Sublime Surf and Turf
A diverse menu, amazing grilled items and focus on local produce maintain C’s Steak and Seafood Restaurant’s position as a standard-bearer for high-end cuisine in the capital.
C’s Steak and Seafood Restaurant in the Grand Hyatt Jakarta has earned a legendary reputation for its beautifully grilled meats, seafood and top-notch service. Still, Jakarta’s dynamic dining scene means anybody who wants to stay at the forefront of its fine dining scene needs to keep things fresh. That’s exactly what the F&B team at the Grand Hyatt, led by Executive Chef Rolf Knecht, did when they made some big changes at C’s last year.
While many of the steakhouse and seafood classics remain, Knect and Executive Sous Chef Christer Foldnes also developed a diverse range of new dishes filled with bright vibrant colours, incredibly fresh, high-quality local produce and plenty of Asian influences. The result is a menu that offers diners more options geared towards all sorts of taste buds, especially those looking for lighter, healthier fare.
Speaking about his approach to cuisine, Knecht said, “When it comes to my food, the goal is to simplify and put the focus on the quality of the product. Rather than hiding a mediocre steak under lots of sauce, let’s just have a really beautiful steak and enhance it with a little bit of sauce or mustard on the side. Using great local produce, like fresh tomatoes from Puncak or vanilla beans from Bali, is also very important to me.”
The Local Difference
Those tomatoes are put to excellent use in a gorgeous salad that pairs them with, surprisingly enough, locally produced bocconcini. The creamy, springy little balls of fresh mozzarella are a perfect foil for the bright, tart cherry tomatoes. It’s the kind of simple but extraordinary dish that can only work with ingredients that have not had to travel far to reach the plate.
The Peking duck salad is another winner. Served in a bowl made from a fried wonton wrapper, it features a generous piece of duck breast, covered in crisp luscious skin, atop a mound of diced bell pepper bound with plum sauce. The skilled chefs here know how to treat a piece of duck, with almost all traces of fat rendered out of the flavourful skin. The combined crunch of fried wonton, bell pepper and duck skin is intoxicating without feeling too heavy.
Maestros of Meat
Regulars and long-time lovers of C’s need not worry that these new dishes have replaced their beloved grilled meats. The steaks here are certainly as superlative as ever, such as a fantastically juicy rib eye made from Australian OBE beef, regarded as one of the best producers of organic meat in the world. The subtle grassiness and mineral notes in the intensely flavoured meat are a testament to a farm raising process that eschews any chemical or growth hormones. Get it with a side of mac and cheese, one of the best we’ve found in the city, featuring al dente noodles lightly dressed in a rich sauce with the smoky flavour and sharp tang of aged cheddar.
The seafood is of course another highlight at C’s, which is easy to see from the eight fish tanks filled with fresh catch lining the back of the restaurant, all of which can be cooked in a variety of styles to your liking. The new emphasis on healthy options means you can get your seafood with fresh, flavourful adornments, such as a poached salmon fillet served atop a bed of chickpeas and spinach with a spicy and sweet apple and chilli relish.
On top of the high-quality dishes on offer, C’s also features one of the best selections of premium wines by the glass in the city [see sidebar], making it an ideal spot for those who demand the perfect wine to go with their perfect steak.
