SHY - Jakarta

The current place to see and be seen in Kemang, Jakarta.
It's awfully expensive (IDR 85,000++ for tiny bagels), but hey, who cares? This place truly is one step beyond luxe in Jakarta (for smokers, they provide Japan's famous Sakamonokan luxury long matches housed in transparent glass cylinders embossed with SHY logo. Talk about posh!). Patrons include the who's who of Jakarta's Hermes-lugging socialites, the restaurant/lounge is located in the same building as Club 21, Christina Ong's Singapore-based luxury boutique franchise carrying fashion labels the ilks of Dries Van Noten, Mulberry, Luella, and Marni among tons others.




The building, called The Papilion, is located at Kemang, a posh neighborhood in South Jakarta. Kemang is famous for its nightlife and shopping, and in many ways can be compared to Tokyo's Aoyama or Sydney's Paddington.



The last time I visited Jakarta, SHY restaurant/lounge hasn't opened yet. Fast forward 4 months later, this place is already a favorite of my mom (who every now and then reserves their private room for her arisan (gatherings), and my brother, who pretentiously call it his second home because he spends an average of 3 - 6 hours a week hanging out there. I personally like it, too, but the expensive food price puts me off just a bit.



This place is also the venue of Salma's (cousin Ricky's new and fab Moroccan girlfriend) welcome party (which I didn't come because I was in Sydney). It is also one of the places in Jakarta that enforces strict dress code. If you don't look fab, expect to be refused entry, or at the very least, snubbed by the Prada-shoes clicking maitre d'.



Certainly one of the most stylish restaurant/lounge in Jakarta, the plush, minimalist yet dazzling interior is designed by Britain's famous Anouska Hempel, which also designed the Blakes Hotel in Amsterdam, which restaurant I've dined at last year. Blakes Hotel Amsterdam is famous among Jakarta's socialites who travel to the Netherlands.



SHY appetizer

-> Oven-roasted olive bagels served with creme anglaise, herring & anchovy dip, and fresh witlof (Belgian endive) with Aoli mayonnaise and Camembert dip



Soaked cherry tomatoes with Parmesan cheese, and Cheese sticks



Iced Irish Coffee

-> This was EXCELLENT.