Tucked between other restaurants on the third floor of Kemang Village shopping mall is W Diner, a F&B establishment serving American food classics. While the restaurant is indeed quite petite in size, it pops out amongst its neighbours as a result of its quirky look.  

Take one look at W Diner and you’ll immediately think of classic American diners: checkered black and white tiles, faux bar that also functions as a service counter, high stools, and bright blue long sofas. The use of retro wallpapers and the staffs’ uniform emphasize the atmosphere even further.

Choco Killer Milkshake (IDR 68k)

If there was ever a list of food that could cause death by chocolate, W Diner’s Choco Killer Milkshake would be somewhere down the list. It dishes up chocolate milkshake with chocolate pocky sticks, Oreo biscuits, waffle and marshmallow drizzled with chocolate sauce, Coco Crunch cereals, and whipped cream. Chocolate coma, anyone?

Having said that, I find this milk shake not as chocolatey as its descriptions, perhaps thanks to the thin consistency of the milkshake itself, which is almost Milo-like. It is a weird experience, really. I expect something a lot sweeter, but it turns out to be the opposite. 

Original W Diner Beef Burger  (IDR 69k)

No American diner-inspired restaurant would be complete without hamburgers. The best-selling Original W Diner Beef Burger is a sinful serving of fresh beef patty, onion rings, melted cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, and french fries on the side. If I had to nitpick this dish, I would say the buns are dry to the point of being crumbly. The highlight of this burger is definitely the juicy, fatty beef patty! Oh, and the little Deadpool flag pricked on top of the burger. I love Deadpool.

Fettucine Carbonara (IDR 55k)

Well color me surprised. W Diner’s Fettucine Carbonara is a great Fettucine Carbonara. It’s cheesy. It’s creamy. It has that small bits of beef bacon that everyone loves. The fettucine is cooked properly. It offers everything you would ever expect of Fettucine Carbonara in an American restaurant, and a little bit more. Sharing is probably a good idea, because that much dairy could make you feel a bit gaseous. *note to self*

American Breakfast (IDR 58k)

This, sadly, is my least favorite dish at W Diner. It initially has the promise of a dish I would normally love: grilled chicken sausage, pan-fried beef bacon, scrambled egg, french toast, and baked red bean with tomato sauce. While the rest of the elements are okay, the french toast is excessively oily, ruining the whole dish. Simply thinking about it leaves an unpleasant greasy sensation in the back of my throat. 😭

Nutella Smores Dip (IDR 40k)

You, W Diner, are very clever. Who can resist Nutella—especially when combined with smores? While I find this dish a tad to sweet for my palate, it is undoubtedly a fun dish. Dip the classic Marie Regal biscuits into a pool of smores covered with Nutella, and dump it into your mouth while it’s still warm. Yum!

While some dishes indeed taste better than the others, overall W Diner gives me a pleasant dining experience. The staffs are very patient and helpful, which are definitely plus points. The interior and the dishes are visually gorgeous—perfect for photo enthusiasts.

P.S. With a minimum transaction of Rp 200.000,-, Maxx-Stamps members can redeem one of these two: Classic Milkshake or W Original Beef Burger. T&C applies. 

Om nom nom.

While no one can really confirm where the term originally comes from—Cookie Monster? Random people expressing the deliciousness of their food?—it is now known as the universally accepted expression of enjoying a good meal. So, when a restaurant is named similarly to that term, you know it has to give you a good dining experience. Meet Nomz Kitchen and Pastry, a less-than-one-year-old establishment at Grand Indonesia, Jakarta.

Oh, Grand Indonesia. Sometimes I can’t keep up with all the new restaurants and cafés that pop out at this giant of a mall in Central Jakarta! While Slice of Heaven is ‘relatively old’ compared to other even newer establishments, I only had a chance to try it recently. Slice of Heaven is a pretty difficult name to live up to, so I had to remind myself to keep my expectations in check. This is how it turned out! :D