Part Indonesian-inspired restaurant, part teahouse and part nightclub, Poleng Lounge is home to many delights. It opened its doors this May on Fulton Street near Masonic in the North Panhandle — which some have recently dubbed NoPa — in a building that has been host to many nightclubs over the years. The word poleng is the Balinese term loosely interpreted as “balanced duality,” according to one of its several young owners, Desi Danganan.
The first thing I noticed was the décor, largely imported from Indonesia, much of it from recycled materials. Limestone tiles from Java adorn one wall, offset by wide strips of copper. Water trickles down the tiles into beds filled with sparse, reed-like plants. A piece of Balinese driftwood hangs over the bar, behind which a slideshow of scenes from Indonesia blink softly across two large flat screen monitors. Low tables made of teak root (a part of the teak tree that is normally discarded by craftsmen) are gathered near the restaurant’s fireplace.
The interior design creates a relaxing, sophisticated ambience, but Poleng makes its mark with its original food and drink offerings. Before dinner I indulged in one of their exotic, tea-infused cocktails that blends fresh blackberries, unfiltered sake and black tea. It was delicious and unusual. Besides these unique cocktails, Poleng also offers a full bar, a wine menu and a sake menu.
From the starter menu we ordered Half Moon Ahi Poke ($10) and Balinese Lemongrass Satay Sampi ($6.50). The ahi was spicy, mixed with seaweed and topped with a yuzu (Asian citrus) tobiko, which balanced the salty and spicy ahi admirably. The satay was a lemongrass-fashioned skewer of minced meat heavily seasoned with Balinese spices.
Speaking of meat (or not), vegetarian options are many. The menu is tapas-style, or small plates, so we ordered three after the starters: The Buddha’s Treasures ($6.50) were small vegetable-filled dumplings in matcha tea-dusted wrappers, and they were delicate and exquisitely seasoned. The tea dust had a slightly bitter tang, which meshed well with the savory filling and offset the richness of the sesame oil. They were topped with thinly sliced lotus root chips. The Golden Gindara ($12) was a miso-mirin glazed black cod cooked to perfection, although the glaze was very sweet. We also ordered the Poleng Curry, with jasmine brown rice ($2.50), which was full of vegetables and rich with coconut milk and tea-infused curry ($A.Q.).
Dessert was a small but sumptuous piece of bread pudding served with tapioca and a generous dish of green tea ice cream. Chef/owner Timothy Luym shows finesse with his flavors as well as his Asian presentations, using narrow, rectangular plates and simple, colorful arrangements. The imported handmade serving plates are impressive; one had a mosaic of thin coconut shells and another was imprinted with very thin, crosswise sections of cinnamon pressed into it — real cinnamon. (The first scratch-‘n’-sniff plate I’ve ever seen.)
Poleng has an elaborate tea menu, too, and a unique presentation of it: When it arrives at your table you’re presented with a small timer and instructions on how long to steep the particular tea you ordered. After dinner, we had a tea called rooibus, made from a South African plant that contains no caffeine, and infused with chocolate, vanilla, and mint. I’m a fan of tea, but this one was unusually good and beautifully aromatic.
The “lounge” part of the restaurant is in the back. On busy weekend nights, there is restaurant seating in the back room as well, but on most weeknights the back room is reserved for private parties, banquets, meetings — and in the spirit of a neighborhood venue, even knitting circles. Thursday through Saturday there are DJs or live performances. Like the front, the back room is also finely decorated. It features low tables made from old steel gongs, and one wall is graced by statues made from volcanic rock brought from Sumatra, where Mt. Talang erupted last year.
Again, the décor is remarkable and creative, but the food at Poleng is equally so, and the tea and tea-infused drinks are delicious and unique. The setting is peaceful and artistic. The staff is relaxed and friendly. There is a conscious effort made to balance flavors as well as sensory experiences; Poleng lives up to its name.
Boni Uzilevsky is a freelance writer in San Francisco.