Nomz 1st Anniversary and 1st Family Christmas Lunch

www.nomzjakarta.com

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Hello hipsters and foodies! How's 2015 been for you and how are you spending this new year's eve? Right this very moment, I am sitting at the nook by the window in my hotel room, just a few hours before the clock strikes midnight. I really want to finish this post before going out to Marina Bay to catch the fireworks show (yes, I am in Singapore for this new year's eve teehee). The weather today has been pretty wet, so I hope the cloud has shed enough moisture during the day, to give us a clear and dry evening.

The Best of 2015 (www.culinarybonanza.com)

A snapshot of some of the best moments in 2015

As I'm writing this post, I reflect back to year 2015 and I am immensely grateful for the whirlwind journey of discovering new and old places, the impromptu and unexpected food-related trips to places I never even thought I'd visit this year, the juicy gossips and events surrounding the foodies community in Jakarta, the foodgasmic new edible inventions to the cringe-worthy and outrageous bazaar food and smoothies. To say that 2015 has been exciting is still an understatement!

2015 has been an incredibly busy year for foodies in Jakarta, what with so many new places, cafe and restaurants opening almost every day in all parts of Jakarta, for example in the land as far away as Bintaro, the area sees a spurt of growth with new hipster cafes opening in the area. And it's even busier for food hunters like us. But I have to thank them for making life more exciting and for giving us something new to look forward to.

So, without further ado, here is the list places that stole my attention and yours too, divided into a few relevant categories.

Most Viewed Blog Post: Ristorante da Valentino

Valentino opened in Jakarta back in early January. As a foodie, I was deeply curious about what makes the numerous wealthy Indonesian customers frequent to Valentino in Singapore, including our former and the first female president of Indonesia, Megawati Soekarno Putri. Valentino is not your everyday 'go-to' type of Italian restaurant. And judging by the price alone, I can tell that many of you would complain that it is too steep for the market in Jakarta. BUT the statistics shows otherwise, turns out many of you curious cats out there search for Valentino and come to my blog for reference (thank you for that!).

Most Viewed Blog Post (Runner Up): SNCTRY

A peaceful sanctuary for the healthy-conscious minds, the small cafe is hipster in every sense: it's small, it has quirky mural at the entrance, they grow some of the greens used to make the smoothies on their own and it serves healthy menu for segmented market who are into this type of nourishment. Although I personally feel the price tag is quite steep, turns out a lot of people love the concept and are willing to pay premium bucks for the organic & fresh menus.

Most Unique Experience: Dessert Omakase by Kim Pangestu

Kim Pangestu, the co-founder and Pastry Chef of Nomz Kitchen & Pastry in Jakarta, is a fan of omakase and she applied the concept in what she does best: making dessert. That's how Kim's dessert omakase was born. Indulge in 5 courses of unique, crafted-on-the-spot, delectable dessert by Kim Pangestu herself and even more suprising: the reasonable price tag of just IDR 230,000++/person!

Most Expensive Experience : Kokoro Japanese Restaurant

Be prepared to devour 10 course of Japanese dishes made of opulent and finest imported ingredients. Kokoro is not a place where you'll find extreme or exotic Japanese delicacies such as the deadly poisonous fugu (puffer fish) or whale sperm and such (thank God for that!). Admittedly, Kokoro course was certainly the most expensive meal i've ever consumed at one go. The price tag? Oh, you just need to fork out IDR 2,800,000++/person to experience the most wholesome omakase course offered here.

Most Popular Newcomer: Soulfood Kemang

SOULFOOD Kemang offers a wholesome, unpretentious and delightful dining experience, oldies Indonesian style. The restaurant itself is furnished and accessorized with assorted vintage ornaments that once existed in the homes of Indonesians back then. Even the music playlist has been curated to match the ambiance, in the background guests will be accompanied with a medley of songs sung by Indonesian artists from the bygone era.

~~~

So, thank you 2015, you have been awesome! I can't thank The Lord enough for the endless blessings and surprises that He gave me, as well as the amazing food that I've been fortunate enough to eat. To 2016, I am very much looking forward to it and I wish that it would be an even more exciting one ahead. I'm out to catch the fireworks now, until the first post in 2016 folks, cheers and HAPPY NEW YEAR! =)

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Happy New Year 2016 everyone! This is my very first post of this year and I'm sorry, it took me 17 days to write the first one this year, due to a rather impulsive, yet crucial plan that will decide my future. Details will be revealed soon once everything is confirmed, but in the meantime, let me tempt you with some seafood porn from this new (or rather, re-opened?) Lousiana seafood restaurant. So, get your claw-crushers ready for some finger-lickin' adventure.

Dancing Crab Louisiana Seafood in Jakarta (www.culinarybonanza.com)

With Louisiana Seafood, your food comes out from a plastic bag and laid out on your table, sans any plate. Don't be surprised!

Just fyi, Dancing Crab is a concept by Tung Lok Group, a successful F&B group from Singapore, which runs its own flagship Chinese restaurants and a handful other brands in Singapore, Japan, China, Vietnam and Indonesia (some are centrally managed or through local franchise partners). Actually Dancing Crab in Indonesia was already open less than 1 year ago, back in Feb 2015 at one of the shopping malls in Jakarta. However, due to one reason or another, it recently abandoned the shopping mall and re-opened as a stand-alone restaurant, at Jalan Gunawarman, (currently) the mecca for prime F&B establishments in town.

I personally think the location is quite a (highly) risky bet. Undeniably, it's a prime spot, the same address that once was occupied by a dessert cafe from Surabaya, Le Cafe Gourmand (a little digress, the cafe generated a lot of hype in the beginning, but somehow couldn't keep the customers excited for long). With Dancing Crab opening at its current location, that makes a total of 3 Louisiana Seafood style restaurants within 1 km radius of Gunawarman-Senopati-Wolter area!

Anyway, back the main topic: Dancing Crab - is it just like the other Lousiana Seafood places? I'm terribly tempted to say yes just for being lazy, but it sets itself apart from the competition in a few ways.

Firstly, there is this Lunch Menu, featuring 9 diverse, seemingly random dishes, ranging from Seafood Laksa, Jamaican Black Pepper Beef, to Waffles & Chicken. I tried the Crab Meat Fried Rice and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. The fried rice comes with a nicely half-done sunny side up egg on top.

We had the Combo Bag #01, bag full of piping hot treats like a whole crab, prawn, clams, mussels, sausages, corn, carrots, potatoes. It was good enough to share among up to 4 persons. We had the Combo Bag with the Dancing Crab Signature Sauce, which is dominantly sweet, savoury and boldly spicy, it was only Mild level (the lowest level of spiciness) and I was still hissing from the heat! Other sauces available are Zesty Garlic Butter, Beurre Blanc, Herb Butter, Chili Sauce & Black Pepper. You can try the different sauces for additional IDR 20,000/bowl.

Combo Bag #01 with Dancing Crab Signature Sauce (Mild) IDR 628,000

The side dishes didn't disappoint either. We had some classic Snack items, but there are actually a few attention-catchers, which I promise to try the next time I'm there, such as the Seafood Gumbo and Beer Batter Cajun Calamari. I honestly enjoyed the Truffle Fries and Garlic Noodles!

Truffle Fries IDR 45,000

Grilled Butter Roll IDR 16,000
Garlic Noodles IDR 30,000

Lemonades IDR 28,000

Crab Meat Fried Rice IDR 59,500

So, I came here with my Mum (she's my personal gauge to judge Chinese or seafood restaurants) and she enjoyed her meal here. Although she did say that she'd prefer to have her crab with another sauce that's not sweet, so I guess the Zesty Garlic Butter sauce would be better for those who have similar taste preferences. Not a seafood fan? No worries at all, because at Dancing Crab, there will be something for everyone.

~~~

You should come here for:

- The Seafood Combo, obvs!

- The Lunch Menu. The 9 items look like serious deals to be reckoned with.

- The 20% Discount during opening period (month of January 2016)

*) Prices are subject to 10% Tax & 5.5% Service Charge

Dancing Crab

1. Jakarta:

Jl. Gunawarman no. 65 (right opposite Le Quartier)

Kebayoran Baru

Jakarta Selatan - 12180

Ph: +6221 29305557 / +62 85959983506

2. Bandung:

Jl. Sumatera No. 21

Bandung - 40111

Ph: +6222 4235935 / +62 81910103030

Social media:

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Japanese food fans in Jakarta would most likely have heard of, or even been to Sushi Masa, a premium Japanese restaurant situated at the unlikeliest spot in town: within a fish port in northern part of the city. Early this year, the restaurant expands its reach with a new brand that's more affordable to the average Indonesian consumers, Nama Sushi.

Nama-sushi-by-sushi-masa-jakarta-(www.culinarybonanza.com)

Unless you live in the apartment complex, or follow the updates from Jakarta's food hunters, chances are you won't know of this place, because the location is honestly not so visible to random passerby. Nama Sushi is situated at the Garden area inside Baywalk Mall, Pluit, to access from the inside of the mall, you have to go to LGM floor and walk towards the Baywalk Tunnel and exit to the Garden outside. Phew! That's quite an effort just to find a Japanese restaurant.

So, how is Nama Sushi different than Sushi Masa? Firstly, the price. Quickly glanced through the menu and the price at Nama is obviously more affordable. Secondly, the menu is not extensive as Sushi Masa, where the latter offers not only more items on its menu, but also omakase experience with a Japanese chef. The plus about Nama Sushi is its menu comes with photos illustration, so it's easier to navigate and to understand for the average crowd who are non-foodies. It's clear that Nama Sushi aims to attract casual diners and family crowds.

Deciding what to order was not that hard decision to make, because the menu isn't that massive, but it was quite tough to decide what's worth to order. I was looking for menus that I can't find at other Japanese restaurants, but only managed to spot a few, so I still ended up ordering some classics like Maguro Sashimi, California Maki, Black Cod, Beef Enoki, etc (refer to photos below). What I found to be rather special is the Grilled & Cooked Dishes could be topped up to a teishoku set (with a bowl of rice and salmon miso soup) for an affordable additional IDR 10,000!

Black Cod Teriyaki Set IDR 80,000

One of the classic favourite from Sushi Masa and now, at Nama Sushi, the grilled Black Cod

Chicken Katsu Set IDR 45,000
Ocha IDR 5,000

The Chicken Katsu's quite good!

Salmon Belly Aburi Cheese Sushi IDR 30,000

Salmon Hana Roll IDR 35,000

Beef Enoki Yaki IDR 50,000

Maguro Sashimi IDR 20,000

Kani Sushi IDR 15,000

California Maki IDR 35,000

Fruit Sherbet Ice Cream (Half Peach) IDR 70,000

Oh yes, the Fruit Sherbet Ice Cream is soo expensive, but I was curious why, so I ordered it anyway. Well, the fruits are flown from Japan, and the sherbet, tasted quite good. Just for the sake of knowing the taste, but I guess I'd rather spend the same money on other food next time haha. In general, the sushis are all good, but I failed to find a reason to pick Nama Sushi over other Japanese restaurants which are more closer to my place. But for those of you living in the north Area, Nama Sushi is surely a safe and affordable choice for good quality, classic Japanese cuisine.

You should come here for:

- non-existent Service Charge

- it's a sister of Sushi Masa, c'mons!!

-it's relatively affordable, although price wise, it's still a little bit higher than the mainstream Japanese restaurant (Sushi T*i). But the non-existent Service Charge means the final bill would still cost less.

Open Hours:

Tuesday - Thursday: Lunch 11.30 am - 2 pm | Dinner 6 - 10 pm

Friday - Sunday: 11 am - 3 pm | Dinner 5.30 - 10 pm

*) Prices are subject to 10% Tax

NAMA Sushi by Sushi Masa

Baywalk Mall Pluit - Garden Area

LGM Floor

Jl. Pluit Karang Ayu Blok B1 Utara

Pluit - North Jakarta

Ph: +6221 29263569 / +6221 29072008

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Are you looking for a place to have a Chinese New Year feast (CNY and Valentine's Day are coming soon people, ahem!)? So, I've got a place in mind that I want to propose to you, plus I have tested the menus too, so you'll be sure to make a safe bet if you RSVP for your family here ;) Look at that lobster beckoning sensually for you to have a bite!

Chinese New Year 2016 at Shang Palace, Shangri-la Jakarta (www.culinarybonanza.com)

So, this year, Shangri-la Jakarta has prepared an array of offers to indulge your taste buds during this festive celebration of spring season. Specifically at Shang Palace, Shangri-la's iconic Cantonese restaurant, invites you to enjoy a hearty CNY feast, which will be available from 7 February until 22 February. Here are the several choices of the traditional Chinese set menus offered *):

- Xin Nian Kuai Le (IDR 988,000++/adult)

- Gong Xi Fa Cai (IDR 1,388,000++/adult)

- Wan Shi Ru Yi (IDR 1,988,000++/adult)

- Children's set menu (IDR 258,000++/child)

If set menu isn't really your family's definition of feast, fret not, because on Chinese New Year day 8 February 2016, Shang Palace will also serve Chinese buffet spread with a glass of sparkling wine for IDR 358,000++/person.

So last week I've had the chance to preview the delectable and lavish menus that Chef Christopher Chai has prepared (prepare some cholesterol-lowering supplements for after meal, because the menus below are packed with sinfully good seafood and fatty dishes!):

Deep fried prawn with mayonnaise accompanied with fried prawn ball with foie gras

Inside those balls, are chunks of foie gras, it may be too pungent to those who are sensitive, but douse the ball in plenty of the sweet and sour sauce, and this dish becomes perfect!

Baked lobster with egg white in barbecue sauce

Firstly, I must establish that I'm not a seafood fan and certainly not a fan of lobster but this number is undeniably a hit for me! The de-shelled meaty lobster chunks are baked with cheese to perfection and topped with salmon roe. The fluffy white base is very interesting too, as it's made of white egg and reminiscent of a dense and chunky mayonaise, I couldn't stop snacking on it!

Barbecue suckling pig and jelly fish

Okay, if the look from the top looks jarring, I hope this sideways shot will do the dish justice. It's suckling pig, roasted to reach that crispy crackling, with a tender layer of fat and juicy meat. Enjoy it with or without the hoisin sauce is fine either way.

Wok fried glutinous rice with winter meat

The sushi-like rolls on the sides are actually sticky rice, mixed with some kind of seafood paste, rolled with seaweed to look like sushi and then fried, so good! And at the centre is a heap of scallop, asparagus ad mushrooms stir-fried in delicious sweet and spicy sauce.

Crispy chicken with mango in spicy sauce

The chicken meat's delightfully tender and juicy, but curiously, it's the mango salad that became the highlight of this dish! I was torn between this one or the Lobster, as my favourite dish.

Deep fried king prawn with laci sauce accompanied with golden bun

More seafood and crustaceans! The XL King prawn's fried with the shell and doused in sweet sauce. The golden bun may look unsightly, but it's actually quite tasty and helps to clean the bright red sauce off the plate ;)

~~~

So, all in all, the dishes from the Set Menu will be nothing less than impressive, if you see my comments above! So, RSVP your table today, places are limited and selling fast, I've already warned you ;)

If you're into something more general, you could check out the other CNY promotions at Shangri-la Jakarta's other F&B outlets, click here for more details.

Open Hours:

Lunch: 11.30am - 2.30pm (Monday to Saturday)

Brunch: 11.30am – 2.30pm (Sunday only)

Dinner: 6.30pm - 10.30pm (daily)

Dress Code:

Smart casual

*) Prices are subject to Government Tax & Service Charge

Shang Palace

Shangri-la Hotel Jakarta

Kota BNI, JL. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 1

Jakarta, 10220, Indonesia

Ph: +6221 2939 9562

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This is a really exciting time for coffee lovers everywhere, whether you are old souls or even new converts of just coffee hunters for leisure (and Instagram purposes), because new places seem to spring up from nowhere, each day! The trend is picking up rather fast in Jakarta and even I am having difficulty to visit the newly opened coffee shops. But there is one particular coffee ~~shop~~ 'dispensary' in North Jakarta that's caught my attention, for its effort to organize free coffee cupping sessions for public! I mean why are they doing it, it's almost like charity, throwing away those precious coffee for strangers to try and these strangers may not even be their customer at the end of the day! So, armed with this skepticism and curiosity, I accepted their 'prescription' to attend one of the 3 coffee cupping sessions held that particular weekend.

The Caffeine Dispensary (www.culinarybonanza.com)

The Caffeine Dispensary is unique in several ways, firstly, its name, which is intended as playful twist for the meaning of the word dispensary. In classic English, 'dispensary' refers to to a charitable or public facility where medicines are dispensed to the needy for almost free or inexpensive medical advice is available. So, The Caffeine Dispensary (I'll short the name to TCD henceforth) could be considered as a place that dispenses caffeinated 'medication' in various forms, to keep our harsh lives slightly more bearable.

Next, is TCD's rather uncommon location. For those residing in Kelapa Gading area in North Jakarta, they would certainly already realize the rise of independent coffee shops amongst their neighbourhoods. Oh lucky them! This trend has yet reached my area, but I'm still hopeful. TCD is not the pioneer of this trend in the area, but it's certainly not going to be the last. Having first opened its doors on 19 September 2015, I'm predicting that Kelapa Gading will not be TCD's only chapter. Whoever knows what might happen in a few years!

As I mentioned earlier, I was intrigued by the real intention of the free coffee cupping sessions organized by the owners, namely Ajie Permana, Edward Sanrio, and Andri Saputra. Cupping is a laborious activity to prepare, to conduct and to clean up. Even more so (laborious), as these boys do everything themselves, even washing the dishes! It's not that they can't hire staff to do all that. In fact they even offer services to train new cafe staff (it's part of the wholesale service they offer, other than roasting, supplying beans, setting up new cafe, etc) it's that they treat this project as their 'precious little baby'. Making money is definitely on the agenda (c'mon they gotta feed their families!), but at the same time, their objective is to share their knowledge and passion about coffee through various means, and free public coffee cupping is one of it.

Upon entering the cafe, those who understand interior design will notice that the counter is taking up too much space, which could otherwise be fitted with more chairs & tables (more customers = more money, right?). But no, they purposely designed the space so, as to encourage customers to approach behind the bar and interact with the guys making the coffee. I just love TCD more and more!

Another interesting byte about TCD is the way its menu is phrased, reminds me a lot of cafes in Australia! So, instead of seeing Cappuccino and friends on the menu, you'll see 'Espresso Black' (just espresso and water - americano) or 'Espresso White' (espresso with varying amounts of milk / cream, this is your good ol' cappuccino, macchiato, piccolo, etc). There's also Chocolate Based drinks and this includes your Cafe Mocha.

Then the coffee cupping session began, with Ajie running a few slides & sharing the basic facts about coffee (its origin, production, taste profile, etc). Meanwhile listening to him explaining, I enjoyed ~~drained~~ a cup of TCD's Signature Iced Latte Gula Jawa (IDR 45,000), even the palm sugar's home made!

Then we proceeded to the more exciting, hands-on part. TCD's coffee cupping procedure follows that of Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA)'s guideline. You can find the detailed steps here. From the hands on experience, I understood that just like a living being, coffee continuously evolves with time, right from the moment it's in contact with hot water, to the moment we finally sip it. It's a fact that a lot of us took for granted and overlook, simply due to the sheer amount of coffee we've consumed and thus, lack of attention to the details.

TCD's focus on its coffee and bean roasting has only one concern for those who still lacks appreciation for coffee: the food is currently still limited to what's available in the display. I was told that the Banana Bread Chocolate Chip's one of the all-time best selling food items, so this would be a safe choice if nothing else on the menu appeals to you.

I can safely recommend TCD as a comfy space in North Jakarta to chill, to meet people, to learn about coffee from the owners directly, to do your assignment, even to just sit alone by the window reflecting on life or watch the life goes by beyond the glass. If you have the time, I'd strongly recommend you to register for the coffee cupping sessions, which is said to be held monthly.

Open Hours:

Tuesday -Sunday: 11 am - 8.30 pm

The Caffeine Dispensary

Jl. Kelapa Kopyor Raya Blok O-1 No. 16

Kelapa Gading Permai

North Jakarta 14240

Ph: +6221 4520109

www.caffeinedispensary.com

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According to Oxford Dictionary, the adjective 'boutique' desribes (of a business) that is small and is offering products or services of a high quality to a small number of customers. And boutique is exactly the kind of experience that I had when dining at Le Gran Cafe...

Le Gran Cafe, Hotel Gran Mahakam (www.culinarybonanza.com)

One of the special dishes lined up for Valentine's Day this year

5 star hotel buffets are known to spoil the guests with ridiculously abundant choices of food, fresh ones, live cooking stations, to pre-cooked cornucopia of pretty food. But how much can one actually really enjoy before that bloated feeling starts to creep up and leave one feeling breathless and bloated walking out the doors? Having a bountiful of choices is good, but sometimes honestly, I don't need all that choices.

It was an average day with no ongoing promotion or events, so what you see in my pictures are quite accurate representation of what one can expect when dining here in the evening on a normal day. As it is an International buffet, one can expect the standard choices from cold appetizers, salads, fresh Japanese, Chinese, Western, Indonesian, dessert, as well as live cooking stations for pastas and noodles and rotisserie.

The atmosphere at Le Gran Cafe is pleasantly calm in the evening, with chill and relaxed dinner crowd, a few business dinners, families and friends spread across the dining tables. As it is on the mezza nine level, with open balcony overlooking the ground floor, we were accompanied by the live band crooning at the lobby lounge below.

There are a few MUST HAVE dishes from the buffet spread, which I personally tested and agreed hands down. First, the Lontong Sayur Mahakam (photo below), a heartwarming bowl of deliciously rich coconut gravy with 3 kinds of rice cakes and an assortment of toppings, the chili is optional, but it does add to the flavour. Basically Le Gran Cafe's execution of Indonesian dishes have been well known to be exceptional, so whatever you choose, it will be worth the space in your tummy.

Lontong Sayur Mahakam

Also NOT to be missed when dining at Le Gran Cafe, is the the signature Chocolate Melt with Vanilla Ice Cream (photo below). This stuff is legendary. Period, just trust me and eat.

This cake is legend!

Chinese New Year & Valentine's Day Specials

This year, Le Gran Cafe invites guests to celebrate Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day with the special menus, events and live performances lined up during the festive period.

Valentine & Chinese New Year specials line up

For CNY, among the special menus prepared by the F&B team is a classic healthy Chinese dessert that is not only tasty, but also enjoyed for the health benefit: Iced Bird's Nest with White Fungus, Dried Longan & Ginkgo Nuts. Well, some may choose to disbelief the true nutrition in bird's nest, but this is certainly way healthier than your average American dessert.

Some of the menus lined up for CNY are: Exotic Fruit and Prawn Avocado Sauce, Szechuan Hot & Sour Soup or Bird Nest and Seafood Soup, Roasted Duck with Chinese Pancake serve with Hoisin Sauce or Steam Chinese Cabbage with Mushroom and Ham Brown Sauce. For you dessert lover, try our sweet treats like assorted Chinese pudding, Es Shanghai and Thai Coconut Pudding with Ceng Teng on Ice Bowl.

From the Valentine's day, guests will be served this incredibly tender Black Angus Steak served with vegetables, mashed purple yam and mushroom sauce, as the main course. Just look as the cross section of the steak and you can imagine its tenderness in your mouth. I also found the mushroom sauce to be exceptional and couldn't help but to clean the entire pot of sauce for myself *blushing.

A glass of sparkling wine, a stalk of rose for the beloved and a photograph of memorable Valentine Dinner will be generously given to our guest who celebrates Valentine’s Day at Hotel Gran Mahakam.

Le Gran Cafe is one of the few hotel buffet restaurants that's impressed me not because of the variety of food, but for the evenly spread quality of the dishes served. I guess this is one of the advantages of having a few F&B outlets to manage, which results in proper quality control. I would love to be back again for sure!

Open Hours:

Weekdays: 6 AM - 11 PM

Weekend: 6 AM - 12.00 midnight

Dress Code:

Smart casual

Le Gran Cafe

Hotel Gran Mahakam, Mezzanine Floor

Jalan Mahakam I No.6

Blok M, South Jakarta - 12130

Ph: +6221 7209966

www.granmahakam.com

For live and regular updates,

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Being single when Valentine's Day is approaching is no fun. For some, that is, but I actually find it one of the most anticipated times of the year, because restaurants and F&B businesses will be racing to come up with something special and exciting to attract the lovebirds out there. For me, I enjoy trying the special menu preview the most, so it doesn't matter if I'll be eating popcorn and watch The Flash series alone at home on the evening of 14th February. LOL!

One of my favourite restaurants in Jakarta is serving up a delightful feast for all the lovebirds celebrating this year's Valentine's Day. I've braved the harsh reminder of my relationship status and tried the line up of sumptuous V-Day menu created by the charming and brilliant Executive Chef of Akira Back Jakarta, Andri Dionysius.

Akira Back Jakarta (www.culinarybonanza.com)

Repeating last year's success, Chef Akira Back will be spending the weekend of Valentine's day in Jakarta again (to work and oversee his team during the important event, of course). How exciting is that! This is arranged amidst Chef Back's super packed schedule for the opening of new Akira Back restaurants in Seoul, Bangkok and Dubai. I wish Chef Back all the best of luck for his projects.

Back to the special Valentine's Day menu at Akira Back Jakarta, is available on 14th February 2016 for dinner only. The 5 course menu is priced at IDR 1,000,000++/person and at the end of the dinner, the lady will receive a bouquet of flower and a box of bon bon to take home. Akira Back takes really good care of you from the beginning to the end and they are seriously generous! So without further ado, here's what you can expect to enjoy during the dinner:

1st course (to share): Tuna Pizza - micro shiso, ponzu mayo, white truffle oil.
This is THE legendary Akira Back tuna pizza, I could never get over gushing about this heavenly cripsy 'pizza' with its intoxicating truffle scent and delightful umami sensation in my mouth. Did I just gush about it again? ;)

2nd course: Scallop 2 Ways

Seared scallop

Scallop tartare

2nd course: Scallop 2 Ways - Scallop tartare, uni foam, tobikko and seared scallop, compressed vanilla nashi, shaved foie gras

A clever combo of hot and cold serving of Hokkaido scallop. While the hot pan-seared scallop is a classic and fail-proof way of serving scallop, I actually enjoyed the cold scallop more. Thinly sliced fresh scallop, fresh uni

3rd course: Nova Scotia Lobster - Seaweed butter poached, oxtail gyoza, wasabi furikake

I started with the oxtail pot sticker, the semi translucent skin still crispy from the pan-searing and the oxtail was so tender. Then I tried the fresh Canadian lobster, already tasted sweet & juicy on its own, but the seaweed butter sauce elevated the whole thing into one beautiful dish.

4th course: Slow Roasted Wagyu Tritip - Eringi, tomato confit, burnt onion puree, truffle jus.

Two incredibly tender and juicy tritip steak with slightly burnt and crispy edges. So divine it was that I'm sure even the most talkative date will shut their mouth to savour each and every bite. The burnt onion puree was quite unique and taste unexpectedly good too.

5th course: "Valrhona Chocolate Heaven" (photo above)

The whole plate is made with Valrhona's Grand Cru chocolates range, processed into various forms and textures of chocolate: Gianduja mousse, Ivoire ice cream, 30 seconds Araguani cake, Jivara lactee cloud, Dulcey & Maldon popcorn.

Mignardise: Chocolate Croquette filled with Manjari 64% Grand Cru Valrhona chocolate.This is heaven for me, the taste of melted bittersweet, tangy with hint of berries Manjari chocolate was just unforgettable.

Special Valentine's Day Cocktail

Left: Akira Ice Tea - fresh fruits, orange juice, bubble gum syrup IDR 50,000
Right: La Passion (mocktail) - lemongrass, honeydew melon, orange juice IDR 50,000

The bar area

So, imagine you and your date, sitting at one of the tables at the penthouse floor of this building with all of its glorious vista overlooking Jakarta's skyline lit up in the evening, enjoying a glass of wine (or two) and tucking in to the above dishes. I wish someone would invite me to dinner here but I'd settle with enjoying my Mum's company at home and let you have my seat instead ;)

Open hours:

Lunch: 12 PM - 3 PM

Dinner: 6.30 PM - 10.30 PM

Dress Code:

Smart Casual / Business Casual

*) Prices are subject o Government Tax & Service Charge

Akira Back Jakarta

MD Place Building, Penthouse 12th Floor

Jl. Setiabudi Selatan No. 7

Setiabudi - South Jakarta 12910

Ph: +62 8577788777 / +6221 29040777

akirabackindonesia.com

For live and regular updates,

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Anyone who has been to Melbourne will understand how much Melbournians' lives are steeped in (good, no, awesome!) coffee and all-day brunch food. Good news for coffee and brunch hunters in Jakarta, because one of the best institutions in Melbourne has finally made it to Jakarta. Cheers mate!

ST. ALi Jakarta (www.culinarybonanza.com)

Established in 2005, ST. ALi has become an established institution, making its name back home Down Under, as well as internationally. ST. ALi in Jakarta is brought to you by the same people who runs Common Grounds in Jakarta. Choosing its first establishment outside Australia is not a joking matter, so it is kind of flattering to have Jakarta as the chosen city.

ST. ALi anchors down at Setiabudi One, a once sleepy F&B spot for the neighbouring offices and residences. I say once, because with the arrival of ST. ALi, the place will see a surge of visitors keen to get their hands on a cup of Melbourne made coffee and brunch, and the folks who come here will come from all walks of life, from the trendy head-turning folks, to ordinary passersby who's attracted by its open cafe concept. What? Yes, the cafe is open air, just like in Oz peeps.

That (open air concept) is one of the distinguishing qualities which I find highly appealing and very Australian about ST. ALi. Currently, cafes in Jakarta, which are divided into air-conditioned, non-smoking section and smoking section (sometimes outdoor, sometime a separate room). However, ST. ALi, having no glass windows / walls to close up its space, makes it feel airy, spacious, open and easygoing. Behind the main espresso bar, there are tables lining the wall, tall counters, communal tables, a dedicated filter bar. Just a few steps from the bar, towards the cafe exterior, there are a few tables as well, which I reckon must be the smoking area.

The Filter Bar at the center of the room

Matt-perger-st-ali-(www.culinarybonanza.com)

Matt Perger, Director of Coffee at ST. ALi, doing the filter bar

Ben Morrow, Winner of The 2015 New York Coffee Masters Tournament

Ben Morrow's Latte Art

The menu stays true to its Australian origins. On the drinks side, there are White (variations of espresso + milk / foam / whip cream) or Black (variations of espresso + water), espresso, filter bar, chocolate based (mocha, etc), juice, tea, shakes & smoothies. Had their Iced Chocolate and it was authentic couverture chocolate (it looks pale, but the look deceives, it's not milky - hurrah for chocolate lovers!)

Mocha IDR 50,000

And then comes the food, Head Chef of ST. ALi, Mark Richardson was in town last week for the opening week and he was there to present 4 of the all-time top selling dishes a ST. ALi in Melbourne: Omega Love salad, My Mexican Cousin, Koo Koo Ca Choo and ST. ALi Chicken Burger. The food is heavily steeped in brunch food, so come with an empty tummy, because the servings are quite large!

Head Chef of ST. ALi, Mark Richardson

Omega Love IDR 120,000
Smoked Salmon with new season potatoes, red onion, green beans, mixed leaves, olives, tomato, tarragon dressing & a soft poached egg

Koo Koo Ca Choo IDR 150,000
Crispy potato hash with mushroom duxelle, poached eggs, shaved emmental, chlorophyll & truffle vinaigrette

My Mexican Cousin IDR 155,000
Corn fritters with poached eggs, grilled halloumi, corn & cucumber salsa, kasundi & green salad

Deadman Waffles with Bacon & Maple Syrup IDR 100,000

Of the food that I've tried over the 2 visits I made to ST. ALi, my favourite is undeniably the Koo Koo Ca Choo, because it's got mushrooms and truffle! I normally don't really like hash browns, because they're too oily, but ALi's version is not and the entire dish's portion is just right. Well, maybe I could use 1 less poached egg, but hey, if you want a real taste of Australia, this is how they do it back home, not more not less. All the other dishes are quite good too, and the portion is large, so I guess that justifies the rather steep price (still not as expensive as it would be in Melbourne though). Too bad, unlike in Australia, we can't ask for tap water here, so you gotta order the mineral water from the fancy looking glass bottles =P

Will I be back? For sure! The place is oozing with the chill Australian vibes, which relieves my sore longing for Down Under (still hangover from my Brisbane-Sydney trip last year).

Sincerely, your hipster foodie ;)

*) Prices are subject to Government Tax & Service Charge

Open Hours:

7 AM - 10 PM (daily)

ST. ALi

Setiabudi One

Jl. Hr. Rasuna Said No.63

Setiabudi, South Jakarta 12920

Click here to open in Maps

www.stali.com.au/jakarta

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One of Jakarta's few Japanese fine dining scene graciously invited me to experience their February omakase menu, that features some of the most unusual Japanese delicacies which I never imagined I would ever eat in my life. The experience was honestly, a combination of rushing adrenaline and deepened appreciation for Japanese delicacies, curious what it was like?

Asuka Japanese Dining (www.culinarybonanza.com)

At the far right wing of JW Marriott Jakarta's lobby, is where Asuka Japanese Dining is quietly tucked in. I was informed that Asuka is the equivalent of the hotel's top-most tier of its F&B establishments, in other words, it's the hotel's fine dining restaurant. Having that special title, the restaurant has its own instagram account, which is beautifully curated and has garnered even more followers than the hotel itself. Often times, the (younger) clienteles would pick a dish based on the photos they saw posted on the restaurant's profile. Undeniably, it's a phenomenon that happens a lot nowadays, even I do that too sometimes!

Back to the restaurant, Asuka's interior setting is rather intimate (aka limited seating capacity), with a few private tatami rooms. But we all know, the best spot to enjoy omakase is right in front of the chef who prepares the food, so seating at the counter should be part of the omakase experience.

One of the private tatami rooms

The best spot to enjoy omakase while watching the chef prepare the dishes live.

Premium sake

The restaurant manager confided that most of the guests who come to Asuka are automatically having the omakase menu. 90% of the ingredients for the dishes here are freshly imported from Tsukiji & Fukuoka Fish Market in Japan with regular shipping schedule every Tuesday and Friday. So, if you want to get your hands on the prized ingredients, Tuesday and Friday are the best days to come.I'm not saying that the ingredients are not fresh on other days, it's just that there's a risk of running out due to its popular demand.

So, here's what the February Omakase Menu at Asuka would look like:

It's SHIRAKO people!!!

Cold Starter: Shirako - cod fish milt served with ponzu sauce

The best time to find shirako is between January - February. For the benefit of those who don't know yet, milt is the seminal fluid of fish, mollusks, and certain other water-dwelling animals for reproduction, by spraying this fluid which contains the sperm to fertilize the roe. In other words, it's the fish' semen. Shirako is a highly prized Japanese delicacy and guests who come to Asuka this time round of the year would be certainly looking forward to having this.

To be honest, I was rather apprehensive (borderline nauseated and curious at the same time) about trying shirako for the first time. After dipping it over and over again in the ponzu sauce, I finally put it in my mouth and tried to feel it with my tongue. It actually tasted milky and slimy, and I didn't dare to use my sense of smell, for I fear I might throw up if the smell didn't feel right. I guess I would probably enjoy shirako, if I didn't have this bugging thought at the back of my mind that keeps screaming "It's fish sperm!". I'm surprised myself that I actually managed to finish it!

Assorted Sashimi

Hana ho flower, recommended way to enjoy: crush the flower petals & mix in the ponzu sauce for the sashimi

As I was eating the sashimi, I imagined these fish were being auctioned in Tsukiji fish market just some time ago. There's a very special item in this sashimi bowl: ankimo (right most in the bowl). The thinly sliced flounder sashimi wraps around the block of ankimo (liver of monkfish). For the Japanese food connoisseur, they know that ankimo is a highly prized and sought after Japanese delicacy, especially in Winter. It can be considered the equivalent of French's foie gras.


Steamed Dish: Nissin Nitsuke - steamed herring fish with sweet sauce, served with steamed Imo yam and ebi tempura

Grilled Dish: Gindara Saikoyaki - cod fish with bean paste

Of all the dishes I've had so far, the gindara saikoyaki has to be my favourite. The fish was soaked in fresh Japanese cow milk before cooking and marinated. The white flesh of the gindara (cod) was incredibly sweet and tender!

Sushi - Premium Asuka Signature Sushi (toro, hotate, salmon, kanpachi, ebi)

Right: Nori roll with mayo & crispy salmon skin

The sushi is made with Japanese rice fermented for 3 months and then cooked and mixed with Asuka's special homemade sauce. And yes, I didn't waste a single grain of rice, cleaned this sushi plate with much ease =)

Shizuoka tomato with goma dressing

Hamaguri - (clam) miso soup

Kudamono - dessert, seasonal fresh fruits imported from Japan (Zhizuoka rock melon & red strawberry)

And thus, the end of a rather adventurous omakase I've ever had in my life! I wonder if I'd ever get to try fugu (poisonous puffer fish) one of these days. Actually the menu mentions fugu (tiger blowfish), but they didn't serve it that evening, but one of Asuka's Japanese chefs is certified to cut & serve fugu. I guess I won't be able to handle too much surprises over a meal, the shirako alone was enough to make this one of the most unforgettable meal I've ever had.

~~~

With such a premium price tag, naturally I couln't help but to wonder who are the clienteles that can afford to dine here. I mean, even for the express omakase lunch (45 minutes from 1st to last course), the minimum price tag is IDR 1,700,000++/person. But of course, there's always the option to order a la carte. Obviously with such high interest and the loyal clientele base that Asuka has garnered despite the fierce competition with other premium Japanese restaurants, the clients find it worthy of splurging the extra cash for the fresh produce from Tsukiji and Fukuoka fish market.

Sushi

Tori Katsudon IDR 190,000

Gindara Saikoyaki IDR 200,000 (a la carte)

Well, if you own a multi million dollar business, I guess spending a few thousand dollars over a meal is as thoughtless as blinking your eyes. Curiously enough, according to the manager, most of the customers at Asuka are (extremely) wealthy Indonesians, even occasionally youngsters from wealthy families, diplomats, celebrities, etc. This observation proves that Indonesians actually do have the purchasing power and that they're willing to spend for superior quality and service, such as what's offered at Asuka.

Thank you JW Marriott Jakarta, as well as the team who assisted during my dining experience at Asuka. I look forward to the day I will be back here for more interesting experiences =)

Price:

February Omakase Menu starts from IDR 1,600,000++ to 2,500,000++

The above omakase experience cost roughly IDR 2,300,000++

Open Hours:

Lunch & Dinner (last order 10.30pm)

Dress Code:

Smart casual

*) Prices are subject to Government Tax & Service Charge 21%

Asuka Japanese Dining

JW Marriott Hotel Jakarta

Jl. DR. Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung Kav E.1.2 No 1&2,

Kawasan Mega Kuningan

South Jakarta 12950

Indonesia

Ph: +6221 57988898
Instagram | #AsukaJapaneseDining

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Jakarta has plenty of steak houses scattered all across the city, but so far there are only a few that labels itself as an upscale fine dining restaurant. Wait...but steak is just grilling meat, what's sophisticated or 'fine' about it? Let's have a look at what this new restaurant has to offer to avid & deep-pocketed gourmands in Jakarta...

Ruths-chris-steakhouse-jakarta-(www.culinarybonanza.com)

The main dining area

So on one fine afternoon, I was driving past Kuningan's acutely jammed stretch and I saw this catchy sign being put up outside an upscale apartment building in the area. I thought I saw wrongly because the name's quite a mouthful, even to pronounce: Ruth's Chris. It turns out that the name is actually referring to Chris Steak House, which was acquired by an acute businesswoman named Ruth Fertel back in 1965. Hence the name Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (for the sake of typing efficiency, I'll shorten it as RCS henceforth).

The whole history and milestones of RC are available on the website. Since its humble beginning 50 years ago, it has come a long way, with more than 145 Ruth’s Chris Steak Houses, including 20 international franchisee-owned restaurants in Mexico, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tokyo, Aruba, Canada and Dubai, and the latest in Jakarta.

As you enter the restaurant, the staff will walk you past the bar, through a short corridor with a wine storage on one of the walls, towards the main dining area. The crescent shaped area gives an illusion of an intimate space, but actually there are doors which leads to 3 different private rooms. The interior is an elegant play of dark wood and gold colours, which are further accentuated by the warm-hued modern lightings. I find the interior to be reminiscent of Gatsby era, don't you? Let's take a virtual tour around the venue:

Catchy golden chandeliers exudes the luxurious & modern feel

Look up to the ceiling and be treated to quirky artful lightings

One of the 3 private rooms

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse serves US prime beef, which, fyi, is highly prized, because it amounts to only 2% of the total cattle slaughtered in the USA. RCS also takes pride in its signature way of serving steak to the guests: on a hot plate, so it comes to the guest's table still sizzling. Au contraire to other steak houses, RCS doesn't serve steak with any sauces, instead, they only season the steak with salt & pepper, butter and chopped parsley. So don't come asking for mushroom or blackpepper sauce please!

Having its roots from New Orleans, RCS' menu has influences from Europe to Creole (a culture that develops in colonized settlements, as a result of assimilation and marriage, that's quite distinct from the original culture). As a steakhouse, RCS offers non-steak Mains, such as seafood, lamb, chicken, even mushrooms (if you're a vegetarian). But first, let's start with the complimentary bread & butter, shall we?

The complimentary bread & butter

Appetizers

Sizzlin' Blue Crab Cakes IDR 230,000 (normal serving 2 pieces - the above was a tasting portion)

One word for this: amazing! Seasoned with only herbs and lemon butter, it brings out the sweetness of the meaty crab chunks.

Barbecued Shrimp with Creole Butter IDR 190,000

Large shrimps, sauteed New Orleans-style in reduced white wine, butter, garlic & spices. The sauce was just too good, I happily had it with the bread and almost licked it clean. It's a tie between the Crab Cakes and the Barbecued Shrimp, don't ask me to choose please.

Salads & Soups

Ruth's Chop Salad IDR 140,000

A Ruth's Chris original, iceberg lettuce, baby spinach & radicchio tossed with red onions, mushrooms, green olives, beef bacon, eggs, hearts of palm, croutons, blue cheese, lemon basil dressing & topped with crispy onions

Lobster Bisque IDR 160,000

The lobster bisque was quite thick and meaty, definitely a yes for a person who love creamy and rich food. I didn't try the Chopped Salad, but my friends who had it, gave their approval, so it must be good too.

Entrées

Petite Filet (230grams) IDR 570,000

The staff will recommend 'Medium' to guests, because the steak will be served on a hot plate, which will continue to cook right until the moment the steak reaches your mouth.

So I listened to their suggestion and opted for Medium steak, instead of Medium Well. It's something I rarely do, because I dislike steak that's still dripping red juice at the centre. But I decided to give it a shot anyway, so 'medium' it was. The sizzling steak was a beautiful lump of meat with pink centre. It was so tender and literally juicy, that I even forgot to sip my wine in between, because my mouth was never dry from chewing the steak, at all! Without any sauces to distract, I could truly taste the real flavours of the meat, a feat that's only possible with supreme meat quality.

Personally, I would have loved the centre to be a bit more cooked, but it was not a problem anyway, because we could simply ask for a new hot plate to cook our steak on. I didn't finish my steak, just because I've indulged in the Appetizers and wanted to save room for dessert. I'm really glad I did, because the dessert that was about to come, was totally worth it.

Sides: Vegetables & Potatoes

The vegetables & potatoes come in large servings, so it would be wise to share. Of the side dishes that I tried, my favourite is the Mashed Potato, which is so incredibly creamy smooth with a just right level hint of garlic.

French Fried Onion Rings IDR 120,000
Fresh Asparagus with Hollandaise IDR 140,000

Mashed Potatoes with a hint of roasted garlic IDR 120,000

Right: Sauteed Mushrooms IDR 120,000

Dessert

Cheesecake IDR 150,000 (good enough for 2 - 4 persons)

After having RCS' creamy homemade cheesecake, there's no going back for me. This is so far, my favourite version of cheesecake ever. It's just perfect for me, the buttery and lightly salted crust combines well with the soft cheese core and moist sour cream topping. We were told that there have been people coming to RCS just for this cheesecake. I was skeptical at first, but now I believe that claim, I might perhaps even do that one of these days!

~~~

It has been a privilege for me, to be one of the few to be the earlier ones to visit & dine at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Jakarta, before it was open for public. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse may be a fancy-schmancy fine dining restaurant, but it's actually not that formal and you are absolutely allowed to enjoy the finger-licking creole butter gravy to the very last drop (like I did, but who cares, it's too good to go to waste!).

Open Hours:

Lunch : 12 - 3 PM

Dinner : 5.30 - 11 PM

*) Prices are subject to 11% Government Tax & 10% Service Charge

**) Reservation is highly recommended

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse

Somerset Grand Citra Apartment (Ciputra World complex)

Ground Floor

Jl. Prof. DR. Satrio Kav. 1

Kuningan - South Jakarta 12940

Ph: +6221 5221178

www.ruthschris.com

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So many Louisiana Seafood places in Jakarta, but there's only one that truly stuck in my mind, not only for its meaty crab claws with delicious peppery garlic sauce, but also (curiously) for its bowl of Gyu-Tan Don that, in my opinion, is the top 3 in town. Yehhh, I bet you're curious!

I went to the restaurant in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, which shares its space with a Chinese restaurant. I like this venue, which is rather small, but feels pretty intimate and the whole wall at the side is made of glass entirely. It's a jackpot for daytime photo hunters like me!

So what's good to order here? Obviously, the Mix Bag, which contains a combo (depending on your choice) of crayfish, clams, mussels, shrimps, corn, sausage & potato. The seafood will be served with the sauce and level of spiciness, of your choice. But since I went there just with Mum, and I'm not a big seafood eater, we opted to try just the famous full-meaty Papuan crab.

And the claim turns out to be true! Both me and my super critical Mum are impressed by the crab, the juicy & white crab meat fills the entire shell (not hollow, like at most other seafood places). Other sauces are also available, for example: smoked crab, angsio, black pepper, oyster sauce, Padang sauce, etc.

So, the crab passed our assessment with flying colours, it was time to sample the other dishes on the menu. The menu at Cranky Crab is relatively less than that at its competitor's, but if the few is done right, of course customers will keep coming back. I just couldn't get enough of the famous Gyu-Tan Don, which, based on my experience, I can safely say is on the top 3 gyutans sold in Jakarta.

Gyu-Tan Don with egg IDR 75,000

Cranky Fries IDR 55,000

Cheesy Prawn Crumble IDR 45,000

Flying Beer Citrus Mojito IDR 45,000

To unassuming customers, you may be a little uneasy to see the menu, which doesn't list the prices at all, I guess that's due to the highly seasonal price of the seafood, hence it's better to ask the staff for the price on the spot for the most updated price. But all in all, I had a great meal here and my Mum did too, so it's only a matter of time when we'll come back again the next time to try the Mix Bag or to get drunk from its assorted flavoured beers.

Open Hours:

11 AM - 11 PM

Cranky Crab

www.cranky-crab.com

1. Kelapa Gading

Jl. Boulevard Raya QF 1 No. 1

(Samudera Rasa building)

Ph: +6221 45843837

2. Kebayoran Baru

Jl. Wijaya 1 No.65 (next to Optik Melawai)

South Jakarta

Ph: +6221 7255042

Click to open in Maps

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These days, dining outside has become almost an inseparable part of our lives, Whether you are a foodie or if you just dine out for survival, the money spent on dining out, when summed up, actually takes up a considerable percentage of our income! Thus, it's only natural that we'll be interested in every little chances to save on the bill, right:? For example, I know some friends who own almost all sorts of credit cards to benefit from the various F&B deals or even collect pre-paid vouchers for special dining & entertainment deals.

Now, what if I tell you that there's a much simpler way to save money on not only your food, but also some entertainment expenses? Hear, hear, I'm going to share with you about this new awesome app!

Paprika Cashback App (www.culinarybonanza.com)

Dining in a plane and save up to 30% of our bill? That's awesome!

Paprika Cashback App is, like its name, an app that allows us to collect and redeem a certain percentage of the bill (in the form of Paprika Points) that we spent on dining out, drinks, salon, gym and even other entertainment and lifestyle services that has partnered with Paprika. The app started out from Medan, capital city of North Sumatra province and after the successful launch there, this month, it has expanded its reach to Jakarta. Now, whoever says apps made by Indonesian technopreneurs can't be awesome?

So first things first, simply download the app to your smartphone, the app is available for FREE on both Android and iOS platforms. Click to download from Google Play Store or App Store. Done? Awesome, next, launch the app and you can start navigating around the ~~idiot-proof~~ app. Really it's very simple to use, but just in case, let me show you a little bit of the app ya..

1. Launch the app
2. Select your City. Currently Paprika is available in Medan and Jakarta only

3. Search based on your wish

4. Check how much cashback that you can claim at that particular venue. Some even offer up to 30% Cashback!

5. When the bill comes, inform the staff that you'd like to collect / redeem Paprika Point. The staff will then request to scan your unique QR code (under 'Account')

6. This will appear when they point collection has been successful!

By the way, as a user, we are also allowed to rate the venue(s) that we've been to, in the form of stars (scale of 1 to 5 stars). So, the ratings are reliable, because it's based on personal experience. Using it is so easy right? Anyway, if it's not a great app, I wouldn't have especially written a blog post to share with you...Since Paprika app is still relatively new in Jakarta, the number of partner outlets are still limited. But I am confident that such a great app will easily increase the number of partners and users soon =)

In the beginning of this post, I showed you a picture of a table inside an airplane cabin. The plane is actually the interior of a restaurant, Taman Santap Rumah Kayu in Ancol, North Jakarta. And the food offered is unlike the normal food served on board of any normal airplane. I must admit that dining inside this refurbished (but old) Boeing 737 with an array of traditional Indonesian & Chinese food is quite a unique experience that's pretty curious to be missed.

Taman Santap Rumah Kayu Ancol (www.culinarybonanza.com)

Welcome onboard!

The menu at Taman Santap Rumah Kayu is actually Indonesian and Chinese food, with a few special Bangkanese dishes, a nod to the owners' roots from Bangka. Price wise, it's very affordable in my opinion and the taste are just like Indonesians like: bold and strong flavours. It's a family restaurant, so the dishes are meant to be shared. In order to get a table inside the cabin, prior reservation is recommended. Walk-in customers will risk being put at the tables on the ground, which is not as interesting as sitting inside the cabin.

Ayam Kampung Bakar Madu IDR 80,000/whole chicken

Ikan Gurami Saus Mangga IDR 77,500 (Medium) / IDR 85,000 (large)

Sapo Tahu IDR 45,000

Even better still Taman Santap Rumah Kayu is also one of the newly minted partners of Paprika App, so you will be able to collect and redeem Paprika Points when dining here.

So, what are you waiting for, start collecting your Paprika points today and redeem it!

Paprika Cashback App

www.paprika.co.id

Download the app here: Google Play Store | Apple App Store

Taman Santap Rumah Kayu

Taman Impian Jaya Ancol

Jl. Lodan Timur 11 No. 7

Ancol - North Jakarta

Ph: +6221 29704982

www.restorumahkayu.com

For live and regular updates,

stalk my Instagram: @ellynatjohnardi

If you frequent the shopping malls in Central Jakarta as much as I do, you would've known that AW Kitchen opened its second restaurant in Jakarta back in December last year.

AW Kitchen by Akira Watanabe (www.culinarybonanza.com)

Like AW Kitchen in Plaza Senayan, the one in Plaza Indonesia feels a bit more spacious and seems to be brighter. In any case, you can expect to find similar signature interior elements.

This February, Celebrity Chef Akira Watanabe was in town for a few days, for the Grand Opening event. And it also happened to be the first time I visited the second restaurant, meeting Chef Akira in person and also trying out an omakase lunch prepped by the Celebrity Chef himself.

Lunch Omakase by Chef Akira Watanabe

1st course: Amuse-Bouche - Beet-root Expresso Soup that's mildly flavoured and lightly sweet.

2nd course: Antipasto Freddo - Chu-toro tuna & red snapper carpaccio
One of AW Kitchen's signature dishes is the carpaccio and they always plate it so beautifully. Of the several times I've dined here, and their carpaccio is always very light and delicately flavoured, but the wasabi mayo was there too, for those who likes a jolt of strong flavour.

3rd course: Primi Pasta - Hokkaido crab with ikasumi (squid ink) spaghettini tomato sauce

The tomato sauce, as you can see, is made from fresh tomato and the hokkaido crab's tasted sweet combined with the mildly savoury and al dente squid ink spaghettini.

4th course: Second Piatti - Wagyu tenderloin wrapped in baked potato & truffle oil

It's a classic steak and potato dish, but brought to a whole new level by Chef Akira. The juicy tenderloin was neatly wrapped inside this 'crust' of finely grated potato and shaped like egg, then deep fried, the taste of the crispy crust is just like that of rösti. Other than the delicious steak and addictive rosti crust, the brown sauce with truffle oil was truly delectable too.

5th course: Dolce - Lychee Mousse, passionfruit sorbet and fresh fruits.

And with that, was the end of the omakase lunch experience by Chef Akira Watanabe. I always love about AW Kitchen's unique menu, which beautifully combines Japanese delicate flavours and Italian classic cuisine sophisticated Western techniques, as well as the best edible ingredients from both cultures. AW Kitchen is a restaurant, aimed at more established and discerning customers who still can be casual when dining here, but also can appreciate the proper union of two types of cuisine: Japanese & Italian.

*) Prices are subject to Tax & Service Charge

Open Hours:

10 AM - 10 PM

AW Kitchen Jakarta

1. Plaza Senayan Unit CP409, Level 4

Jl. Asia Afrika No. 8

South Jakarta - 10270

Ph: +6221 57906071

2. Plaza Indonesia Unit E026, Level 2

Jl. MH. Thamrin Kav. 28 - 30

Central Jakarta - 10350

Ph: +6221 29924325

For live and regular updates,

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The last day of this month, February 2016, is a rather special day indeed, for it is THE once every 4 years bissextus day (no it is not a vulgar word, in fact it comes from Latin, which simply means the extra day added to the calendar to compensate for the extra 6 hours in a year, multiply that over 4 years and you get yourself 366 days in that 4th year. Too bad it falls on a Monday this year *scoffs). Anyway, today was also very special, because Leonardo Dicaprio's won the Oscars (finally!), Asia's 50 Best Awards Ceremony took place in Bangkok, Thailand today. So, still in the awards and sparkling mood of the whole world, I'd like to share with you one of the most special evenings I've had the honour to be a part of. Cheers!

JW Marriott Jakarta's Wine Dinner with Beringer Estate (www.culinarybonanza.com)

I know I promised to never write about wine dinner again, but hey this is leap year!

Beringer Vineyards is "the oldest continuously operating winery in the Napa Valley, USA", and is thus listed under both the National Register of Historical Places and as a California Historical Landmark. It is thus one of the rare moments to have the brand ambassador for Beringer Estate, Ms. Kristen Araoz Gridley to visit Indonesia and host a private wine dinner with the local media. The event was held at JW Marriott Jakarta and it saw U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia H.E. Robert Blake as one of the VVIP guests that evening, among other distinguished chief editors.

A few of the guests (including myself) with the U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia, H.E. Robert Blake

JW Marriott Jakarta’s Executive Chef Francisco Brown had designed a series of courses that each were paired with different Beringer wines. The dinner, displayed Chef Brown's brilliant play of flavours, textures and ingredients, while showcasing the diversity of Beringer wines. From the light, and slightly sweet Founder's Estate Chardonnay, to the much more tannic one Beringer Founder's Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.

But first, we had the pre-dinner cocktail and this came:

Beringer Sparkling White Zinfandel that's got the whole world go crazy about. I have to admit that this Sparkling Zinfandel IS rather special indeed, it has very delicate taste and fruity / floral flavour. I'm still bothered by the name white, while the wine actually appears in salmon / rose colour.

Beautiful table setting by JW Marriott Jakarta team

3 mini butter cones, each with different flavours

1st course: King Scallops Carpaccio with squid ink mayonnaise, cauliflower, truffle, vinaigrette (photo below)

Beringer Founder's Estate Chardonnay 2013

The sweet and fresh scallop carpaccio on its own was already a delightful starter. But paired with the Chardonnay, it brings out the sweetness in it.

2nd course: Lobster & Salmon Ravioli with caviar, lemon grass & seafood veloute (photo below)

Beringer Napa Valley Chardonnay 2013

Of all the dishes that evening, this was my personal favourite. Although there's only a single raviolo, but it was perfectly done and the seafood veloute sauce was so rich and indulgent!

3rd course: Grilled lamb loin with butternut squash, green peas arancini, mint, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, lamb jus (photo below).

Beringer Founder's Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Grilled lamb loin with butternut squash, green peas arancini, mint, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, lamb jus. Beringer's Founder's Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

The dish may deceive with its artfully one-sided plating, but actually Chef Brown's generous with the grilled lamb loin.

4th course: Chocolate Fondant with hazelnut crumble & mandarin orange sorbet (photo below)

It was absolutely a beautiful plating, like a colourful oil paint palette

And lastly, the guests were treated to a cup of tea / coffee at the end of the dinner. Although I don't see the point of washing down such a good after taste of the wines with coffee, I still ordered a cup of black coffee, I needed it so I could stay up and write new entries for this blog. Oh, so many times I wish I weren't a blogger. But then again, if I weren't one, I wouldn't even have been invited to this event ;).

Lastly, I'd like to thank JW Marriott Jakarta for hosting the dinner, as well as for Beringer, to have such a beautiful sparkling White Zinfandel wine, on top of so many more other great if not greater wines. Let us toast to that!

Note: A range of Beringer Wines are available in JW Marriott Hotel Jakarta in the award-winning Sailendra Restaurant, Asuka Japanese Dining, Pearl Chinese Restaurant and Blü Martini Bar & Lounge.

Beringer Vineyards

www.beringer.com

JW Marriott Hotel Jakarta

Jl. DR Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung Kav. E.1.2 No. 1 & 2

Mega Kuningan

South Jakarta - 12950

Ph: +6221 5798 8888
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AMKC Atelier is a brand new gourmet eatery & artisan pastry shop that opens in one of Jakarta's posh-est shopping mall. It's an original concept by the owners who are also the chefs here: Adhika Maxi and Karen Carlotta, hence AMKC.

For foodies in Jakarta, the two names may be familiar, because after all, these chefs are at the helm of one of the busiest kitchens in town: Union. The latter is famous for its indulgent and rich cakes, as well as good food that gets people coming back for more. So, when the married chefs open a new concept, much is of course, expected.

The monochrome interior is occasionally intermezzo-ed by the presence of warm wall illumination and paintings

AMKC Atelier's menu is (still, probably) limited to 9 savoury dishes which already covers from amuse bouche to main course, 3 dessert and 5 cakes, specialty coffee supplied by one of the 'hipster' cafes in North Jakarta, as well as few selection of wine. With such a small menu, making an order becomes a much simpler affair. But if anything, the staff are very proactive to encourage guests to order the Black Truffle Choux, Basil Bread and Clam Chowder. Now, I suggest you to follow your own gut feeling before taking the advice.

The Black Truffle Choux is a jackpot, while the basil bread is something one can live without and the clam chowder would be a rather risky bet. The chowder would be risky because, while the clams were fresh and odourless even to someone sensitive to seafood like myself, the soup was cringe-worthy, because it was too salty. It was just an accident I ~~hope~~ believe.

Of all the dishes that I tried, I was most impressed by the Black Truffle Choux with the creamy tuffle ragout filling was brilliant, albeit 10% exceeding my salt tolerance level (I have high salt tolerance, by the way). Followed by the dessert, KC Cappuccino "Deconstructed", a cup of indulgent dessert for coffee lovers, consisting 3 layers of coffee flavoured pannacotta / custard, crumbs and mousse. The twist is in the presence of alcohol (I suspect to be baileys), which is more than subtle in the dessert. The other dishes that almost got me hooked was the Hokkaido Scallop, while the scallop is the championed hero, the mashed potato quietly stole the show, too bad about the over-salted grilled kale accompanying this dish.

In general, the dishes are presented artistically and crafted with sophisticated methods and laudable efforts showcasing some classic dishes with chef's own twists. I will not shun AMKC Atelier for the salt mishaps that happened during my visit, because after all, it had been open for public for only 5 days then. Mistakes were bound to happen and I am confident that they will only improve from here.

Black Truffle Choux IDR 65,000

Left: Basil Bread & Homemade Butter IDR 35,000

New England Clam Chowder with corn IDR 80,000

Sea Urchin, pork crackling crumbs, truffled angel hair IDR 180,000

Hokkaido Scallop, lemon XO vinaigrette, kale, sauteed mushrooms, mashed potato, tomato IDR 230,000

Left: KC Cappuccino "Deconstructed" IDR 45,000
Right: Black Coffee by Ombe Kofie IDR 45,000

Cross section of the KC Cappuccino

To me personally, AMKC Atelier would be considered a once-in-a-while, fancy dining experience or a fancy place to have fancy fusion cakes over some hipster coffee. Unless their menu is changed monthly or seasonally, I haven't seen a compelling reason to return yet (well, maybe I'd like to return to try out the fusion cakes by KC, or just for the Black Truffle Choux). All that being said, the interior makes it possible to take nice, bright pictures on clean white backdrop, a perfect setting for someone like me.

*) Prices are subject to 21% Service Charge & Government Tax

Open Hours:

10 AM - late (daily)

AMKC Atelier

Plaza Indonesia Level 1 #E017 (Lobby next to The Plaza's)

Jl. MH Thamrin Kav.28-30

Central Jakarta - 10350

Ph: +6221 29924357

www.ismaya.com/micro/read/publikmarkette

www.amkcatelier.com

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This post may be published just in the nick of time, but hey there's still time to try and experience the extraordinary Italian Taste that's currently ongoing at Publik Markette, "Lo Straordinario Gusto Italiano".

Publik-Markette-Italian-food-promo-(www.culinarybonanza.com)

So, during the 2 weeks long Italian promotion, Publik Markette served up classic Italian dishes (with Publik's twist of course) covering the regional styles from Tuscany to Mediterranean Sea - Sicily, as well as Wine Sale & Italian Cocktails, and even Pasta Cooking Class for Mothers and their children.

The Wine Sale section

It has been a little over a year since Publik Markette was first open and back then, the alfresco dining section was not open yet. But now that it has...the place is just perfect for airy and casual lunch, still inside the shopping mall, open air, but somewhat still private as it's surrounded by tall potted hedge trees.

Publik-Markette-(www.culinarybonanza.com)

Perfect spot for a little secret rendezvous

The interior is also pleasantly styled and I just love to take pictures of it, especially with such good lighting...

But the main star would be of course, the Food Gallery, with menu changed daily, but especially for this Italian weeks, there are a few regular Italian dishes that you could expect such as White Fish Puttanesca with Rosemary Potatoes, Crispy Porchetta with Peperonata & Salsa Verde, Chicken & Eggplant Parmigiana, Lasagna, Pizza and of course Pasta. But of these that I tried, my personal favourite is the Linguine with Farmer's (Pork) Sausage, mushrooms and generous parmesan shavings. Ismaya Group always do their pastas right, that I must concede. It's so delicious & rich, that I felt a little guilty for enjoying it too much!

Breakfast croissant with egg yolk that's begging to be popped!

Linguine with Farmer's Sausage (Pork / Beef) IDR 90,000

Crispy Porchetta with Peperonata & Salsa Verde

White Fish Puttanesca with Rosemary Potatoes IDR 95,000

Emma Strada - edible flower liquor, lemon juice, honey, kyuri & Sunray cider IDR 115,000

So, to get your Italian food, cocktails & wine fixed this weekend, you already know where to head to ;)

Open Hours:

Mon-Thurs: 10:00 - 23:00

Fri-Sat: 10:00 - 00:00

Sun: 10:00 - 23:00

*) Prices are subject to 21% Government Tax & Service Charge

Publik Markette

Grand Indonesia East Mall, Ground Floor No. 5
Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 1
Central Jakarta 10350

Ph: +6221 235 81281 / 81282

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Bottega Ristorante (not to be mistaken with Bottega in Napa Valley and it's unrelated with the Italian luxury goods brand), is an original Italian concept brought to you by the same people behind Wilshire Jakarta.

Bottega-Ristorante-(www.culinarybonanza.com)

If you're looking for an Italian restaurant in Jakarta, but with a little adventurous flair with the food and yet still feels posh and refined, Bottega offers just the right balance of all that. The predominantly black exterior as well as mosaic tiles on the floor, tables and even walls, create a unique interior for the eyes to enjoy. The venue itself, while may be rather inconvenient for those who drive themselves (from the parking lot to the restaurant requires one to exit the office building's main lobby and walk a little bit). It's a rewarding walk though, once one enters the restaurant's outdoor seating areas, looks lovely and inviting to sit at.

Inside the restaurant, there's a bar (for smoking guests) to the right and with one sweep of a look, the entire restaurant is mapped out before you.

Starting from the drinks, one can already tell that they're quite bold in experimenting with the flavours. The Strawberry Cheese Cake mocktail, is a stuff that makes up a child's dream with liberal use of sugar-packed toppings as well as thick and flavour-packed liquid. Even the cocktail, such as Toblerone infused vodka 'Snow White' couldn't help not to show off its tall dollop of whipped cream, and overflowing toppings.

Strawberry CheeseCake IDR 55,000
Snow White - Toblerone infused Vodka, Baileys, Oreo, milk & ice cream IDR 99,000

Bottega Ristorante had recently added some menus to its current one. The Menu offers Eggs based dishes (perfect for breakfast), Appetizers, Main Courses, Pasta & Risotto, Panini and Dessert. Some of the dishes are traditionally Italian, but for the more adventurous guests, you should try the Chicken Rendang Spaghetti (also one of my personal favourite), a truly delectable combination of traditional Indonesian meat stew recipe with Italian noodles.

Also, would you expect to find Gyros at an Italian restaurant? Nowhere else would you find that, other than here, the Chicken Gyros with Rice Pilaf and Pita Chips certainly seem interesting. If you're looking for something healthy and still taste good, try the Mesclun Salad with gorgonzola cheese, candied cashews and tossed in honey mustard balsamic dressing, it's vegetarian friendly too!.

Mesclun Salad with Apple & Pear topped with gorgonzola, candied cashews, tossed in honey mustard balsamic dressing IDR 89,000

Char Grilled Octopus with chimmi churri and charred baby corn IDR 89,000

Costine - Tuscan Style St. Louis Pork Spare Ribs, purple sweet potato puree, paprika, seasonal vegetables IDR 169,000

Butter Chicken with potatoes IDR 129,000

If you love pasta & risotto, Bottega's creative inventions will surely get you confused as to what to order. But for me, I follow what my taste buds love most: Truffle and there are plenty of dishes infused with truffle at Bottega.

Bakmi Truffle with truffle & cream IDR 129,000

Mushroom & Truffle Gnocchi, house-made potato gnocchi with mushroom & truffle cream sauce IDR 129,000

Chicken Rendang Spaghetti IDR 119,000

Crab with Garlic Spaghetti - jumbo lump crab meat, with spaghetti tossed in garlic tomato sauce IDR 195,000

One of Bottega's signature dessert is the Leche Frita, which directly means fried milk. It's like solid milk 'cake', coated with flour and fried, topped with pistachio crumbs and served with sweet condensed milk. I kinda like to think it as Italian's version of 'kue'. The new dessert, Choco Caramel Crater, with piping hot caramel is also quite a playful dessert to be enjoyed with friends (too guilty to be finished alone).

Choco Caramel Crater with vanilla ice cream & peach

Leche Frita - fried milk IDR 49,000

Open Hours:

10 AM - 1.30 AM

*) Prices are subject to Government Tax and Service Charge

Bottega Ristorante

Menara Bank Danamon

Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio Kav. E-4 No. 6

Mega Kuningan

South Jakarta - 12950

Ph: +6221 57992222

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Seafood lovers, rejoice, because now there's a restaurant that specializes in serving seafood from Appetizers to Main Course (sorry, seafood dessert would just be a little too weird), served in various style of cuisines from Chinese, Indonesian, Thai, American, Italian, you name it. It's not the kind of street side stall or conventional local seafood restaurant that's hot, reeking with smoke from the grill or full of green flies. The Hook, situated at one end of the busy Senopati stretch is a casual dining with a nice venue worth dressing neatly for.

The-Hook-Restaurant-Senopati-(www.culinarybonanza.com)

The spacious restaurant offers more than meets the eye, so don't let the nice brick walls and the leather sofa tables trick you into thinking that this is just another casual restaurant serving average western if not (confused) fusion food. The Hook was created from and for a specific purpose: serving superior local seafood products that's organically bred and properly processed, thus ensuring premium quality and taste of each dishes served to the customers.

At The Hook, guests will be bombarded with the word 'Arafura' which is the name of the sea where the groupers were bred. As the sea is remote, the waters are not polluted, so the groupers could be farmed without the need to use any chemicals, antibiotics and hormones, which, if consumed, will end up in our bodies and may cause unknown harm in the long term. Even the crabs are air-flown directly from Papua, and the banana prawns are caught in the Aru Island.

So, enough about the source of the seafood, what about the dishes served with these premium produce? I personally love the Prawn Shaslik (the banana prawns are really juicy and sweet), Coconut Prawn Soup (the soup's seasonings are all the right places), and of course it would be amiss not to mention the Steamed Grouper. The steamed whole fish packs not only plenty of meat to feed up to 4 adults, but the flavours packed in the sweet meat and the delicious accompanying soup easily gets one hooked for more. If you are not on a diet, this dish alone if more than enough to go with plain rice, but of course, who can help not to try the other dishes such as the Prime Admiral Ribs, Pacific Burger or Pastas?


	Prawn Shaslik - grilled banana prawn with barbecue sauce IDR 85,000

Fish Roll Satay - minced grouper on lemongrass stick, grilled & served with The Hook Chili Dip IDR 55,000

Hot & Sour Fin Soup - grouper's fins & tails spicy soup IDR 65,000

Coconut Prawn Soup - coconut based soup with banana prawn IDR 97,000

Banda Grouper, whole fish

Steamed Grouper (whole fish, Humpback Grouper) -The Hook's special steamed grouper marinated with soya herb sauce IDR 200,000 / 100gr (recommended for sharing up to 4 pax)

Prime Admiral Ribs - deep fried grouper ribs served with rica-rica sauce IDR 65,000

Pacific Burger - classic burger with grouper fillet and nachos on the side IDR 93,000

The Hook's Aglio Olio - classic aglio olio The Hook Style served with spicy rica-rica fish grouper IDR 92,500

The dessert, in my honest opinion, may be a decrescendo ending to the memorable seafood feast. So you won't miss anything even if you don't order the dessert.

Chocolate Overload - 3 scoops of ice cream in chocolate bowl IDR 45,000
Vanilla Pannacotta - pannacotta cream with strawberry compote IDR 45,000

Orange Blossom - slice of orange with mint sauce IDR 38,000

Mochi Ice Cream IDR 45,000

Another item on the menu that's caught my attention is the live pinctada maxima (the mother of pearl oyster), which price is available by request only and requires 3 working days in advance prior to ordering. I have never seen this yet at any other restaurants, so if you're curious what the pearl-bearing oyster might taste like, The Hook is the place to go. I am confident even my picky Mom would enjoy coming here for a seafood feast.

*) Prices are subject to Government Tax & Service Charge

Open Hours:

Weekday: 10 AM - 11 PM

Weekend: 10 AM - 1 AM

The Hook

Jl. Cikatomas II No. 35

Suryo, Senopati

South Jakarta 12180

Ph: +6221 27513528

www.thehook.co.id

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Do the word fried chicken make your lips smack or your tummy rumble in excitement? I've some good news for serious, hardcore, faithful fried chicken lovers in Jakarta. Hear hear, Chir Chir Fusion Chicken Factory that's made a huge name in Singapore, is now finally available in our very own jammed city. Let's toast over Chir Cream Beer*)!

*) Chir Chir's beer topped with a dollop of whipped cream

The location is somewhat frustrating but at the same time it can't be more appropriate for foodies in town. At Pantai Indah Kapuk, depending on what time you come, the traffic can be a nightmare and finding a parking space is like a game with the Wheel of Fortune. But anyways, being in one of the hottest food 'town' in Jakarta, Chir Chir indirectly vouches itself a constant stream of customers from far and wide. I won't say this if their products aren't as good as the reputation.

So, before they publicly open for the public, a few of us went to pay a visit (and feast). We're quite let down because not all of the menus were available yet at the time of our visit, but I'm happy to say that all the hype's been real and not just tall tales.

So, everything on the menu looks good. It's chicken, some fried, some roasted, some boneless, some with bone-in. some salad and comfort carbs, and some beers / beer-infused drinks to go with the fried chicken. In general, the menu is very easily likeable by both adults & especially kids, even the salads! If you don't like fresh leafy salad, the Honey Grape salad makes eating veggie a breeze! I would order without the whipped cream the next time though. And the mango salad, don't be fooled by the price, because it comes in a huge bowl. The menu said it's supposed to have blueberries, but I found none apparently (or maybe I just wasn't lucky).

Honey Grape Salad - green grapes with nuts, topped with ricotta & whipped cream IDR 99,000

Mango Salad - with yogurt dressing, fresh mango cubes & blueberries IDR 49,000

Now, time to assess the fried chicken! What I like from the tender chickens (boneless) by Chir Chir is the meat's juicy and seasoned to the core. The seasoning is not too overpowering, just enough to keep us digging for more. I like the Nest Snow chicken, for the creamy sauce served with it, and again, I'd rather have it without the whipped cream topping. But all in all, this place is a diet buster (in a guilty, tummy-filling way) LOL, so all's well.

Garlicky Chicken - crispy fried chicken in special soy sauce topped with crunchy garlic flakes IDR 159,000

Nest Snow - chicken tenders with cajun seasoning, topped with cream sauce & sweet salad IDR 159,000

Oh, everything served here come in gigantic portion, hence it's best to visit with a squad so you could order more items to try. But no one's going to throw dagger eyes if you finish the whole platter by yourself =P

*) Prices are subject to Government Tax & Service Charge

Chir Chir Fusion Chicken Factory Indonesia

Ruko Garden House B20

Pantai Indah Kapuk - North Jakarta