Kitchenesia.com - Chocolatier Chef Richie Pratadaja finally returns to his native Jakarta. But this time, he opens a restaurant of his own. On Wednesday (11/2/2022), Richie welcomes the press to his restaurant, Crio, located in Menteng, Central Jakarta.
“The construction was started in late 2021. Crio was officially opened to the public on June 8, 2022,” said Richie in his speech.
Richie Pratadaja spent more than 11 years in the US. He joined the famed Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas as a baker. Then he got to hone his skills more in chocolate at FIKA, where he worked as a sous chocolatier.
Richie returned to Jakarta in 2019 to make his dream came true: owning a restaurant. But only a few months went by, the pandemic hit. The Le Cordon Arizona-alumnus decided to start humbly. With the help of his brother, he opened cake orders via social media.
“My brother drove the car, while I held the cakes tightly to prevent them from crumbling and falling apart.”
Despite the hardship, Richie admitted the cake market in Jakarta is promising.
“I learned that Jakartans is appreciative of this kind of cake,” said Richie.
Crio derived from Portuguese word, which mean "to create". Here, CRIO focuses on creating a one-stop experience where people can enjoy savory food, desserts, and bespoke cocktails.
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CRIO can accommodate 125 guests in the main dining area, bar section, and two private rooms.
The semi-VIP Room can hold up to 18 people, while the VIP room with a 65-inch interactive whiteboard could easily fit up to 20 individuals. Guests can hold meetings or gathering here.
Richie invites visitors to enjoy his chocolate creations, from chocolate bars to chocolate dragées to bonbons. He created his chocolate in an open kitchen. Therefore, customers can see through the glasses how the handcrafted chocolate bonbons are made to perfection by the chocolate master himself.
Five-star savory menu, Indonesian-inspired
CRIO also provides delightful savory dishes adopting a tapas-style format, influenced by local and international flavors.
Some of the signature dishes are Balinese Octopus - char-grilled octopus, compressed watermelon, bell pepper chimichurri, mint gel; Hidden Tuna - tuna miso tartare, parmesan chips, apple gel, lime foam; Cauliflower - baked cauliflower, cashew and chocolate dressing, garlic aioli.
There are also Truffle Sashimi - seasonal sashimi-grade fish, truffle paste, homemade truffle soy; and Beef Tartare - wagyu tenderloin, mushroom capers paste, mushroom chips, truffle oil, lemon gel.
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All of the savory dishes are created by Richie, together with Chef de Cuisine William Cecario. William is French trained chef and previously worked at Teatro Gastroteque, Bali and several high-profile hotels on the island including Aryaduta and Conrad.
Signature cocktails and live music
The bar is helmed by Angling Darma as Head Mixologist, who has an incredible portfolio and has worked with some other high profile companies.
Before joining CRIO, Angling spent a lot of his time in Bali, including working at Room4Dessert in Ubud and Home by Chef Wayan in Pererenan. He is known for using herbs and spices from across the Indonesian archipelago in his works.
The Bar also provides cocktail and bonbons pairings for an immersive drinking experience, with live band performances available every weekend to entertain patrons.
Crio, Jalan Teuku Cik Ditiro No.43, Menteng. WhatsApp +62 812 1001 5969
