Review: Marmalade Pantry, Plaza Indonesia

Last night, I was dying to go to Kitchenette. You know, that awesome comfort food resto in Plaza Indonesia. But as usual, the place was full and the waiting list was pretty long. I didn't want to wait, so I decided to just go to the next restaurant, Marmalade Pantry. Walk a bit from Kitchenette, and it's there. It's a really pretty place, the decor and ambience was superb. We sat down, and the first disappointment came, which was the menu. The menu was printed on white paper, clipped to a wooden board and that's it. Maybe they tried to go minimalist and all that, but it just came across as lazy. I hope this is because their real menus haven't finished printing yet. We ordered the Escargot Bourguignon for starters. I ordered Pan Fried Snapper with Chickpeas Salad, my sister ordered the Mushroom Risotto, my dad ordered Iga Cabe Ijo (which is part of their taste of Indonesia specials) and mom ordered the Pan Fried Chicken. For dessert, we decided to try the Chocolate Mille Feuille.

I ordered this drink, the Strawberry Yin-Yang. I like fancy non-alcoholic drinks and mocktails, and this is pretty good. It's mint tea with lots of fresh strawberry in it. But after a while, it started to taste like strawberry-flavored kiddie toothpaste. Really.

Their escargot looked beautiful. Presentation-wise, I think they aced it. There were three spoonfuls of escargot with cream sauce, and the other three were seasoned with pesto. They were awesome. The escargots itself are so tender, even better than Y&Y's. My sister admitted they were better than Potato Head's. The creamy ones are heavenly, their pesto ones are great too. The garlic-pesto bread that came with it was delightful, crunchy and soft. But the salad was ugh, soggy and over-dressed. There is nothing I hate more than over-dressed salads. Their greens were fresh and looked crunchy, but the dressing was so overwhelming. I think it was vinaigrette, its acidity wasn't pleasant at all. Definitely order the escargots, just ignore the salad.

That's my Pan Fried Snapper. I ordered it because I love fish and it didn't look fatty. 5 minutes after we placed our orders, the waiter came back and told me that I probably should change my orders because "in my opinion, the chickpeas are horrible." He looked at me like I don't know what chickpeas are and I am clueless about my food. I just stared him down and said, "Oh, but what if I love chickpeas?" And he was like "Oh, okay." WTF was that. That was the first time any waiter has ever said anything like that, and I think it's highly unprofessional, not to mention very annoying. I love chickpeas! Especially in salads, they're just awesome. When the dish came, the first thing I tasted was of course, the chickpeas. They were good, and had good texture. But again, overwhelming dressing. That dressing did not go well with the chickpeas and snap peas. It was the same dressing as the one used on the escargots' salad. They should've just dressed the peas with olive oil and some peppers. The fish was cooked nicely. It was encrusted with bread and almond crumbs. The crumbs were quite delicious. But the fish was bland at best. Really. No flavors at all. If it didn't have the crumbs, I probably wouldn't eat it. 

The mushroom risotto was deeelicious. Not as good as Sopra's risotto, but it was great. Nice texture and flavor! Not much to say about this though.

Dad's Iga Cabe Ijo was good, but not spicy AT ALL. The flavors are there, but where is the punch? Definitely weak. The mix of iga, sambel goreng ati, and tempe kering was good, though. The rengginangs were awesome! I loveee rengginangs and they were definitely the highlight of this dish. Other than that: meh.

The pan fried chicken was served with a potato and cauliflowers lasagna, and it was great. The lasagna was exquisite! Soft, cheesy, warm, just great. The chicken was very nice, lacking in flavors and juices but the sauce helped. The lasagna was the part that brought the whole dish together, making it a delicious entree. Best eaten with chili sauce and lots of salt and pepper. Oh and I love the grilled cherry tomatoes! Added a nice touch and it was plump and juicy.

Man, look at that. The chocolate mille feuille was absolutely delightful. The pastry was crunchy and crisp, the chocolate cream inside was ah-mazing. Love the fact they added strawberries, really freshen it up. It wasn't too sweet or creamy, just enough to tantalize your happy nerves. I was indeed happy after eating it. But as usual, dessert is best when shared, so you don't leave with too much guilt.

Highlight of the night was definitely the escargots and the mille feuille. Other than that, overpriced. The average price for their entrees are 80rb. Not worth it, and not recommended. Service was mediocre. I should've waited in line for Kitchenette.

MY FAVORITE CHINESE: Din Tai Fung

I've always been intrigued by this restaurant. I mean who isn't, when introduced to the fact that they are one of the best restaurants in the world according to the freaking New York Times? I was dying to try them, especially after Bram told me that they have great food. So one night, I decided to go to the one nearest to my house, Pacific Place (where else? haha). My favorites are their Xiao Long Baos, gyozas, and mango pudding.


I knew they're famous for their Xiao Long Baos. What is a Xiao Long Bao? It's a kind of dumpling, with some broth inside it. I've seen them before. I've seen Tony Bourdain enjoy them. I've seen people in China slurping the broth happily. I didn't dare try them in China because I knew it was laden with pork and/or lard. So I was excited to try DTF's version.

(pic not mine)

I ordered the chicken and crab XLB. I read the directions on how to eat them properly. So, we are supposed to put one in our spoon, pierce it so the broth flows out, slurp it,  put a mix of vinegar, soy sauce, and ginger in the spoon, and eat the whole thing. OH MY GOD. Holy deliciousness, Batman! The broth was warm, silky and buttery. The skin was soft. The filling was heavenly, and the taste of the condiments complements everything nicely. It was SO AWESOME. Yes, I wrote that in caps on purpose because it was just so good.

Next, their gyozas. I can't find a proper picture :( I basically love gyozas, and always order them wherever. I figure if they have good dumplings, they must have good gyozas. And their gyozas are simply the best I've ever had. The char on the bottom is so crispy and gives a nice crack when you bite into them, and their filling is great. Their dipping sauce was awesome, very strong. I could eat 20 gyozas easy, because they have such an amazing blend of textures and flavors.


Save the best for the last! MANGO PUDDING.

(pic not mine, found it off google)

When they're not raving about XLBs, people are raving about how delicious DTF's mango puddings are. When I was there, everybody ordered one. Not wanting to miss out, of course I followed suit. It has whipped cream on top (extra points for this, I'm a slave for whipped cream) and a small shot glass of vanilla sauce. I poured the sauce on the pudding, and tucked in. I couldn't speak. I closed my eyes and relish the flavors. The softness of the pudding, the beauty of the sauce, how amazingly their flavors blend together....... It was almost a high. I was high of pudding, imagine that. I always say, "If in heaven there's a pudding, it will definitely be Din Tai Fung's mango pudding." I can't say anything more, everybody that loves mangoes MUST try this.

In conclusion, Din Tai Fung is awesome. Price-wise, they're pretty expensive, but everything is worth every penny. The other things I love are their tom yum noodles, fried rice with fried chicken, soft shell crab with mango sauce (Te Sate's is better tho), and szechuan beef noodles. You'll never go wrong when you come eat here. Because truly, if there's gonna be chinese food in heaven, Din Tai Fung will be providing it.

MY FAVORITE FROZEN YOGURT: Miki-Yo, TIS Square

I'm pretty obsessed with frozen yogurt. My ultimate goal is to try every single stall of frozen yogurt in town. One day, I tried Miki-Yo. They're just like other fro-yo places out there, their yogurt doesn't stand out by any means. But it turns out  they serve syrup with their yogurt!! I've tried their strawberry, blueberry, and chocolate syrups, but the blueberry is the clear CHAMP OF ALL SYRUPS IN THE WORLD. It's silky, light, sweet, fresh, and it complements the yogurt amazingly.

I love their presentation too when you eat in. It's cozy too, so this is my favorite fro-yo place in Jakarta.

Our Beloved Cheap Sushi: Sushi-Ya!!!!!

Sushi for Jakarta's teens has become somewhat of a necessity. It's an integrated part of our culture. And it isn't always cheap. Cheap raw fish is very questionable, thus deterring many people from trying cheap sushi establishments. But worry not, Sushi-Ya to the rescue!!

Siapa sih yang nggak tau Sushi-Ya, terutama di kalangan anak 8. Dengan punya uang 5 ribu aja bisa makan sushi, walau cuma Kappa Roll isi timun. Tapi sebagai anak SMA yang ga punya duit, kita seneng2 aja. Menu mereka beragam, dari sushi biasa, fusion sushi, udon, sampai rice bowls. Hari ini, gue dan temen gue Fathia memesan Salmon Skin Roll, Crazy Roll, dan sebuah special: Captain Wasabi Roll. Seperti biasa, gue memesan tambahan condiment spicy mayo.

Salmon Skin Roll!!! First thing first, salmon skin is glorious. Crunchy, savoury, beautiful. Paired with rice, nori, and mayo, heaven. It's so simple nut so heavenly. Bite into it and you'll taste the delicious fattiness of mayo and feel the sweet sweet crunch of the skin. So awesome.

This is the special, Captain Wasabi. Isinya some kind of dried bbq beef, di atasnya pake alpukat, tobiko, dan wasabi cream cheese. First of all, it was good. Second of all, I cannot taste the wasabi at all!!!! Namanya aja Captain Wasabi. Kenapa banget nggak ada rasa wasabinya? Katanya wasabi cream cheese, kenapa rasanya sama aja kayak mayonnaise? Rasanya enak, I know it all comes down to that, tapi sebagai penyuka wasabi dan mengharapkan tajamnya rasa wasabi di roll ini, gue kecewa.

This is the Crazy Roll. It's supposed to be really spicy and stuff. It has tuna and cucumber in it, if I remember correctly. It's spicy, yes, but the tuna is a total let down. It's pretty stringy and gamey, not silky soft and fresh like I expected. But it's pretty awesome when dunked in spicy mayo haha

So the verdict is they have good and cheap sushi. not overly awesome, but great. For the price, definitely  great!!! They also have good curry, great rice bowls and udon. Must find time to try their main courses because I haven't had the chance to try any. Oh they have awesome salad dressings too! I love this place, just like almost everyone around the age of 17.

ONE OF THE BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANTS: Sopra, Pacific Place

I've mentioned Sopra in my y&y pizza post, saying it deserves its own post. And yes it does. I had an early dinner at Sopra with my sister today, because I was craaaaaaving for pizza and Sopra's pizzas are fresh and not junkfoody. It's located right above The Coffee Bean, on the 1st floor. Enter through the Hermes entrance, go left, and take the escalator.
I ordered the Stagioni pizza for both of us, a Minestrone for me, and my sister ordered a spaghetti carbonara.

While waiting for our food, all customers are given a bread basket with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, butter, chili, parmesan, and chili sauce. Also because of Tony Bourdain, I've been dreaming of warm, freshly baked bread that is crunchy outside and soft and buttery inside. And boy, this is it. They have awesome bread. They have this bread with black olives in it which is also awesome. It's just a basket of happy carbs. And in case you haven't noticed, carbs are my favorite food.

The minestrone doesn't look appetizing, does it? But God was it good. It's one of the very few soups that I don't put additional salt in, because it already tastes lovely. It's chock full of vegetables, it's hearty, flavourful, warm, and just great. I love soups, and now I have one more favorite bowl to add to my list. Even my sister that hates veggies loved the soup.

Look at that absolutely beautiful pizza. It's the Stagioni, whose toppings are slices of turkey, mushrooms, and artichokes. I love the fact that it has artichokes, haven't seen them much around here. I usually order the Bismarck, which has chicken, mushroom, and a sunny-side up egg in the center. My verdict is Bismarck is still the champion of all pizza, even though Stagioni is really good. The Stag is fresh, has a very strong tomato flavor, and punchy. The Bismarck is creamier, but spicier. I love both of them. What I love about Sopra's pizza is it's super crunchy and served straight out of the oven. It tastes authentic and rustic. Love em!!!

Other than their divine pizzas, Sopra has absolutely DELIGHTFUL pasta. My sister ordered a carbonara, which I don't usually like because I can't stand creamy pastas. A carbonara is a type of pasta you can find almost in every restaurant that serves pasta, but nobody does it with the sophistication of Sopra. Look at their presentation!! They don't drown their pasta in a bowl of runny white sauce. They put just enough to cover the spaghetti but to not make you nauseous. I love their sauce. I can tell they made it with quality ingredients. And the pasta. OH THE PASTA. The best pasta I've ever had, ever. The texture, the density, the al dente -ness of it, it's just magical. I can eat a huge bowl of just their spaghetti without any sauce or seasoning and I'll be a happy girl. Everybody that loves pasta must try theirs.

Sopra is one amazing Italian establishment. People say they have outstanding wine, too, but I don't drink wine. They have one weakness, however. Their tiramisu is very disappointing. I had it a while back and I can't bring myself to finish it. Granted, I had high expectations, because I once had this heavenly slab of tiramisu at a rustic, family-run Italian restaurant back in Dallas, and it was sooooooo good, I feel like it was a home-made tiramisu made by some lovely grandma in some Italian countryside. But Sopra's........the proportions are just wrong. Too much coffee soaking their ladyfingers, too little mascarpone, waaay too much cocoa powder. It's an insult to tiramisu, I think, especially taking in consideration that Sopra is an expensive Italian restaurant. So, just come for the pasta and pizza. And the soups. The salads are good too. They're quite pricey, but worth every penny. Pastas are around 60-70, the ones with prawns and salmon are above 100, the regular sized pizzas are around 80, and appetizers are around 50.

Right now, Sopra holds the title as the best Italian place in Jakarta, that I know of. 

Lunch: Pho 24, TIS Square

I love Anthony Bourdain. No, not because of his looks, because he is an ooold man. It's because of his awesome culinary adventures around the world, which I read about religiously in his books and watch all the time on TV. And in his book A Cook's Tour, which I'm reading right now, he went to Vietnam and kept on raving about the amazing bowls of pho he had. Reading about it made me craaaaaave pho. So today before BTA I stopped by Pho 24 in TIS Square to have lunch.


I had high expectations. I wanted fresh, spicy, authentic bowl of noodles with tender slices of beef, with all the vibrant colours of coriander leaves, chili, and lime. Just like what Tony had on the streets of Vietnam. I ordered 2 pieces of fresh spring rolls and the pho with all sorts of meat, except the meatballs (so not the pho all), the small size.

So, the spring rolls! They're the unfried type, and they are everything I expected them to be. One word: fresh. They're so frrrresh. It's basically filled with vermicelli, thin slices of veggies ( I think it's leeks, spring onions, and maybe mint leaves) and small pieces of prawn. The dipping sauce is awesome!!!!!! And necessary. The spring rolls are bland at best. But with the dipping sauce, they become crunchy and tasty snacks. But if you don't like vegetables, stay away.

Look at that beautiful bowl of pho. Fresh and vibrant. I seasoned it with a generous helping of salt pepper fish sauce and chili. When I dug in, I was let down. It wasn't as punchy as I expected. But it was gooood. The coriander, God I love coriander. It was fresh, light, clean, crunchy, and the slices of meat were awesome. It could've been more flavorful, though. Out of 10, I give it.......a 7.5. It's not worthy enough for an 8.

Verdict: I wish I could just fly to Ho Chi Minh, grab a bowl of pho, and go home. Pho 24 is just not what I expected. But oh well, satisfied my craving.

Epilogue

The weird thing about phos is somehow, I always get dizzy after having em. And today was no different. I was dizzy for at least an hour after lunch. I don't think I'll be having any more pho anytime soon.

Today's dinner: PENANG BISTRO

I've been hearing a lot of rave reviews about Penang Bistro, so I dragged my folks there to have dinner tonight. Mom was just there last week with her colleagues so she knows what are good. Pas masuk, gue lumayan terkesima dengan ambience nya yang enak banget. Tempatnya cozy, dan kebetulan malam ini lagi ada live music akustikan, cuma petikan gitar dan suara merdu seorang vokalis cewek. Gue pun memesan Roti Canai dengan Chicken Curry, Tom Yum Soup, Imperial Steamed Fish, Jumbo Prawn Baked with Cheese, Mango Chicken, dan Ebi String Beans. 

Roti canainya: wow. Gue suka kari, makanan yg berbau2 india dan teman2nya, dan ini enak banget!! Well, bisa sih karinya lebih pedes lagi. Roti canai nya itu yg juara banget, luarnya crispy, dalemnya lembuut banget, main teksturnya dapet. Karinya kentalnya juga pas. Perfect appetizer, kalo rotinya ga seberminyak ini dan kalo karinya lebih pedes.

Tom Yam: definitely one of the best tom yams, but not THE best, because Ming still holds that title. Porsi kecilnya sangat pas, seger banget, asem, pedes, walau sedikit kurang asin menurut gue. Isinya jamur, tomat, potongan ikan dan udang. Yang gue suka adalah ikan dan udangnya itu dipotong kecil-kecil, jadi nggak repot makannya. Potongan tomat bikin jadi lebih segar. It's an awesome little bowl of soup.

Whoever said that you don't mix seafood with cheese will find themselves proven wrong by this dish. It's THE baked prawn with cheese. The cheese is so good, it's too good to be true. The prawn is tender, sweet, and plentiful. Dude, it's prawns. And cheese. Melted together in the ovens of heaven.

But the true champion tonight is......MANGO CHICKEN!! If you've read  the Te Sate post, you know that I love anything with sambel mangga muda. This one is the best. Better than Te Sate. It's light, fresh, tangy, crispy, spicy, everything you can ask for in an entree.

String Beans with Ebi, nothing special. Pretty good, nothing worth writing about tho.

The steamed fish was beautiful. It really was. Fresh coriander and other herbs were piled atop the fresh fresh steamed fish, with the thin and salty sauce glistening around it in a shallow pool. The meat was tender and perfectly cooked, the skin was soft and wonderful. It was truly a beautiful dish and it tasted marvelous. 

So, the verdict is I LOVE THIS PLACE. Definitely order the baked prawn, tom yam, and the mango chicken. The fish too. Might as well order everything you can stuff into your stomach.

Awesome Kaki Lima: SEAFOOD 68 SANTA

Jakarta is chock full of seafood stands, dotting the roadsides. How to pin point the ones that are good and clean? Pick the crowded ones. Like this amazing place on Jl. Wolter Monginsidi, Seafood 68.
Seperti warung2 seafood pada umumnya, mereka buka pada malam hari dan tutup dini hari. Tempatnya bersih dan ramai, makanannya cepet dateng. Abis pesen, kita disuguhin otak2 buat nyemil (bayar tentunya). Seperti biasa, gue dan keluarga gue pesen Kerang Dara Rebus, Kerang Hijau Saus Padang, Baronang Bakar, dan Cah Kangkung.

I love their kerang dara. Bukannya kerang dara dimana mana sama? oh tentu tidak. Di sini kerangnya tender dan sama sekali nggak amis, fresh banget, dan dipping saucenya juga segeer. Kalo ga dihentikan gue bisa makan 5 piring sendiri kali. Paling asik nyemil kerang rebus.
Kangkungnya lupa difoto hahaha tapi yang jelas kangkung mereka itu just the way I like it. Crunchy dan asinnn.

Baronang bakar mereka juga juara. Bumbunya itu lho, nyeresep banget, dan kecap cabenya mereka itu pedesnya asik! Ikan mereka dipotongnya juga jadi bikin mudah dimakan. Ikan2 lainnya seperti bawal juga enak, tapi rekomendasi gue adalah bakar aja semuanya, karena lebih taaasty.

INI DIA JUARANYA. kerang ijo saus padang. Dayummmmm enaknyaaa ga pernah gue temui di tempat seafood semahal apapun. Gatau gimana caranya, kerang mereka ini luarnya crispy tapi dalemnya lembut banget, jadi kerangnya sendiri udah gurih. Terus saos padangnya itu enak banget, pedesnya, asinnya, pas banget. Paling enak dimakan pake nasi panas. Biasanya keluarga gue pesen 2 sampe 3 piring hahaha the best.
Soal harga, sepiring sekitar 20-30 ribu kalo nggak salah. Dijamin bersih, gue belom pernah sakit perut abis makan disini. Dan dijamin puas! Cumi goreng tepung dan udang goreng menteganya juga enak. kayaknya semuanya enak hahaha intinya jangan malu2 pesennya kalo makan disini ;;--))

FANCY INDONESIAN FOOD: Te Sate

FINALLY, TIME TO WRITE NEW POSTS!
Hello, I'm back with a plethora of pictures from this awesome Indonesian place called Te Sate. Okay so y'all know the restaurant Sate Khas Senayan right? So apparently Sate Khas and Te Sate are owned by the same person. Te Sate serves a more sophisticated take on Indonesian food from all over the nation, and yes it's more expensive, but they're GOOD. Some of their food are great and some of them are just plain good.
It's located in Pacific Place, 5th floor, right in front of the elevator, across Ootoya (an awesome Japanese place that serves Japanese home cooking). The place itself is huge ang goooorgeous.

I love their menu too, it's a kipas sate!!

I went with my mom and dad, so we naturally order a LOT of food. We had Rawon Buntut, Gado-gado, Sate Ayam Madura, Sate Lilit, Kepiting Soka Saus Mangga, Sambel Matah, and some Nasi Uduk.

I know that isn't a good picture but oh well. It's basically just regular rawon but with buntut instead of chunks of meat. I thought oh okay, rawon. It tastes good, flavorful, and the longer you let it simmer the spicier it gets (which is great). The absolute best part of this is the buntut itself. If you ever want to taste the definition of meat falling of the bones, this is it. It's SO TENDER and awesome and there is zero difficulty eating it. So yes it's pretty great, even tho I'm not completely blown away.

Sate Ayam Madura. Nama restorannya aja Te Sate kan, so I expect great sate. Sate Khas has amazing sate. This, not so much. The texture is great, really tender, tapi HAMBAR. Somehow rasa bumbunya ga cocok dengan rasa satenya, dan kayak ga ada rasanya, beda jauuuuhh sama yg di Sate Khas. NOT recommended. Kalo mau pesen sate, pesen yang dibawah ini:

THE BEST SATE LILIT EVEEERRRRR. Sate lilit disini ada dua jenis, bebek sama kepiting. Di piring ini ada keduanya. Semuanya enak, tapi yang kepiting HEAVEN. Gue sangat suka sate lilit. Di Bali hobi gue makan sate lilit. But this is better than anything I've ever had. Bumbunya itu perfect. Segala-galanya enak banget. Enaknya dua kali lipat kalo dimakan pake....

THIS AWESOME SAMBEL MATAH. Gue suka sambel. Gue suka sambel matah. Dan ini adalah sambel matah ter enak. Gurih, pedes, seger, paaaasssss banget sama sate lilitnya. Pokoknya kalo lo pengen sate enak seger, pesen sate lilit kepiting + sambel matah ini!!!!

You might ask wth is that???? It looks like a caesar salad but with sambel kacang and emping. Yup, its the weirdest gado-gado I've ever seen. But I know to not judge food by how it looks. It was decent. Fresh, but different. Tahu dan tempenya seharusnya lebih crispy dan nyeresep, tapi bumbu kacangnya enak. Decent lah, tapi porsinya banyak banget. It's pretty funny to look at tho hahaha

Last but not least, the glorious gloooorious Kepiting Soka. This is an awesome dish. Kepiting soka emang cocok banget sama mangga muda. Bener2 fresh, asem pedes seger kyaaaa suka banget. Kalo lo ga suka sambel mangga, lo akan mengubah pikiran lo dengan makan ini. Yep it's even better than the one in Din Tai Fung. Best I've had.
So, the verdict is, I love Te Sate because their food packs a punch. Flavourful and authentic. But its terrible sate ayam makes me mad, man. It's supposed to be their specialty!! Oh well, Sate Lilit FTW!!!!
Best enjoyed with mom and pops because of their steep prices. Like 90rb a dish steep. Yup, fancy Indonesian food it is.

THE BEST THING IN SENOPATI AFTER HOLYCOW: Zenbu

Jalan Senopati adalah jalan dimana restoran2 berderet. Dari tradisional, sushi, steak, suki, sampai asian food tersedia. Nggak lama setelah lo melewati belokan SCBD, lo akan menemukan Zenbu, sebuah resto jepang yang tampak biasa saja. Tapi saat lo masuk dan melihat menunya, pasti lo overwhelmed dan akan super bingung memesan.


Mereka punya 3 menu. Menu utama, menu sushi, dan menu dessert yang disediakan oleh Gelare. Di menu utama asiknya ada itungan kalorinya!!! Menu utama ini isinya appetizer2, Mozaru, udon, ramen, don, Omurice, furai, tempura, dan minuman. Apa itu Mozaru? Mozaru adalah menu andalannya Zenbu, yaitu nasi berbumbu dengan katsu (bisa milih katsu apa) dan ditutup keju mozarella dan dibake. Yup, sooo good. Tapi malam ini gue nggak pesan itu.
Untuk appetizer, gue pesen menu baru mereka, Wagyu Cheese Roll. Namanya aja kedengeran super enak.

Disajikan di atas hot plate, gulungan2 daging wagyu ini membungkus jamur enoki dan keju mozarella yang meleleh2 keluar. Lumayan sama persis sama Zhuma Beef Roll di Zhuma Sency, bedanya ini wagyu, which makes Zenbu's ten times better. The sauce sizzles and caramelizes with the cheese, making it even tastier. Saat digigit, kerasa banget betapa lembut dan buttery nya daging wagyunya. Best appetizer!
Sushi course: Sushi Balls!!

Aren't they the cutest things??? Bola-bola sushi kecil ini nggak hanya cute, mereka juga enak dan murah. 6 assorted sushi balls ini harganya cuma 25ribu. Rasanya ya sama aja sama sushi biasa, tapi bentuknya yang bola2 ini bikin nasinya lebih padat dan enak dimakan daripada sushi biasa, dan juga lebih praktis karena tinggal hap abis sebiji.
My sister's sushi: Mentaiko Salmon Belly

the picture speaks for itself. my stick-thin sister plowed through 4 pieces of this deelish pieces of goodness.
Soup Course: THE BEST SOUP EVAAAR: SALMON BELLY SOUP
noooo I forgot to take pics of this amazing bowl of soup!!!! So basically, it's a hot and delicious soup of mushrooms, some green vegs and the best slices of salmon belly. Y'all know how good a piece of salmon belly is. It's the wagyu of salmon. If that makes sense. It's buttery, fatty, soft, and melts in your mouth. In this soup, it's boiled soft and heavenly, when you bite the soft pink flesh, your taste buds will thank you. It's amazing, warm, comforting, healthy, and less than 300 calories. Seriously, what more can you ask for?
Main Course: Seafood Katsu Curry

Zenbu has reaaaallly good katsu and furai. Combined with their mild yet silky curry sauce, it's a grrrreat bowl of rice. It's just great. Of course, places like Go! Curry has better curry, but this is great.
Bottom line is, Zenbu, like Bakerzin, doesn't have anything that tastes less than great in their menu. I didn't order their waffles, because I was so full, but their waffles are the best waffles in the country. Maybe in the continent. Or the whole world. IHOP or Waffle House doesn't even compare. They need their own post. They're 50% off on Tuesdays, too. Oh God this place is awesome.

Awesome Kaki Lima: KEYAKI JAPANESE FOOD

Hari sudah malam. Lapar melanda. Ngidam kari jepang, teriyaki, tempura. Buka dompet, sisa 30 ribu doang. Jangan bimbang, ada solusi nendang! Kemarin malam gue makan di Keyaki Japanese Food, yaitu lokasinya di belakang mesjid Al Azhar Pusat, passss di samping Roti Bakar Edi yang super oke dan super terkenal itu. Harga semua di bawah 30 ribu, menu lengkap dari kari, tempura, teriyaki, dll. Dan ENAK! Seperti biasa gue makan bersama Bram. Doi pesen chicken teriyaki, gue pesen chicken katsu yang dimasak pake telor itu lho, lupa namanya.


Dari tampang emang nothing much. Tapi menurut gue sih enak banget dan super terjangkau. Averagenya 20ribu udah pake nasi. Makanan gue lebih enak dari oyakodon nya Kiyadon, which is basically the same thing. Katsunya masih berasa crunchy, hangat, telurnya lembut, rasanya gurih dengan sedikit rasa manis yang passss bgt. Chicken teriyakinya juga enak, ayamnya tenderly cooked, sausnya juga enak. Abis makan dari sini paling mantap emang makan pisang bakar di sebelah, roti bakar edi. ^^
jadi intinya, siapa bilang makanan jepang harus mahal?

A Classic Jakartan Lunch: BAKMI GM

This post isn't about anything adventurous or new. It isn't about taking leaps of faith and trying menacing food. It's about comfort food. And mine comes from Bakmi GM.
Okay, I have a confession to make before we start. I HATE Bakmi GM's noodles. I know, everybody loves 'em. I can stand 'em only when I have it yamien. I hate the fact that it's so thin and doesn't taste noodle-y at all. Hate on me, hate on me. BUT, I LOOOVE these two menus. They're so good, there's nothing that can come close in this city.
1. NASI TIM

Since I was a wee kid, my mom has been feeding me this, especially when I'm sick. It's warm, soft, so easy to eat, the rice tastes so buttery and it melts in your mouth, and when eaten with the hot broth, everything just comes together. When you're sick and you can taste nothing, you'll still taste the warmth and the softness of this dish. It's the DEFINITION of comfort food. This is even better than a huge bowl of Velveeta macaroni&cheese (my other comfort food). Satu kata yang bisa mendeskripsikan nasi tim GM: gurih. Gurihnya itu pas. Meresap di setiap potong ayamnya yang lunak, di setiap sendok kuahnya yang panas. Duh, pokoknya the best dish in GM.
2. PANGSIT GOREEEEENG!!!!!!

Pertanyaan satu: siapa yang nggak tau pangsit goreng GM. Pertanyaan dua: siapa yang nggak suka pangsit goreng GM??!!?!?!?! Kayaknya jawaban dari kedua pertanyaan itu adalah nggak ada. Tekstur dari pangsit goreng ini belum pernah gue temui dimanapun selain di GM. Dicelup di saos nya yang juga merupakan saos puyung hai itu, rasa asam manisnya pas banget sama rasa enaknya tepung digoreng. Dan prize nya adalah mata pangsitnya men. Dikala di sekitarnya digoreng crunchy dan super crumbly, ayam di tengahnya itu lembuuut banget. So moist. It's the best thing in the world. It's so absurdly good.
Apa yang kedua dish favorit gue ini have in common? Gue udah mencari ke pelosok2 jakarta, dan nggak ada satu pun nasi tim atau pangsit goreng yang rasanya mendekati. Kalo ada yang nemu, kasih tau gue, dan kalo gue setuju, gue traktir lo setengah porsi pangsit goreng GM.

WHERE TO EAT: Pacific Place

Hi! I'll be having a series of posts of where to eat in malls, and for the first in a series, it'll be about my second home, Pacific Place.
Pacific Place is a mall located in Sudirman Central Business District, right smack dab in the heart of South Jakarta. And 3 minutes to where I live. hahaha I go here everyday almost, sometimes more than once. I know this mall like the back of my hand, especially its restaurant.

okay, so first up! where do I eat when I want a light snack? I would love to say Subway, but that only happens in my dreams, because for some reason people don't eat a lot of sandwiches here thus resulting in the complete lack of Subways in Jakarta. So instead, I'll go to Kemchicks on the first basement to grab fresh turkey sandwiches or a tub of broccoli salad. Their deli section is outstanding, in jakarta's standards. It's SO INCREDIBLY hard to get a turkey sandwich here. Like you have no idea. So I was so happy when Kemchick's has it, seasoned with honey mustard just the way I like it. It will be even better with a slice of mozarella or a smear of cranberry though, but still. And their salads are good too! You can mix em in a bowl, they have broccoli salad, coleslaw, smoked beef and eggs, fruit salad, huzaren salad, and some more. They also have fresh greens with some toppings and various dressings.
Next stop, where's the perfect place for a healthy, guilt-free lunch? One answer for y'all: PURE. It's this organic restaurant on the 5th floor, beside Fitness First.

I was a bit skeptical about organic and healthy stuff, but it turns out they have quite a wide selection of food. I'm a HUUGE fish person, and I am very picky about how well my fish is cooked. For me, fish is tricky. It has to be perfectly cooked otherwise it'll be too squishy or too hard. But I love raw fish. I ordered the salmon and pasta, the salmon was awesome, pasta was awesome. Then another day I ordered the other fish with mashed potatoes, and it was awesome too. The vegetables were divine. And everybody must try their Yoguberry. It's this concoction of yogurt, berries, and some jell-o, and man was it good. The whole experience was just really light and feel-good. The best thing is I felt healthier after eating and not heavy and full of guilt.
If you want something heavier for lunch, you have SOOO many choices!!! My favorite is Sanpachi Ramen. I always order the Miso Ramen, and that's for a reason. It's practically the BEST ramen i've ever had. I seasoned it right, with a lot of spices and some butter, so the soup is heavenly and the noodles... oh those noodles. They have the perfect texture and thickness and density. My favorite noodles in a mall. (My absolute unshakable favorite is from Mandala restaurant, a chinese place that has been around since my mom was a kid) They have delicious gyoza, too.
Afternoon tea? You can never go wrong with Ya Kun Kaya Toast!!! Order their Traditional Kaya Toast, Yummy Cheezy Toast, with either their Teh or Kopi. The milk in their beverages are sooooooo good. I love them to death.
Best place for dinner is Sopra. This Italian place right above Coffee Bean is so good, it deserves its own post. Let's just say they have the best pasta in town and I'll leave it at that, and wait for my post completely dedicated to it. Its only weakness is its terrible Tiramisu. Shame, shame, shame.
Because Sopra has mediocre dessert, you better grab a couple cream puffs from the best, Beard Papa!! Get my favorite, the cookie pastry with vanilla cream. Their cream filling, there is nothing better than that creamy, sweet, light, cool, just completely beautiful filling.
Well, that's a day in the life of Attika in Pacific Place. I actually have done all that in a day.........that's how much I devote my life to this mall.
Stay tuned for the next mall!

pics off google

MY FAVORITES: MAGNUM CAFE!!

So....I had ice cream for breakfast. hahaha yep today me and Bram started our day a little early to get a seat in Magnum Cafe. Siapa sih yang nggak tau Magnum Cafe??? Notorious for its crazy queue, people hesitate to go and try its magnificent delights. I'm going to give you a little introduction to the place where you're closest to heaven that you'll ever be.
Magnum Cafe awalnya buka untuk mensupport campaign Magnum yang gila-gilaan. Pertama-tama buka, antrenya kayak antri air di padang pasir. Puaaaanjang bener. Gue juga awalnya ciut. Namun, gue menemukan fakta bahwa sebenernya antriannya itu dua lapis! Lapis pertama yang nggak nahan adalah orang-orang yang mau dine-in, dan lapisan kedua yang seringnya kosong melompong adalah orang-orang yang mau take-away. Gue pun mencoba take away an nya.
Take Away: kalo lo mau take away, ada dua pilihan. Magnum ketengan yang kayak lo bisa beli di indomaret, atau magnum yang datang dari surga. Sekarang gini aja deh. Ngapain lo jauh2 ke GI cuma buat beli magnum yang ada di supermarket terdekat?? Magnum dari surga ini adalah magnum yang bisa lo kreasikan sesuai hati lo. Vanilla atau coklat? (VANILLA) Dicelup dark atau milk chocolate? (MILK) Lalu pilih 2 topping. Toppingnya ada dua kategori, King's atau Prince's. King's itu kayak kacang2an macam almonds hazelnuts etc. Prince's itu biskuit2/sereal, seperti choco crunch, choco rice, vanilla dan oreo cookies etc. Favorit gue yang sudah sangat tried and true adalah VANILLA COOKIES DAN CHOCO CRUNCH. Widih milk chocolatenya itu lho yang nagih. Gue sih makan 1 aja, kalo Bram yang beneran Magnum Mania, 3 atau 4 biji sekaligus. Kayaknya dia sangat cocok jadi maskot Magnum. He thinks it's more addictive than weed. Oh iya harga, kalo lo pesen Prince's, 20 ribu, King's 25 ribu saja.
Dine-In: Dining in Magnum Cafe is an experience that requires adequate preparations and planning. Gue dua kali dine in, dan selalu datang jam 10.30, sementara cafe nya sendiri buka jam 11.00. Hal ini dilakukan untuk menghindari antri yang amat sangat. Kalo lo berani diatas jam 12 ke sini, siap2 snack sama keranjang piknik deh, karena nunggunya bisa lebih dari 1 jam. Untung belom pernah. Hari ini hari Senin. Gue tiba jam 11 kurang 10, dan udah ada 2 keluarga menanti di depan pintu masuk magnum cafe. Jam 11.15 pintu dibuka (ngaret, I know, gue udah memberi mas2nya tatapan sinis abis2an), we're ushered to our tables by a costumed man that's pretending to be our royal server or whatever. They call us 'my lady' and 'my lord'. Hari ini, gue mengorder Strawberry Surprise kalo ga salah namanya, which is a stick of magnum vanilla ice cream with strawberries, bananas, strawberry jam or sauce, and dark chocolate, lalu Bram pesen Waffle Aristocrat, yaitu waffle yang disiram coklat dan karamel, dengan 2 stik magnum, plus taburan kacang dan sebuah puff pastry dusted with powdered sugar, dan untuk berdua kita mesen Fiesta del Rey, a chicken, cheese, and bellpeppers quesadilla.


(crappy pics are crappy, I again forgot my camera so these are pics I snapped with my crappy phone camera)
Verdict:
1. Strawberry: damn this dish is good!!!!!!!!! Perfect balance between sweet, sour, and creamy. And there's really nothing better than the best vanilla ice cream + strawberries + bananas + chocolate. There is nothing better.  When you lift your ice cream stick and give the dish a stir, it's like a soup of pure goodness and calories. Strawberry sauce is mixed with chocolate and drips of vanilla ice cream. God I can eat this thing all day.
2. Bram's waffles: my verdict: too much, too sweet. His verdict: "Ini enak banget!!!"
3. Fiesta del Rey: decent. This is because I've had way better quesadillas. Bram's verdict (he's never had a quesadilla): "Buat aku ini enak banget!" Jadi kalo lo pernah makan quesadillas beneran, ini biasa aja, tapi judging from betapa sulitnya nemu quesadillas di Jakarta, gue bahagia. Kalo belom pernah, enak banget.
TL;DR, MAGNUM CAFE IS GOOOOOOD. Magnum cafe dan Holycow adalah dua hal yang nggak pernah lelah gue rekomen ke sanak famili, dan biasanya they go hand in hand (Magnum after a nice wagyu is SO AWESOME). Anytime you're in GI, grab a take away. Anytime you have a free morning, eat dine-in.