This particular office complex, Rukan Permata Senayan continuously amazes me with hidden gems that I could have never imagined existing inside the area. So last month when I went to a hair salon in the complex, I noticed this black unit that looked like an Italian restaurant to me, but since it was already late at night and I had another purpose, I didn’t stop by. Some days ago, I decided to look around and turned out it is a cafe with French touch. It is very easy to spot because of the strong difference between this Arome Kafe with the other buildings in the environment (as I said, it’s an office complex so mostly all the buildings are white or ivory colors). It’s definitely outstanding and looking very attractive!

I heard this cafe has just opened recently and currently the second floor (which BTW, looks even more European than the first floor, looks so promising!) is still under construction and not opened for public yet. But we spotted the beautiful red walls with contrast paintings all over it, seriously I can’t wait to come back when it’s ready and take lots of pictures!

When I got in, I could see that the owner is really serious with the concept, everything is almost flawless and resembles authentic Victorian-themed cafes that looks royal and luxurious. I love the black theme, the tiles, the decorations (and the hand-washing sinks, just awesome!), but mind you, the place can be a little hot when the weather is bad, and this cafe doesn’t use air conditioners at all. However, there are SO MANY fans (ceiling, tables, you name it) all over the place, they even put some under the seats, pretty cool, isn’t it? 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EPIC sink!

 

 

 

When I saw the menu, I was a bit surprised that Arome Kafe actually serves mainly Indonesian cuisine despite looking so European. The variety is also surprising for me because not only they serve regular or mainstream Indonesian food, there are also Roti Bakar (grilled toasts) and French Toasts. Interestingly, the food and beverages’ prices range from IDR 9K to 44K, another great surprise for me considering how beautiful and “rich” looking the place is! If I make you curious enough, let’s proceed to see what I tried 😉

 

Es Teh Bunga Mongolia Manis Madu IDR 23K
This drink was very light in color but looked so beautiful with real flowers put inside the glass. The taste resembles chrysanthemum tea very much, with lovely sweetness from the honey. As a fan of chrysanthemum tea, I was very pleased with this drink and I will definitely recommend this to everyone, even my 4.5y/o nephew fell in love with it totally.

 

 

 
Tape Stick Goreng IDR 17K
I can never resist any tape (fermented cassava) dishes, drinks, or desserts, so this one was automatically on the order list. That was a good presentation and the taste was great too. The tape was still warm when served, and it melted right away in the mouth. This was supposedly a snack but surprisingly quite filling because it was sweet. If you love tape, don’t miss it! 

 

 
Es Teh Tarik Arome IDR 19K
We all loved this drink! Bold taste, nicely mixed, that is how teh tarik should be, right! 

 
Mie Ayam Jamur Kuah Lada Merah IDR 25K
You know, when I ordered my food, I thought the food would be just like another typical simple food in kopi tiam kind of cafes, some kind of basic home cooked food with typical taste. But boy, I was totally wrong! When I tried the soup, I was amazed because it was totally colorful in taste and every taste was so distinct and bold, that I lost my words. They really put a good use to Indonesian rich cultures of herbs and spices! I reckon there should be at least 5 different spices used to make the dish and I think it is just a modest guess. The noodle was well cooked and since I love that kind of flat, curled noodle like this, it was just like an icing on the cake! 

 

 
Plumella Natural IDR 19K
This looked scarily dark purple at the first glance, and tasted just like a plum drink. I love plum, and I kind of enjoyed this drink, with right amount of sweetness and dominated by sourness. But again, plumella is a healthy fruit so it is better served naturally with less additional sugar. I found it very refreshing and awakening, best to drink when feeling fatigue or sleepy! 

 
Nasi Goreng Sudirman Marah IDR 29K
This is one of recommended menu so I decided to give it a try. The catchy name was also helpful, LOL! It is called “marah” (angry) because it’s supposed to be a hot and spicy dish, with maximum level of spiciness from Arome Kafe‘s standard. Honestly, the presentation was so simple yet beautiful, and there are something about this place’s colorful dishes that I love, like, totally! Taste-wise, same with the noodle, this one was over-the-top delicious, cooked with thousands of herbs and spices that liven up the taste! Honestly, if you ask me, I can’t really answer because there are so many things going on inside, and I can’t even detect the real taste, you just have to try and experience the colorful and rich flavors of the food by yourself and you’ll understand what I mean! 

 
Es Teh Tarik Thai IDR 19K
Finally, a Thai tea that tasted just like the one I found in Thailand, strong Thai tea flavor with decent sweetness that made me wanting more and more! Bravo for this! <333 

 
Nasi Goreng Rempah Kambing IDR 33K
Same with the other fried rice above, this one was crazily wonderful too. The difference was that this had more curry taste, so I think they use coconut milk as one of the ingredients. The rice was cooked until quite dry (which I love!) and there were some burned parts which gave nice aroma to the whole plate. Compared to the Sudirman Marah one, I love this more! 

 

Es Teh Calamondin (Jeruk Kasturi) IDR 19K
This drink was also very refreshing and tasted like typical Indonesian squeezed oranges (you know, that kind of small green-skin oranges) mixed with tea. I actually loved this drink because it was very fragrant and it reminded me of my childhood 🙂

 

 

 
French Toast Royale Arome Durian Melt IDR 44K
Decided to try one of the toast menu, and my decision went to the Durian Melt flavor, which ironically is the most expensive menu from Arome Kafe (and it’s NOT even a main course, how is that possible?). The toast came on a gracious plate with round lid that looked absolutely royal! The toasts were thick and very soft, with nice yellowish color and smelled like delicious butter. The durian melt spread was very thin and honestly wasn’t really good, both in taste and quantity. Although I was hoping for a strong durian taste, I wasn’t impressed at all. There was barely any durian inside and I felt cheated. However, I will still order other flavors next time because I loved the bread! 

 

 

 

 

Actually although I am writing about this place only now, I have already visited it twice in the same week. I really like the place, the ambiance and everything, although I wish they put air conditioners! The food and drinks are really nice and suit my tastebuds quite well, so I can see I am coming back very often in the future. Although this place is new but I see that many people (especially office workers in the complex) enjoy their times there and I wish Arome Kafe the best luck!! Can’t wait to see how the second floor turns out when it’s ready, one thing for sure, it’s gonna be FAB-OH-LOUS!!

 

  

*All prices are subject to 5% service charge & 10% government tax

 

** The Food Escape team are not paid whatsoever for writing this post.
  

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Arome Kafe
Rukan Permata Senayan
Jl. Tentara Pelajar
Jakarta Selatan 12210



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