Balboni is the newest Italian Ristorante and Bar in the busy Megapolis of Jakarta’s Casablanca area. Well, it’s not exactly located in the Kota Kasablanka Mall, but it’s located at the office tower next to it (accessible from the mall). This casual dining Italian restaurant owned by Mount Scopus Group, which brought us the famous The Harvest Patissier & Chocolatier, Negev Art Gallery Bar, and Chateau Blanc restaurant in the city. The restaurant serves not only traditional Italian dishes, but also some numbers of fusion dishes with Sri Lankan toppings which are also popular here in Balboni.
As I step in, I spotted the award frame on the island bar. Balboni has been awarded as one of the Best Restaurants by Indonesia Tatler. Yay!
I was also impressed with the whole ambience in this restaurant. The vintage tables and chairs with minimal lighting give the romantic vibe as we dine in. The open kitchen gives an excellent view to the customers where they can see when the food is cooked or prepared. The grocery racks which showcase some pasta, biscotti, etc. also support the industrial retro feels in the restaurant.
Not to forget, in a beautiful outdoor area, there is a big tent with illuminated lamps and a cozy sofa. This area might be a perfect idea to enjoy dinner with your love ones and also a great spot to hold up an event.
Together with some other food blogger, Balboni’s Chef, Ivan Tarrago serves us with all the signature dishes. He said that all the food use only the finest and freshest imported ingredients, well this explained why I really enjoyed all the food.
Welcome Bread
A basket of freshly baked bread as a complimentary.
Lychee and Kiwi Smoothie, IDR 55K
Fresh smoothie made with a combination of fresh lychee and kiwi was a good companion for my lunch. Tasty and so refreshing!
Lychee Iced Tea, IDR 35K
If you’re looking for something light and fresh, Lychee Iced Tea can be a perfect choice to accompany your meal.
Insalata Di Mare, IDR 55K – Le Insalate (Salade)
Andrea Giannini as the General Manager of Balboni Ristorante has shown us how to serve the Insalata Di Mare. He puts together all the ingredients inside one medium size of the glass jar, shake it upside down for a while and voila! The flavors were fresh and light with a hint of lemon juice as a dressing, perfect as the beginning of a substantial meal. Recommended!
Parmigiana Di Melanzane, IDR 80K – Antipasti (Starter)
Parmigiana Di Melanzane in other words, is an Eggplant Lasagna. This Parmigiana made with slices Eggplants covered with plenty of tomato sauce and Italian cheeses such as Parmesan Cheese and Mozzarella Cheese. The layer of the cheese gives a contrasting sense to the sweetness of the eggplant. It’s very tasty! Recommended!
Calamari Ripieni, IDR 70K – Antipesti (Starter)
The grilled squid tubes stuffed with some seafood and vegetables inside. It’s such a simple dish and become another delicious appetizer that I can recommend to you.
Piadina Alla Diavola, IDR 65K – Le Piadine
Piadina is a thin Italian flatbread and the one I had in Balboni is filled with Beef Pepperoni, Fresh Pepperoncino, Spicy Tomato Sauce and Salad. It’s pretty good and tasty, though the food isn’t warm anymore because we took a lot of pictures when all the food were served.
Tortelli Di Burro E Salvia, IDR 85K – Home Made Pasta
These simple tortelli are filled with ricotta and spinach, served in a butter and fresh sage. It tastes good, but it would be better if topped with grated Parmesan cheese to add more flavor.
Tagliolino Al Nero Di Seppia Con Seppie, IDR 70K – Home Made Pasta
I heard in Italy cuttlefish is so popular and its ink is used to season the pasta or any other meals, just like this black ink pasta. The black color all over the pasta seems scary and those who have never tasted pasta with cuttlefish ink will probably close their noses just thinking about eating it. Well, it’s not as bad as it looks. It’s incredibly appetizing, and full of sea flavor.
Branzino All’ Isolana Al Cartoccio, IDR 130K – I Secondi (Main Course)
Branzino means sea bass. This sea bass fillet was marinated in olive oil and some other seasonings, served with Potatoes, Tomatoes and Zucchini. I loved how the fish has an excellent texture, juicy, wonderful flavor, and nice smells, makes it a winning dish for me. Recommended!
Milanese Di Pollo Con Pomodorini Cilegia, IDR 105K – I Secondi (Main Course)
Crunchy breaded chicken Milanese served with marinated cherry tomatoes and basil. Usually I don’t eat chicken breast, but this one is exceptional. The outer layer is so crisp, while the meat is moist and tender just the way I like it.
Vegetable Curry, IDR 60K and Devilled Fish, IDR 90K
Balboni Ristorante also has specialities from Ceylon, named Devilled and Curry. There are few options of Curry and meat dish, such as Sri Lankan Curry, Chicken Curry, Prawns Curry, Devilled Pork, Devilled Chicken, etc. We tried the Vegetable Curry and Devilled Fish, which both are delicious. The Vegetables Curry consists of diced mixed vegetables cooked with Sri Lankan traditional spices. Devilled Fish was fried fish served with a sweet and spicy tomato sauce. The best way to eat the curry and the fish is to pair it with some side dishes like Plain Hopper, String Hopper, and Egg Hopper.
Devilled Chicken Pizza, IDR 75K
For the dessert, I’ve tried some of the favorite desserts such as Mango Tiramisu, Souffle Chocolate, Cream Caramel, White and Dark Chocolate Mousse, and Velvet Brownie. I love them all, especially the White and Dark Chocolate Mousse, Mango Tiramisu and Souffle Chocolate.
Mango Tiramisu, IDR 60K
This is a lovely summer tropical treat. Tiramisu foam with fresh mangoes and soggy biscuit surely will delight your taste buds. Recommended!
Souffle Chocolate, IDR 55K
I must say that this is one of the best souffle Chocolate I’ve ever had. A classic souffle with chocolate. It tastes light, crisp on top, and slightly moist in the center and it creates melt-in-the-mouth feels. I’m so in love with this! Recommended!
Cream Caramel, IDR 45K
Egg based custard dessert with a layer of soft caramel on the top. This dessert is supposed to come with a soft silky texture, but looks like its overcooked, and it’s lumpy.
White and Dark Chocolate Mousse, IDR 45K
Two layer mousse topped with cream. It has a very light texture, smooth and fluffy. So delicious! Recommended!
Velvet Brownie, IDR 55K
Chocolate brownie with nuts and red velvet cake layered with cream cheese mousse. This could be a good choice to satisfy your sweet tooth for this summer season.
Thank you so much Balboni Ristorante for the excellent lunch. Overall, I truly enjoyed everything. The music playing was quite good with a mix of upbeat music and pop music. The staffs were friendly, the ambience was great and the price is reasonable. So if you want delicious Italian dishes or some fusion dishes with Sri Lankan toppings, Balboni Ristorante is the right place!
SUBSCRIBE NOW on Myfunfoodiary’s YouTube to see our Travel Tips Videos!
June 5, 2014
Ci Mul, cobain coconut & mushroom risotto with ebi tempuranya deh
itu enak banget ci rasanya…
cici ga cobain durian pannacota ?
kalau mango tiramisu mang enak ci, paling suka bagian sponge cake
yang ada di bawahnya, walaupun udah meresap sama kopi
tetap enak dan ga begitu bitter kopinya
jadi aku masih bisa makan dan bisa bilang enak
June 6, 2014
Weleh..weleh.. tnyata km uda dluan cobain ya kesana..
aku blm cb durian pannacottanya, kmrn kan soalnya mrk yg ngeluarin menunya kita gak request.. :p
June 6, 2014
Oh cici undangan food testing yah ?
ada menu baru dong ci?
durian pannacotta, aku paling suka sama cinnamon crumblenya
dihidangin sama biscoti juga, kayaknya yg di mango tiramisu
June 9, 2014
Yup, Selfi.. uda gak sanggup makan apa2 lagi kmrn menu yg dikeluarin bnyk bgt, hihihi..
kpn2 baru cobain ah… ^^p
June 8, 2014
Hello ci, I love your photo and your review! and now I’m craving for the Souffle chocolate! It looks really great and amazing, gotta try that menu sometimes.
By the way, I’m a new Indonesian Foodblogger, please kindly visit my blog, and may I put link to My Fun Food Diary on my blog?
Thanks