Forget The Traffic, Take a Break at Djule Kofi

March 20, 2016, 6:28 pm

≫ Next: The Dutch Gastropub: Cheers to Beer & Homemade Saucijs!

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Jakarta's Little Tokyo (Melawai-Blok M area) has just welcomed the newest addition to its growing list of coffee shop tenants. Let's say 'djule' (it means 'hello' in one of the Indian local languages), to Djule Kofi.

Djule (read: /dʒoo-leh/), is related to another (hipster) cafe in North Jakarta, Ombe Kofi. The latter created quite a lot of buzz last year for being the pioneer of a coffee shop springing up at someone's garage. The homey concept, tight knit team of self-made baristas and an army of kick-ass pops and moms running a youthful coffee place in North Jakarta, made an interesting formula that got people curious from far and wide.

So Djule is situated in the heart of Melawai, at a juncture that's easily visible from the streets. To park your vehicle, you need to enter the Blok M Square complex though. On an early Sunday morning, parking is a breeze, but if visiting at any other hours, you'll need quite a lot of luck to even find a spot deep within the labyrinthine commercial complex with narrow alleys.

On the first Sunday that Djule opened for public, I plucked all the strength I have to abandon the comfort of my bed so early in the AM and drove south to catch the place (hopefully) empty, for the sake of capturing clean photos of the interior. So I arrived at around 8.15 AM and there was already a group of cyclists who were enjoying their morning cuppa joe after the cycling sesh. Good news for cyclists, the folks at Djule are tolerant enough to allow the bikes to be parked inside.

What I really dig about Djule is the interior. One would not expect to find a rustic yet sophisticated spot amidst the hustle and bustle of the perpetually jammed Melawai stretch. The interior feels very masculine with black as the dominant element, and the wooden touch incorporated in the furniture, walls and beautiful staircase balances the masculinity. The entire place is not that huge, but the high ceiling-ed space (with a member-only mezza nine floor) does the trick. At the center of the whole place, is the open coffee bar. On the counter, sat two sturdy espresso machines that churn out 4 different coffee varieties.

You could see I'm a little too obsessed with the interior...

Start ordering from here

Colourful cups added some warmth to the place

Sea shell chandelier? That's just so hipster....so loving it!

I chatted up with the boys (Om Johny) from behind the counter and I encourage you to, because then you can learn to appreciate the effort and the belief that made this place. I requested them to add real food soon and turns out they've prepared the kitchen to do just that (hurray!), it's still work in progress though. I'd like a beautiful place like this to be strong in its food offering too, because nowadays, there are plenty of great places serving great coffee too, but the ones with seriously good food is still quite a rare find. So at the time being, they only have pastry and dried goods (granola, etc).

Pretzel Soft Rolls IDR 25,000 | Regular White (cappuccino) IDR 40,000

One thing to take note is you need to order your food / drinks at the cashier near the entrance and take the ticket to the barista. They will only make your drink after they get your ticket, so don't just happily sit down after paying k? LOL

Canele IDR 28,000

I'll probably pop by again next Sunday after my morning run on the Car Free Day stretch. Care to join me? =)

*) Prices are subject to 10% Tax

Open Hours: 8 AM - 8 PM (everyday)

Djule Kofi

Jl. Melawai Raya No. 6

South Jakarta

Ph: +6281214386899

Click here to open in Maps

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The Dutch Gastropub: Cheers to Beer & Homemade Saucijs!

March 22, 2016, 5:22 am

≫ Next: Because Sundays are Made for Hearty Royal Brunch...

≪ Previous: Forget The Traffic, Take a Break at Djule Kofi

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Union Group, one of the most prominent players in the F&B scene in Jakarta, has just opened a new concept in the heart of Jakarta's CBD. It is the only place in town to own a copper brauhaus bridge with a total of 8 taps, and serves entirely housemade sausages and cured meats. It's The Dutch Gastropub.

The Dutch is unique in that it is one of the very few places that's steeped in serving Dutch food in Jakarta, albeit with some modern and Chef Chris Moes' own twist. Unfortunately, no, you won't find Poffertjes or Stroopwafel (they're too cliche) here.

As a modern gastropub located on the ground floor of an office building, The Dutch is clearly banking on office executives and the working crowd as its regular customer, whether it be for after-work drinks, lunch or dinner meetings even for weekend brunch with the family. As such, The Dutch primps its place with a masculine dark interior to make the place feel serious during the day and mysterious in the evening (at least that's how I feel).

So the bar is one of the most prominent elements of The Dutch. The long counter is a Disneyland for any bartenders out there, with assorted elixirs and ingredients to play around with. But the most special feature here is the copper brauhaus bridge, which can dispense 7 different beers and a house-signature cocktail, Americano. Feeling quite bubbly? Then you should try the One Metre Beer, which is a tasting board selection of all the beers on tap for only IDR 300,000. Oh, be warned, the Americano is quite strong!

Any bartender's dream playground!

Why so serious Mr. Bartender?

Americano (Cocktail on Tap) - sweet vermouth, campari & soda IDR 110,000 Coconut Iced Coffee IDR 45,000

So The Dutch also focuses seriously on its food, especially on the Housemade Sausages, which are traditionally handmade & slowly smoked in-house. Here, you can try 5 different sausages made with pork (Rookworst), Chorizo, Lamb Merguez, Chicken even Duck sausage! I went there to try the Brunch menu, so I didn't try the sausages, and chose the Oma's Meatball instead. The meatball's quite huge, served with equally large lump of 'boerenkool', Dutch style mashed potato with kale and gravy. I was quite digging the meatball, especially because of the sweet onion rings (my favourite sweet & savoury combo).

Parmesan Churros with goat cheese cream IDR 55,000

Oma's Meatball - 'Boerenkool' (mashed potato & kale), fried onion rings & gravy IDR 125,000

I've been told that the other guests have given positive feedbacks on its 'Erwtensoep' (split pea soup with rookworst, pretzel roll & smoked butter) and Kurobuta Pork Collar. I'm going to save these menus to try on my next visit.

Brunch at The Dutch

So every Saturday & Sunday from 11 am - 4 pm, guests could try sweet or savoury Pannekoeken from Chef Chris' traditional family recipes, as well as The Full Package - a platter of all the housemade sausages for only IDR 225,000.

So, these are the kind of brunch food, The Dutch style... As a sweet tooth, my favourite falls to the sweet Pannekoeken with banana in it, topped with coconut ice cream & palm sugar. Lekker!

Sauzijzen Broodje - Dutch beef sausage roll, green salad & edam cheese, chili dip IDR 65,000

Homemade Pannekoekken (Savoury) Wagyu Pastrami, Edam Cheese, Mozzarella Cheese, Parsley IDR 75,000

Homemade Pannekoekken (Sweet) Banana, Coconut Ice Cream, Palm Sugar IDR 65,000

So, whether you come here for lunch, dinner or brunch, The Dutch will satisfy the carnivore and alcoholic in you ;)

Note:

- Valet parking is complimentary, guests only need to pay the hourly parking rate

- The entire floor is smoking area

- Happy Hour: 1 for 1 selected beers on tap every Monday - Saturday (4 - 7 PM) & Sunday (all day)

- Brunch Menu: every Saturday & Sunday 11 AM - 4 PM

Open Hours:

11 AM - 1 AM (daily)

*) Prices are subject to Tax & Service Charge

The Dutch

18 Parc Place Tower E, Ground Floor

Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD)

Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 52 - 53

South Jakarta 12190

Ph: +6221 5152828

Click here to open in Maps

thedutchjakarta.com

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Because Sundays are Made for Hearty Royal Brunch...

March 28, 2016, 8:03 am

≫ Next: Yes It's Possible (to Eat Well & Often, Save Money & Earth and Stay Healthy) + Vegan Recipe

≪ Previous: The Dutch Gastropub: Cheers to Beer & Homemade Saucijs!

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There was a time when my tummy could expand so much that I could eat almost every single items displayed in the buffet spread, but I would end up getting tummy ache after coming home LOL. Today? Not so much...I'd only stick to the 'essentials' (aka the more expensive calorie-worthy food) served at the buffet. So the promise of endless servings of grilled lobsters, caviar, foie gras and grilled Kobe Beef certainly got my lips smacking in excitement!

Bengawan is the signature restaurant of Keraton at The Plaza, a Luxury Collection Hotel. It is located on the 7th floor of the hotel and private residence that's directly connected to Plaza Indonesia. The hotel's spa and swimming pool are also located on the same floor, so some part of the restaurant will have the indoor pool view.

Upon entering the restaurant, you'll be greeted firstly by the cornucopia of sweets, cakes and fruits, cheeses and assorted bread. These 3 are my personal favourite, so I'd normally start with cheese and save dessert for last.

The Boursin cheese was my favourite, so addictive!

At the center of the restaurant, is where the cold cuts, fresh seafood, the hot grill teppan and all sorts of cold & hot appetizers, Asian and Western. If you are into fresh seafood, this is where you'll spend most of your time at, picking from the bed of fresh oysters, lobsters and prawns. I found myself hanging around this area quite a lot too, because I'd be having one serving after another, of the incredibly tender & juicy Kobe beef. cooked to order. Oh, another serving of pan-seared foie gras for me please, chef!

Pan-seared foie gras, beautifully plated

Walking further down, is the kebab grill and Mexican station, as well as, assorted sturia caviar and tobiko. It's a self-service station, but should you need assistance, the chefs are always around.

My own taco creation =)

Lastly, a meal is incomplete without a sweet ending...

It is best to come early, right when the brunch just started to get the freshest and best pick of the produce and also to secure a good table. I personally like the u-shaped nook tables, which gives more privacy (it's ideal if you plan to seriously feast and don't want to draw too much attention on yourself).

Sunday Brunch Buffet Prices:

- IDR 1,750,000 nett/adult (inclusive wines, beer, cocktails & Pol Roger Champagne)

- IDR 995,000 nett/adult (inclusive wines, beer & cocktails)

- IDR 695,000 nett /adult (inclusive free-flowing soft drinks, fresh juice & sparkling water)

- IDR 347,500 nett /child (4-12 y.o.)

Open Hours:

- Monday - Friday: 6 - 10 am (Breakfast) | 12 - 6 pm (Lunch) | 6 - 10.30 pm (Dinner)

- Saturday - Sunday: 6 - 10.30 AM (Breakfast) | 12 - 3 pm (Brunch) | 3 - 6 pm (Lunch) | 6 - 10.30 pm (Dinner)

Dress Code:

Smart casual

*) Prices are subject to Tax & Service Charge

Bengawan Restaurant

Keraton at The Plaza, a Luxury Collection Hotel, 7th Floor

Jl. MH. Thamrin Kav. 15

Central Jakarta - 10350

Indonesia

Click here to open in Maps

Ph: +6221 50302993

www.bengawanrestaurant.com

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Yes It's Possible (to Eat Well & Often, Save Money & Earth and Stay Healthy) + Vegan Recipe

March 29, 2016, 9:59 am

≫ Next: Jakarta Rooftop Venue: K22 Bar Terrace & View Gastrobar

≪ Previous: Because Sundays are Made for Hearty Royal Brunch...

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How often do you eat out? Is it too often than you care to admit? No worries, you’re not alone. I am guilty, too. But could you say no to this pretty & and yummy boxed lunch?

With all the new restaurants opening up in town, new interesting menus dished out by the chefs and cooks, it’s little wonder that the habit of eating out has become as common as wearing shoes outside one’s house. But let’s pause for a bit and evaluate this habit and think of all the money spent, food wasted and the risk of food poisoning that we expose ourselves to when eating out.

Easy bento idea: nuggets and fresh slaw - it's yummy too!

As a food blogger, eating out is inevitable, it’s part of our professional hazard, but ideally, I’d like to encourage all of us to exercise a habit that not only will save our hard-earned money, reduce food waste, save the environment and help us to eat better. Yup, you guessed it; I’m encouraging a habit to bring our own lunch box to school/work or anywhere possible.

Tupperware has a lot of product range to suit our lifestyle and colours to match our personality, even outfit of the day! No more un-cool looking lunch box =)

I’d like to share a little bit about my childhood. Back then as a student, my Mum would make me bring lunch box to school every single day, because my parents didn’t give me regular allowances. I begrudged this because I thought it was embarrassing. As a kid, I wanted to be like the cool kids who could try all the food sold in the canteen and the food peddled outside the school gate. However looking back now, I am deeply grateful for Mum’s unrelenting efforts and the value she taught me. Bringing lunch box to school not only saved our family a lot of money for my education, but also reduced the food waste and carbon footprint that I’ve accumulated since I was born. It’s an abstract concept, I know, but for those who care enough about this Earth we are living in, this is very important. The Earth is not getting any younger and our very existence is increasing the burden that Earth has to bear to sustain our lives.

Eating out every so often in the long run, is not only harmful for our finances, but also on our health (and the scales), not forgetting to mention the hazard we’re causing the environment when we can’t finish the food, and had to take away the leftovers in disposable food containers, or the massive food wasted when we don’t take away the leftovers. All of these problems are greatly alleviated if we bring our own lunch boxes. The benefits include (but not limited to), the following:

-Saves money. If you ever studied and lived away from your parents, you know that this is very true. Cooking at home and bringing lunch box is one of the most effective ways to cut one’s monthly spending.

-Better for health (food prepped at home is clearly cleaner and more nutritious).

-Reduces food and food packaging waste (brown bags, plastic containers, aluminium foil, cling wraps, etc). Plus, any food that’s not finished consumed could still be stored and re-heated for another meal. Means more saving right?

-Reduces domestic waste in general. With a washable & solid lunch box in hand, the need to buy take-out / take-away / pre-packed food will be greatly reduced.

- (Additional perk) It stimulates our creativity, because we'll be 'forced' to find different types of food to pack out. Perhaps nuggets & slaw on Monday, rice rolls with peanut sauce on Tuesday and so forth?

The brand 'Tupperware" in Indonesia has become so familiar, people already begin to use the name to refer to lunch box in general!

Many people would assume that food bloggers eat out too often to be counted. That assumption is not wrong, but it is not entirely true either, depending on who you’re talking to. After being a food blogger for years, I’m beginning to be more selective about the places that I visit and another strategy is to bring lunch box whenever possible or when I don’t have any plans to eat out. Because, you never know when you can’t find anything on the road, especially when commuting in Jakarta’s almost permanent traffic jams. Pack some healthy snacks like granola bars, fresh fruits or something light for the road.

This post is created to support Tupperware Indonesia’s #BekalItuBaik Challenge. It is a campaign to encourage us to start and maintain a good habit of bringing lunch box for 21 consecutive days. The challenge is currently still ongoing and there’s still plenty time to take part, collect points and to win attractive prizes from Tupperware Indonesia.

Visit this link for more details:

tupperware.co.id/bawabekal/contest

Facebook: Tupperware Indonesia

Twitter: @TupperwareID

Instagram: @TupperwareID

Start expressing your creativity, start a good habit and share this good news with your friends and family! 

So other than nuggets and slaw, I've decided to make something else to pack in my Tuppie, a super duper yummy vegan rice roll. I've tried making rice rolls for the first time last week and it was successful! So this time, I've decided to pack a more fancy but still vegan rice roll. These are the ingredients that I used:

ingredients for my vegan rice rolls

- Purple cabbage, cut across to thin strips
- French bean (saute with garlic / fresh)
- Vermicelli / glass noodles, season with sesame oil only
- Tofu (boil or broiled quickly in soy sauce & oil)
- Fried shallots
- Cucumber, cut to long slices
- Spring onions
- Mint leaves
- Cherry tomatoes
- Rice paper
- Potable water, place in a wide plate / baking tray
- Roasted sesame dressing (optional)

You'll also need a wooden chopping board, wet the top side & dab lightly (too wet a surface makes the rice paper slimy; too dry, will risk the paper sticking / tearing).

Preparation steps:

- Prep all the fillings (clean, cut, slice, dice, cook, boil, broil)

- Pick a piece of rice paper & slide each sides in water until all the surface is covered with water

- Place the wet paper on the damp chopping board & start assembling the fillings as desired. The rolls will be transparent so, it's best to assemble the nicely shaped / colourful ones directly on the rice paper (as these will be the ones to show clearly from outside).

Assemble the fillings, get creative, the only limit is your taste buds and imagination!

I mean I'm not a vegan (yet), but the thought of converting has crossed my mind too often. It gets tricky because reviewing places is the main thing I do for blogging and more often than not, these places serve meat or animal-based products (like cheese, eggs, honey - these 3 are the main reasons why I still can't commit yet). But anyways, it doesn't stop my fascination for delicious vegan recipes and dishes ideas.

Like this spring roll, it's super healthy, fresh and packs a flavourful punch. I could even eat it without the sesame dressing sauce!

Voila, enjoy!

So how do you like the above recipe? Shall I blog more about recipes or just stick with reviewing food and places? =D

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Jakarta Rooftop Venue: K22 Bar Terrace & View Gastrobar

April 3, 2016, 10:46 am

≫ Next: New: OKU Japanese Restaurant

≪ Previous: Yes It's Possible (to Eat Well & Often, Save Money & Earth and Stay Healthy) + Vegan Recipe

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If you have been to Bangkok or Singapore and you're into the bar scene, you would notice that unlike our neighbours, Jakarta has a dearth of rooftop bars. Yes, we do have a few that's been around for quite a while and still going strong today (like this or this), but I suppose hearing new names would bring a refreshing change to the relatively boring constant scene. So, let me introduce you to this hidden gem, which is located 22 floors above ground, with spectacular views of Jakarta's CBD, a gold course, and the national stadium in Senayan. Let's chill at K22 Bar Terrace and VIEW Gastrobar of Fairmont Jakarta.

Unlike the other existing rooftop venues, to access level 22 of Fairmont Jakarta, no hotel access card is needed, so you can even pass as a hotel guest if you feel like being discreet. So the entire uppermost floor is dedicated for 2 venues: an open air & casual terrace bar - K22 and a classy indoor gastrobar/dining venue - VIEW.

Here's a visual tour around K22 Terrace Bar:

Whereas VIEW looks like this in the afternoon:

The photos above were taken before the sun sets. In the evening, both venues transform into something more mysterious and romantic and sensual (depending on your mood and interpretation).

Since both venues only open at 5 PM daily, it means that guest could enjoy different views at one visit. A clear skyline with clear lines and concrete structures with garish colours in broad daylight. After the sun sets, the night lights up in various shapes of glowing objects, some mobile, some static, some brighter, some dimmer. So here's the daytime view versus the evening view, which one do you like better?

Daytime (above) versus night time (below)...

As a bar terrace and gastrobar, K22 and VIEW respectively has, undoubtedly, a solid range of alcoholic drinks list. The difference is, K22's menu have a short list of bar food, whereas the food served at VIEW, as the name suggests, is more interesting.

The very first time I went to dine at VIEW was for Christmas Eve dinner. The food photos below are not the actual dishes on the menu there, but should you request it, I think the Chef would be happy to try & recreate these beautiful dishes in beautiful plates & presentations.

Beef tartare with caviar

Mushroom risotto with real truffle shavings, my favourite!!

Fresh Mozzarella with assorted fresh vegetables (vegetarian)

Dessert

Any plans to chill here soon?

*) Prices are subject to Service Charge & Government Tax

Dress Code:

Smart Casual

Operation Hours:

K22 Bar: 5 PM – 1 AM (Monday - Sunday)

VIEW: 5 PM - 11 PM

K22 Bar Terrace & VIEW Gastrobar

Fairmont Jakarta, 22 Floor

Jl. Asia Afrika No.8

Gelora Bung Karno

South Jakarta - 10270

Ph: +6221 29703333

Click here to open in Maps

www.fairmont.com/jakarta

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New: OKU Japanese Restaurant

April 5, 2016, 8:18 am

≫ Next: Manna Encounter Raja Ampat (Part 1)

≪ Previous: Jakarta Rooftop Venue: K22 Bar Terrace & View Gastrobar

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Japanese cuisine, unlike Italian or French, somehow has never appealed much to me. Over the years of blogging, traveling and trying different types of Japanese food, I still tend to (unconsciously) associate Japanese cuisine with seafood, raw and unprocessed ingredients. These are the ultimate combos that a much younger 'me' would loathe and choose to starve herself rather than eating that. But that's not who I am today. I've become much more open and accepting about food and learn to appreciate the story that goes behind every single grain of rice on my plate. But what has it got to do with this post anyway, well I'm trying to reiterate that there are plenty of premium high end Japanese restaurants in town, but only a few actually got me quite excited like this one, OKU Japanese Restaurant at Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta.

My excitement might be premature, so the naysayers would think. I certainly hope not. On its bio, OKU claims to be a premium Japanese dining venue, helmed by Chef Kazumasa Yazawa. OKU promises the patrons who can afford it a modern take on Japanese dishes combined with traditional flair, which, when combined with its Zen-like atmosphere and laid-back jazzy vibes. After my first visit there just yesterday, I can positively attest to all that.

Firstly, the premium Japanese dining venue with its Zen vibes is clearly apparent from the moment one enters the venue.

The interior of the restaurant is dominated with wood in light pastel colours, occasionally interrupted by simple yet symbolic decoration elements such as the 2 golden rocks (symbolizes wealth and the premium-ness of the place, perhaps) and a bonsai pot on the counter at the entrance. As one walks further in, there are 2 metal crane art installation hanging from the ceiling, which appear to capture the iconic Japanese birds mid-flight, ascending from the water below. Crane symbolizes happiness, good luck and peace in Japanese culture.

In general, one will feel calm from the simple yet soothing interior, no matter where you are seated. The 2 private rooms (minimum spending applicable) promise privacy, but I would much rather request to be seated at the 'semi private area' at any given chance. It's the area with floor-to-ceiling windows at furthest side from the entrance. Like a lot of modern restaurants lately, OKU has an open kitchen, so guests could watch the chefs in action.

The open kitchen (far end)

The semi-private dining area

Unlike the rest of the restaurant, the bar takes a darker and bolder approach, with darker furniture used as well as the solid granite bar counter. The bar has slightly later closing hours than the restaurant, so guests could simply move here after they finish their dinner late.

The name OKU itself implies the peeling back of the layers of an onion, representing the culinary journey that diners will experience at the outlet while savouring these "life stories". It implies multiple layers of meaning, experience and discovery.

And for me, that journey of discovery started with Ajitama.

Ajitama - smoked organic egg, shiguren beef IDR 50,000

Theatrical presentation? Checked. Beautiful plating? Also checked. The smokiness of the egg was apparent without being overbearing, I just wished the shiguren beef would've tasted a little stronger. But all in all still a good starter for the next dishes to come. 

Ikura, little sacs containing the flavour essence of the ocean

Usuzu Kuri - salmon trout carpaccio, truffle ponzu dressing IDR 140,000

Usuzu Kuri definitely has got to be one of my few personal favourite carpaccios, and I especially love the truffle ponzu dressing. Unlike at other places I've been to, the salmon trout carpaccio's cut is slightly thicker and topped with juicy ikura that pops in the mouth leaking the rich & umami liquid that I believe is the flavour essence of the ocean. A few drops of truffle oil surely enhanced the experience and I wouldn't complain at all.

Chicken Katsu - breaded chicken, caramelized sweet soy sauce IDR 135,000

OKU's Chicken Katsu defies all conventional characteristics of a 'katsu'. Would you have guessed what it was from the above photos?  The black batter is made from squid ink, hence the colour. Then the type of batter, instead of the usual 'panko' blanket, this one is smooth. Apparently the batter serves a purpose as a 'case' to keep the molten sauce & fillings together. Just be careful when eating this, because some of the fillings may unexpectedly squirt out.

Sashimi Platter with soy jelly, angel hair seaweed, gracilaria seaweed, sea grapes 3 kinds sashimi IDR 180,000 | 7 kinds sashimi IDR 350,000

Left: sea grapes | Right: gracilaria seaweed

I had to eat the kanpachi with the shoyu jelly because unlike tuna or salmon, amberjack is a lot fishier

An experience at a premium Japanese restaurant is only complete after trying the sashimi, so I tried the 3 types sashimi. The sashimi came on a bed of assorted seaweeds, angel hair, gracilaria and sea grapes. Out of curiosity, I tried all of them and concluded that sea grapes are my favourite and actually taste quite good as a snack, the gracilaria's very crunchy and the least palateable is the angel hair seaweed, which has got some queer flavour that I can't quite describe. As for the sashimi, I got 2 slices of sake or salmon, 2 slices of akami (the reddest and leanest part of tuna, the 'commoner' tuna, if you wish to call it) and 2 slices of kanpachi or amberjack. For the price, I suppose, the akami should've been otoro (the fattiest and most prized part of tuna) instead.

Yuki - yuzu chocolate mousse, lemon cloud, dulcet sponge cake, crunch chocolate praline IDR 120,000

At most Japanese restaurants that I've been to, including some of the ridiculously expensive ones, the dessert are often plain simple & don't require much preparation (if at all), like mochi, fresh fruits, matcha / ogura ice cream. So as a dessert lover, I'm absolutely impressed when that came to my table. Other fine dining restaurants in Jakarta charge a lot more than this for some plain boring pannacotta or lava cake. So in my opinion, this dessert is totally worth the price compared to those. The Yuki would easily fit in the menu at any fancy western restaurants, it's a beautiful combination of the bittersweet dark chocolate & and refreshing sour of the uniquely scented yuzu orange. Plus, the dessert is a lovely combination of colours and textures, having the shiny edible gold papers didn't hurt at all.

OKU is not quite like your classic Japanese restaurants, the jazz music softly humming in the background surely an indication that your experience here would be at the very least, unique. Will I recommend you to try, positively yes. (Please take note that the restaurant has age restriction - see below for details)

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

Dress code:

Smart casual

Opening hours:

Restaurant: Lunch: 12 PM - 3 PM | Dinner: 6 PM - 10.30 PM

Bar: 12 PM - 12 AM (Sunday - Thursday) | 12 PM - 1 AM (Friday - Saturday)

Age restrictions:

6+ for lunch

12+ for dinner

Oku Japanese Restaurant

Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta

Bali Room Lobby, Ground Floor

JL. M.H. Thamrin No. 1 

Central Jakarta - 10310

Ph: +6221 23583896

www.kempinski.com/oku-japanese-restaurant/
Click here to open the Location Map

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Manna Encounter Raja Ampat (Part 1)

April 22, 2016, 6:22 am

≫ Next: Manna Encounter Raja Ampat (Part 2)

≪ Previous: New: OKU Japanese Restaurant

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When was the last time you feel hot the sand beneath your feet, the high sun stinging your face, the sultry nautical breeze blowing in your hair, you barely even remember to look at your phone because there's no reception at all and there's nothing to remind you of deadline, meeting or presentation? If you can't recall, it means that you're in serious need of a vacation. In this post, let me take you on a first-hand virtual tour to the less-traveled underwater gem of Eastern Indonesia. Got your munchies ready? Great, now you may scroll down =)

Welcome to Raja Ampat!

Manna Indonesia is a new company (est. 2015) that supplies premium & natural Indonesian products such as bird's nest, hand-harvested sea salt, premium flower tea and there will be more products to be added in their portfolio. Despite the young age, Manna Indonesia has already exported their products to Australia, Italy, etc and represented Indonesia in world expos to promote Indonesia's natural products. Recently, Manna Indonesia initiated a pilot project #MannaEncounterRajaAmpat, supported by the local regency government and by various sponsors, to promote Raja Ampat, as a premium tourism destination. So now the question is, why Raja Ampat?

When was the last time you find yourself disconnected from the world, away from all the deadlines, meetings and presentations?

Raja Ampat, an archipelago that recently separated from Sorong Regency on New Guinea island, East Indonesia, is currently more well known among international tourists than among Indonesians, sadly. It is an archipelago that's so rich in its marine biodiversity that it's been considered the global epicenter of tropical marine bio-diversity and world's top 10 diving sites. But currently, average Indonesians have higher probability of going to Singapore than to Raja Ampat. The common excuse being the difficult accessibility, the high cost of getting there, the high living cost, and the ingrained logic is that for the same amount of money, they'd rather travel overseas. So much the desire to get that stamp on the passport, they have no idea what they're missing out. Sun and sea worshippers, undercover mermaids and mermen, nature lovers are definitely treated to a sight and experience to behold in Raja Ampat.

Getting to Raja Ampat - MYTH BUSTED!
First thing first, unlike in the past, now there is a direct flight connecting Jakarta and Sorong (a 4 hours flight, use Express Air or NAM Air). Prepare a budget of approximately IDR 4,000,000 (USD 300) for a return flight Jakarta-Sorong-Jakarta.

And then from Sorong, one only needs to go to the ferry terminal and ride on the speed ferry for approximately 2 hours to get to the lodging / resort on Waigeo (one of the big 4 islands in Raja Ampat).

Greeted by a Rainbow upon arrival, definitely a good feeling!

Leaving Sorong to Waigeo Island, Raja Ampat. Blue clear sky for as far as the eyes can see!

It's just blue, and more blue, for as far as the eyes could see

We departed on a late flight from Jakarta to Sorong at 1 AM, and arrived at 7 AM local time. It was quite a tiring trip because the flight took 4 hours and we arrive at a place that's 2 hours ahead of Jakarta, plus the interrupted sleep on board, so just be sure to rest enough before traveling and wear comfortable clothing to sit and sleep in.

Where to stay in Raja Ampat
There are plenty of accommodation to choose from in Raja Ampat, scattered on the 4 main islands: Waigeo, Salawati, Batanta and Misool. From modest homestay with the locals, dive resort villas, to premium eco-friendly waterfront villas, there's a place to accommodate your budget and travel style. One of the examples, as what we experienced at #MannaEncounterRajaAmpat, we were lodged at Waiwo Dive Resort on Waigeo island.

- Where we stayed: Waiwo Dive Resort
I'm quite amused to learn that this was also the same resort where our incumbent President Jokowi stayed at during his official visit to Raja Ampat. Waiwo Dive Resort is a waterfront facing cluster of villas with courtyard, restaurant and even meeting room facilities.

The gate to Waiwo Dive Resort

Let's be considerate tourists, respect the local culture

The twin sharing room in Waigeo Villa, quite big beds!

The beach, just a few steps from the room

Boat jetty to Waiwo Dive Resort

The villas are air conditioned and cleaned daily, so you'll find your room in neat condition after playing outside the whole day. Good to know that the resort switches off electricity during the day, when most of the guests are out exploring the islands, so be sure to charge your gadgets the night before. Signal reception is quite good here, generally, although it may be 'No Service' at certain parts. As there's no such thing as wi-fi within the resort (nor anywhere in Raja Ampat), you can only rely on your telco provider's signal and Telkomsel is the strongest here, for it's set up a reception tower in the area.

So, with no gadget to suck all of our attention & energy, just what can one do within the resort in Raja Ampat??

1. Swim or Snorkel (and catch some fish for dinner while at it!)
The resort's clear waterfront floating jetty is perpetually flocked by schools of fish, there have even been barracuda and stingray sighted around. There's a ship renting diving / snorkeling / simple fishing equipment on the way to the resort. So swimming is clearly safe, but do take precaution and stay alert, refrain from swimming during low tide.

Let's fish! But I'd rather admire them from above water =)

Tiny crabs on the shore, they move very swiftly from one pit to another pit

Left: That's @Amrazing photobombing a lobster LOL! The fruitful bounty we bought from the locals, for dinner

2. Sunset watching & stargazing
It was quite a surreal experience for me, sleeping just a stone's throw away from the sea and having the sound of waves crashing on the sandy beach as a morning alarm instead of the usual loud music. Waking up early to catch sunrise might be challenging, especially if you stay up until early AM to catch sight of the cloudless sky.
Fyi, night photography is a challenging feat even with a tripod, but thanks to our travel buddy & super travel blogger, Alexander Thian @Amrazing, who taught me the techniques, I managed to capture a rather decent shot of the tail of the Milky Way, also credit to my beautiful foodblogger friend @Eatandtreats for lending me his table tripod. The photo was captured between 11 PM - 12 AM and I could've stayed longer if I hadn't planned to wake up early the next day. When you're disconnected from the city humdrums, you'll lose track of time, really.

Here are some sunset shots that I captured. Nothing much to edit, the original photos are effortlessly beautiful!

Caught the tail of the majestic Milky Way, shot at around 11 pm - 12 am

Can you spot planet Mars in this photo?

Photo by @Amrazing

3. Sunrise Yoga
Within the resort, #MannaEncounterRajaAmpat took us to experience sunrise yoga salutation at the boat jetty, and yoga on board on the crystal clear water for those who don't mind getting wet. #MannaEncounterRajaAmpat engaged a yoga coach from Union Yoga to teach eager participants. I didn't try the yoga on board on the first day, but at least on the second day, I managed to join the session. It's an entirely different experience indeed, doing yoga under the blue sky.

Photo credit to @Yenita.lie (instagram)

4. Party (and more party)
- High Tea Party & Barbecue Dinner by the beach
Enjoying high tea like a refined aristocrat on a tropical remote island by the beach? Manna Indonesia team did it! For the high tea session, the fine porcelain tea cups and pots were sponsored by Mamitoko, while the healthy food cooked on the spot and cookies were sponsored by TRF Homemade Indonesia. Some ingredients such as truffle salt, premium flower tea and bird's nest drink were supported by Manna Indonesia. I really salute the team for their dedication and effort to transport all these items all the way to Raja Ampat, for the trip participants to enjoy!

Other than the high tea, we had some extra treat for dinner too. Some of us bought fresh lobsters, slipper lobster and fish from the locals at one of our island stops and it tasted even much better with the healthy sambals sponsored by @MertuaMenantu. The lobsters were incredibly sweet and fleshy, despite the imperfect cooking method, so can you imagine how many times better it would taste if it were cooked by a proper chef!

High tea by the beach

Left: Live cooking demo by TRF Homemade Indonesia Right: premium Truffle Salt by Manna Indonesia

Mamitoko fine porcelain tea cups and tea pots

Premium flower tea by Manna Indonesia

Left: Entree menu by TRF Homemade, a healthy platter of mushroom satay, fried tempeh, salad and sambal matah Right: Cookies for high tea by TRF Homemade Indonesia

Grilled gigantic Papuan lobster, which we bought for very good deal from the locals!

- White Masquerade Party
On the third evening of #MannaEncounterRajaAmpat, we were treated to a white-themed masquerade dinner party, which were joined by the owner of the resort, as well as local officials. I truly salute the efforts put in by Manna Indonesia team to decor the area, tables, the booze transported painstakingly all the way from Jakarta, the chill music (one of the team's actually a legit DJ, DJ Aryel). The highlight of this party? The drinks, obviously ;)

White Masquerade Party, ready to start!

The ladies in white ;)

So, that's it for part 1 of this post series, I'm going to share about the activities outside the resort in the next post, stay tuned!

About Manna Indonesia

The name 'Manna' was inspired from the history in the Holy Bible and the Quran. It was the food that God provided from the sky for the Israelis, during their journey to cross the desert. Manna Indonesia was established in 2015 with a vision to professionally manage premium natural Indonesian products, such as bird's nest, hand-harvested fleur de sel (sea salt), premium flower tea and more products to be added in their portfolio soon.

Manna Indonesia

Jl. K.H. Mas Mansyur Kav. 35

Jakarta Pusat - 10220

Ph: +62 877 8233 8558 / Line ID: mannaindonesia
www.mannaindonesia.com

e: info@mannaindonesia.com

Facebook: Manna Indonesia

Instagram: @MannaIndonesia

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Manna Encounter Raja Ampat (Part 2)

April 25, 2016, 11:18 pm

≫ Next: Spotted New Healthy Cafe: Beets & Bouts

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Ladies and Gentlemen, Mermaids (and Mermen) do exist, and I found them in Raja Ampat, for real!!

Photo by @CakChris

In the previous post, I've (stuffed) you with the boring general stuff like the facts about Raja Ampat, and the activities that you could within the resort that you stay at. Now, it is time to explore the REAL Raja Ampat, the tourquoise clear water with coral reefs, the sandy islets that only appears at certain hours of the day, the unpredictable coastal weather, the beautiful and friendly locals and the rich diving sites. Curious where to find the mermaids? I'll tell you soon enough, so just keep reading =)

First of all, the coastal topography and its geographical location make the weather in Raja Ampat rather unpredictable. One moment, it could be dazzlingly hot, but another second, it could be pouring heavily like on the first afternoon, the day we arrived. Or curious still, is the local rain as you can see in the photo below. But lucky us, the weather after that heavy downpour just got better, so we were able to island-hop conveniently and safely. Although occasionally in the evening, it drizzled a bit.

Teluk Kabui
So the first stop on our itinerary was Teluk Kabui, a small bay situated between Waigeo and Gam islands. Getting there from our resort was quite quick and we knew we were there when we started seeing boulder formation with trees growing from it, as The Lonely Planet puts it 'jungle-topped limestone islets'. The islets were of curious shapes, some like tops, balancing precariously on a thin base, which the salty sea water and weather erode over time.

jungle-topped limestone islets

One of the most iconic limestone of Teluk Kabui, the sharp, pointed rock formation, Batu Pensil (literally means pencil rock)

Even trees can grow on the unlikeliest places...

Also another landmark of Teluk Kabui, the face-shaped rock (seen from the side)

It took us quite a lot of effort getting up to one of the islets, with steep and unsteady soil slopes and virtually nothing to hold on to. But the view from the top, this, was a worthy reward.

Sawinggrai Village
The next day on our island hopping tour, our first stop was Sawinggrai Village. Apart from the clear shallow water with coral reefs-studded shore, what's more memorable about this place is the people and the kids! A bunch of enthusiastic little children, who were innocently curious with the toys (drone) that we brought for documentation. We also got to feed the fish here, which turns out to love dough (flour and water mixture)! There's a homestay here, so it could be one of your options if you wish to stay with the locals and experience how their easygoing daily lives go about.

Left: feeding fish

Hello Melissa!

Pak Amano

Boy's name is Ariel

Then something in the water got the children fixated..

There were mermaids underwater!!

Marissa and Michelle as mermaids

Well, they aren't real mermaids actually, they're our friends Marissa Nasution and Michelle Worth, who wore their own mermaid costume @Mermaid.Inc. Secretly dreaming of becoming a mermaid yourself, get your fins from them now! ;)

Pianemo
Next stop, Pianemo, an islet that provides one of the most tourist-captured sights. To get to the top, one has to climb up the 120-ish wooden stairs. Yep, again the effort was great, but the view and the heat at the top was unparalleled. Despite the heat, I didn't want to leave immediately, I just wanted to soak up as much of that view as possible!

The pop up market at the bottom of the stairs in Pianemo where we bought our lobsters and fish for dinner

Just a glimpse of the 100+ stairs waiting for us

Fresh young coconut for IDR 15,000 after a tiring climb up and dehydrated from the intense heat? YES please! Photo by @Eatandtreats

I wasn't going to give up my spot despite the heat | Photo by @Yenita.lie

With this kind of view, would you even want to leave?

Be careful when you're here because the danger of dehydration and even heat stroke is very real. So bring your sunnies all the time, apply the strongest sun screen that you can find with SPF 50 or even more, wear a hat if possible and have a water bottle ready in hand always!

Close to Pianemo, there's a Homestay, where we went to, to have lunch. The Homestay's location is ushered on one side by the by and the other side already open seas.

Arborek Village 
At Arborek Village, I took my very first dip in Raja Ampat's water and the experience was simply surreal. It was my very first snorkeling experience ever and I was quite gutless to swim without a life vest like most of the others in our group. Well although not as adept swimmer as our mermaids are, I managed to stay afloat and could breathe through the snorkel to soak up the surreal view underwater.

One of the clearer shots I managed to get underwater. Aren't you intimidated by the sheer number of fish there?

Photo by @CakChris

Yenbuba
Yenbuba village was another spot that we visited. I remember it because it has a very long floating deck (see below photo), as well as a spot where I took a repeated jump off the deck just so I can get a video of myself jumping into water. I wish I could do somersault in the air like the local boys could. Ah, at least, I had the guts to jump LOL!

Some of us who had diving ceritificate went down to dive

Pasir Timbul
This site is also another unique, must-visit natural attraction in Raja Ampat, which is located right smack in the middle of the sea. The sandbank is at its biggest during low tide, so it's actually quite difficult for our boat to reach. So we had to walk from the coral-studded shallow water towards the sandy bank. There was no vegetation at all, so if you intend to stay here for quite a while, it would be wise to bring an umbrella or anything to cower under. The sun, I can't emphasize more, is merciless! It's best to wear slippers when crossing the water to the sand bank, because the coral reefs are very sharp and will otherwise graze and cut your legs, if without.

I know what you're thinking...LOL Mermaids 'stranded' on purpose Photo by @CakChris

Photo by +Stanislaus Hans Danial Subianto

Photo by @CakChris

Friwend Island
This was our last beach / islet spot of #MannaEncounterRajaAmpat tour. As we were all tired from playing in the water at Yenbuba and Pasir Timbul earlier. It's a shaded shore with a large tree and there's even a swing hanging from one of the trunks. Lovely place to just chill under the shade and enjoy the breeze.

Even a gentleman like Tommy Tjokro @Tomtjok couldn't help not to unleash his inner child at the sight of the swing Photo by @CakChris

Back to Sorong...
And that was the end of our journey in Raja Ampat! The next day, we took the boat back to Sorong and spent an evening there. The city is still a sleepy and developing coastal city, there are a few supermarkets, shophouses, canteens, schools, hotels, etc. But they were all pretty basic, we're lucky to have wi-fi connection in the hotel, although it's quite slow.

Craving for some coffee, I asked my friend who's living in Sorong to take me around to find some souvenir and a decent place for coffee. The only place selling Papuan souvenir is just like a small 'warung', and the goods are quite expensive, which I guess is fair, because they must have traveled far from the source to get to the city, and the materials are all real feather / claws / etc. Let's just say I'm not keen on collecting preserved animal parts *shudders and thus, I'd rather buy a coconut shell bowl that I found at Misool for IDR 50,000. Again, not cheap for coconut shell, but oh well, at least I have something to bring home as a souvenir for myself.

Made the time to visit Misool Cafe, just across from the airport. It's a 'filling station' for public, and for Misool's guests waiting for the public ferry to depart in the afternoon

Archipelago Spiced French Press IDR 45,000

In the evening, the Head of Sorong Regency, Drs. Stepanus Malak, M.Si hosted us over a delectable local seafood feast. Thank you Pak Malak for having us =)

L-R: Me, Drs. Stepanus Malak, M.Si, Amrazing (Alex Thian) & Eatandtreats (Hans Danial)

Last minute gift we bought to bring back home. The Bolu Abon is a specialty from Manokwari, the capital city of West Papua. I bought the one from Hawai Bakery, which is said to taste better than the rest. After all, it's the original baker. of this bolu A box of a dozen (mini) costs IDR 90,000, while the normal size costs IDR 130,000

About Manna Indonesia

The name 'Manna' was inspired from the history in the Holy Bible and the Quran. It was the food that God provided from the sky for the Israelis, during their journey to cross the dessert. Manna Indonesia was established in 2015 with a vision to professionally manage premium natural Indonesian products, such as bird's nest, hand-harvested fleur de sel (sea salt), premium flower tea and more products to be added in their portfolio soon.

Manna Indonesia

Jl. K.H. Mas Mansyur Kav. 35

Jakarta Pusat - 10220

www.mannaindonesia.com

e: info@mannaindonesia.com

Ph: +62 877 8233 8558 / Line ID: mannaindonesia

Facebook: Manna Indonesia

Instagram: @MannaIndonesia

For live and regular updates,

stalk my Instagram: @ellynatjohnardi

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Spotted New Healthy Cafe: Beets & Bouts

April 30, 2016, 6:41 pm

≫ Next: NEW: Walao-Eh, So Shiok!

≪ Previous: Manna Encounter Raja Ampat (Part 2)

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Mom always says "eat yo greens", well, how can you say no if the greens look pretty and colourful like this...

Smoothie Bowls

Ever since I returned from Raja Ampat, my friends told me that I lost a wee bit of weight *gasp. I'm happy to hear this, but I know that I'm still nowhere near my ideal weight. So, in order to maintain this, I've been eating relatively clean lately, avoiding fried and oily stuff, and even go to the extreme of trying to be vegetarian (with considerable success, but I gave up at the sight of a bowl of steamy toripaitan ramen topped with chicken chashu, dang!). Well, anyway, the trend of eating healthy is not just a food fad like rainbow cake or cronut (hopefully) was, because we can see there are more and more cafes selling healthy food or even ones entirely dedicated to offering healthy men, such as this one in SCBD.

Beets and Bouts is located at the parking basement of Fairgrounds. So what makes me willing to drive almost 10km in the morning to SCBD, do my 10 km run on empty tummy and return for my healthy reward here?

The place itsef is just a nice size, with glass windows, where the space allows. Not very idea for picture taking though, because the light from outside is somewhat blue-ish but the inside's lighting is warm yellow. Editing the photos were quite challenging *lol. Buuut all that aside, the place makes a cosy spot for hangout, or even to read books over healthy snack.

The menu is 2 pages long, featuring healthy smoothie bowls, acai bowls, and various types of smoothies, cold press juices, cold brew coffee, and even some savoury fares like salad, brown rice, sandwich, all of them are homemade and healthy. The wide variety and the price range are definitely more reasonable than the one in Dharmawangsa.

Big Acai Parfait - Acai Fresca (organic acai, mixed berries, pineapple, kiwi, red dragon fruit, granola, passion fruit) IDR 60,000

Energy Pod - Kebuli Pod (red spiced rice with tofu and green chili chicken) IDR 37,000

Open Hours:

Monday - Friday: 7 am - 8.30 pm
Saturday: 7 am - 6 pm
Sunday: 7 am - 12 noon

*) Prices are subject to Tax

Beets & Bouts

Fairgrounds, SCBD

Basement (Parking level)

Ph: +6281280159339

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NEW: Walao-Eh, So Shiok!

May 3, 2016, 10:18 am

≫ Next: NOW in SEASON, Australia – Melbourne Market

≪ Previous: Spotted New Healthy Cafe: Beets & Bouts

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Having spent 4 years living and studying in Singapore, I know that local Singaporean food (the no frills, hawker style) can contain paradoxes, for example, the very brown to almost black char kway teow that's deceivingly bland (meh!). BUT there are some very rich and flavourful dishes that actually make me miss Singapore every now and then, such as Hainan Chicken Rice, Chili Crab, Laksa, Nasi Lemak, Roti Pratha and Murtabak. I'm happy to know that I need not hop on a plane and fly for 2 hours just to satisfy my craving for a serving of Carrot Cake or Hokkien Mee. "Where got such thing one in Jekartah? Now got...! (*switches back to proper English) Now let me show you to this new place k?

Walao-eh! is a new concept by Dwiputra Group (Rice Bowl, Ce Wei, Cuppa Coffee), that's taken residence at Dwiputra's newly minted building in Gading Serpong. Yeah, I admit the location is probably the biggest resistance for folks from Jakarta, but for those living in this area, it's a great addition to the local existing choice of (somewhat still mediocre) family friendly restaurants.

I like their attempt to create a modern and clean interior, with big tables to accommodate big families, as well as the vintage trinkets and wall decor thrown in to take guests momentarily to the glorious era in the past. Its spacious dining area is great for big groups, especially for kids who can't sit still for a minute, but for those who require privacy, there are also private and semi private areas. 

Some vintage elements in the interior

The menu is a foolproof kind, especially for Asian families, regardless of their age and gender because everyone will definitely find something that they like here. From a la carte Chinese dishes to pair with plain rice, porridge, noodles, rice bowl, fried rice, appetizers to classic Western dishes. It's either they're playing it too safe, or they just can handle so much food inventory in the kitchen. Either way, you can order an Australian Sirloin, Pecel Madiun and Hainan Chicken Rice at one go.

The over-sized portion's great for sharing meal, but most importantly, the price is super worth it, considering the price and quality. Prepare to be shocked by the size when the dishes arrive at your table, such as these:

Indonesian Fried Sampler (a tray of fried tofu, tempeh, wonton, cassava, corn fritters served with sweet soya sauce, chili sace and salt for dipping) IDR 65,500 The above comes on a tray, a TRAY people, how cray is that? LOL. Eat them fried stuff til you drop!

Tom Yam Fried Rice IDR 54,500

Hainan Chicken Set Lunch (with soup and vegetables) IDR 58,500

Shrimp Omelette IDR 52,500

Laksa Seafood IDR 52,500

Mie Goreng Mamak IDR 52,500

Ice Tea IDR 18,500  |  Ice Milo T-Rex IDR 41,500 YES, the tea comes served in that huge tin cup and the Milo T-Rex is enough to feed 4 person or even more!

Es Walao-Eh IDR 55,500

My personal favourite has got to be the Hainan Chicken Rice (love the tender chicken!), Tom Yum Fried Rice and Shrimp Omelette. The Mie Goreng Mamak, while quite spicy and on the sweet notes, might actually appeal to some (not so much me though, I like dry, Indonesian style mie goreng LOL!). These dishes are definitely recommended. 

As for the Laksa Seaood, I feel I'd like it better if it had used the classic white laksa noodles instead of yellow. Also, be warned about the Es Walao-Eh, the giant portion will definitely get you claiming in shock and calling out the restaurant name simultaneously.

PS: OPENING Promo, discount 30% on all food, or simply post and tag @WalaoEhIndonesia on Instagram to claim your 30% discount.

Open hours:
10 AM - 10 PM (daily)

*) Prices are subject to Government Tax & Service Charge

Walao-Eh!

Dwiputra Office Building

Jl Boulevard Gading Serpong Blok M5 No. 5

Gading Serpong - Tangerang Selatan - 15810

Ph: +6221 80646232

Click here to open in Maps

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NOW in SEASON, Australia – Melbourne Market

May 3, 2016, 5:50 pm

≫ Next: Bon Vivant, EMILIE French Restaurant

≪ Previous: NEW: Walao-Eh, So Shiok!

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What image pops in your mind when I mention Australian fruits? Grapes, persimmons, peaches, plums, nectarines and friends? Yup yup yup, these fruits are Now in Season indeed. But what’s so special about Australian fruits anyway?

I love making healthy and pretty breakfast as you could easily tell from my #BreakfastBonanzaritual on Instagram, and I’ve kept up this habit since a few years ago. I would use both local and imported fruits to décor my oats, smoothies, nicecream or yoghurt. My favourite fruits are those with bright and popping colours, they seem to add more appetite somehow (for me). As someone who regularly haunts the fresh produce aisle at the supermarket or fruit markets, I am often swoon by the pretty and appetizing imported fruits, and the best ones are often labelled with ‘Australia’.

Why Australian produce?

Australian produce are grown in clean, fresh & safe environment, it is also worth mentioning that the industry is heavily regulated by the Government. Australian farmers are required to use only approved fertilizers and the water Down Under are undoubtedly clean, even tap waters in the cities are drinkable sans boiling!

Australian produce are superior in quality, thus are very safe for consumption. Due to the rigorous processing and packaging system, the relatively short shipping distance, these produce will arrive in Indonesia still fresh and in optimum condition. According to Nutritionist Jansen Ongko, tree-ripe fruits are more nutritious, as opposed to those picked before they ripen, or worse added chemicals to force maturation in artificial condition. And the short shipping distance between Australia and Indonesia makes this very possible.

Shorter time spent on the road means more nutrition stays intact within the fruit, making Australian fruits highly nutritious. According to Jansen, Indonesians are known to consume not enough fruits, only 91gr/day, a far cry from the daily recommendation of 400gr/day.  Local fruits alone are not yet sufficient to supply the local demand, both in terms of quantity and quality. Yes there are good produce grown in Indonesia, but they mostly picked off for export, as they fetch better price. Local consumers are thus only get to pick from the leftover.

Australian fruits are known to be delicious and sweet, and I can personally vouch for this! From my visit to Australia last time, I made a priority to shop for fruits there to bring home such as cherries, blueberries, peaches, I even bought pomegranate home! As a foodie, it's about being discerning consumer; to eat not just for the sake of feeling full, but also for the pleasure and for its nutritional value.

And hey, it’s April, which means autumn  in Australia. At this time of the year, the fruits which are in season are stone fruits like plums, nectarines, peaches, as well as berries, pears, apples, oranges, table grapes, etc. If you see these fruits in stores, you can almost be certain that they’re from Australia. Seeing those ripe and bountiful produce at the supermarket recently, I couldn’t help not to bring a couple of these home.

I believe fruit is best eaten fresh in its original state, but after tasting the baked Corella Pear that Chef Yuda Bustara cooked for us the other day, I decided to try making it at home. Here are some more fresh dish ideas that Chef Yuda made for us using the now-in-season Australian produce:

I decided to try poaching the Australian Corella pear, using a super simple solution. I made it with:

- white wine

- sugar

- vanilla beans

- cinnamon

- water

Simmer the pear for a while in enough water to cover it entirely in the solution, to make sure it’s soft to the core and then serve it on milk-soaked oats, together with the sweet and crunchy persimmon slices, some blueberries for contrasting colour. Have I told you that poached corella pear tastes so good?

#MelbourneMarketID#NowInSeason

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Bon Vivant, EMILIE French Restaurant

May 8, 2016, 7:45 pm

≫ Next: Brunch Fit for The Royalty!

≪ Previous: NOW in SEASON, Australia – Melbourne Market

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EMILIE French Restaurant has been around for a decade, way before the boom of F&B industry in Jakarta. A classic institution, the name has created an (almost) un-shakeable image of a chi-chi fine dining restaurant with prices that will burn a hole in your wallet at the end of the meal. How true is this hearsay?

I have been an observer of local F&B scene for the past 5 years, but yesterday was my very first time stepping inside EMILIE. My primary mission? To prove for myself, if the 'myths' about this place were true...

EMILIE is among the earliest to take residence on the presently prime hub for F&B scene in Jakarta, the Senopati - Gunawarman stretch. It's set in a minimalistic modern house with an outdoor courtyard for smoking guests, while the indoor dining area is strictly non-smoking (much to the relief of non-smoking guests like myself).

Curious to bust the first myth: "This place charges ridiculous prices", I quickly scanned the menu that the staff promptly presented at my table. While the price of the 5 course Discovery set menu is what one expects at venues like this (IDR 1,280,000/person or IDR 2,080,000 with wine pairing), I am pleasantly surprised to find that there's actually reasonably-priced Brunch Menu (2 course for IDR 280,000 or 3 course for IDR 340,000). I had the 5 course Menu Decouverte, featuring 5 dishes which are also found on the a la carte menu. Combining all the values altogether, the Decouverte Menu is totally worth it.

Any meals at EMILIE will first start with Bread and Butter, I'm glad to find my sourdough still warm and came served with an individual serving of Beurre d'Isigny.

Then the first Amuse Bouche arrived (photos below), which appear as 2 pieces of petite duck rilette sandwiched in crispy bread. It was followed by a delightful cup of rich crayfish bisque topped with foam and bottarga shavings. I may not be a huge fan of seafood, but I could easily tell that this bisque took a lot of effort to create. I enjoyed every sip of it.

Amuse Bouche #1: Duck rilette sandwiched in crispy bread

Amuse Bouche #2 - Crayfish bisque, fried crayfish, foam & bottarga

1st course: Les Asparagus Vertes de Provence

Premium Green Asparagus from Provence with Hollandaise, Egg Mimosa & Caviar d'Aquitane.

I was quite worried that the Hollandaise would overpower the more subtle asparagus. But fortunately, the Hollandaise was customized to be not as acidic & rich, allowing the delightfully sweet, juicy and crunchy asparagus to retain its status as the star of the dish.

2nd course: Le Foie Gras

Foie gras Royale with Truffle Jus.

I wasn't quite sure what the dish might look like, but it sure sounds expensive, as it's made with two supremely rich and potently-scented food ingredients known in French cuisine. Turns out, a royale is like flan, but made with foie gras. It's a much more enjoyable way to eat foie gras, especially for those who are too squamish to look at the actual shape of goose liver. It gets even better with actual and generous black truffle shavings on top. That's it, I'm sold.

3rd course: Le Turbot

Atlantic Turbot with ginger-infused white wine sauce & Chinese vegetables.

Aside from the beautiful plating, I truly enjoyed the perfectly seared turbot. For your info, turbot is a type of asymmetrical flat fish, with protruding eyes which are only on one side of the fish' body. Turbot meat is rich, but not fishy at all (phew!), firm but not chewy and somewhat sweet. I have little wonder why turbot is in high demand at luxurious restaurants around the world.

4th course: Le Porc d'Iberique

Feather Loin "Pluma" of Iberico Pork with charred cauliflower & raisin sauce. The name Iberique or Iberico automatically reminds me of the world famous Iberico ham or jamon, but I've never actually tried the meat as it is. This breed of pork is special because of the reddish meat colour (just like beef!) and the because they exclusively feed on acorn, the meat has a subtle nutty flavour. So, do not be surprised to find the meat still somewhat pinkish at the center, because that's the way this royalty breed of pork meat is best enjoyed. It is not dripping with juice, but the meat still manages to be tender and moist, while still crispy on the surface, not a combo one can get in beef steak. The portion IS generous ladies and gentlemen, so enjoy it slowly with the curry-oil fried cauliflower, quinoa, brussel sprouts and raisin sauce.

5th course: Le Caramel
Croustillant of caramel & chocolate.
It's like eating toffee candy, but imagine it as a much denser mousse, with dense and crunchy base, croustillant. Ps: if you're not into rich or sweet dessert, try requesting for something lighter, or fruit-based instead.

Honestly, it has been a while since I enjoyed a fine French meal such as this in a non-wine dinner, non-event setting. Nowadays, there are many newer and glitzier restaurants with sky high food prices, but they are hardly worth the price. That's why I personally still harbour some reservations about immediately visiting new places that just opened 'yesterday'. As much as I try to be objective all the time, the trauma from a bad experience can last a lifetime, but a pleasant meal like this will make me sing praises to anyone asking me to recommend a place to have great nouvelle cuisine in Jakarta.

Dress Code:

Smart Casual

Open Hours (daily):

Lunch: 11.30 AM - 2.30 PM

Dinner: 6.30 PM- 10.30 PM

Le Bar: 11.30 AM - 11.30 PM

*) Prices are subject to Government Tax & Service Charge

EMILIE French Restaurant

Jl. Senopati No. 39

South Jakarta - 12190

Ph: +6221 5213626

www.emilierestaurant.com

Click here to open in Maps

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Brunch Fit for The Royalty!

May 10, 2016, 9:05 am

≫ Next: Lewis & Carroll Tea feat. Salz Zucker Tea-Pairing Course

≪ Previous: Bon Vivant, EMILIE French Restaurant

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Easter may have passed for a month by now, and while this post may not be time-relevant when I hit the 'publish' button, I do believe this post will come in handy for you hungry foodies looking for references to have an exquisite brunch cornucopia that's fit for the royalty (well...I saw one of the former President of Indonesia, enjoying the Brunch with the extended family, so I've got a point there right?).

My very first visit to Jakarta Restaurant and Courtyard was for a lunch; a luxurious and delicious meal it was. Back then, the courtyard was under renovation and so I was pleasantly surprised to find the courtyard's now open and it looks as fine as a I'd expect from The Dharmawangsa.

The venue is brimming with an air of festivity, classic charm, and warmth. It is an affair for the whole, if not the entire extended, family, hence the long tables, the festive kids area, the live music singing merrily the background.

As I stepped into Jakarta Restaurant, I was greeted by the friendly staff who showed me the way to our tables. It was just before 12 noon, but the venue was pulsing alive with excitement and hungry guests, eager to get their hands on the free flow of pan-seared foie gras or kids admiring the adorable bunnies. Mind you, there were bunnies everywhere, they werw carved into chocolates, ice, Styrofoam, etc. The young guests certainly loved these (even I couldn't help not to!).

As I walked past the seemingly endless food stations and food-covered counters, islands and table tops, I started to 'plan' which were the ones that I could afford to miss and which are just essential about this Easter Brunch. But first, let's toast to Easter!

A glass of sparkling Moët & Chandon sure never hurts, even on empty stomach!

The price tag on the Easter Brunch is indeed, premium - prepare to fork out roughly IDR 1 million per adult without alcohol (price details are at the end of this post). For discerning foodies who enjoy premium, luxurious and indulgent food, this is well worth it. Imagine and endless serving of premium caviar, AOC French cheeses, fresh seafood, foie gras, lobster thermidor, roasted giant grouper, Greek spit-roasted lamb and a whole lot more! So, without further ado, allow me to tempt you with the superior and unforgettable Easter brunch that I had here.

Fresh Sashimi from the Japanese corner

AOC French Cheese selection

Premium Caviar

Fresh, shucked oysters - no this was off my limits, but seafood fans should totally head here first thing

A few years back, I would giddy up at the thought of eating goose liver, or basically anything remotely non-meat (innards, offals, skin, bones, etc). But now, I would not mind indulging in a small block of pan-seared, melt-in-your-mouth, berry sauce soaked foie gras.

Some of the guests have bigger (literally) appetite for the foie gras

You just must not miss the Lobster Thermidor

And of course, as always, I must end my meal with something sweet. The dessert selection ranges from chocolate fondue, fresh fruits, waffles, pancake, petite cakes, ice creams, traditional kueh, etc. I made a point to request for a serving of Crepes Suzette with a serious amount of Grand Marnier, with DIY toppings and a scoop of raspberry sorbet.

Left: Carrot Cheesecake from the Cake Shop Right: Crepes Suzette

At the end of the brunch, we were introduced to Jing Tea, one of the world's most premium artisanal tea that's served at Michelin star restaurants, 5 star hotels and other premium and select venues around the world. I'm not a huge fan nor drinker of tea, but one sip of the Jasmine Silver Needle White Tea, I could easily understand why tea connoisseurs go crazy with the label 'Silver Needle'.

Easter Brunch Prices:
Adult: IDR 988.000++/person or IDR 1.588.000++/person with unlimited flow of cocktails, wine, beer, and sparkling wine.
Children: IDR 688.000++/child with unlimited flow of juices, softdrinks, and milkshakes.

*) Prices are subject to Government Tax and Service Charge

Dress Code:

Smart casual

Open Hours:

6 AM – 11 PM (daily)

Jakarta Restaurant and Courtyard

The Dharmawangsa Jakarta

Jalan Brawijaya Raya No. 26

Kebayoran Baru - South Jakarta 12160

Indonesia

Ph: +6221 7258181

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www.the-dharmawangsa.com/jakarta

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Lewis & Carroll Tea feat. Salz Zucker Tea-Pairing Course

May 13, 2016, 9:47 pm

≫ Next: Coffee Kulture

≪ Previous: Brunch Fit for The Royalty!

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Lewis & Carroll Tea cannot pick a better timing to introduce consumers in Jakarta about the art of fine artisan tea. While so many specialty coffee shops are on cutthroat arms race to open for business, Lewis & Carroll Tea's novel concept seems to work and it is visibly amassing both tea and coffee fans on its side.

The name Lewis & Carroll is a nod to two Englishmen, Clive Staples Lewis better known as C.S. Lewis the creator of Chronicles of Narnia and Charles Lutwidge Dodgson who created Alice's Adventures in Wonderland under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. The two characters inspire the artisan tea craftsmanship that is the core of Lewis & Carroll Tea's concept.

Other than the beautiful and photogenic, pastel-themed interior, the venue also showcases its large inventory of artisan loose leaf tea, as well as bright pantone-inspired tea wares, and hampers; all of which are available for purchase. Guests could also help themselves to sample warm brewed tea on the counter. Otherwise, one could choose to sit at one of the tables, place an order for the tea and even some food to pair with the tea.

The food menu includes Salads, Sandwiches, All-day Breakfasts, Entrees, Sides & Light Bites, Dessert. I'm glad to find the prices very reasonable. Click here to browse the regular MENU. Or, if you are a visual person, the dessert display case will have something nice to enjoy your tea with.

Other than being an artisan tea lounge and retail shop as well as wholesaler, the venue often hosts pop up events, such at the one happening today. Happening today is a 4 Course Grand Symphony Tea Pairing, a collaboration between Lewis & Carroll Tea with Salz Zucker, a pop up dessert bar and patisserie concept by Grace. D. The pop up event is priced at IDR 450,000/pax, for which guests are treated to 4 healthy and tasty dishes, each paired with a type of tea.

Grace Darmawan, is one hell of a talented Pastry Chef. If you see someone pretty and kind like this making your dessert, how can your heart not melt??

Here's a glimpse of what the Tea Pairing course was like:

1st Course: Semolina - spiced couscous, vegetables, crispy sous vide egg yolk, smoked beef bacon // Match Made in Heaven Green Tea

Match Made in Heaven Green Tea

2nd Course: Truffle Aglio Olio Al Granchio - blue crab spaghetti in truffle oil with minced garlic & diced tomato // Mon Amour Black Tea

3rd Course: Blossom - elderflower sorbet, compressed honeydew & mint // Sweet Youth Green Blend Tea

I have to specially mention this dessert, which also doubles up as palate cleanser after the rich pasta served earlier. It's refreshing yet sweet, delightfully crunchy yet soft textured honeydew slice with very unique elderflower sorbet. I certainly do not mind having this everyday!

4th Course: Cacaocha - textures of chocolate, cashew chocolate crumble and matcha // green tea

Of all the dishes served, my favourite has got to be course number 1, 3 and 4. The spaghetti was good too, it's dressed generously with truffle oil, but the 3 other dishes are much more memorable compared to it. If it's Salz Zucker, I have no doubt about the quality and the taste, somehow after trying its pop up dessert event, months earlier, I've come to be partial for Salz Zucker. Congratulations Grace and Lewis & Carroll Tea! Next time I'm back, I'd really love to try the in-house menu served here and I'll definitely update you on my thoughts here.

Open Hours:

8 AM - 9 PM (daily)

*) Prices are subject to Government Tax and Service Charge

Lewis & Carroll

Jl. Bumi No. 4

Pakubuwono - Kebayoran Baru

South Jakarta - 12120

Ph: +6221 2702660

Click here to open in Maps

www.lewisandcarrolltea.com

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Salz Zucker by Grace. D

e: gracedharmawan@gmail.com

+62 87782385983

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Coffee Kulture

May 15, 2016, 7:51 pm

≫ Next: Vacation With Style via Mister Aladin!

≪ Previous: Lewis & Carroll Tea feat. Salz Zucker Tea-Pairing Course

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Coffee Kulture in Pluit, North Jakarta opened its doors a few years ago on one of Pluit's main street just across from Baywalk Mall. I wasn't impressed by the concept at first, because as a specialty coffee shop, the food seemed to be confused, with dim sum and other odd-one-out items on the menu (hence, I didn't write about it until today). But luckily, my fellow blogger / cook / food stylist friend, Natasha The Yummy Traveler stepped in, just in t time to 'rescue' and revamped the menu. Today, not only has Coffee Kulture expanded to its second and bigger location with much better interior concept, the menu has seen a major improvement (taste and quality wise) from before my friend consulted for them. Now, let me show you why this place is worth the visit.

If you're into brightly lit cafes with rustic wooden interior, you'll definitely like it here. It's a pretty place to shoot your #OOTD (outfit of the day) photos, or to just lounge and enjoy reading a book or doing your work in one of the cosy corners. Plus, you'll like it here because they serve infused water with compliments. It's more considerate for the customers and also for the environment.

Complimentary infused water certainly doesn't hurt at all!

The Menu, as I mentioned earlier, has seen a major improvement, with more varieties and up to date with the current food trend as well as market's taste. From the drinks, other than the classic hot coffee, I quite enjoy the Avocado Coffee Crunch with chocolate ice cream and a shot of espresso. The Valrhona Coffee Mocha is a small cup of rich and not overly sweet to indulge in too. Oh, yes, following the current trend of outrageous shakes, you'll even find 2,000 calories loaded shakes, like the Baozy Smores, a towering glass of chocolate shakes with mini Nutella fried Baoger, Marshmallow, 54% dark chocolate, oreo & milk biscuit. I personally, in my sanity, will never order this, I guess the drink appeals to younger, more adventurous and less health-worrying crowd.

Avocado Coffee Crunch IDR 50,000

Cappuccino IDR 36,000

Left: Valrhona Piccolo Mocha IDR 40,000 Baozy Smores - Over the top shakes with mini Nutella fried Baoger, Milk Marshmallow, 54% dark chocolate, oreo & milk biscuit IDR 55,000

Now, food wise, there's a wealth of variety that you can find here, from light bites, to heavier dishes like rice bowls, pastas, grilled, sandwiches, burgers or Baoger, as they would name it. To be frank, some are hits, while some are misses, though not that fatal and could use some improvements. My personal recommendation would be the Salmon Treasure Meatballs and Truffle Fries from the Light Bites. Read further for the main course recommendation.

Left: Salmon Treasure Meatballs IDR 88,000 Right: Truffle Parmesan French Fries IDR 45,000

Cheeseburger Rolls - bega cheese, ground beef, and crispy skins IDR 65,000

Pulled Pork Hash Sliders IDR 59,000

As for the heavier meals, I personall enjoy the Caramelized Ginger Salmon with Avocado Salsa the most. It's not only unique, but also well executed in general, still juicy seared salmon with just nicely seasoned ginger glaze to season it. The portion is also just nice for a lunch course. Another personal favourite of mine is the CK Baoger "The Exotic Asian", with well made buns and Asian seasonings not commonly found in burgers. The other dishes are not bad either, if you are into more classic numbers. I only have to caution about the Belacan Spaghetti, because it packs some serious heat, even for me.

Croque Madame - toasted sourdough, ham, mozarella, bechamel sauce, mustard, sunny side up, microgreens & mesclun salad IDR 108,000

Left: Salted Egg Yolk Chicken (Rice Bowl) with sunny side up & micro greens - IDR 65,000

		Truffle Spaghetti with bacon, mushrooms, cream, truffle oil, parmesan & micro greens IDR 79,000

Shrimp Balacan Spaghetti with shrimps & microgreens (spicy warning) IDR 69,000

Herb-Crusted Salmon with Lemon Cream Sauce - 150gr Norwegian salmon, parmesan & parsley crust, potato wedges, lemon cream sauce, microgreens DR 159,000

(HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) Caramelized Ginger Salmon with Avocado Salsa - 150gr Marinated caramel ginger Norway salmon, avocado salsa, potato wedges, microgreens IDR 159,000

(HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) CK Baoger "The Exotic Asian" - Thai Style grilled chicken, lemongrass mayo, crushed peanuts, cilantro, french fries IDR 69,000

CK Baoger "THE HOOK" breaded fish fillet, melted cheddar cheese, wassabi mayo, kyuri, onion & french fries IDR 69,000

Coffee Kulture is worth a visit, and when you do, do try the above recommendation and let me know what you think!

Open Hours:

11 AM - 10 PM

*) Prices are subject to Government Tax and Service Charge

Coffee Kulture

-1st store: Muara Karang, Pluit Karang Utara No. 37, Ph: +6221 6602234

Click here to open in Maps

2nd store: Baywalk. Baywalk Mall Garden TG05, Ph: +6221 29621281

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Vacation With Style via Mister Aladin!

May 19, 2016, 7:33 am

≫ Next: Hello, Mister -- Sunday!

≪ Previous: Coffee Kulture

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Have you planned a vacation for this Lebaran break yet? Even if you have, you still might want to check out the following Hotel booking website for your own reference. Who knows, this new, cool site might come handy in the near future!

As someone who travels a lot, I like to keep myself updated with the latest deals and promos be it for flights, hotels or trips. I know a lot, if not most of us are even willing to surrender our privacy and let the countless airline newsletters invade our inbox in the hope of being the first few to receive news about price cuts, bonus, perks / deals. And, if we're to check everyone using smartphone these days, i can almost bet for certain that there's at least one trip booking app installed.

Now, imagine if there’s a website that allows you to book a hotel to suit your travel needs, personality or mood at that time. Wouldn’t it be cool and so much more time saving to have your hotel search results already sorted out into Budget or Luxury or Hip or Family Friendly hotels for family getaway? Now, that’s just one of the plus(es) that MisterAladin.com offers. Their “choose your mood” feature can easily ease your hotel booking process.

For me, when I’m traveling with my family, naturally I’ll look for Family Friendly options with kids playground preferably for my baby niece. Or if I’m on a solo trip to Bali, I’d try out Hip hotels for a change of atmosphere and simply for the one of a kind experience.

Mister Aladin’s selection of hotels covers not only Jakarta, but also other popular tourism destinations both local, such as Bali, Bandung, Yogyakarta and Surabaya, as well as international destinations like Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and even Sydney. In addition, I’ve found that their hotels are available at a cheaper rate compared to other hotel booking sites and the rate shown on MisterAladin.com is the FINAL price with no hidden costs. You don’t have to worry about calculating tax and service because everything is already included in the price shown on the site. What you see is what you pay! True to their tagline of “everyday low prices”!

Mister Aladin is currently having a special Sweet Deals (Promo MANIS – Hotel Mewah Harga Ekonomis), where 5 star hotels are discounted up to 50% off if you book from today through 22 May! So, it’s time to book your hotel if you’re planning your next getaway this weekend or for the long holiday since there are no blackout dates!

Visit this link for more details on the promo:

www.misteraladin.com/sweetdeals

Now, for example, if you are feeling fancy and planning to stay at a nice and posh hotel this weekend, simply click the “LUX” category and they will show you the results for hotels that participate in the Sweet Deals promotion. I’d stayed at Fairmont Hotel Jakarta a few months back, and I had a pleasant experience there, so I looked it up on MisterAladin.com to check the special “Sweet Deal” rates. And boy, does the deal seem too good to be true, but they are, for real! As mentioned earlier, the prices shown are the final price, so don’t fret about being charged with hidden cost when you’re making payment at the end of the session.

Fairmont Jakarta did not disappoint for a bit and the room was the same as described on Mister Aladin when I made the booking. Here’s a little sneak peek inside Fairmont Hotel Jakarta, for your own reference.

Lastly, Mister Aladin not only offers a vast collection of hotels, the site also curates a great collection of travel tips and ideas on its travel blog, Mister Aladin Travel Discoveries! Travelers can easily find information about hot recreational spots and current travel trends. The blog has easily inspired me to travel more! I’m totally planning and booking my next getaway soon on MisterAladin.com!

For more information on MisterAladin.com and its latest deals, please follow Mister Aladin’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

www.MisterAladin.com

Customer Service: +62 21 3983 6900

Whatsapp: +62 81 195 6900

cs@misteraladin.com

#LiburanGayaKamu#AladinGetaway

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Hello, Mister -- Sunday!

May 23, 2016, 3:49 am

≫ Next: WillGoz x Crematology Brunch

≪ Previous: Vacation With Style via Mister Aladin!

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Brunch hunters, you may rejoice, because there's a new place to be reckoned with. Yes, there seems to be a new place opening everyday, but there's only a handful that's worth getting excited for. I personally would recommend this next IT place, Mister--Sunday.

Mister--Sunday is the newest addition to Jakarta's evolving brunch scene. Taking inspiration from the much loved and hyped-about Melbourne, Australian style of casual and eclectic brunch, Mister Sunday's food offers unique Asian twists to the all-time favourite brunch numbers like poached egg, English muffin, brioche, etc. I'll elaborate more on the food further down.

The venue is also another plus point. It is situated (not right smack, but still within the area) at Jakarta's currently hottest F&B hub scene. The entire building belongs to the owners, which they've renovated according to their vision. When the construction is complete, the ground floor will be the owners' office, which provides creative services (a branding agency). The second floor is entirely dedicated to Mister--Sunday, which is surrounded with large windows and purposely unfinished walls. The place exudes this unpretentious and laid back vibe that somehow makes me feel I can come here and just be myself. I can come all dressed up in my best or even whimsical OOTD or even in plain t-shirt with flip flops, nobody will disapprove.

Raw, unfinished spaces

The venue is spacious enough to host a group gathering and still won't disturb solo visitors who wish to enjoy one of its sunny corners with a book and a cup of good coffee. I can already spot my favourite corner here

Made-to-order ceramic wares in pastel colours, totally wanna bring one of these home if I could!

As I mentioned earlier, the owners are such avid fans of Melbourne, that they even provide the chef with their favourite cook books to inspire the chef in creating the menu for Mister--Sunday. The result? Melbourne-ish brunch food that typically features plenty of fresh produce but with some Asian twists.

Egg-less Noir Lindt Chocolate Cake with Pistachio

I was curious about the cakes on display and turns out my hunch was right. Turns out, the owners are actually capable cooks themselves! Those cakes sitting prettily behind the case, are not your ordinary chocolate cake / brownies. The dark chocolate pistachio cake that they made is actually egg-less and made with Lindt dark chocolate, it can even be made vegan on request! As for the brownies, it's made with Lindt chocolate too, and I tried the salted caramel one, but I reckon I'd much prefer the Cream Cheese Brownies instead. Vegan-ism and healthy food is taking over the world perps!

Homemade Salted Caramel / Cream Cheese Lindt Brownies

Iced Cappuccino IDR38,000

Yesterday was a private brunch invitation, so we got the first preview of what Mister--Sunday will offer to public starting tomorrow (Tuesday, 24 May 2016). I came with no expectations at all. Sure the service team was still adjusting with the crowd and there was a minor glitch with the food, but all that, didn't overshadow my positive impression about Mister--Sunday. The final menu wasn't ready yet, so as of now, I can't share the price tags on the dishes that we tried. But read on, as I'd recommend my personal top picks.

My top 3 food picks would be the Halloumi Cheese Watercress Salad for Starter, Pork Belly Open Brioche Sandwich with sambal matah for Main Course and Noir Lindt Chocolate Cake with Pistachio for dessert. The Roasted Lamb deserves an honorable mention too, because it is deliciously tender and cooked well as I can tell from the absence of any gamey odour (phew!), while the Creamy Mushroom Dijon Chicken with spiced roasted potatoes would be another great choice too.

Tomato Pesto Soup served with Mozarella baguette IDR 55,000

Halloumi Cheese Watercress Salad, beet roots, roasted shallots, sprinkled with shaved almonds & Vincotto dressing IDR 69,000

Thai Fish Cakes served with poached egg, roasted tomatoes & lettuce on English muffin and Nahm Jim dressing IDR 79,000

Roasted Lamb with Broccoli & Potatoes drizzled with red wine dressing IDR 180,000

Pork Belly Open Brioche Sandwich with sambal matah, coriander labneh (yoghurt), tomato cherries & mesclun lettuce IDR110,000

Why, it was just a preview brunch affair, but the service and food quality was certainly much better than at some places that's been around for much longer. So, congrats Mister--Sunday!

*) Prices are subject to Government Tax & Service Charge

Open Hours:

Monday - Thursday: 9 AM - 9 PM

Friday - Saturday: 9 AM - 10 PM

Sunday: 8 AM - 8 PM

Mister -- Sunday

Jl. Cikajang No. 30 (Next to Cut The Crab)

Petogongan, Kebayoran Baru

South Jakarta

Click here to open in Maps

Ph: +628111776185 / +6281286873131

www.mister-sunday.com

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WillGoz x Crematology Brunch

May 23, 2016, 8:47 am

≫ Next: North Jakarta's Hipster Gem: Six Ounces Coffee

≪ Previous: Hello, Mister -- Sunday!

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3 Course Brunch Menu for only IDR 190,000 nett, now that's a deal that's hard to come by these days, when the price of a main course could easily cost 2x that!

It's only natural human nature to suspect something fishy going on if something seems too good to be true, like this offer of a 3 course brunch for less than IDR 200k/person. I'd be inclined to think the food would either be mediocre or the serving ridiculously small. But it's William Gozali that we're talking about ladies and gentlemen, so I'm instantly at ease.

Masterchef Indonesia winner with chinois bad boy look, I-don't-give-a-damn attitude and cooks mean food. Peace yo!

This is the 3rd time I've attended a pop up event featuring WillGoz. Read about the previous pop up here. This time round, WillGoz has teamed up with Ardika Dwitama of Oui Dessert and Crematology played host at its Puri store. Especially for the brunch, our table was beautifully curated with curious floral arrangements by Artiste Floral. I didn't waste our name place cards and used it as a prop for one of my photos...

What was on the table...

Was still on the table...

Then moved to my hand (yeap, talking about the flower bunch). I'm not a klepto, I just borrowed it from the table ;)

After feeling somewhat satisfied having abused the table decor, we returned to our table and waited for the first course, a serving of burned salmon, yeasted waffle, sous vide egg, miso hollandaise & tobiko, which I easily and shamelessly cleaned in no time. It's quite serious for a starter, but this is brunch, so we're even entitled to have a stack of pancakes right from the beginning. 

Then the 2nd course came, a serving of Meltique beef, polenta, sous vide egg, mushroom & red wine jus. I told Will, that I loved the beef, but it's only today that I find out what Meltique means. It's a brand of fat-injected beef product, which explains why the beef tasted really good. And I notice that Will loves sous vide egg, which is a safe complement to literally almost all savoury food, but it would be great if he dares to experiment with something else.

Now, my only complain is actually reserved for the dessert, wanna know why?? The dessert's too little for my huge appetite! And the super smooth espresso gelato only made me wanna complain even more LOL.

Sure, I and the other guests were probably Will's lab rats along his path to success, but I'll voluntarily offer my tummy if ever Will cooks again.

Crematology Coffee Roasters

www.crematology.com

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- Senopati

Jl. Suryo No.25

Senopati, South Jakarta

Click here to open in Maps

Ph: +6221 72780012

Open hours: Monday - Friday: 7.30 AM - 12 AM | Saturday - Sunday: 9 AM -12 AM

- PX Pavilion

Ground Floor, PX Pavilion @St.Moritz, Puri Indah

Click here to open in Maps

Ph: +62 8118993888

Open Hours: Sunday - Thursday: 8 AM - 10 PM | Friday - Saturday: 8 AM - 12 AM

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North Jakarta's Hipster Gem: Six Ounces Coffee

May 25, 2016, 7:53 pm

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Kelapa Gading is undeniably a food haven for literally any types of foodie, especially if you're into street food. It's like an entirely different city! It's only about 14 Km away from where I live, but I hardly venture into the area, unless to visit relatives or, once in a blue moon, to do some errands of visit some travel-worthy restaurants / cafes. Such as this, not-so-new hipster cafe that's becoming a household name in Kelapa Gading area, for the good coffee and equally solid food to boot, Six Ounces Coffee.

Six Ounces coffee looks unassuming from the outside, but inside, the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafting in the air and the crowd filling up the tables inside (I've been here a few times at different times of the day and there's always a crowd - can't really blame them, it is cosy here!). At least now that the second story is open for public, there are more spaces to sit at. My favourite spot would be one of the table by the window or the counter lining one side of the room.

1st level area looks like this:

Then up the stairs:

And you'll be welcomed by this rustic homey and clean space.

So first thing you do when you enter is place your order at the cashier at the counter right next to the front door. Your food and drink will be delivered to your table afterwards, but they surprisingly do not charge for service! As a customer, I couldn't be happier to be given the liberty to tip as I will based on my personal assessment on the service that the staff provided. In general, I'm happy with the helpful and attentive floor staff, the cashier, was even more amiable, as she earnestly asked for my feedback on the food and drinks.

Coffee wise, other than espresso based drinks, there's Manual Brewing Bar, handled by their knowledgeable baristas. I didn't try it though, because I came for lunch and boy the sun was mercilessly scorching hot! So I opted for my all-time favourite go-to comfort coffee-based drink: Iced Mocha. For the price of IDR 40,000, it comes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and the quantity is really generous, the photo may not show, but it's big!

Iced Coffee Mocha IDR 40,000

The other day before visiting Six Ounces, I saw some photos posted by some of my foodie friends, of pastas and a few other drool-worthy food at Six Ounces. So I naturally scanned the menu for those, but to my disappointment, those special menus are only available by prior reservation! Yes, people, nowadays, it's not only movie tickets that you should book in advance, special food at Six Ounces too! *eyes rolling. But anyhoo, I picked Truffle Fries and the only Asian dish on the Lunch menu. I couldn't be happier with my choices!

Truffle Fries with garlic, parmesan & truffle oil served with homemade tartar sauce IDR 47,000

Asian Style Grilled Beef with Rice IDR 100,000 Thinly sliced Wagyu beef steak marinated in Asian style sauce, grilled shiitake mushroom & Chinese broccoli served with Japanese rice & sesame seeds

Love the thinly sliced beef!

It's a lovely cafe, hipster enough for my standard, with good coffee and more than enough choices of food than most specialty coffee places in the area. Besides that, the ample and cosy 2 story seating areas mean that you're more likely to get a seat in here. I also learned that on weekends, guests can have brunch from the next door neighbour, The Green Door Kitchen. I have yet tried having brunch here, but looking at the photos on their Instagram, the food looks pretty solid and could be your option this coming weekend.

The only setback I can think of is possibly the highly competitive parking space and the requirement to book some 'special' food in advance. I'll try my luck with the special food next time, anyone care to recommend what I should order?

*) Prices are subject to 10 % Government Tax

Open Hours:

Monday: CLOSED

Tuesday - Sunday:  8.30 AM - 9 PM

Six Ounces Coffee

Jl. Gading Indah Raya blok NB 2 No. 1

Kelapa Gading - North Jakarta

Click here to open in Maps

Ph: +6281295592233

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Akira Back Gives Back - Dine for Charity this Ramadhan

June 11, 2016, 9:42 am

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Hello again guys!! It's been a few weeks since my last entry blog, so finally! What with my brother's event and all the post event things to do, wrap up and sort out, now I'm finally able to post the first entry of June! With a ton of photos and food I've piled up during the vacuum, I'm gonna try to post as many as I can. So, since this is the holy Ramadhan month, I bet a lot of us Indonesians are constantly on the lookout for a nice place to break the fast with friends, families, colleagues, etc. Now, what if I tell you, that during this month, one of my favourite restaurants in town is having special charity menus at special price? It's Akira Back Gives Back program, in collaboration with Shout Out Indonesia (instagram @Shout.Out_ID).

Shout Out Indonesia is a local sociopreneur organization that nurtures underprivileged Indonesian youths. So for this #AkiraBackGivesBack program, guests could order one of the 2 set courses (lunch / breakfasting) and enjoy the legendary quality of food served at Akira Back, while donating some amount of the set menu price to pay for a child's monthly tuition fee. It is estimated that a child's tuition fee in Indonesia ranges in IDR 300,000 range. So, if 5 persons order the Lunch Package Menu, a child's tuition fee is already relieved by a month.

Anyway, if the Maths hurt you, let's just talk about the food then now. Obviously, the prices are already worth the food quality and taste, so donating for charity is like a beautiful icing on top of the 'cake'. 

Lunch Package Menu (4 course) IDR 250,000++/pax (IDR 50,000 goes to Shout Out) consists of:

- Atlantic Black Cod

- Grilled Hawaiian Walu

- Seared Duck Breast

- Yuzu Granita

For those who observed fasting, the Breakfasting Package Menu (6 course) IDR 700,000++/pax (IDR 100,000 goes to Shout Out) is so worth it!

1st course: Tuna Pizza with ponzu mayo & white truffle oil (photo below). This is my all time favourite menu here and now it comes in individual serving of 4 slices. I ain't sharing with no one!

2nd Course: Salmon Aburi with micro radish sesame oil & yuzu soy

3rd Course: Grilled Hawaiian Walu with micro radish, shiitake mushroom & tosazu butter

4th Course: Seared Duck Breast confit with foie gras gyoza, butternut pumpkin & orange mustard miso

It's whole chunk of foie gras, wrapped in soft gyoza skin. Chef Andri will not compromise on quality nor quantity, despite the price!

5th Course: Grilled Wagyu Tritip with burnt onion pure, duck fat-fried hash brown & onsen tamago. This is still my favourite of all the courses in the set menu. Every components are richly umami and well cooked.

Dessert: Yuzu Granita with coconut foam & mango bubbles - a light and easygoing ending after all the indulgents courses!

Ramadhan Kareem everyone! Let's do more good every day =)

*) Prices are subject to Service Charge and Government Tax

Dress Code:
Smart casual / Business casual

Open Hours:

Lunch: 12 noon - 3 PM (daily)

Dinner: 6:30 PM - 11.30 PM (daily)

Akira Back

MD PLACE Building 12th Floor

Jl. Setiabudi Selatan No. 7

Setiabudi

South Jakarta 12910

Ph: +6221 29040777 / +6285777788777

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akirabackindonesia.com

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stalk my Instagram: @ellynatjohnardi