When chef and baker Yoel Natanael decided to fly back from Dubai to Bali almost a decade ago, he brought along dough starters and a vision to open a bakery. From a tiny jar, to a micro-bakery operated out of a garage, to a small cafe on the corner of Kerobokan Street, Braud has grown a lot in less than three years. The cafe has even been dubbed as the place for the best croissants on the island.
Just barely before Christmas last year, another milestone was unlocked. Braud finally opened its first outpost in Jakarta–a long-awaited gift for bread and brunch enthusiasts in the Big Durian. With Braud General Store’s concept of AM/PM, they brought much more than just the legendary bakes. Now patrons can prolong the pleasure well into dinner.
From the facade upfront, you will notice how contrasted the Braud General Store is from its predecessor. The building stands tall, much bigger than the one in Bali. The first story contains a bakery section filled with familiar baked goods, but turn your head to the other side; a stack of ready-to-sell products, like sauces and flavored salts, is aligned on the shelves. “Here we combined the wholesale and retail in one space, so it includes a general store where we sell many house-made products too,” Tamara Alana, Braud’s Co-owner and Head of Creative, explained.
Going up to the second story, a dining space lined with deep red cushions and warm lighting greeted me. With it, the word ‘cafe’ would no longer fit to describe the place, as Yoel said, “It’s more Bistro-style, but (everything is) still very casual, nothing fancy.”
The notion of ‘nothing fancy’ is also felt palpable in the long list of dishes offered on the menu, both AM and PM. But ‘nothing fancy’ doesn’t mean ‘not refined’. Helmed by Brian Suliyanto, who used to cook for Locavore in Ubud, Braud General Store brings well-made classics with just enough twists to wow, not confuse. “Classic and simple doesn’t mean easy. The simpler the food is, the fewer ingredients, the harder the execution; because there’s nothing to hide,” Chef Brian noted, pointing to how almost everything that comes out of his kitchen was made from scratch.
With the distinct PM menu, the dinner scene was actually not much different from the earlier munch. People were still relaxed–maybe even more, with natural wines now available to grab – encouraging guests to gather around the table and indulge in hearty dishes. The portions here are bigger and meant to be shared, so one person at the table maybe can order the freshly Baked Prawns in herb butter (served seven pieces a plate), while another can share the Oxtail on Toast, which boasts a luscious mound of meat on top of Braud’s famous brioche.
As someone who frequents the Braud Cafe in Bali, Jakarta’s concept and ambiance is undoubtedly an exciting breath of fresh air for me. Yet, for some other fans, the change can be a bit tougher to swallow. For the first few months, it wasn’t rare to hear complaints about not being able to find their old favorites in the new branch. Some might only come until noon, left without knowing there’s a whole other menu served afterward. “Perhaps the biggest challenge was the image. The cafe in Bali is already so well known for its breakfast and brunch, and here it’s quite different. So, how we deliver (the new identity) was a challenge then,” Yoel and Tamara recalled.
The location, which is in Sudirman Central Business District, also played quite a part in how the two perceived differently. While patrons of the cafe in Bali usually come in vacation-mode, most customers here rush to grab a quick lunch. “In a very small window, lunch (in Jakarta) is often combined with meetings or work, so the attention span and approach toward food is different. They might not want to explore as much (with the food menu),” Now Yoel has adjusted the menu to be more straightforward, familiar-sounding, and quicker options; the perfect formula for the fast-paced life of Jakartans.
The challenge wasn’t just from the outside. It turned out the bread also needed a bit of time to adjust to the new home. In the first month, they cracked despite the exact measurement and ingredients, thanks to Jakarta’s drier air. But the Braud team couldn’t settle on mediocrity, so again, they quickly adjusted the whole process: mixing, freezing, proofing, even down to the salt level; all done to ensure the quality was consistent throughout.
Its newly released sourdough pizza also went through the same, long R&D process. As a bakery, to get the pizza dough right is a no brainer; and it took a lot to get to the perfect texture and those ‘leopard marks’ everybody loves. Having had their Jalapeno Bacon pizza a few nights ago, I can vouch that the hard work did pay off.
But now all is well. Braud General Store is continuing to grow, blend, and rise in the middle of Jakarta’s F&B scene. As they collaborate and work with some of the most prominent players in the city, Yoel Natanael hopes for Braud General Store to eventually build its own community, just like they did in Bali. “From strangers, to customers then friends; at the end of the day, Braud is simply about human serving another human with great hospitality,”
BRAUD General Store
Jl. Senopati No.36, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta
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