One of the perks living in a capital city of a country is having abundant choices of cuisine and international restaurant franchises. Especially lately, a lot of new international restaurants are seen opened in Jakarta. But nope, I am yet to talk about those newly opened eateries. Rather, I am talking about my personal discovery of a diner that turns out to be a part of worldwide restaurant chain.

While I was looking for new places, nay, new cuisines to be tried since I moved here, I stumbled upon this restaurant called TGI Friday's in Gandaria City Mall with a good expectation. Entering the retail, I felt like I was transported right to the United States. The interior reminds me of cowboys saloon I usually watched in movies combined with a good hint of US bar ambiance especially with the banquette seating and the color tone of the whole interior. I could easily spend more time here because of its coziness and warmth feeling. Surely, this restaurant is for group dining and I could imagine how lively and loud the atmosphere if the place is full.


What's more interesting than the interior is of course the food. "Interesting" enough, they provide deal breaker lunch menu which is available until 3 pm on Monday to Friday—starting from IDR 49.900++! When I mentioned a deal breaker menu, I meant that it is affordable, moreover, it comes with a drink and full portion of a normally priced dish. Fear not, if you can't make it for the lunch, there are always two course meal menus, also at a very affordable pricing from IDR 79.900++ for those big eaters like me.


Since I am interested with a specific menu, I went for the two course meal that costed me IDR 129.900++. I went with Broccoli Cheese Soup for the appetizer and Southwest Chicken Bowl for the main course. Note that the soup is also available in the lower priced two course meal, but heck, I love broccoli and cheese and I was falling for it the first time I saw the menu! Thanks God it is as delicious as I thought, but somehow the amount of broccoli is not enough for me. The soup was so creamy, rich in taste and the broccoli was cooked to a perfect texture—not too hard, not too soft. I finished the soup just in minutes since it was that good. Put it short, it is similar to a cream soup with richer texture, dominating cheese taste, which I loved so much (I am a cheese lover by the way).

Broccoli Cheese Soup

As the appetizer was on top of my scoreboard, I had high hopes for the main course. The Southwest Chicken Bowl came out piping hot, with smokes evaporated from the rice. Looking at the presentation of the dish, I was assured that at least the price reflects its look. I was more than assured that I paid a good deal while I was tasting the first bite of the dish. To me, it was my first time tasting a US Southwest claimed cuisine (as written on the menu), not Asian alike at all, and the taste was surprisingly memorable. I was imagining that the food would be somewhat bland or tasteless, but the mix of spices on the chicken and the rice as well as the thick gravy as the base blended together in my mouth perfectly—some foodies called it "foodgasm".

Perfect should be a suitable word for this dish: starting with the rice, which was not sticky nor mushy, then perfectly mixed with dices of tomatoes and various herbs and spices; then the chicken, without any overcooked chewy texture and under-cooked part, seasoned evenly and complementing the rice. The additional big slice of chili and sausages also brought the dish to the next level. I rarely taste something this good and satisfying in my mouth in most diners, and it also came in a big portion!

Southwest Chicken Bowl

While waiting for the food to be served, I took a look at a huge tagline written on the glossy brick-like wall: IN HERE, IT'S ALWAYS FRIDAY. After finishing my fulfilling dinner, I understand that it was the perfectly-cooked dish that gave me the feel of an anticipation wanting to eat here again—similar to Friday, a day we always anticipated every week. True enough, after eating here again for multiple times—with all the consistent yet flavorful and delicious dishes they serve—it is always Friday in here!

In here, it's always Friday!

TGI FRIDAYS
Gandaria City Mall, Jakarta, Indonesia
+62 21 2751 5248
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At the very least, the resort is well designed and moreover, the hospitality is amazing. In my mini-research, this building was used to be a Sheraton property. The majority of the building was designed by a well-known architect firm from Malaysia, GDP in 1996. Over the year, this building have gone through numbers of major refurbishment until it became The Westin Langkawi in the present. Without any "outdated" impression, this hotel shows a good example of timeless design.

The Westin Langkawi is located in the outskirt of Kuah Town. Kuah literally means "gravy" that originated from a folklore of how two giants fought and spilled a cup of gravy that resulted in the creation of this area. Kuah itself is located on the southeastern side of Langkawi and the resort was built almost on the southeastern cape of the island. Unlike Pantai Cenang—the busier area of Langkawi—the location of this property is more laid back with a not-so-attractive stretch of private beach. While the beach was not that enjoyable, it was the view of the emerging small islands that captivated me while staying here.

As I mentioned before, the resort is an old building, hence, low ceiling spaces are a usual sight as I wander around. Nevertheless, the interior design was made to maximize the feeling of spaciousness through the color and furniture choices. It is also clearly visible that The Westin Langkawi, similar to other Westin properties—for instance The Westin Jakarta I visited recently—boasts the use of natural patterns for the furnishing and decorations, in this case, coral is the main theme.

While I was checking-in, the receptionist offered me SPG membership. To this date, I think this was one of the best hospitality membership ever. To make it short, SPG has 2000+ hotels all around the world under this single brand. Moreover, since 2016, SPG merged with Marriott and became the largest hotel chain in the world. Beside gaining points through our stays, by joining SPG, I could also earn points by using Uber application (click here for more information).

Lobby and lounge area of The Westin Langkawi

We walked quite a distance to reach our room which was located at one end of the resort's wing. As this is an old building, it seems that green building concepts are impossible to be adapted. The corridor leading us to the rooms are fully air-conditioned without any natural lighting available, which is peculiar for a tropical resort building.

Premium Partial Ocean View Room - The Westin Langkawi
I booked the Premium Garden View Room through a third party travel agent with a deal-breaking price. After we reached the room, I realized that we received a Partial Ocean View Room instead. An upgrade which, sadly, could not be enjoyed because of the dull weather. Measured at 52 square meters, The Premium Room in this hotel is not at all cramped. We truly love the balcony and the possible indulgence if it were a clear day with blue skies. The use of coral as the main pattern—for instance the paintings above the Heavenly Bed—is even more subtle in the guest room. Combined with aging wood floor and ceiling fan, this hotel room gave me the tropical escape mood!



While I was researching for The Westin Langkawi before staying here, I acknowledged that the bathroom was not refurbished into a luxurious full marble bathroom as Westin properties usually do. Instead, it was as if I were transported into a mere 3 or 4 star hotel bathroom. For your own consideration, do note that the glass partition on the side of the bathtub is transparent to an extent, which, to some people, might be a huge consideration for staying here.

Surprisingly basic bathroom

I always try to find a resort with a beautiful spot to take sunrise or sunset photos. The Westin Langkawi sure knows how to spoil photographers by providing that very spot—Float—a jetty functioning as a private dining space. Whenever it is vacant, hotel guests are allowed to walk down to the end of the jetty to see the expansive view of the Andaman Sea with Pulau Dayang Bunting, Pulau Tuba, and Pulau Bumbon Besar as the foreground. This was the perfect spot to admire the beauty of those unique island formation, especially when a perfect weather follows. This very spot is also a perfect location to enjoy sunset, which I didn't have the chance to.

Float  - The Westin Langkawi

To make up for two days of bad weather, we decided to spend the last evening enjoying a buffet dinner in Seasonal Tastes restaurant. On that evening, the theme of the buffet was Asian cuisine. I could not elaborate how amazing the buffet spread was! Grilled salmon, beef and lamb chops, shabu-shabu, fried rice, dim sum, and so much more that it is impossible for me to mention each dish served. I only remembered that I was so full and satisfied that evening as all of the dish were super tasty!

Asian Nights at Seasonal Tastes Restaurant

On the last day of our stay in The Westin Langkawi, it was a miracle that the sun shined on clear blue sky. I quickly finished my breakfast to have more time to enjoy this resort in its prime weather. I started wandering around the resort from this beautiful circular stair that led me to the lobby area.


It was on the last day that I could fully appreciate the beautifully designed lobby. I adore the contemporary hanging lamp with the shape of random tubular shapes that reminds me of staghorn coral. The ambiance of the sea and the beach are further emphasized by the color tone of the throw pillows, sofa lounge, and the carpets.

Lounges at The Westin Langkawi

Behind the lobby area, a semi outdoor space called the Breeze Lounge captivated me as the vista stretched at the end of the balcony. As I walked pass through the seats, I was mesmerized by the view of the Andaman Sea. It was not the best weather, but this view was so redeeming compared to the last two days!

Breeze Lounge at The Westin Langkawi

Expansive view of the Andaman Sea

Even though The Westin Langkawi was renovated to the latest interior trends, the visible wood structure and local architectural shapes defined the context of this resort. The roofs, especially, resemble Minangkabau multi-leveled gable roofs. It turns out that Minangkabau people have settled in Negeri Sembilan area for quite a long time. No wonder the adaptation of the traditional architecture originated in West Sumatera is possible with apparent modifications.

Locally inspired roof shape of the resort

The Westin Langkawi is a resort of its own kind—far from the crowded Pantai Cenang, yet only a ten-minute-drive away from Kuah where you could find anything else for your convenience. For a moment, I really despise the fact that I could not enjoy this resort in the best weather, but then I realized that only because of two gloomy days I could be grateful for the sunny day! This resort undoubtedly is recommended for those seeking a peaceful stay with many possible activities in the vicinity.