Growing up in a metropolitan city like Jakarta, I am kinda used of the fast-paced, busy and quick moving life that sometimes make me forgetting the true essence of life. And that was the reason why I chose to move and live in Bali for a while, to gain back some of my lost soul and sanity that I thought I lost along the way. Now that I am back in Jakarta, there are times when I really miss the slow-paced, laid-back environment of Bali, where time moved so slowly and there were so many things to pay good attention to, because finally I had time for myself and taking care of my hungry, empty soul back then. If you feel the same with me, and need a quick, near escape in Jakarta, Segarra Ancol can be a good choice. With the tagline of “Seaside Escape”, Segarra is located inside Taman Impian Jaya Ancol (yes, to go there, you’ll need to pay the entrance fee for each person and the vehicle you bring) but when you’re inside, you can also explore other parts of the area (with other entrance fees, of course!). It’s like an entertainment and leisure complex in one go!
FYI, because Taman Impian Jaya Ancol covers super large area, we were having troubles finding this place. My advice is, just find the Ancol Mall first (and… yesss, they have their very own mall inside the area, how cool is that?!), just go straight inside the parking building, and Segarra is right on the left when you go out from the parking building. It could be tricky especially because the signs are not exactly helpful!
Segarra is an ancient Javanese word which means “sea”, is a seaside restaurant, also for wedding party, meeting point, exhibition, etc. It is said to be able to accommodate more than 1200 person, and better yet it’s also supported by spacious parking lot. The menu varies from local and international cuisine, basically Western, Italian, Japanese and Indonesian, with prices range from IDR 60K – 210K.
The place is indeed very big and you can choose to dine in the dining area (indoor or outdoor), and also the seaside area which is even closer to the sea (duh!). We chose to be seated in the indoor dining area (super indoor because we were in one of private rooms that look more like lounges than dining area), but honestly, even with air conditioner turned on, it was still friggin’ hot and humid. So just choose your attire wisely, dressing up too much can probably cause you maximum discomfort, LOL!
And let me tell you one major discomfort when I saw the sign that states no camera is allowed in Segarra. However, using smartphone to snap pictures of your food or the view (sunset, sea and everything) is okay so it was a big PHEW~ I mean, who can resist taking photos of beautiful sunset when it’s right in front of your eyes and you have all the equipment with you? It doesn’t make sense, right? Nah, just kidding, actually because Segarra is kinda used quite often for photo shoot location so I think they do things with appointment or something.
Ribs Fried Rice IDR 95K
It came in such a beautiful and cute presentation, so many colors on one plate and everything was just beautifully composed altogether. The fried rice was very delicious, the rice was nicely separated grain by grain, yet moist. It was very tasty and fragrant because they used a lot of vegetables and seasonings to cook the rice. And, the super delicious ribs! The meat was very soft and tender, easily taken off from the bones! And most importantly, I think they were very well-marinated because I could feel the juice that came off the meat was also very tasty. Mainly sweet in taste, the meat was seriously delicious!
Ducky Duck Pizza IDR 90K
Again, didn’t expect anything when ordered this but it came with the BIGGEST surprise for us. The pizza actually tasted like Peking Duck rolls, the exact same ones that we usually eat in Chinese restaurants! Using duck meat, leek, spring onions, and red chili, these are the same ingredients when serving the Peking duck rolls, and the skin was replaced by the thin, crusty bread. I think they also use Hoisin sauce, the best sauce to accompany Peking duck dishes, IMHO!! I think it will be one of million reasons to go back to Segarra, seriously.
Grilled Chicken Honey Mustard IDR 95K
This grilled chicken looked so yummy when it was served, thanks to the generous juicy-looking sauce poured on it. It was indeed very nice, with perfect consistency and texture of the meat that made the chicken so tender and melted in the mouth. The sauce was super yummy, with right amount of sweetness and a hint of sourness, not exactly sweet and sour but more into sweet, nicely sweet. Served with ravioli (they came in original and pink color!), the dish was also another favorite. Thumbs up!
Creamy Beef Pizza IDR 95K
Imagine your favorite white sauce pasta made into a pizza, there you go. The pizza brought the concept of Italian white creamy sauce and it was such a brilliant concept. Pizza always goes well with creamy, cheesy, and beefy, LOL!) Then add onions and peas to enhance the aroma, taste and color, what else can I ask? Simple yet memorable.
Watermelon Juice IDR 40K
Okay, a seaside escape would have never been complete without a touch of fresh fruit juice, or so we think. The watermelon seemed like the best choice for such a hot weather, so we chose it. However, it didn’t impress at all, it was fresh, yes, because it was served cold, but the watermelon barely had any taste. I didn’t mean it had to be sweet whatsoever, but I bet you probably got the idea.
Coke by Pitcher IDR 105K
If you come in group, I suggest to buy drinks in pitcher/jug because similar to other restaurants like this, the prices of drinks are somehow quite pricey. Except you want to go there merely for drinks, or just enjoying some wine or alcoholic ones, that’s totally different story. But I think this Coke in pitcher was a good option, and you can choose other drinks too beside Coke. It can fill up to 6 glasses if I remember correctly.
And luckily we managed to enjoy the beautiful sunset just by the seaside and it was so magically beautiful. Like, beautiful beyond any words.
Honestly, dining in so many so-called fine dining restaurants and coming back with disappointment has been kind of constant experiences lately that I didn’t really care if the food were bad. But with my experience in Segarra, it kinds of giving me another hope that not all places like this serve low-quality food. Some restaurants use best ingredients but I don’t understand what goes wrong that the final results are disappointing and not impressive at all. But I hope in the future, more can prove themselves like Segarra, where you can get good food in good place. Crossing my fingers!
*All prices are subject to 8.5% service charge & 10% government tax
Segarra Ancol Seaside Escape
Taman Impian Jaya Ancol
Jl. Lodan Timur No. 7
Pantai Carnaval, Ancol
Opening Hours:
Sun – Thu 12.00 – 24.00, Fri 13.00 – 02.00, Sat 12.00 – 02.00
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