Yummy Malaysiana: Portico Terrace and Bistro (Senayan City)

Portico Terrace and Bistro (Senayan City)

Portico is a restaurant and bar located partly in the open air, in Senayan City's ground floor. It is supposed to be a chic venue, and most of the crowd here is from upper-class Indonesian and Chinese families, with some expats as well. I visited Portico twice, and my two experiences were very different.

The first time, it was in the middle of the afternoon: The venue was empty, and both the outside and inside areas were too hot. Since the walls are made of glass, I guess that when the sun is up, you cannot really avoid it. I also think that their terrace does not have a pleasant view. As you can see on the pictures, all you can look at is the Plaza Senayan mall, and the traffic jam on Jalan Asia-Afrika. If you try the terrace in Union, Loewy or Potato Head, it is much more enjoyable.

View from the terrace in Portico

I came back a second time to Portico, at night, and the atmosphere was nicer, more intimate. ! Instead of cars, you only see their lights passing by, and there was a little wind cooling down the place. It was much more crowded too, with lounge music in the background. I know they have some good events occasionally, in particular guest DJs. You could check their facebook page for more information (see below).

Overall: Avoid Portico during the day (nearby Union is better), and visit it at night only if you like posh places with rather expensive prices. I didn't try the food there unfortunately, no idea what it is worth. They also seem to have a large selection of wines and champagne.