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Full of Body
This year has been a
breakout time for wine, with trendy Jakartans learning a thing or two
about reds and whites. A new “in” wine bar is packing them in, and it
promises to be more than just the flavor of the month. Sonja
Fransisca sips and sups and sizes up the joint.
 First there's the
name: Cork&Screw. The clever, slightly saucy word play on the name of
the essential partner for any wine connoisseur never fails to draw a
grin.
It’s a nice ice-breaker for the newest addition to the crowd of bars
offering a refuge for stressed urbanites to lighten up, and get a bit
light in the head.
Cork&Screw opened in February on the ground floor of Wisma Kodel
office building in Kuningan, South Jakarta, the bustling business
center of the capital. Its entrance welcomes guests with bottles of
wine stacked in rows of wooden racks and along shelves that border an
area with four modest wooden tables.
Its wine shop is one of its strongest points for the novice wine
lover. Bottles are sold at retail price, starting from Rp 109,000, and
average Rp 150,000 to Rp 250,000, pretty moderate by
Jakarta
standards.
With that smooth Cabernet Sauvignon in hand, instead of heading home
to stare mournfully at the TV a la Bridget Jones -– half
crying-singing All by Myself -- customers can enjoy their tipple at
the bar, restaurant or softly lit lounge.
From Tuscany's famous Chianti to sparkling ice wine, or Australian
Shiraz, with a fruity flavor that doesn’t leave an overly dry taste in
the mouth, the racks offer an impressive selection. The wine roster
includes two types of house white house and two red, which are changed
every week.
Inside, the unobtrusive and understated atmosphere is enhanced by
flowing bossa nova and the sultry glow of candlelight. With small
tables and limited space, Cork&Screw’s lounge is ideal for intimate
gatherings, not big, loud private parties (it’s a small gripe but
while service was excellent the first night we visited, it gradually
became a bit erratic a couple of nights later when there was a big
dinner event. But it was nothing to stop us coming back again).
A selection of European and Asian dishes is provided by the talented
team from Koi restaurant. Prices are reasonable considering the
quality of the sinfully delicious dishes. The main courses average
about Rp 70,000 while the dessert and appetizers are in the Rp 40,000
range.
For starters, the signature Koi dish of snails in puff pastry, and
bathed in a rich cream sauce, is a standout. We also sampled deer with
creamy mashed potatoes; the meat was surprisingly tender and not too
gamey, with a sprinkling of pinenuts providing bite.
The dessert to tell your friends about is the three chocolate cake
filled with melted white, milk and dark chocolate. There is also the
much-discussed Krakatau, which promises an explosion of vanilla ice
cream flambee style.
Even without a grand
launch, Cork&Screw already has gained loyal followers from those
all-important word-of-mouth recommendations. With such a refreshingly
unpretentious and alluring ambiance, it is bound to have many more to
come -- for the mood, the lip-smacking bites and, naturally, the
wine.
Cork&Screw
Wisma Kodel, ground floor Kuningan, South Jakarta +62-21-529 02030
11:30 a.m. to
midnight weekdays
11.30 a.m. to 2 a.m.
weekends
(Reservations recommended)
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