Most Middle Eastern restaurants you can find in Jakarta are actually Egyptian, though they are rather few and far between. The one constant that unites all of these restaurants is lamb, which has been an Egyptian favorite for over a millennium.
The lamb dishes served at Al Jazeerah Restaurant on Jalan Raden Saleh, Cikini, Central Jakarta, are the most baa-licious I’ve had in the capital.
The kabsah laham (Rp. 94k), a dish of steamed rice with lamb is definitely recommended. The cooks infuse the rice and meat with a heady mix of spices including garlic, cinnamon, and cardamom. The kabsah rice is boiled in milky water for that extra, fattening punch of flavor.
Unlike in some Middle Eastern restaurants in Jakarta, Al Jazeerah makes no compromise in quality as they use imported basmati rice from India and Pakistan. It would be a crime to serve kabsah with the tiny and sticky local rice.
The lamb itself is tender and quite plentiful. If you’re the sort who get turned off by the wonderful smell of lamb, fear not, as there are plenty of other proteins like chicken and beef that go really well with the kabsah. They still can’t beat the lamb, though.
While you’re there, be sure to check out the deliciously fragrant chicken curry (Rp. 60k) with roti pita. It takes the cooks here a while to prepare. but exercise a little bit of patience, and you will be rewarded with what I feel is a nearly perfect curry.
The chicken curry, best served with roti pita
Not only do they serve brilliant savory dishes, Al Jazeerah is does some excellent Arabian desserts, too. I highly recommend the Muhallabia (Rp. 39k), which is a sweet milk pudding, commonly sprinkled with cinnamon, raisin, and strawberry jam. It’s the perfect natural mouthwash to get the strong smell of lamb kabsah out of your system.
Muhallabia, the perfect balancing end to lamb dishes
Al Jazeerah Restaurant
Jalan Raden Saleh no. 58, Cikini, Central Jakarta
www.aljazeerahinjakarta.com
Price range: Rp. 30,000 – Rp. 100,000 per dish
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