A trip to Senopati, one of the city’s most vibrant neighbourhoods for F&B, often leaves you facing the same old question: which new dining spot is worth your time? With an endless stream of new concepts emerging each year, it can sometimes feel like you’ve seen it all. But at Publish, a charming and chic brasserie offering an all-day menu of Western and Asian dishes, you, kind of, want to linger.
Perhaps it’s the mood-lifting details scattered throughout the space, from the elegant wine shelving that leads diners into the heart of the restaurant, to the pleasing combination of warm wooden accents, green marble flooring and soft lighting. Or it’s the spacious smoking area at the back of the restaurant offering an open view of the streets—bright and inviting during the day, wonderfully atmospheric when it rains.
Whether it’s the productive energy of people dining and working around one of the long shared tables, or the intimacy of a leisurely tête-à-tête that stretches for hours, there’s something effortlessly inviting about the place. Add to that the all-day menu offerings—from honeyed appetisers, pizza and pasta, and Japanese-inspired dishes to refreshing mango desserts—and it’s easy to see why people are returning.
Developed by Inneke Soeyanto, a former sous chef at Aloette bistro in Toronto and Head of Culinary at Publish, the menu blends simple, familiar offerings with inspirations drawn from Inneke’s travels and time in Canada. A standout is the addictive brie toast with truffle honey, inspired by a dish she enjoyed at a Los Angeles restaurant, where toasted bread is paired with brie cheese and the earthy depth of truffle honey and sea salt. Similarly, the Pepperoni & Burrata Pizza drizzled with hot honey recalls Inneke’s favourite day off treat in Toronto.
One of the other highlights is the Crab Butter Linguine, featuring linguine pasta tossed with fresh lump crab, dashi butter and nori crumble. Top that with the menu’s varying options of tea, mocktails and cocktails, as well as satisfying desserts of mango sticky rice and the can’t-go-wrong tiramisu with Baileys liqueur.
As part of the Publish Group, which also houses The Lynx Jakarta in Kemayoran and the café-tonic bar Chapter in North Jakarta, the intention to position Publish in the south is by no means a coincidence; it also serves as a stepping stone project where the group envisions to ‘publish’ more spaces with great food, design and warmth, as noted by founders Jessica and Jacellyn Winata. And by looking at the genuine buzz surrounding Publish, it’s clear that they’re on the right agenda.
