7 hottest new restaurants in Jakarta

The culinary scene in Jakarta is a peculiar one; meal quality seems to play a lesser role in attracting customers rather than being on-trend.

People talk about the various levels of pungency offered in ramen when the fad is all about this Japanese dish and ramen shops everywhere seem to be filled with customers. Later, when the trend has changed to coffee brewing, it is the coffee shops that are swarming with people.

This change in trends keeps going in Jakarta; people were once excited about yogurt, red velvet cake, non-franchised hamburgers, food trucks and sushi stalls.

When you look more closely at this trend-changing phenomenon, you might agree that novelty is the feature that Jakarta's foodies value the most. Hamburgers and sushi are not exactly new dishes; but a place somewhere comes up with a new, original or unusual idea on the menu and boom - an unexplainable cultural shift occurs and they rise into trend.

Online restaurant discovery guide Zomato has gathered seven relatively new restaurants that are rising fast on their review system.

You might want to keep an eye on this list if you want to be the first to post pictures on Instagram before everybody else is talking about them.

Cajun Claws

Seafood restaurant at the Cordoba shops on Jl. Marina Indah Raya in Pantai Indah Kapuk.

Positive points: There is no need for a plate at Cajun Claws when you order crab as everything is laid out on the table. The restaurant lets you have a personal battle with the food you eat, arming you with a bib and shell crusher.

Pao Pao

A restaurant at Jl. Senopati No. 16 specialising in dim sum.

Positive points: It opened merely two weeks ago and you can find people waiting in line to eat there. A reviewer from Zomato, Meidiana Wardhani, wrote, "Their siu long bao [steamed dumpling] is my favourite. The dumpling is soft, well-cooked and rich in flavor."

Tredici Ristorante

A two-story Italian restaurant at Jl. Suryo No. 42, Senopati.

Positive points: Reviewers from Zomato are applauding the work done in designing the place. The old brick ambience and semi- outdoor layout made them feel cozy and at home.

Chronicle

A casual dining place at Jl. Wijaya 2 No. 73, Dharmawangsa. Positive points: The place offers a large variety on the menu, ranging from buttermilk chicken burger to lobster roll. Combine that with their list of coffees and cocktails, and you might find yourself a new favourite place to hangout.

BART

Bar At the Roof Top (hence the name) at Artotel Jakarta, Jl. Sunda No. 3, Thamrin.

Positive points: Being located on the seventh floor, BART customers can enjoy terrific scenery to look out on.

Village Coffee & Kitchen

You can choose whether to have a main course or a cup of coffee to hang out at this place at Jl. Taman Kemang No. 20, Kemang.

Positive points: Comfortable sofas and dining tables are the favoured seating here. The favourite on the menu seems to be their ayam taliwang (spicy young chicken) and chicken chili pesto, as reviewed by Renny Yusnita and Agung Priambodo on Zomato.

Avec Moi

Head to Office Park Thamrin City on Jl. Thamrin for a taste of French cuisine at this restaurant.

Positive points: The design and the menu are perfect for a French restaurant; classy. Jessica Gabriel, reviewer on Zomato, was certainly pleased during her visit as she loved everything from the sous-vide chicken breast to the bacon carbonara.