Do you know how hard it is to find a decent lemon tart in Jakarta? Despite the number of coffee shops and patisseries and bazaars that have been proliferating and happening all across the city, I can tell you that it is bloody hard to find. And it boggles my mind why it is the way it is. Maybe its acidic flavour is most likely too much for the majority of people? Or maybe the skyrocketing lemon price — health food trend, remember? — discourages bakers from trying to make one? Whatever it is, I’m glad to have found TOF Sicacilla at Kelapa Gading area.

THE NITTY GRITTY DETAILS

TOF Sicacilla stands for Tons of Flour for Sicacilla. What does it mean anyway? No, I don’t know either. Since this post is already full of speculation, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that it is probably the owner’s name? If you ever read this and I was apparently wrong, let me know. The café is conveniently located across Lobby 8 of Mall of Indonesia. It can be hard to find at first, especially at noon when the harsh light creates reflection on the glass.

The café is what you would expect of a modern F&B establishment in Jakarta: exposed concrete floors, wooden furnitures, gorgeous display case, and a bunch of eclectic knick-knacks. The hanging lamps are especially pretty; I can’t help but thinking that it would look extremely gorgeous at night. However, the most distinguishing feature of this café is perhaps the “tofsicacilla wall” that has rampantly appeared in social media. Diners with keen eyesight might notice that the tofsicacilla writing is embellished with pretty little green plastic plants. Cute!

THE FOOD. THE BEVERAGE. AND THE TARTS. 

Giddy-Up Brekkie (IDR 66k): Scramble Egg, Honey-Glazed Bacon, Portobello Mushroom, Sausage, and Brussel Sprouts

Giddy-Up Brekkie is not what one would expect from a traditional breakfast in Indonesia, where there usually is a distinct line between sweet and savoury. This dish walks a fine line between the two, and I’m liking it. Eating a bit of everything in one go gives me bags of flavour: some saltiness from the sausage, some sweetness from (what seems to be) apple chutney, and a bit of both from the bacon. Everything is nicely tied up with fluffy scramble egg and my favourite part of the dish: the portobello mushroom. Having said that, I would’ve love it more if they had crisped up the bacon.

Peach and Lemon (IDR 38k)

I ask for something sour, and sour is exactly what I get. Peach and Lemon might sound like any other soda beverages out there, but I really, really like this one. The combination peach, lemon, and soda water is just right for my acid-loving-tastebud. All in all, perfect for a hot day in Jakarta!

Cheesecake Pie and Lemon Tart (IDR 18k each / IDR 100k for 6)

Just in case you missed my opening paragraph, I love, love, love TOF Sicacilla’s Lemon Tart. Crispy, golden-brown crust combined with zesty, tart, zingy lemon filling. God. Can I have two more? Or three? Or four, perhaps? They’re kinda small! I honestly don’t really care about the marshmallows on top; they are distractions, in my opinion. Meanwhile, the cheesecake filling is also quite yummy, cheesy with a hint of lemon.

Latte (IDR 35k)

The latte comes with one piece of nastar. Yay for nastar!

Blackcurrant and Hibiscus Tea (IDR 30k)

Lovely, fragrant, and the flavour gets richer as it reaches the bottom.

THE VERDICT

I would gladly come back to TOF Sicacilla for their Lemon Tart. Revisiting Peach and Lemon is also a good idea. I’m curious to taste other all-day breakfast menus, because Giddy-Up Brekkie has a lot of interesting flavours. I should probably also note that the service is great. So yes, I’ll be back — with higher expectations than my first visit.

P.S. I also love TOF Sicacilla's choice of music. Coldplay's entire Ghost Stories album? My all-time-favourite John Mayer song, St. Patrick's Day? Count me in for a repeat visit.

TOF Sicacilla

Instagram / Facebook

Address: Rukan Italian Walk B43, Kelapa Gading Square (MOI)

Phone: (021) 45871031

Opening Hours: Monday closed, Tuesday - Thursday 11:00 AM - 09:00 PM, Friday - Sunday 10:00 AM - 09:00 PM