Djakarta Bali — Restaurant in Paris

This is the point of view of a Student that goes there with high expectations, trying to give a proper value to each and every euro that spends, so consider this opinion as it is.

Cost: Expensive. I'm completely aware that restaurants in Paris are expensive, I'm used to eat with 2 euro per day, but sometimes, in special occasions such as a birthday, I may even go further and chose for a 30 euro meal. I know I can't expect to eat 15 times better than usually, but so far I really wouldn't say that I've eaten even 3 times better. That is why I consider it expensive.

Decor: decor is pretty good, but not that special. The entrance hall is pretty inviting and promising but apart from a general good looking environment, details are poor and approximative. Lighting is not properly chosen and not equally distributed along with the tables. Bathrooms seem to be meant to give the user a special experience, with music and stones in the sink, but at the end of the day they do not have impressed me that much.

Food: Talking about taste I'm not an expert of Indonesian food, of course. I've taken the most cheap menu in the list: Rijsttafel Djakarta, 25 euro. The Entrance Salad "Gado-Gado" (12 euro "a la carte") is a "small but not that much" vegetable dish, You may think that being just an Entrance the quantity is enough. "Opor Ayam" (14.50 "a la carte"), in other words "Disappointing Chicken", I've been there with 5 friends (one of them is Indonesian), Everybody has taken this chicken and everybody has agreed that the meat was not well cooked and tasteless. "Acar Mentah": 10 gr of vegetables, I didn't even had the opportunity of taste them because the portion was so small, that it hasn't even crossed the teeth barrier. Three of us has taken the same Djakarta Menu and 5 out of 7 dishes on it were meant to be shared. Originally we wanted to shared a menu in two people to spare money, but since that was not possible, we agreed in buying one menu per person. Just imagine the surprise when they brought us single plates to be shared between the three of us. I firmly think that the quantity was for two persons. "Acar Mentah" for example had 3 slices of cucumber, plus other vegetables. Believe me that even divide that small amount in 3 parts turned to be a really a tough work. "Mie Hun" Vericelles au soja. The best dish on the menu, in my opinion. A drawback is quantity because it is meant to be shared. "Krupuk" Chips served as the very entry of the menu, nothing to complain, except quantity, and the fact that I could have bought them in any shop. "Serundeng" Tasty condiment for rice or other dishes, but it is just a condiment, nothing else. "Nasi Putih" (2.90 euro "a la carte") Fragrant White rice, nicely served in a leaves wrap. Again, problem is quantity. Overall I wouldn't say that the food is bad, but not even good as it should be supposed to be.

Service: Very poor. This is the worst part delivered by the restaurant. Fist thing first, as the most of the restaurants in Paris, they try to rip you off with the "water". You ask for water, meaning "tap free water" and they reply whether you want it sparkle or still. You reply Normal water and they bring you a 1.5L 7 euros Evian already uncapped (If I have to pay 7 euros for Evian water I want it at least capped). You have to refuse it asking for "Tap Water", which is free. This is very common in restaurants in Paris, but if you really want to step out among them, shouldn't you treat your clients honestly and with much more respect? Waiters seems to easily run out of patience especially if you don't have clear Ideas on what you want to eat. Dishes are served hastily on the table.

Again, this is a Personal Review. Anyone can...

I no longer knew now how to enjoy a good restaurant in Paris. Either it is expensive with a shabby food, or it is not very expensive with a shabby food too. Why shabby, because the restaurant today, they put the money to open a cafe or a restaurant but the food that is not good at all. It is often very disappointing. Go! Even if there are many tourists, be nice to give a real menu with choice and the food must be good for the customers! It's not complicated right? Well, I'll just give an example Djakarta Bali is a restaurant that serves Indonesian food is good and made ​​with the heart, the decor is beautiful, the music is top in most dishes are prepared fresh every day (I know because I know someone who works in, who does not have the right to make the dish that had been cooked out yesterday) Frankly if you say it is expensive here! This is not true! A menu of 25 euros with salad + a basket of fragrant white rice and 2 small pieces of chicken and toppings. Food is good! And menu at 30 euros if you like fish and shrimp (2 only) especially with the entry; well seasoned soup too good vegetables! If you are a true carnivore! Take a menu of 35 euros (2 entries chicken soup + a real roll with fried shrimp simmered beef and chicken kebab) even white rice served in a banana leaf, it rocks! I'm curious if I buy that banana leaves, I am ridicoulous if i buy it in tang frère (the asian supermarket in paris) just for cooking with banana leaves and throw it away afterwards. i really mean it, I spend a lot at the same restaurant if I do not earn much but it's fun to live in Paris! But I would never spend my money for a restaurant or ubiquitous café (from unfamous to the most famous like café de flore) that serves the same menu not good in all Parisian restaurants with no star chef. Quality is more important than quantity. This restaurant is highly recommended to have a good time with family and friends even lovers! Only downside! I love not Chinese chips in...

Sought out Indonesian food on a trip to Paris and had a lovely solo meal at Djakarta Bali. The host was genial and friendly (and spoke excellent English, as I'd used up most of my meager French vocabulary by that point) and the atmosphere of the place is cozy and inviting.

I ordered a Bintang, started off with the saté de poulet (chicken satay), then dove into the bœuf rendang (rendang), capping the meal off with the kolak.

The chicken satay was delicious, a perfect intro, and was cooked and seasoned perfectly. Rendang is one of my favorites, and their take on the dish was a little muted in terms of spicy heat (not uncommon in places catering to a Western clientele), but the seasoning was otherwise a rewarding mix of subtle, exotic spices that took me back to the rendang served in my late, lamented local Indonesian restaurant back in the States. I'd not previously had kolak, but it was the perfect sort of dessert I'm accustomed to in Indonesian food, with a nice balance of sweet and mild, and a custardy richness that rewarded the discipline of slow savoring with a gentle, cooling counterpoint to the flavors of the appetizer and entreé.

I enjoyed the meal immensely, and had a nice conversation with the host, mentioning that I'd been desperate for Indonesian food since my local restaurant near Washington, DC had closed some time back and how my meal had brought it all back for me. This was my first trip to Paris, but I'll be sure to return to Djakarta Bali on...