The Rock Paper Scissors

by Pingkan Palilingan
24th March 2017
Lodged in The East building in Mega Kuningan, Rock Paper Scissors brings the best of both worlds: cocktail and coffee, coupled with hefty Western-Japanese fares.

The area of Kuningan is known for its thriving nightlife establishments. While most places within the area puts more emphasis on cocktails and parties, only a few who gives extra care to coffee — forgetting the fact that the business area needs caffeine more than booze to keep them sane on a daily basis.

Steering away from the usual format of a restaurant/bar in the area, Rock Paper Scissors (RPS) homes in on the act of balancing from day to night, offering both coffee and cocktails. And by offering both, RPS has gone to great lengths to present the best of both worlds; the coffee bar is handled by Indonesia Barista Champion (2014-2016) Yoshua Tanu of Common Grounds, while the cocktail bar is overseen by notable Singapore-based mixologist Nick Lim.

But all these caffeine and liquid courage, of course, would not be complete without the great dish that lies at the core of this restaurant. Focusing on Yōshoku, Western-influenced cuisine popular in Japan, the main dishes are divided into three sections: “Rock”, “Papr” and “Scsr”, each focusing on different types of dishes (breakfast, lunch and dinner, respectively).

For breakfast, the homemade Ricotta Hotcake is thoroughly indulging, while for lunch, Tuna Poké Bowl and Gyu Fried Rice provides quick, easy options for white-collar workers during their lunch break. On the heftier side, the Japanese Black Beer Braised Beef (Japanese beef stew style cooked in black beer) is placed under “Scsr”, the protein-laden subsection of the menu.

Just like its amusing moniker that is taken from the Japanese children hand game, in the same spirit, RPS churns out fun cocktails to make your dining experience merrier. When coming with a big group, be sure to treat them to Hot Spring — a big bowl of cocktail with fruits and dry ice, served in a steamboat bowl — that serves for up to eight people. Furthermore, no matter which mood you are in when visiting the establishment, there’s always Bespoke Cocktail that can be whipped up to suit your preference. The good thing is, if you’re not in the mood for alcohol, there’s always their coffee at your disposal. And it’s no ordinary coffee we’re talking about.