Stepping into Charkoal feels like discovering a hidden woodland haven, where the aroma of woodsmoke fills the air and rustic interiors transport you into a world apart. The restaurant offers an immersive dining experience centered around primitive cooking, where each ingredient’s essence is elevated through open flames and smoke. At Charkoal, everything is about mastering flavors with fire.

Deeply intrigued by the art and discipline behind Charkoal’s cooking, Chef Adhitia’s approach goes beyond the typical kitchen setup, stripping it down to the basics: fire, wood, and carefully sourced ingredients. Each dish isn’t just a meal but a testament to how primal cooking can elevate culinary art.

Among the dishes, the Hokkaido scallop showcases Charkoal’s philosophy. It’s a familiar taste but with a texture reimagined through Chef Adhitia’s careful cooking process, giving it a satisfying depth that surprised even my well-prepared palate. For me, the smoked Murray cod was a standout. This Australian fish, dry-aged for a week, takes on a flavor profile that melds a crisp, charred exterior with tender, melt-in-your-mouth flesh. Served with a bright orange kombucha vinaigrette and Charkoal’s onsite-grown furikake mushrooms, it’s a plate that balances delicate and robust flavors in each bite.

The playful dessert heirloom truly delighted me. Its inventive mix of kombucha, basil oil, and lemon verbena evokes nostalgia with a nod to childhood candy pop rocks but with a grown-up twist. It’s a dessert that, like the rest of the menu, surprises and delights in equal measure.

The smoked picanha, another highlight, pairs Australian wagyu with a unique vegemite sauce that defies all expectations. The combination is savory and deeply satisfying, a choice that reflects Charkoal’s desire to challenge conventions in flavor pairings and texture.

Charkoal is more than just a restaurant; it’s a place where cooking becomes an art form. Chef Adhitia’s dedication to primitive cooking isn’t about limiting the tools in his kitchen—it’s about showing how the simplest methods, when executed with precision, can yield unexpectedly rich flavors. This post aims to capture that journey, presenting Charkoal as a dining destination where each bite reveals creativity, balance, and a little bit of magic.