavish. The reviews are quite positive as well. With expensive pricing as well. However, being a foodie I am, this kind of opportunity is absolutely not to be missed. So, armed with a budget of 150k, I went there for Saturday's lunch.
Yep. You can literally see my happy face.
Once I entered the place, one thing that I realized is the use of Old Style American decoration, and it's vintage. Very suitable with the overall interior, no doubt. I found it very surprising that the interior is bigger than I thought it would be, since the entrance door is rather small. The restaurant is quite full with customers, hence the reason to book a table at least 3 days beforehand, otherwise you won't get a table at all. We were seated quite near to the windows. Sunlight came in through the windows, making it a perfect atmosphere for a refreshing lunch. I am ready.
When I saw the menu, however, I almost died on spot. You see, when I opened the menu, the first thing I noticed is always the price. Always. And when I do that, I'll always try to find the cheapest one and just go for the cheap one. Ah, the perks of being an person coming from a money-wise family.
I stayed true to my budget, however, but at the end, I still got an excellent experience. Haha. Okay, where was I?
So, my friends and I placed the order after furious flipping on the menu's pages that lasted for more than a minute. First came our drinks, mine is Lychee Ice Tea. Nothing fancy, really. I just wanted a cup of ice tea, and no, no smoothies (I'm staying on my budget, you see). When it arrived, it looked so ordinary, but it didn't disappoint my taste buds. It was very refreshing, especially in hot afternoons like this in Jakarta. Overall, it was not unique, but not bad all the same.
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| Lychee Ice Tea (25k) |
Before the food comes, they gave a small basket of bread with salted butter. You can ask for more if you like, but I forgot if it was free or not. Haha.
The bread is different from what I usually had in other restaurants that offer the same thing. Nevertheless, it was a good fulfillment before the food comes. Like an intro of a book, if I can picture that. This also prevents high-tempered guests to get furious when the main dish is not yet on their tables. Trust me. ;)
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| Slice of Bread with Salted Butter |
Then comes the big guy; Barramundi with Scallops. The price was very terrifying, but many said that this dish is very satisfying, so I went with that. Nevertheless, it was an immediate 'love at first sight', really. The only thing that disappointed me is the small size, and with that kind of serving size, the price is just too expensive.
The first bite then changed everything that I've presumed before. It definitely was the best lunch I've ever had so far. The barramundi was cooked in a perfect saltiness, and the sauce surprisingly complements the fish quite well. On the other hand, the three scallops were equally delicious as well, cooked and seasoned to perfection. I've never tried eating a whole scallop, and sometimes only in bits. I was glad that this first experience did not disappoint me, and only made me love scallops even more.
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| Barramundi with Scallops (120k) |
Overall impression?
Ah, what can I say? Good service (they kept on asking if they can take away the empty plates, asked if the foods are satisfying, asked for the input of their service, etc etc), excellent food (except that I'll have to pass on desserts since my budget is not enough), and relaxing atmosphere (I can literally sit there all day! Not to mention, the music). The scary part is the price, though. That's why, if you're like me, think of this as an once-in-a-lifetime experience.
This restaurant is definitely not your typical to-go restaurant, but the taste and service are worth the price. It doesn't hurt for just a single visit, but I'll definitely come again next time for a taste of their desserts. :)
Union Restaurant
Plaza Senayan, 1st Floor Unit Sogo (located beside Starbucks)
Jl. Asia Afrika No. 8
Jakarta
Phone #: (021) 5790 - 5861, (021) 5790 - 5862
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