Yes, to be eaten with steam rice. And something deep-fried on the side. And some addictive dipping, something like Balinese sambal matah. All in one plate. Imagine that. Now hold your saliva.

I have to say, that's an uncommon way to eat lobsters. Most (western-minded) people would go rambling on and on about how classy lobsters are best eaten by turning it into seafood bisque, grilled with lemon & butter with mashed potatoes & salad on the side, or Aussie style cheese-baked, or toss them with pasta or even risotto. But risotto is not exactly how Indonesians prefer their rice. I repeat, risotto cannot beat the sensation of steaming hot rice + spicy sambal that just kicks our native taste buds in the most satisfying direction.

That's why when I heard that Chef Afit and his wife Lucy, the owner of socmed-powered cheap-wagyu-pioneer-restaurant "Holycow! Steakhouse", is taking their turn to acquaint new cheap lobster concept, I just couldn't resist trying. Hats off to them that seem to regain the power of "start small" in business. Just like how Holycow used to start small in 2010 and now they've just opened their 3rd branch in Kebon Jeruk, I am 100% certain that Loobie will do the same in the near future. The hype has been going around for quite a while now, and it hasn't seem to cool down just yet. If you came by Loobie at the exact typical lunch/dinner time, prepare yourself for a minimal 20-minutes queue.

Lucky I came in on a bright Sunday 11AM sharp, to have my early lunch. As I said before, they start small. Really small. The restaurant itself has only 8 small tables as far as I can remember, that would make 20-ish seating capacity. But that's not their strongest point of course. Here's what to expect instead: The FOOD.

Lobster Platter 1/2Kg (IDR 137.000) - Eat at your own *cholesterol* risk, but I'm telling you this one will surely gives you lobstergasm! — Lobster Platter 1/2Kg (IDR 137.000) - Eat at your own *cholesterol* risk, but I'm telling you this one will surely gives you lobstergasm!

300 grams of lobster + fried calamari + steamed rice + choice of sambal matah/spicy garlic = IDR 95,000. If you've never had a lobster before, this might be the best deal for first timers.

And as if your cholesterol level hasn't rocketed yet, you'll always have an 'upgrade' option to their 1/2 Kg Lobster Platter, priced at IDR 137,000, like what I did. Now that's a real meal for the over-capacity foodie :p. I've heard mixed reviews across the blogosphere - dry flaky rice, too salty calamari, etc - but I guess it was kind of my lucky day. I get HUGE lobster, soft fluffy rice, and the straight-from-the-fryer calamari were crispy & not too salty. One thing that was kind of a let down for me was the condiment. Sure, they have sambal matah everyone's talking about. But for me it lacks that punch of aromatic Balinese flavor - not a single hint of lime sourness, or a kick of fragrant sliced lemongrass, and I don't even know how they'd managed to get bird-eye chili that (to me) was not spicy AT ALL. And not to forget the spicy garlic sauce. The garlic was definitely over-powered by the overwhelming portion of bottled chili sauce.

I just wished they would improve their condiment recipe and I'll surely come back and be a happy customer once again :)

Another highlighted dish was definitely its Big Shrimp Platter (whole IDR 85,000; half IDR 45,000). When they say 'big' I did not expect them to be THAT big, you know.. because, first, Shrimp (by definition) should be smaller than Prawns. Second, in this case to me it looks more like... huge Scampis or Langoustines. Despite some naming issue, I think it's probably their intention by keeping it 'low profile' to sync along the cheap-lobster eatery concept. Maybe that way, customers will feel more at ease because they're familiar with the name already :p

I personally recommend you to pick their Lobster over 'Shrimp' Platter. Lobster has a slightly sweeter & more delicate meat texture, and the most important thing: it contains LESS cholesterol per serving than shrimp (or prawns). True that lobster does spike more in terms of calories, but at the end of the day, why come to Loobie Lobster if you're not going to have a lobster feast? Try ditching the temptation of its fried calamari if you're really going on a healthier option. (Like anyone would do that, lol)

Green tea, lemon tea, blackcurrant (IDR 12,500)

Free Tiramisu if you tweet and mention @LoobieLobster

Unlike in Holycow! Steakhouse where they provide bottomless free refill drinks, here in Loobie Lobster they give a huge glass ranging from IDR 12,500 - 16,000, so no worries. One thing remains the same, though: they "breath" social media. So if you're having meals and you're that eager netizen that tweets everything, go mention @LoobieLobster and show it to the waiters and they'll give you FREE Tiramisu by @weMISU. Not bad for a free dessert (their original flavor actually tasted quite decent!).

Overall, nice concept, well execution, but needs more consistency and definitely more space. I do hope they improve their sambal matah (punch more heat please!).

Really, give LoobieLobster a try. I'm glad Chef Afit came up with such brilliant idea and hit the market quite on the right spot. After affordable wagyu, lobster, now can I pray for some affordable caviar or truffle dish? :)

Loobie Lobster
@loobielobster
Jl. Gunawarman no.32 Jakarta Selatan
Opening hours : 11-14 &
17-the food runs out.