Kam's Roast Brings Michelin-Star Cantonese Flavor to Jakarta
Jakarta. Michelin-starred Hongkong restaurant Kam's Roast has opened a branch in Jakarta's Pantai Indah Kapuk, a popular eating strip on the northern beaches of the capital.
The original Kam's Roast was opened in 2015 by Hardy Kam, the grandson of the late Kam Shui Fai who opened Hong Kong's famous Yung Kee Restaurant in 1942.
Kam's Roast, now world-famous for its roast goose, earned its one Michelin star within six months of opening in 2015.
According to the Michelin Guide, one star is given to a "very good restaurant in its category."
Despite recent criticisms, not least on the secretive process of attaining the coveted stars, the guide is still regarded as the final word in fine dining.
Kam's Roast, a street food establishment more than fine dining, was awarded their Michelin star solely for its outstanding food.
To be clear, the Michelin star was given to the original Kam's Roast in Wan Chai. It doesn't get passed down to its Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK) branch.
At PIK's Kam's Roast, poultry and meats are roasted on the third floor and then brought down to be hung in glass cases and chopped for the customers.
Although they have an extensive choice of roasted meats, the signature here is the roast duck.
When the Jakarta Globe visited on Saturday (25/08), it was only the store's fifth day, but extra tables and chairs already had to be added in the waiting area to accommodate overflowing customers.
Creative designer Krizia Soetaniman said the restaurant had been roasting 60-70 ducks each day and they would all be gone by 8 p.m.
The store now plans to roast at least 120 ducks every day.
The pieces of duck are stacked into a mini tower, with the flavorful juices collecting in a golden brown pool underneath.
The meat is best enjoyed on its own with no additional sauce, and it would be blasphemy to skip the best part: the crispy skin.
Kam's Roast also serves up a mean Toro BBQ pork belly. Toro in Japanese means the best part of an animal. The toro meat at Kam's Roast is a bit chewy, but the combination of sweet honey and savory soy sauce creates a perfect harmony.
Krizia said some customers have complained that the noodles at Kam's Roast don't have enough seasoning. She explained that Hong Kong-style noodles are deliberately made blander to complement the sweet and salty meats.
The chewy and bouncy noodles are best eaten with a soup, such as this one, featuring plump boiled shrimp dumplings.
The restaurant's sauces, including the ginger-garlic one you get when you order roast chicken, are imported directly from their original Hong Kong restaurant.
Even the chef for the time being is imported from the original establishment. When he leaves, he will be replaced by another chef from Hong Kong to ensure authentic Cantonese taste.
Address: Ruko Crown Golf, Blok D N0. 56-57, Bukit Golf Mediterania, Jalan Marina Indah Raya, Pantai Indah Kapuk, Jakarta.
Opening hours: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Reservations: (021) 22573777
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