Time flew, it’s been almost a year since my arrival in Jakarta. Knowing that I’d always explored local cuisines wherever I was, a colleague of mine introduced me to this Chinese restaurant called Din Tai Fung in Pondok Indah Mall 2 (coincidentally the other branch in Plaza Senayan Arcadia was recently reviewed here). I really liked the place and thus kept visiting it again and again. Recently I came across another Chinese restaurant which shared a similar feel. It was Nan Xiang Restaurant, located in Pacific Place Mall. 

Nan Xiang or The Rych?

I’m not sure about the official name: the front sign says “The Rych: Nan Xiang & Northern Chinese Cuisine”; on the menu and receipt it is “Nan Xiang Restaurant”. The exterior was what I would expect from an upscale Chinese restaurant. There was an open kitchen and in front of it were tanks full of live seafood.

Elegant Interior
The design was modern and traditional at the same time. The selection of colors was pleasing, especially since I am a big fan of red and black. One thing though, the grey stone walls made me feel I was dining in a cave or a giant safe box.
Red & Black
 Simple but elegant. This is among what I like about this place. A setting like this makes me want to invite colleagues to dine here. Very professional, and I haven’t even talked about the wonderful service.
Red Menu
I heard the Chinese are fond of the color red. Well yes, looking at the menu, I understand why, it looks great. The restaurant specializes in steamed bun but I didn’t order any since I wanted something different that day.
Typical Chinese Menu Items
Quite a lot of selections, not too many, just enough.
Guest Care Service
I have no idea if people actually called in or e-mailed to drop a message, but one thing I know, the staffs were very well trained. The service was almost flawless.
Chinese Tea – IDR 7,500
Free refill without hassle. At least one waitress always orbited around our table. Note that there was only one other table occupied. Nevertheless the restaurant employed quite a number of staffs.


Tofu & Seafood Stew – IDR 68,000
This was pretty tasty. The ingredients and sauce made a wonderful combination. Eating with rice was even better.

Sweet & Sour Chicken – IDR 68,000
Your standard Sweet & Sour Chicken, only the sauce was not too sweet, to my liking. It also mysteriously didn’t leave a bad aftertaste. Wonder what they put in it.

Shanghai Crispy Duck Noodle – IDR 40,000
The name was misleading, there was nothing crispy about the “Crispy Duck”. The waiter told me the duck was not crispy because of the broth, but hey, this didn’t look crispy to begin with. I was obviously disappointed with the duck, however the noodle made up for it. The noodle was probably freshly made and it differed from the noodles I usually ate. A very satisfying experience.
Sliced Beef Lamian – IDR 38,000
I didn’t try this but it looked promising.

Curry Pastry – IDR 12,000
I couldn’t tell this had curry in it.

Black Sesame with Pepper & Salt – IDR 12,000
This caught my attention from the beginning. Sweet, spicy, and salty? Must be very interesting. It was like eating black sesame seeds and then suddenly you were ambushed by the other flavors. Different yes, but not so great.

Hongkong Peking Duck 1/2 – IDR 138,000
This was the other highlight of my meal. Very easy and pleasant to eat. The sweet sauce enhanced the flavor even more. What a memorable taste. Bigger portion than the other items.

MISTER’S MEMO
First Impression:
An upscale Chinese restaurant. Clean exterior. Need to put a staff out front to greet customers. 
Atmosphere:
Elegant interior overall. However, grey walls resembles more a cave than a restaurant. Suitable for business meetings.

Food:
Traditional and modern items. Tons of selections. Small portions. Awesome noodles. So-so pastries. Wine list available.
Pricing:
Expensive but worth it. Expect to pay IDR 50k – 100k per person excluding discount. Bank Mandiri credit card saves you 30% on food only.

Service:
Superb staffs. Professional, courteous, friendly, helpful, great with kids, couldn’t ask for more.

This would be the first of many visits from me.

Nan Xiang Chinese Restaurant (The Rych)

Pacific Place, 4th Fl Unit 52 A
Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 52-53
Jakarta Selatan
Phone: +62 (21) 5797-3250

Fax: +62 (21) 5797-3249