Oma Elly’s reservation-only restaurant, Oma Elly on 56, has wowed patrons since it opened for dinner service late last year — and now you can also book a spot for lunch.
I was recently invited by the Italian cuisine specialists to try their brand-new lunch set course. Obviously, I was excited to be back after having tried the first season of their wonderful 6-course Italian dinner back in November.
Also Read — Oma Elly on 56 elevates Italian private dining experience
The lunch service was definitely shorter than that of dinner, the latter of which took up almost the whole afternoon the last time I was there. My meal began with a small serving of Truffle Choux sprinkled with grated Grana Padano, which was soft and chewy — but don’t let its appearance fool you because the truffle flavor and aroma came off pretty strong. I took a look at the choux, and it appeared that the truffle was grated and mixed into the dough.
Our welcome bread came shortly after, consisting of what appeared to be slices of Focaccia bread, slices of cherry tomatoes and garlic, basil leaf, and olive oil with a drop of balsamic vinegar. Oma Elly’s head chef and founder, Chef Andry Susanto, told me that he wanted to offer patrons something that wouldn’t translate well as a delivery order, one element of which is starting the meal with the welcome bread. He also told me that people in Italy usually smear the tomato and garlic directly on the bread, which I did.
Next up was the Primi (starter), which features a lineup of Caesar Salad, Prawn Salad, and Salmon Tartare. We were served the last two dishes — the Prawn Salad came in a beautiful customized plate, which Chef Andry said was usually used for their Deconstructed Tiramisu. The mixed greens salad and beetroot were inside the bowl in the center of the plate, surrounded by ice that holds the five tiger prawns topped with the thousand island dressing. I was delighted by the fresh prawns, its sweetness went well with the light and tasty thousand island dressing. The slight bitterness from the beetroot decently balanced the whole dish too.
The Salmon Tartare was served with country bread, and it was fresh and rather tangy thanks to the lemon, yuzu pearls, and yuzu crème fraîche. The fish was topped with fennel salad, the ingredients that Chef Andry said he was championing because of its sweet licorice-like taste.
We moved on to the Secondi (mains), for which you can pick out of a selection of Pasta of The Day, Roasted Chicken, Mushroom Risotto, and Grouper Puttanesca. Again, I was served the latter two.
For the Mushroom Risotto, there were three kinds of mushrooms, including the Italian morels, on top of the dish. The arborio rice was al dente and the risotto as a whole was creamy rather than cheesy due to the mascarpone. Just like the first dinner series, you’d love this dish if you’re into cheese and truffle dishes.
Moving on to the Grouper Puttanesca, Chef Andry described the dish as incorporating “a very Italian style of cooking” with olive oil and white wine. At first bite, I tasted a pretty strong blackpepper kick, but the fish was tender.
Our lunch was concluded with a dolce (dessert) of Deconstructed Tiramisu, served in the aforementioned customized plate. It consisted of mascarpone and kahlua gelato on a bed of coffee crumble, tiramisu cream, coffee microsponge, coffee meringue, and coffee gelatin veil. I’m a fan of Oma Elly’s OG tiramisu, alcoholic or otherwise, but this one was such an elevated experience.
Due to the relatively shorter meal time, which still took almost two hours, the 3-course lunch is perfect for when you want to have a relaxed lunch with your S.O. or a catch-up sesh with friends overlooking the Jakarta skyline from the 56th floor. FYI, the dinner service has returned with a new set of menu, should you look for a new place to celebrate something special with your loved ones.
FIND IT
Oma Elly on 56
Regent Jakarta 56th floor at Mangkuluhur City, Jl. Gatot Subroto No. Kav. 1, Karet Semanggi, South Jakarta
RSVP through Whatsapp at +62 813 8892 6354 or email at reservation@omaelly.comOma Elly on 56’s Instagram page; Oma Elly’s main Instagram page
