ALTO

MARCO RIVA, Executive Chef of the Four Seasons Jakarta, appears in this guide for another restaurant, Palm Court, for his exceptional realization of Asian and Indonesian dishes. However, the Italian chef’s culinary savoir faire is also on spectacular display at the Four Seasons’ signature Italian venue, Alto Restaurant and Bar. Riva’s preparation of Steak Fiorentina–a Tuscan speciality done perfectly by the Lombardy-born chef– offers excellent illustration. Taking the form of an immense, 1.3-kilogram US Prime T-bone steak, the Fiorentina is grilled rare, over an open flame, and served with mushroom trifolati and peppercorn sauce. Also noteworthy, the sunny-side egg topped

with fresh black truffle boasts a deceptively simple appearance that belies the delicate skill needed to present the excellent dish. Alto’s sleek red-and-gold decor grows moody, dark and romantic in the evenings, when tables are illuminated predominately by candle and floor-toceiling windows offer commanding, 20th-floor views of Jakarta’s skyline. Guiding patrons through one of the city’s finest wine lists is the ever-genial Assistant Food and Beverage Manager Davide Brescianini. Post-prandial drinks are best savoured in the lushly crimson Alto Bar adjoining the restaurant, or while admiring the metropolitan panorama from the outdoor deck, seated in one of several funky mohair chairs. (cr)