The presence of Social House within the luxury emporium of Harvey Nichols takes cosmopolites to embark on more than just a culinary journey, but it’s also where the social networking lifestyle brought alive.
Social House restaurant, bar and wine post – also known as SoHo – is located on the premises of the U.K.-based luxury lifestyle Harvey Nichols in Grand Indonesia East Mall. Despite its location, nevertheless, this F&B; establishment is a separate entity owned by the Ismaya Group, which also runs other Jakarta’s haunts such as Dragonfly and Blowfish.
Designed with walls of pale wood with chic decorations, Social House truly fits in well with the Harvey Nichols’s sophisticated design – uniquely designed to pamper the lifestyle needs of those seeking to live a city life to the fullest.
Social House is where you can embark on a journey that enlivens your senses. Stepping into the Social House, guests will be charmed by the displays of delectable items resembling those that can be found in a grocery store. The restaurant’s displays and decoration allow the vibrating feel of a green, woody atmosphere.
Nestled on a corner of the building, Social House is surrounded by stunning views and warm alluring design, taking guests into a different culinary experience. The corner has a terrace with glasses overlooking the fountain and statue of the Hotel Indonesia Kempinski traffic circle. From sunset on, the terrace’s roof is opened to allow visitors to enjoy a casual chat at the alfresco ambience.
“This is pretty much the favorite spot. It allows visitors to embrace the cool evening breeze while indulging in a casual conversation in our open-air bar. It’s where visitors can perch on a stool facing Jakrta’s traffic while spoiling their palate,” Amendya Dali Sofari, Social House’s brand manager, asserts.
Amendya, who is also known by her nickname Mendy, furthermore says, “In the event that you prefer to hang out in the bar area while socializing with other, you should pair our delectable tapas creations with your choice of wine or our innovative cocktails.”
Abbas Akhdar, Social House’s general manager, then shows us around the establishment while pointing at the Wine Post that displays a large selection of wines. “We house more than 300 wine labels from new world and old world wines, ranging from sparkling wine, dessert wine to white wine and red wine from different French regions such as Bordeaux and Burgundy, as well as from other countries like Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Argentine, Chile, Spain and the U.S.”
“You can buy the bottles for take-away, though most people prefer to have a sip here. Getting such a buzz while engaging in a social chat is what a lot of visitors treasure when coming here,” Abbas explains.
The bar is a perfect spot for socialization while getting the wine buzz. However, the bar only serves tapas menu in addition to beverages. Those seeking more varieties of food and more intimate ambience should head to the main dining area, Abbas further explains.
The menu features a variety of delectable breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. Among the recommended dishes are Eggs Benedict, Toasted Bagel with Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese, Pizza, Tapas the restaurant’s rich selection of desserts.
“Don’t forget to sample our Eggplant,” Mendy recommends while pointing at the lasagna-like dish. “It’s warm eggplant and buffalo mozzarella cake served with seasonal herbs pesto and balsamic reduction.”
We did try the eggplant. The taste is more homemade and juicy. Another entrée that really spoils our palate is the restaurant’s innovative cooking of sushi.
The menu offers 5 types of pizza, 8 tapas and 15 desserts. Their pizzas are truly worth a try, especially the thin crisp crust topped with ham, tomato, mozzarella, arugula and caramelized onion.
Mendy also recommends us to sample the spring rolls, which taste quite delicious with the dip of sweet and spicy sauce. And the Lamb Ribs with lemon barbecue sauce. The lamb tastes above average, but the thick and rich sauce indeed enhances the appetite.
If you crave for seafood, get a plate of oysters from the dinner menu. You can either settle yourself in the main dining area, or bring the food with you to the terrace for the more enjoyment of the city’s view.
Among the restaurant’s innovative cocktails, you should try Well-blended Cuban Mojito, which is made with plenty of fresh mint to complement the Bacardi and soda. Or Nutella Milkshake, Cotton Candy (fresh strawberry candy flavored milk) and Homemade Grandma’s Iced Lemon Tea are among those in the menu that make Social House stand out of the crowd. The iced lemon is served by either glass of a jug of four.
Perusing the Social House’s menu, you will also find a full selection of coffees and teas listed along with other cold beverages.
A New York cheesecake is one of the restaurant’s most favorite desserts. This cheesecake is served with balsamic marinated raspberries and rich cream.
In addition to the main dining area, terrace and bar; the 150-seat Social House offers a VIP private room to accommodate larger parties. The private room is cozily designed with custom-made MIELE Kitchen and optional personalized live cooking experience.
Regardless of where you choose to get yourself socialized – be it at the dining area, terrace, bar or even the private room – your mood will be enlivened by the restaurant’s unique setting that takes you to a journey where social life is blended with a variety of food and beverages from different parts of the world.
Published in Verde News, Vol. 2, 2011.