Hide Yamamoto

Continuing a string of fine dining restaurants around the world, including the one nestled in the posh Marina Bay Sands of Singapore, Hide Yamamoto debuts in Jakarta in Lotte Shopping Avenue (Ciputra World).

Read our review on its neighboring restaurant My Humble House here.

A name not foreign to many foodies out there; Hide Yamamoto is one of the 2010 Global Chef Award Recipient.

Something that you may also be familiar of is the hefty price tags on his fine dining restaurants.

Here in Hide Yamamoto Jakarta they serve the normal array of Japanese dining styles including teppanyaki, omakase at the sushi bar and normal ala carte Japanese dining.

This particular dinner we had the Teppanyaki course.

We started off with the seafood. Deep-fried Fugu (blowfish) with Ponzu sauce.

I am not a big fan of fugu due to its more rubbery texture compared to other fishes.

Followed by Silver Cod fillet with butter soy sauce. This may look simple but the taste is subtle yet delightful.

Next is the garlic prawn – jumbo size. This has got to be the best seafood course of the night. Perfectly cooked with a punch of garlic flavor.

Then came the sinful foei gras with poached pear in between. The cooking method was a spectacle.

If you look closely chef Koji is actually looking at my 2 year old nephew staring at the fire in awe (or more like in horror).

Personally I still prefer Ebeya’s serving method – where the foei gras is placed on top of toasted bread accompanied with sweet fruits.

This serving method somehow makes the richness of foei gras more bearable.

The highlight of the night was Hide Yamamoto’s Japanese Wagyu beef sirloin.

I have to say that this could easily be my favourite Japanese teppanyaki beef in Jakarta – very juicy and fragrant, served with three styles of dipping sauces.

Overall the food tasted excellent.

But for the price tag, I was expecting a dining experience I would crave for in days to come.

On the plus side, chef Koji was extremely warm. He even accommodated to one of our weird request of adding kecap bango to our Japanese fried rice finale.

Hide Yamamoto will not be amused. But hey, the customer is always right. Sadly, chef Koji will be rotated to Switzerland soon. We will miss you chef Koji!

We ended the meal with mixed sorbet topped with green tea cookie.

We spent Rp1-1.5 million per person for this course, an amount that would get you an omakase course in top Japanese restaurants in Jakarta.

Comparing apple to apple, it costs you the same for a teppanyaki dinner at the upscale Japanese teppanyaki restaurant Ebeya.

I have to say that quality Japanese dining seldom comes cheap.

What bothers me is that Hide Yamamoto is located in a shopping mall where parking can be a bother and the central air conditioning shuts down even before midnight – killing any feel of exclusivity.

This is a stark contrast to Ebeya’s comfortable top notch location at Ritz Carlton Pacific Place hotel ground floor.

I heard they are likely to be moving to a more suitable location soon. Maybe it will mean a more crowded restaurant.

 

Food: |**** |   Ambience: |**** |         Price: |$$$$ |

Opening hours: 11am-3pm, 6pm-11pm everyday

Location: Lotte Shopping Avenue, 5^th Floor. Jln. Prof Dr Satrio, Karet Jakarta

Telephone: 021 2988 9500

PrincessFiona