MIKA Japanese Bistro

I was not so in the mood of going somewhere or eating anything until I remember that there's an invitation from a new establish Japanese Bistro in Kota Kasablanka. In a rush traffic hour of Jakarta, I walked miles away from Casablanca cemetery next to Puri Casablanca to Kota Kasblanka. Gosh, if it's not beacuse of fuckin traffic jam, I won't do that effort hahaha! But hell yeah, it was well worth when I saw how homey, beautiful, classic, romantic, and vintage the interior of the bistro is. Welcome to Mika Japanese Bistro, the bistro where I found home after walking thousand miles ;-) I'm not exaggerating things, but hey I will say honest about a place if they give an honest service too to me. And I feel homey here with their vintage bookshelves, drawers, cupboards decorated with some old photos, vintage things and what made me surprise was they have many (and they show it all in the bookshelves) original british and international old books and dictionaries even the Oxford Encyclopedia which I never have an effort to buy that stuff when I was in my English Literature major back then hahaha!


Mika gave me things that always remind me of my grandma's house. Full of treasures, little things that made me wanna steal. A miniature of Eiffel, a cute flowery head lamp, a vintage kitchen set, vintage albums and notes, and oh a cute doll and other vintage things that suddenly popped in my mind an idea of having a pre wedding photo shoot here. Well, just forget the last sentences haha...We better start to talk about the menus which made me always drool remembering many food I tasted on that food tasting. Mika is not Japanese bistro, it's fusion. They infuse Japanese ingredients in every menu they have. A collaboration between Japanese and Western, Italy, Indian, Chinese even Indonesian cuisine. So even you are not Japanese food lover, you can still try their fusion menu.


Starting from their beverages, they have many varities of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks. Since I'm not drinking alcohol, I will just explain the non alcoholic drinks. Get ready to feel thirsty haha!


left to right clockwise:

Purple Lust (25K). This is drink of the month but I couldn't agree with them since it's only gave me a true smell of grape not the taste. Even it made from fusion of grape juice, grape fruit, and grape yoghurt, the taste of grape wasn't strong. It even gave me a plain after taste. I dunno, for me this drink seems like too much water.

My Sister's Favorite (25K) and this also became my favorite hehe...this peach was blended with grenadine syrup, seven up and lemon juice...simply recharge my energy...

Mango Yogi (25K). I'm fans of mango drinks and this Yogi became all participant's favorite. The fusion of fresh mango, plain yoghurt, raspberry syrup and mint leaves was perfectly blended into addictive drink. In first sipped I tasted super fresh mango flavor with light sweet after taste from the raspberry. I didn't know what make this drink so good. Me and my fellow foodies just agreed that this drink is the best! Indeed!

Red Calpis (27.5K). When the first time the waiter said this drink contained Calpico, I was the first one who grabbed the glass and put it close to me so that I could be the first to taste *wink hahaha! Do you remember Calpico? A childhood cool milky-soda drink, I wander whether they still existing or not, with sweet and sour taste. I wasn't remember too much until I sipped this Red Calpis and said aaaahhh this is Calpico! The taste still the same, refreshing milky soda with sour taste like yoghurt added with red mint syrup. It's just refreshing opening for me! Love it so much!

Next, we came to the Appetizer & Salad, Mika has an appetizing opening salad namely Onsen Tamago Salad (30K). This classic caesar salad represented Easr meet West cuisine where romaine lettuce topped with onsen tamago, a typical Japanese soft boiled egg which was boiled under 65 degree celcius to get its creamy texture. I just love the crunchy texture of the lettuce and the egg just blended so well with the salad.


I love this Teriyaki  Chicken Salad (33K) not because the vegetables but the dressing made me drooled! It's Skippy jam people! I can't stop to lick it on my bread and couldn't stop it until it mixed with this salad. This salad more than just the jam, it's about the crispy of the teriyaki, goma (lotus roots), and crispy rice noodle. This appetizer just raised my appetite!


Goma Tofu Salad (30K), made me surprise with the deep fried sesame crusted tofu. First sight I thought it was nuggets but I was wrong. The tofu was covered with battered and sesame seed. It's quite unique, I love the soft texture of its and the soya dressing simply completed this salad.


Tori Kaarage (25K). This is suitable for you who loves to munch. The crunchy chicken outside together with the tender meat inside and completed with two unique sauces, tartar and spicy sauce which infused with nori, gave me a word to say 'I wanna munch it moore!"


Ebi Cream & Rice Corokke (34K). Found treasures inside this rice and ebi ball. Whether you want ebi or cheese inside, choose what you want. Me, of course chose cheese and for me the melted cheese inside the rice ball was better than ebi inside the ebi ball. Dont' foget to put it in their mixed tomato sauce, but mmmm is it spaghetti bolognese sauce?....don't get me wrong hehehe....


Gyu Tataki (38K) this thinly sliced pan-seared wagyu beef with Mika's special sauce stole my heart. Whether is is medium or medium well, the meat became more tender. And how I love to munch those thin slices with a lil bit salty sauce. Simply perfect.


Salmon Tartar with Crispy Rice (36K). I wish I didn't see this appetizer because once I see, I wanna make it mine hahaha! It's salmon and I always craving for salmon. This Norwegian salmon served with spicy ariracha dressing and layered on soy crispy rice never gone wrong. The salmon was juicy, fresh and not smelly, so does the soy crispy. Love it!


And now let's give a try for the main course. Pasta first. Mika has this signature pasta, Kimchi Spaghetti (45K), which they claimed as homemade and the first restaurant ever made. Well yeah, I gave applause, but I didn't think combining Kimchi flavor into spaghetti is a good idea unless you are a Kimchi lover. I just don't like the smell of Kimchi, moreover I didn't have any idea why the pasta was overcooked.


Curry Carbonara with Onsen Tamago (60K). Luckily, this pasta has more flavor than the previous. This creamy pasta cooked with curry sauce with beef ham slices and onsen tamago (half boiled egg). It's pretty good though on second spoon I felt like this pasta turn into 'mie goreng kecap' hihihi....


Mika's Homemade Basil Pesto (50K). Finally, I found the best pasta from Mika. For me they have quite good basil pesto since they use sun seeds instead of pine nuts. The herbs was really tasty and the generous chicken chunk simply completed this pasta. Love it!


Ebi Katsu Wrap (54K) came in a big portion. The shrimp katsu with salsa and spicy mayonnaise served with Mika's special soya-base dressing and choices of potato wedges or fries. I love the generous filling, I wish I had this portion of shrimp, lettuce, corn, tomato, and onion in a kebab I used to eat near my dorm haha...but only Mika who can made this! Great!


I thought teriyaki sauce only perfect to combine with sliced beef  as I usually eat my mom's teriyaki beef, now Mika give a try to ribs infused teriyaki sauce in their Teriyaki Lamb Ribs (80K). Not only it smells good (good job Mika to not make the smelly Lambs hehe) but also the tender lamb made me happy coz I could ripped it easily from the bone. Yay! No wonder, Mika took 4 hours to make that juicy lamb meat.


Demiglace Omurice (65K). A Japanese-Style Omelet and Tomato Fried Rice with French Influenced Thick Brown Sauce. I'm not fans of omurice since I thought it just weird to eat rice with such thick sauce. I know Mika took 7 hour to make this yummy and tasty demiglace sauce, soft oemelette and greta tomato fried rice, but it just not into me.


Phiuh, I thought I should forget my diet *ups...coz next I couldn't resist the desserts. Mika has their perfect signature dessert which for me they all are perfectly made. This Pannacota (25K) is MIKA’s Homemade Italian-Style Pannacota with Choices of Matcha or Houjicha Flavors. Both came in smooth textures, but I prefer the matcha one since I could taste a good matcha falvor, sweet and bitter enought, that's Matcha should be. However, the Houjicha for me was too sweet and bitter.



This Bannoffee Pie (40K), seriously this was the first time I knew there's a dessert name Bannoffee haha, is a combination of pie made from banana and coffee. With the quite big portion, Mika succeed to balance the flavor of coffee and banana which for me smells so good and sweet enough. The pie crust texture was also mild and easy to cut. The coffee sprinkles and cream on the top of it simply completing this dessert. I thought I'm gonna love this dessert hehehe....


and tadaaaa, this was the great closing which became my guilty pleasure that night. Gosh, I couldn't resist something melting in my mouth! The Chocolate Melt Cake (35K) too melt to be true on my mouth. Soft warm cake with sweet yet bitter enough chocolate served with vanilla ice cream and macadamia nut, isn't it enough?!


For all of those food, Mika still give us a reasonable price to stay. You can enjoy the beverages start from IDR25.000 to 35.000 for non alcoholic and 90.000 to 300.000 for alcoholic drinks. Enjoy the appetizer from salad to snacks of IDR30.000 to 36.000, while main course from IDR45.000 to 80.000. Don't forget to pamper yourself into their dessert starting from IDR25.000 to 40.000.

I thought I'm gonna back for their Basil Pesto Pasta and Bannoffee Pie, and you decide whether to go with your friends, family or ssssst maybe you gonna have your prewedding photo session here, I really recommend this place hahaha...Thanks MIKA for treat me and foodies that night!

MIKA Japanese Bistro

Ground Floor #M-11, Food Society
Mall Kota Kasablanka
Jl. Casablanca Raya Kav. 88
Jakarta Selatan 12870
(021) 2946 4975

facebook : https://www.facebook.com/mikajbistro‎
twitter: @mikajbistro

www.mika.co.id

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