HARIO Cafe Pluit, Jakarta

Celebrating the opening of the new Hario Cafe Pluit, we had the opportunity to join the Grand Opening event on 12 May 2018 and we have to say we really had so much fun! Before I start with the event, let’s talk about the brand first. I am sure coffee lovers probably are familiar about this brand, but in case you didn’t know, Hario is a leader of manual brew equipment from Japan that was founded in 1921, and is known for its heatproof glass that is able to withstand high heat and acid. The name HARIO itself is derived from the King of Glass 玻璃王 (HARIO), so it explains a lot about what they do.

Hario Cafe Pluit is the second outlet after the first one in Tokyo, Japan. Located on Pluit Permai Raya just behind Pluit Village Mall, the store occupies quite a spacious building with parking space, a perfect spot for spending your time. If you have ever visited Hario Coffee Factory in AEON Mall BSD, both outlets are actually under the same management of Toffin Indonesia, who is also the official distributor of Hario products in Indonesia.

Stepping inside, the ambience of sleek and clean welcomed us and we instantly fell in love to the warm colors and simple decor. There is long counter in the middle of the room, where you can witness the process of coffee making, enjoy the colorful view of the cakes of the day, or just admire the equipment, LOL. The cafe was literally full of people that day so the mood was very bright and festive, I guess we all were so excited for the opening event!

Opening Speech by Mr. Yasuhiro Shibata, CEO Chairman of Hario Co., Ltd.

The event was special because we got the chance to meet the special guest: Champion of World Brewers Cup 2016: Tetsu Kasuya himself! *woot* Apparently, Tetsu Kasuya won it with coffee manually brewed with ceramic Hario V60, and invented the 4-6 method, which somehow goes like this:

The 4-6 method begins by dividing the total water into 40% and 60%.

You pour the first 40% in two pours, and then decide how many pours you want to make for the last 60%. The first 2 pours decide the balance of the acidity and sweetness. The remaining number of pours will decide the strength of the coffee.

Tetsu Kasuya is about to showcase his skills.

The best thing about Hario Cafe is, not only coffee lovers are invited to enjoy here, but since their concept is Drink, Eat, Shop; you can tell that they also offer food menu as well. For the drinks, of course you can find freshly roasted coffee (currently there are Bali, Aceh Gayo, and Ethiopia) served your way, and they provide many brewing method from V60 (IDR 36,000), Syphon (IDR 36,000), French Press (IDR 36,000), Cold Drip (IDR 43,000), and Cold Brew (IDR 43,000). Beside coffee, you can also enjoy variety of tea, smoothies, even mocktail here.

We were so enthusiastic to see all the Hario products in this cafe, LOL! One of them will be this Hario V60 Auto Pour Over Smart machine, that can do your manual brew job easier and more efficient. The machine costs almost IDR 13 million but it is so cool and advanced. It can connect to our gadget through Bluetooth and we can set how we want to do the coffee, and we can save and share recipes as well. Beside this machine, you can also shop for any product there and, ladies, bring your purse and you can purchase some fine jewelries while you are here.

After “Drink” and “Shop”, let’s move on to “Eat”, shall we? Hario Cafe is pretty serious with what they serve, as the kitchen is helmed by Chef Jemmy Nugroho, who has experiences in St. Regis Bali Resort and Villa D’amelia in Italy. During our visit, the food menu is simple and not too many, divided into Breakfast & Brunch (7.30AM – 11.30AM), and Lunch & Dinner (from 11.30AM onwards).

Prices of F&B range from IDR 18,000 to 185,000.

Cappuccino IDR 37,000

You have never been in Hario Cafe if you haven’t tried their coffee, or so I thought. XD After trying the “manually” brewed coffee using the machine above, we tried their Cappuccino as well. Perfect medium roast as the coffee was in good balance, distinctive aroma, and well-textured milk! Not to mention that the latte arts are perfectly done.

Beef Yakiniku Bao IDR 65,000

Marinated beef, spring onion, green lettuce wrapped in soft, velvety bao buns? Irresistible! Not only that it is so pretty and colorful, the bao is definitely must try. I love the super tasty beef slices that go very well with the veggies.

Marinated Pulled Pork Burger  IDR 85,000

Forget your diet and indulge in a super delicious treat today: the burger stuffed with marinated pulled pork, topped with apple coleslaw, sunny side, katsuobushi, and served with salted fried chips. The pulled pork had me at the first bite, but I wish they put more of it! XD

Garlic Chicken Bowl IDR 74,000

The glazed garlic chicken served with pico de gallo on top of garlic butter rice seems like a good idea for satisfying meal, but we weren’t really impressed with this one. The presentation couldn’t be better but we felt that there is too much going on inside this bowl and it was confusing. Frankly speaking, all elements were tasty and strong enough to stand alone, so having all of them in one bowl didn’t set a harmony to my tongue and kill the actual tastes instead.

Hario Fried Rice IDR 65,000

As one of their recommended menu, we had high expectation on this one. The fried rice was cooked with homemade chili sauce and served with chicken pop, pickled vegetables, crackers, and tamago. Although the seasonings were great, the rice was soggy and since we had this during the event, it was reasonable as the kitchen was very busy preparing for food/beverages for all the guests. We were told that they used freshly-cooked rice, that’s why the rice was kinda soggy and ruined the whole fried rice eating experience. Anyway, we are planning to go back and try the more well-prepared one, without any event for sure. 😉

Maple French Toast IDR 68,000

The beautiful Maple French Toast is also one of the Chef’s signature dishes, served with caramelized banana, crushed almond, butterscotch, strawberry, and soft ice cream. I love how the toasts were drenched in such a balanced sweetness, without making me sick at all. The fruits and flowers really gave a big feast to my eyes, and I for sure can have one plate full of this only for myself! If you wanna try this menu, come for Breakfast/Brunch because it is only available from 7.30AM to 11.30AM everyday.

Yuzu Cremeux IDR 48,000

Another prettiness is coming! Sharing to you Mr. K’s favorite: the vanilla panna cotta served with chocolate micro sponge and crumble! Beautiful plating, great ingredients, good texture and taste. Bravo!

Soft Serve IDR 18,000

Containing of 20% Comfort, 25% Warm Heart, 25% Happiness, and 30% Smile, one should not leave Hario Cafe before having their Soft Serve, yeah? We had the Salted Caramel flavor that day and we loved it! The softness, the creamy and milky flavor, everything was so good -except the shape, LOL. The flavors will be changed every now and then, so every time you visit, make sure to ask what flavor is in today!

Something Special & Something Flowery @IDR 43,000

Beside coffee and tea, we also tried 2 of their mocktail: Something Special, which consists of white sugar, mint, and pomegranate; and Something Flowery, which consists of rose and elder flower. Both drinks are very refreshing with sour and sweet tone.

Some people do drink coffee and enjoy it while smoking. And for you who wonder, Hario Cafe has an outdoor seating area that is designed just like small Zen garden that can be a paradise for smokers. Beware that this area can be real hot during daytime, but this place is also very instagenic.

Our first visit to Hario Cafe Pluit left huge impression on us as we truly love the place, the ambience, the coffee, and the energy. There is so many positive vibes pouring into the place, most probably because we met many people who are really enthusiastic about coffee and put their heart and passion to it. We believe that Hario Cafe will do just good here in Jakarta, and we secretly hope that one day they will open another outlet in South. Hoping doesn’t hurt and when it becomes true, we know where to spend our free time at for sure!

Last but not least, congratulations Hario Cafe Pluit for the opening and wish you the best of luck!

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** This review is written based on our visit on 12 May 2018.

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HARIO CAFE JAKARTA
Jl. Pluit Permai Raya No. 29
Pluit, Penjaringan, North Jakarta 14450
Ph.: +62 21 669 6009
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sun 07.30AM – 10PM