Tredici Ristorante (Senopati): Proper, fun, & fresh Italian

Tredici nails it in many ways; the decor looks believably Italian, the ambiance classy but fun, the food is quite enjoyable, and the ingredients fresh. It would have been a daunting task to offer something that the Senopati Road doesn't already have, but to me this establishment manages to accomplish it.

Dusty brick walls decorate the interiors. The back area is an indoor porch that's brightly sunlit in daylight and turns into an intimate, softly-lit room in the evening. It's colorfully soothing. Tables are well-distanced from one another so this can be a romantic place (or a place to have other private conversations) too.

The whole ambiance of the restaurant is classy, yet it's not pretentious. You feel welcome and not intimidated at all (frankly, pretentious looks have deterred me from entering some other places in the area).

My concept of what how Italian places look is derived from TV & internet only, but I have to say Tredici sure looks quite believable.

Complimentary bread. Home-made assortment of breads, pesto.

The home-made bread is really good. I know it's just free stuff, but it gave us such joy to find that even complimentary bread can taste nice. Most of the bread are the hard & chewy types, and some of them garlicky.

The accompanying green pesto is a smart change from the usual butter/ olive/ vinegar/ cheese you find anywhere else.

Next; food, ordered with counsel from the knowledgeable waiters.

Composizione di Mare (Seafood platter salad). IDR 68k.
Shrimp, squid, mussels, clam, baby octopus, scallops, salad, lemon dressing.

This is just so fresh. The seafood are plenty and of high quality. There's actually very little salad in this dish, but the seafood itself is unexpectedly generous. I thought it was nice & very appetizing.

My girlfriend (whose tastebuds are, I think, a bit more suited to Western taste), believes the dressing is a little overpowering, but I thought it was just right.

A very good initial impression to start a hearty meal.

Petto di Pollo ala Parmigiana. IDR 98k.
Chicken breast stuffed with eggplant, mozzarella cheese, white wine, tomato sauce, mashed potato, mixed vegetables.

The chicken is very tender. At first bite I found the taste a little confusing, especially since there's eggplants (which is sour). Essentially there were so many different flavors in every bite; there's chicken, thick mozzarella, sour eggplant, tomato sauce, and a bit of oregano. A little difficult to discern.

But the tastebuds adapt and I soon realize this is quite a nice dish. That's what matters right.

One small thing is that I couldn't seem to figure out the tomato sauce. It's not sour, not too sweet either. But it didn't really enrich the whole flavor.

Anyways, still a good package. Like I said; a nice dish.

Ravioloni con Spinaci e Ricotta. IDR 75k.
Ravioli with spinach filling, ricotta cheese, butter sage sauce.

I have to admit I didn't really favor ravioli (this dish was my gf's choice). I've tasted some in restaurants such as Pepenero, Negev, Pastis, and Sopra and so far only Pastis' suits my taste.

That said, I believe Tredici's ravioli is one of the better ones. The pasta dough was nice, the sauce added a little extra richness, the mushroom was decent.

To me the spinach was a little too salty. I think they sauteed the spinach with garlic or something; makes it extra salty. It's not a big problem though; not that the saltiness overwhelms every other flavor. It's still recommendable.

Tredici is quite a versatile place. And what I meant by that is a lot of different types of people looking for different kinds of pleasures can find a lot to enjoy. When I visited I saw some groups of friends just chatting casually, a very well-dressed family having proper dinner bringing their own wine, and several couples just dating. There's balance between all sorts of mood here.

Meal for two came in about IDR 389,300. I'd argue that's pretty reasonable for a restaurant in Senopati. The taste & size of the dishes as well as the great ambiance makes this place worth the price.

Tredici is more than a worthy addition to Senopati's growing line-up of restaurants. Even in an area cluttered with quality establishments, I think it'll manage to make a name for itself.

---

Location: Jl. Senopati, close to the intersection with Jl. Wolter Monginsidi.