The popular and delicious Smoking Joe’s BBQ & Lounge has opened its first-ever franchise outside of the USA. Jakarta residents can now enjoy the taste, in founder Joe Rozelle’s words, “of American-style barbecue, the way it should be.”
When Jakarta-based businessman Sammy Bolung was on a trip to St. Louis in the U.S., he happened upon a delectable and fun BBQ place, Smoking Joe’s. After that encounter, he decided to bring the same great tastes and ambience to his fellow Indonesians. And that he has done.
Smoking Joe’s BBQ and Lounge recently opened the first of several planned outlets in Asia (others in the works include, Bali, Singapore and Taipei) at The East building in Mega Kuningan, Jakarta. In addition to offering the brand’s famously fresh smoked pork, chicken and beef, it also has a stylish bar/lounge area with big flat-screen HD TVs with sports at most hours of the day and night and a “casually upscale” vibe. If you don’t have any religious restrictions, you must try the smoked pulled-pork sandwich.
In the words of Joe Rozelle himself, in an interview with a Jakarta newspaper, he explains: “We use a dry rub—the Smoking Joe’s rub—it’s a blend of herbs and spices. It took me a year to develop the recipe. The uniqueness of the rub is it goes well with beef, fish, pork, chicken and even chips. The rub, combined with how we smoke our products in a smoker imported from the U.S., makes it special. It’s the first authentic American barbecue in Indonesia.”
If you’re not a pork fan, there is plenty of hearty smoked beef and chicken concoctions as well some very decent cocktails, Storm beer and decadent desserts. It is an ideal place for a weekend kids’ party or an after-work drink with colleagues or anything in between.
Getting There:
Address: The East building, Level 2, Jl. Lingkar Mega Kuningan Kav E3.2 #1, Jakarta, Indonesia
E-mail: smokingjoesindonesia@gmail.com
Phone: 62-21/5795-8148
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This restaurant review appears in DA MAN’s June/July 2011 edition. To see it with all high-resolution images, subscribe here or pick up the magazine here.
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