American fashion house Coach rides into the wave of luxury brands expanding its offerings beyond retail to F&B, and it picked Jakarta for the grand debut of its first-ever restaurant. Following the opening of The Coach Cafe (where their icon ‘Little Miss Jo’ whips up coffee, desserts and pizza), Coach further seals the experience at their largest store in Southeast Asia at Grand Indonesia West Mall with The Coach Restaurant.
The scene is set upon entrance, as guests are immediately greeted with a real-life-sized replica of the yellow cab jutting upside down from the ceiling—a poignant homage to the brand’s origins that trace back to 1941 New York.
Cloaked in a low-lit backdrop with soft lights illuminating the black leather sofas of the dining area, The Coach Restaurant emits a stylish and enigmatic air. It’s an impression further stamped by the combination of crisp white linens, attentive servers striding in and out of the kitchen in vests monogrammed with the brand’s iconic ‘C’, and the warm sunflower yellow hues that drape the private room upstairs, reminiscent of a scene from a Wes Anderson movie.
Yet a glance at the menu quickly dispels any intimidation with its comforting lineup of New York classics, from the succulent New York Strip, where buttery cuts of Carrara Farm Wagyu are finely seared that additional sauce doesn’t seem necessary, to the Lumbo Crab Cake, boasting a crisp yet juicy patty served with a velvety sauce of pommery mustard and basil aioli.
Meanwhile, over at the bar, patrons are invited to explore the vibrant cocktail culture of the city that never sleeps, with classics from Manhattan and playful renditions of the Long Island Iced Tea, to their extensive library of natural wine. A notable highlight, the Signature Coachmen’s Martini arrives in a shaker and glass iced bucket alongside a garnish of stuffed olive and onion cocktail. Shaken and poured tableside, towards the end of the drink, the waiter will return to replace the chilled glass with a new one before pouring the remaining.
In every regard, the Coach Restaurant serves as a reflection of New York’s dynamic persona: a spirit that has not only moulded the brand’s 84-year legacy of leather goods and apparel but laid the foundation for their venture to F&B. It’s easy then to be reminded of the parallel between two urban cities, where just like New York, a diverse fusion of cultures and influences also pulse through Jakarta and give rise to the city’s eclectic and multifaceted creative landscape.