Food:a talltale
Olivia Lazuardy and Elxi Elvina dine at Henshin, Jakarta’s tallest restaurant, and discuss the challenges of being fashion bloggers
Fashion and food meet at Henshin when Olivia Lazuardy and Elxi Elvina dine
Wfe have all seen the pictures on social media. Tall glass windows that provide unobstructed views of the endless sky and the bustling cityscape as far as the eye can see. A magical alfresco bar that illuminates the night sky with an array of bright lights. Henshin at The Westin Jakarta is here to revolutionise dining in the capital.
Gourmands of Indonesia rejoice as Nikkei cuisine—a delightful blend of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine—is introduced to Jakarta for the very first time. Combining Japanese ingredients with Peruvian cooking techniques, Chef Hajime and his team have created a delicious menu that is both familiar and exciting. With ingredients such as fresh seafood, the finest cuts of beef, and a selection of refreshing drinks, get ready for an explosion of flavours.
Indonesia Tatler had the privilege of tasting some of Henshin’s new menu items with two of Indonesia’s most influential fashion bloggers: Olivia Lazuardy and Elxi Elvina. Fashionable as ever, the two bloggers took no time in finding the most photogenic spots that make full use of the panoramic views afforded by Henshin.
With both personal photoshoots out of the way, it was time to indulge in the wonders of Nikkei cooking. Chef Hajime and his team prepared new dishes just for this special lunch. The first was Tiradito Girotonno, a dish featuring fresh raw tuna slices in sweet sesame ginger sauce. The subtle sweetness and acidity of the sauce amplified the freshness of the tuna. The garnish of salmon roe and homemade pickled ginger foam complemented the fish nicely with its strong flavours.
Sushi is naturally an integral part of Henshin’s menu. Sushi Frito Beef Sukiyaki, however, puts a twist on the traditional by using fried squid ink sushi rice. The cubes of rice are topped with slices of tender and beautifully seasoned short rib. Each bite-sized sushi packet is topped off with a garlic chip, rounding off the variety of complementary flavours that come with each piece.
We got the chance to discuss with Olivia and Elxi their starts as social media influencers, and people’s biggest misconception about bloggers. Olivia started blogging and uploading pictures on Instagram in 2013. It was an outlet for her to express her
passion for fashion and to share her personal style. It was her consistency and work ethic that garnered her a following. The past five years have seen her continue to work hard and turn her humble blog into the online empire that it is today.
Elxi never planned on becoming a fashion blogger. It was around three years ago when Elxi’s Instagram account would come to be recommended as one to follow to millions of users. It was within that two-week period that her following grew exponentially. Fashion had long been a passion of Elxi’s too, and having graduated from fashion school, it was a natural transition for her.
With a relatively new field of work comes plenty of misconceptions. People are quick to judge and think that bloggers have it easy.
“When people find out that I am a fashion blogger, the most common reply I get is ‘so you’re just a fashion blogger’,” said Olivia of her experience describing her job.
Elxi chimed in saying that people often think of bloggers as only knowing how to pose and take pictures. They are often much more than that as proven by Olivia and Elxi who are now both fashion designers and entrepreneurs.
Olivia noted that one of the biggest challenges of the job includes the demand to always be creative and to have to always come up with fresh new content daily.
“It is quite the challenge to juggle the demands of the followers and the clients, all while staying true to one’s self,” said Elxi.
All eyes turned to the final course of the day as it was placed on the table: the Asado de Tira 69. Past the garnish of watercress salad were two immaculately cut slices of short rib. The 69 in the name of the dish signifies the temperature at which the short rib was cooked at for 24 hours. Slow cooked to glistening perfection, it was clear to all at the table that this was going to be special. Olivia and Elxi were then presented with special knives prepared just for the finest cuts of beef. The knives went through the beef effortlessly as they took their first bite. Each exquisitely marbled slice is just the right combination of meat and fat; tender, juicy, and packed with flavours in each bite.
With the sunset as backdrop and the cool breeze blowing in their faces, Olivia and Elxi ended the day with Henshin’s signature cocktails at the alfresco bar. Fantastic food, refreshing cocktails, and an inimitable view from the tallest bar in Jakarta: what more could one ask for in a restaurant?
Henshin
The Westin Jakarta Levels 67-69, Jl. HR Rasuna Said, Kav. C-22 South Jakarta 12940 Tel: (+62) 2788 7768
“Slow cooked to glistening perfection, it was clear to all at the table that this was going to be special”