JenzCorner

Jan, 17 2009

Ootoya

Posted by jenz on 6:21 PM

Last month, we noticed a new restaurant next to Urban Kitchen at Pacific Place. It's the same Japanese restaurant that has opened earlier at Senayan City, but we haven't had a chance to try it. A week later, while we're at Pacific Place again we decided to dine there. The restaurant is spacious with minimalist decor, but still feels warm and comfortable. The service was flawless. We're given hot towels for refreshment as soon as we arrived and the waiter asked if we want cold ocha or hot ocha. Turned out that ocha is free in this restaurant. The tea they used is one of my favorite Japanese tea, genmaicha, which has a faint aroma of roasted rice. The menu is exciting as there are no sushi or sashimi. Instead, we were presented with a list of dishes they claimed as Japanese home cooking. We ordered their fried eggplant vinegar sauce 20K, rice cooked with oyster set menu served in bamboo basket 79K, and cold soba served in wooden tray 35K. Turned out the dishes was very delicious. I love my fragrant rice topped with oyster, and SC was enjoying his cold soba.

Several days later, we're back again with friends. This time, we ordered their cold tofu 18K (I love it so much), tofu & egg soup 55K (so comforting), hot udon in wakame soup 39K (also great). We're enjoying our time there so much, we went back there again a week later with another couple of friends. This time we ordered Natto 15K (I'm not really into this thing, although SC said it's not that bad), rice with roasted chicken with plum & egg soup 59K (very hearty meal), charcoal grilled chicken salad in basil sauce 69K (perfect), while my friends ordered rice with fried beef served with kimchi 79K (very tasty according to her) and fried chicken with sweet and sour sauce 69K (I didn't taste this one, but it looked promising). Overall I think we'll be back again, dragging even more friends :P as long as they can keep their menu's authenticity :)

Ootoya Japanese Restaurant Senayan City Level 5, #37-41, Jl. Asia Afrika Lot 19 Jakarta 12190. ph. +62(21) 72781552
Pacific Place Mall Level 5 #08/09, Kawasan SCBD Jl. Jend Sudirman Kav 52-53 Lot 3&5 Jakarta 12190. ph +62(21) 57973858
(Opening January) Plaza Indonesia Level 4, unit 5 #E10A&10B. Jl. M.H. Thamrin Kav 28-30 Jakarta 10350

Currently 3.9/5
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Rating: 3.9/5 (7 votes cast)

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Comments

On January 18, 2009 8:42 PM
V Said :

Ahhahahahahah! Jadi bukan gue aja yg balik sampai 3x yah? :)) :))

PS: akhirnya pesen natto juga. Gue tergila2 lho sama natto sana dan juga tahu dinginnya :p.

On January 19, 2009 2:44 AM
yun Said :

Quote:"This time we ordered Natto 15K (I'm not really into this thing, although SC said it's not that bad)"
Same as me jen... I just say NO to natto :) Tempe is way much better...

On January 19, 2009 5:57 AM
sopjagung Said :

Yeah, the natto is not that bad... but it is still bad :))

After two failed tries, I can safely say that I don't like them :D

On January 20, 2009 2:01 PM
zee Said :

What is it like ? The natto I mean ? Is it the smell of it that you don't like or maybe the taste or texture (I believe it's slimy, CMIIW) ? I know one blogger that said she use natto as a spread on her toast.. :)

On January 21, 2009 9:29 AM
jenz

Said :

In my opinion natto is slimy and sticky. I can tolerate its smell, but not the taste. I have never tasted anything like that before, it was just like beans gone bad.

On January 21, 2009 5:22 PM
V Said :

Don't take me wrong, I'm not trying to influence anyone to believe that natto is delicious. You really have to decide for yourself as it's one of those which you either hate or love. But I'd like to provide a voice from the other camp :D

The slime can be disturbing but I think it's great fun. I like twirling the 'web' around the chopstick. The bean itself tastes like cooked soy-bean, no surprise there.

It does smell 'sourish' like a tofu gone 'slightly' bad.

It tastes very nutty to the point of, maybe, bitterness. To me, it gives a very clean taste like eating bitter squash.

If it's available here, I'd snack on it.

On January 23, 2009 3:47 PM
zee Said :

@V : Thanks for your very detail comment. After reading it, I think I'll brave myself to try it if I happen to come across it in the future..

On March 2, 2009 3:01 PM
ira Said :

my family also like to dine in ootoya. my kid love the kids menu, my husband loves almost all the menu hihi while i simply like the cold soba

On October 23, 2009 7:40 AM
Hary Said :

I tried their rice with oyster set menu. it was really really bad as the oyster is not fresh. I never came across any good japanese food in mall. however this is depend to one's preference.