Restaurant: Mother's Cook
Location: Cilandak Town Square
Hopes were high amongst the Jakarta Burger Blog staff as we ventured out for our inaugural review. We had heard good things about this little restaurant tucked away on the second floor of CITOS and were looking forward to starting off our day with a good burger -- unfortunately Mother's Cook failed to deliver and we were left quite disappointed.
The details:
SERVICE 2/5
We believe that service should enhance, not distract from, the burger eating experience. While we were seated quickly and our order was taken without delay, the aesthetic appearance of our server did little to increase our appetite. Low marks for the hair cut, multiple piercings and sweater vest. Plus our fries were served a good ten minutes before our burgers and we had to ask for mustard and tabasco.Would you buy a burger from this guy?
Ambiance 3/5
Perhaps the best thing about Mother's Cook is it's decor. Comfortable booths with nice linoleum tables coupled with numerous photos of American celebrities give the appearance of the classic '50's diner. Unfortunately it was a bit warm inside and the flat screen tv was showing international news in Indonesian.... a big faux pas, especially given March Madness is in full swing back in the USA. Tip to all you aspiring restaurateurs: sports, particularly American sports, go well with burgers!The Beef 1/5
The heart of any burger, and ultimately any burger restaurant, is the beef. Sadly this is where Mother's Cook failed the most. While it's appearance looked very promising, our paddies evoked memories of the classic Seinfeld episode in which George's Dad poisons an entire regiment of US soldiers. The meat tasted old, was chock full of onions and other mysterious 'filler' and was far too spicy. On no less than four occasions did we have to actually have to remove some 'meat' from our mouths by hand as no matter how much we chewed, it wouldn't dissolve. The Sear 4/5
Given the quality of meat on offer, it was cooked surprising well. The cooking equipment at Mother's Cook is top notch and our burgers were cooked ery well over a flame grill with a distinct and nice looking sear. Even an international standard kitchen could not save our burger.
Seasoning and Toppings: 1/5
Meat was far too spicy, lettuce looked dirty and wilted, tomatoes were soggy and the onions diced in what appeared to be a rouse to disguise how old they were. Cheese: 3/5
The cheese burger we ordered came with two slices of processed, and what appeared to be locally made cheese. While the taste was adequate, the slices were too small to cover the entire burger. (see photo below)Bun: 4/5
A ray of light amongst an otherwise dark dining experience. The bun was quite good! Nice size, good fluff, and prepared in a bun toaster housed above the burger grill. Unfortunately the bun had a hint of previously frozen flavor to it, but was certainly the highlight of the meal.Fries & Drinks: 2/5
Fine selection of drinks on offer. Our junior reviewer enjoyed a nice ice lemon tea while we stuck to air putih paket ice. Like the restaurant itself, our fries looked good but failed the taste test. Stale, tasteless and required an abundance of ketchup in order to choke them down.Looks can be deceiving...
Value: 2/5
Our total bill for one cheese burger, one regular burger, two orders of fries and a couple of waters came up just shy of 160k. While not overly expensive for CITOS, our cost was nearly double that of what we would pay for a far better meal at Burger King. Would We Come Back: 1/5
Even a free meal at this place would not sway us to return for another burger. While we might be tempted to try their chicken wings, there are far better places to enjoy a burger in Jakarta. 
Overall Rating: 2 Burgers
A nice looking restaurant with a fine ambiance (and nice buns!) but sadly Mother's Cook comes up very short. Might be a good place to hang out and enjoy a cold drink, but for a burger we strongly suggest you try elsewhere.
