Jakarta Java Kini - Jakarta's City Magazine

Put the word “pesto” and “Italian chef” together and I guarantee that you’ll see me drooling uncontrollably. It has been happening to me continuously because my job requires me to travel to various culinary regions of Italy on a regular basis, where I go for wine tastings and do research about the food specialties of the country’s various regions.

The taste of authentic Italian food seems to always linger on my palate even long after I have returned to Indonesia, and therefore I was so excited when I was asked to try a newly opened authentic Italian eatery and bar (as written on their website).

However, the excitement was short lived. Upon arrival, I was told to wait at the door for more than ten minutes although the place looked empty and I was dressed decently. After finally being allowed to come in, I went to see their wine cellar and my hopes of tasting Italian wines diminished as their cellar was stocked with mostly Chilean and Australian wines. The interior looked neat, clean and warm with an industrial touch. I liked the lighting as it highlights the warm feeling from the wood and instantly creates a casual and comfortable feeling. If you are an automotive enthusiast, take the seat at the very end of the restaurant; I did and had an unobstructed view to the huge parking lot.

As soon as I arrived, I was told that I was going to taste Fragolino - which I thought was a red sparkling wine with strawberry-ish taste. However, what they meant was a glass of chopped strawberries and oranges mixed with strawberry juice and yoghurt. The second drink was the Carribbean which is made from kiwi, lime, strawberry, lime juice, and mint syrup. This combination turned out to be very refreshing in hot Jakarta climate.

The first dish I tasted was the Pizza Margherita. It came on a nice thin dough with a very nice homey tomato sauce and melted mozzarella. This dish looked, tasted and smelled authentic. The necessary balance of creamy cheese taste and the sweet-sour flavour from good tomato sauce and fresh, crusty dough was there, and it was served in a size that is enough for two.

The second was Spaghetti Firmati which came in a sharing portion and was packed with prawns, clams, squids, cherry tomatoes, and was cooked in white wine sauce. Too bad the white wine sauce was overly acidic and the prawns and squid were rubbery. Next came a gnocchi dish cooked with pesto sauce. This simple potato dumpling looked simple, honest and homey.

I tasted the fresh basil, good olive oil, and parmesan as the main components of their pesto sauce. I understood that they could not use more pine nuts taste for the price currently offered duet to how expensive pine nuts are nowadays.

For a new place like Pesto, glitches in the food and beverage are understandable. I will come back again, perhaps after a few months to check if they have reached the level of authenticity they claim on their website.

_{Pesto Autentico
Thamrin Nine, UG Floor,
Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 10
T: 021 299 37230
www.pesto.co.id}