Chicory European Patisserie, Menteng, Jakarta

Few years ago, year 2011 to be exact, I got an email from a reader coming from Europe asking me about a recommendation for authentic French patisserie in Jakarta. That time, I had only blogged here for less than a year and I didn’t have anything in mind for the answer. In the end, I told him that I hadn’t found any back then and suggested him to look for decent bread and pastries in Kem Chicks or bakeries in five-star hotels.

I am so glad to say that if this question comes to me right now, I definitely have answer(s) and I proudly recommend some of the great places in Jakarta, such as Eric Kayser Artisan Boulanger, Sophie Authentique, Levant Boulangerie & Patisserie, and this particular patisserie that I am going to write now, Chicory European Patisserie.

Chicory Patisserie is a small patisserie located at Jalan Sumenep, Central Jakarta. Its location is strategic but not truly visible from the main street, so that makes Chicory somewhat hidden and precious. In Jalan Sumenep, look for the PT. Pos Indonesia office, and it’s just right next to it. Chicory looks very inviting from the outside with its own parking lot, the European-style brick walls and black glass door.

Chicory occupies only one floor of building, it’s pretty small and probably can only seat up to 30 person in total. The room is minimally decorated, only a few simple wall mural and decorated tiles, along with wooden rattan furniture. One side of the room is where the glass display full of attractive looking savory and sweet treats are shown, a counter with coffee machine and that’s all.

Chicory is a great example of how simplicity still wins over many things. I must point out too that the large glass windows are the best part ever, giving the access to natural light to burst in. Taking photos is never a problem for sure! 😉

Chicory has many selections from savory to sweet dishes, and all the creations shown in the display are all prepared and made daily. Let’s see what we had last time!

The quiche is the first savory dish that we tried, the size is relatively big with the thick custard part in the middle. I ordered the prosciutto one, basically a raw dry-cured ham which is served later on top. The quiche was good and the filling gave a nice saltiness neutralized with the thick custard, then complimented by the fresh, fragrant prosciutto. I actually really like it but I think it would be better if the pastry crust was a bit crispier. Overall, it was excellent quiche altogether.

Decided to try this rather than the plain croissant, and honestly this was my least favorite among all my orders. The bread was too flaky yet soft in the outside, and the inner part was a bit dry like it wasn’t so fresh. The chocolate filling was almost insignificant, and don’t you agree that it is a bit overpriced?

Fell in love to it the moment my eyes met this cake, the volcano-shaped cake is definitely a winner! Very soft and moist, the cake melted in mouth just nicely. Beside the texture, I really love the aromatic ingredients such as orange and almond, it was just too good! I only could wish that the cake came in bigger portion or something. XD

Tried two versions: traditional and chocolate rum, must say I will go for the traditional ones definitely! Always a fan of canele, I found Chicory’s version good, but not the best. I love canele with harder consistency, the ones that are chewy enough without you putting effort to chew. Confused? If you really want to have THE BEST canele in Jakarta, I would recommend the ones from Sophie Authentique Kemang.

Beside the bread, pastries, cakes etc, I also tried their coffee which is imported from Africa if I am not wrong. The cappuccino had clean aroma and left a smooth lingering after taste in the tongue. Truly a lovely companion.

As recommended by Chef Craig, it’s kind of drink that you’ll either love it or hate it. The espresso tonic is probably not the newest idea of mixture, but Chicory’s version is great. I love how strong and bitter the drink was, especially with strong aromatic coffee like this, it was perfect. If you happen to like trying new stuffs, don’t miss it!

A complimentary dish from the chef (thank you!), we couldn’t even say no to this. Almond is one of my favorite ingredients in any dishes, and how could I miss it? The bread was solid, a bit too dry for my liking, but the almond slices and sugar powder on top came to help.

These cute little puff pastry is decorated with cream filling in the middle and topped with caramel plate, which looks so attractive. The profiterole had nice texture and very soft when eaten, the caramel was very sweet. I would recommend this if you are really into sweet stuffs and pair it with a tea will be much better.

The best combination between sweet and sour blueberry and pears, this tart couldn’t be better! Love the crushed pistachio as well, eating this tart was very fun with lots of crunch sounds everywhere.

Chicory has never failed to impress me with its ambiance, hospitality, and of course, the dishes. I love how there is no permanent menu and the dishes can change every now and then.

If you have never been to Chicory before, it’s the best if you can order with the guidance of the friendly chef behind all the gorgeous creations behind the display, Chef Craig. Generally, he and his wife are always around to assist you in deciding what to order, don’t be shy to ask! Seriously, with so many beauties shown in the display, trust me you’ll find it difficult to choose only 1 or 2 things, so with a little understanding about each item, I think your experience will be better.

Chicory Patisserie is truly a hard-to-find treasure for people in Jakarta who are longing for authentic European patisserie in the neighborhood. As for now, although it’s not categorized as one of the “it” places, it always amazes me to see the place is never empty and sometimes it’s difficult to get a table. Chicory also doesn’t accept table reservation so if you want to secure a table, come as early as possible. As the old saying says, the early bird gets the worm! 😉