Many of us were cooped up at home for two years, unaware that Jakarta’s culinary scene continued to move forward and left us behind. In my quest to reacquaint my taste buds with the best the capital city has to offer, I am going all out to review some of the most hyped new players in the scene for my regular column, ICYMI (In Case You Missed It). Bon appetit!
You may be one of those people who are dreaming about a tropical getaway (read: Bali), chilling at a pool bar with a glass of your favorite cocktail in hand. However, if a trip to the Island of the Gods is just out of reach, you can still enjoy a similar experience at Dikolam in South Jakarta’s Kemang.
I first learned about Dikolam through Instagram, with the pool immediately catching my attention because amid all the new coffee shops and restaurants opening in Jakarta, few, if any, have a pool bar. And now we have one — minus the salty ocean air, of course.
Located not far from Hero Kemang supermarket, Dikolam (literally translated as “at the pool”) describes itself as “a communal place by the pool in South Jakarta.” It only opened in early February, attracting the young and hip crowd who are now gravitating towards open-air hangout places — a trend that has popped up practically everywhere in the city since the pandemic.
I went to Dikolam today expecting one or two other groups of patrons, only to end up as the only guest for the rest of my visit in the afternoon. My first impression was that the place is simply decorated, save for the cute mural on one wall with the canopy seats in front of it, with a pop of blue and orange. Try posting a couple of photos or videos of Dikolam without tagging its location, and watch your FOMO friends replying to your stories with a panicked “Where is this??”
Right after I occupied the table by the pool and received the menu, I had to ask the obvious question. The answer is yes, you can take a dip in the pool, as long as you spend at least IDR150,000 at Dikolam.
So I ordered Dikolam’s version of es kopi, Aren by The Pool (IDR25,000), and Jamuan Para Raja (IDR25,000), which is said to be one of the best-selling items from their jamu-inspired mocktails lineup called Jamuan. The es kopi was too milky and sugary for the light caffeine pick-me-up I needed in the morning, but I really dig the jamu drink, which is made of lemongrass mix sour, honey syrup, ginger, and cinnamon powder. It’s refreshing and not too sweet, with the ginger flavor being a nice touch to the refreshing lemongrass.
Unfortunately, I didn’t order alcoholic drinks as it was still pretty early, though their local cocktails such as Amera or Take Beer (IDR75,000 per glass, IDR275,000 per pitcher), Dikolam G&T (IDR110,000) and Negroni (IDR120,000), as well as beers such as Beervana and Kura Kura Beer, sound tempting for future poolside chilling.
Dikolam’s savory and sweet snacks options were quite extensive, which are perfect to accompany afternoon gossip or a catch-up sesh on the weekend with friends. While the Chicken Pops and Chicken Wings (IDR50,000 each) would have been nice, I opted for Mozza Meat Toast (IDR39,000) for a late-brunch-nearing-lunchtime treat. It’s a toasted wheat bread filled with basted egg, short plate meat with caramelized onion, and melted mozzarella cheese, which makes for a filling snack or a practical lunch.
Next up, I ordered a medium Australian Rib Eye Fillet with spicy potato wedges, sautéed vegetables, and rosemary sauce (IDR115,000) for lunch. The meat was tender and juicy, though it was a tad bit salty at my first bite. It was okay for my taste because I had the rosemary sauce — which appeared like a brown gravy with garlic bits with a faint rosemary taste — as well as the wedges and vegetables to go with my steak.
The steak, sandwich, and burger lineup is by Boston Steak & Toast under the “Boston Pool Grill” section in the menu. Aside from the individual portions of various cuts of beef, chicken, salmon, and lamb, you can also order pool grill packages for up to four people upon reservation only — the latter of which include cuts such as tomahawk and porterhouse steaks.
All in all, I had an enjoyable experience at Dikolam, and I’ll tag some of my friends along next time for a splash soon.
FIND IT
DIKOLAM
Jl. Kemang Selatan I D No. 18, Kemang, South Jakarta
Operating hours: 10am-9pm (Mon-Fri), 7am-9pm (Sat-Sun)
RSVP through Whatsapp at +62 813-8507-0099
US$1=IDR14,306
