If a brand new hang out place is named Ocha & Bella you will probably be wondering what kind of cuisine will be served here. Would it be Japanese and/or Italian as there are both elements in the name? Yup, this spacious new eatery at Morissey hotel in Menteng has been wow-ing the public with their fantastic meals. The place overall is spacious with high ceilings and amazing outdoor settings. It is breezy in the afternoon and cool in the evening, which makes it a perfect place to sip a few cocktails or enjoy a bottle of wine. Jakarta's cocktail sipping lover has lately been opting for a more alfresco kind of environment anyway and at Ocha & Bella this place is a beautiful and trendy place to enjoy your drinks.

The cocktails are Italian inspired due to experimental and creativity of their Italian Mixologists. For those who are adventurous cocktail hunters, we reckon the routine of selection is pretty much the same; which is, scan through their cocktail list, look for the usual suspects of anything that is labelled as Signature, Special and/or some funky weird name you cannot pronounce at first go. So at Ocha & Bella we decided to order just by that usual formula.

First thing in order by the sheer 'special' label is the, Ocha & Bella Negroni 'Especial'. It is really not hard for any cocktail enthusiast to enjoy a Negroni. It is a subtle drink with Gin, Campari and Vermouth. Easy stuff. So what makes the one at Ocha & Bella special? The pink grapefruit soda is homemade straight from their bar. The citrus-y hit is well balanced; sweetness at the back of your throat and the final slick of Gin and Campari makes you close your eyes slightly and exhale at the end of your drink.

Our second in line is the Smoking Tiki Punch which infact is literally 'smoking' due to the dry ice. This drink is served in a traditional tiki style which makes you feel like you are on a holiday in Hawaii. We think that this drink fits the ambience of the cool, fun and unpretentious ambience of Ocha & Bella. The Smoking Tiki combines pineapple, orange and sugarcane juices, vodka, and homemade hibiscus syrup on top of that good Rum.

The Italian Margarita, that falls under their Special Cocktails section, is a twist to the usual Mexican Margarita because it adds Sauza, Hornitos, Campari and thanks to that one ingredient, this drink claims that the Margarita should be Italian in nationality now! A 'WOW' drink and an extra kick of that home-made sea salt 'air' (foam) and Campari dust is divine!

Nevertheless, the optimum thing about Ocha & Bella would have to be their bar and bar-tender; look for a man called Mr.Sigit, and he can custom make a cocktail you like based on your favourite ingredients and even your mood. Cheapest and most efficient form of therapy we reckon! Ocha & Bella is surely a homage and landmark in the maturing cocktail and bar scene in Indonesia.