For most people who reside in Bintaro, a night out to try trendy culinary spots usually means travelling to the greater Jakarta area, which requires some patience for the long drive. Recently settled in Bintaro, the newly established Convoi cuts the hassle of the commute, serving contemporary cooking of Asian and Western dishes to the delight of the surrounding community.
Talking about the restaurant’s name, regional manager Henry Marheroso said, “For Betawi people, sometimes they say, ‘konvoi yuk!’ which translates to being together. It’s the same for our Convoi, we base it on the same definition of togetherness.”
Striking a presence amongst the simple shops and eateries surrounding it, Convoi’s modern house sits like a magnet for residents nearby or cars passing by the main street of Jalan Kesehatan Raya. And it is exactly why Convoi chose the district as their base in the first place: it seems so rare for a restaurant of this scale and style to be present in Bintaro, a location that is more on the quiet side when it comes to nightlife or lifestyle attractions.
Inside, the restaurant’s design has a little bit of everything. Industrial with minimalist decors of steel and marble, along with hints of wood and a modest amount of greenery—the kind of eclectic design that shouts Bitte Design Studio. With some parts having an open skyline, the mood of the restaurant naturally changes according to the time of day. Sunny and lively by day to intimate by night.
Comfort food reigns here, with a little twist. Curated by Chef Agus Sutikno, the menu spreads across a fusion of Asian and Western dishes that boldly explores flavours, such as the increasingly popular Sei Sapi Pizza, a spicy pizza topped with cassava leaves, charred corn matah, and fried rebon shrimps, and Spaghetti Sambal Matah, served with Cakalang fish and the raw Balinese sambal.
One can also try their Kakap Bakar Nusantara, which features cooking techniques and dishes from several regions in Indonesia; marinated with a Balinese sauce, grilled Makassar style, and presented with daun singkong from Padang along with nasi liwet from West Java. The menu also offers familiar comfort food like the Sunset French Toast, a savoury take on the classic sweet breakfast with the addition of crispy beef bacon, mushrooms and truffled onion, which surprisingly pairs well with maple syrup.
Indeed like the diners, dishes of multiple influences come together here, catering to a diversity of occasions—from relaxed brunches to dinner night outs with live music—adding an exciting layer to the name Convoi.