My Humble House

My Humble House has won many awards since its launch in Singapore back in 2002 and has recently opened its doors in Jakarta.  This will mark their 4th outlet opening subsequent to that in Tokyo, Beijing and Mumbai.

Claiming to be the first Chinese fine dining restaurant locally is challenging given the current established names competing on that platform, such as the familiar Taste Paradise and Crystal Jade Palace. It is owned by the famous Singapore F&B group, Tung Lok, which has managed well-known restaurants like Taipan and Ming Dine & Chill here in Jakarta.

This Chinese fine dining contender can be found on the 5th floor of Lotte shopping mall, where the mall’s fine dining restaurants are located. It has a total of around 200 seating capacity and offers 8 VIP rooms for private dining sessions.

The interior is dominated by black, white and grey colors, giving it a luxurious feel. It’s a pity that during our visit, the air-conditioning is not cold enough, making the place slightly too hot for my preference. Then again, they’re not to blame since it is a central air-conditioning.

We started our lunch with Pecking Duck. I apologize for not taking detailed photos of this course as I was too preoccupied with gobbling down this particular dish.

The serving sequence is somewhat like this: They started of by skinning the duck. The very thin skin is served with sugar. Next, they sliced up some thick cuts which then is served with Mandarin pancakes. Last but not least, the thigh portion of the duck is sliced thinly and served by itself.

Overall, I really loved this dish. Aside from the meticulous steps to serve it, the skin is crispy and tasty while meat itself  is very juicy.

The next course is the Shark Fin soup.  The broth hits the right spot. At the risk of sounding cliched, I personally feel that My Humble House makes the best Shark Fin soup in Jakarta.

Our third course is the Wagyu with Wasabi Sauce. The meat itself is very tender, delightfully complemented with the right amount punch of the wasabi sauce. Not too overpowering that it covers the taste of the quality meat.

I would definitely come back to eat more of this.

I have to apologize again for not taking pictures of the next two dishes which I ordered: the Wagyu Fried Rice and the Golden Prawns with Egg Yolk.

The Wagyu Fried Rice could be one of the best Chinese-style fried rice I’ve had locally.  It has small chunks of  Wagyu and small rice crackers incorporated into the dish, making a delicious balance of taste and texture.

Disappointingly, the Golden Prawns with Egg Yolk was bland and dull, an unfortunate contrast to the rest of the food.

For the dessert, I wanted to go for something healthier (100% beetroot with no preservatives added) and ordered the Fresh Beetroot Juice served in test-tubes. An interesting yet very non-Chinese way of serving.

The second dessert that others ordered were far less healthy but is a Chinese classic; the Salted Egg Yolk Bun. I couldn’t resist but try. The egg yolk filling melts in your mouth, even when the bun is already at room temperature.

We brought the following 2 wine bottles along which may interest wine lovers out there: the 2001 Domaine Comte Georges de Vouge Musigny Cuvee Vielles Vignes Grand Cru – an old Burgundy Wine from France which is quite dry, comparable to a Shiraz. Secondly, the 1996 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Landale, very smooth and fruity.

Even though My Humble House claims to be the first Chinese Fine Dining restaurant in Jakarta, it is on par with its competitors, in my opinion. Nevertheless, Jakartans now have more to choose from for Chinese fine dining, which is fortunate considering the crowd in existing ones.

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

Opening hours: Weekdays (11am-10.30pm); Weekends (10am – 11pm)

Location: Lotte Shopping Avenue 5th fl. Unit 1 (Next to XXI Cinema), Ciputra World 1, Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio Kav. 3-5

Telephone: +62 21 2988 9595

Posted by FidoDido