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What would be the perfect meal for my one night transit in Jakarta before flying to Bali? 5-star hotel buffet indulgence? A scrumptious Padang spread? Fancy schmancy Indonesian fusion? Na-ah! I want a lazy, ordered in (by SMS), carb on carb satisfier.....Nasi Mie Goreng Tek Tek (Fried Rice and Noodle Mix from a Street Cart Vendor)! Spicy and delicious, it got me totally high, put me to sleep almost instantly, critical to preserve all the energy I was gonna need for my flight the next day. Zzzzzz....the next day....
Hello, sunshine! I was so looking forward to the normally-crappy-yet-I-still-love airline food, only to learn that Air Asia domestic flights do not serve food. You have to purchase in flight food, and you're not allowed to bring outside food on board. Whoa! Luckily, before we boarded the flight, we had this wonderful brunch at one of the ordinary cafes at Bandara Soekarno Hatta's domestic departure terminal...
I ordered my all time favorite Mie Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Noodle). The texture of the noodle was not what I was expected, a bit overcooked, less chewy, but the chicken compensated it.
My sis ordered another Indonesian breakfast/brunch favorite, Soto Ayam (Indonesian chicken in broth), it was not bad at all, much better than what we expected, but not as good as Soto Ayam from famous outlets.
Something memorable from this cafe.....we love the vintage teacup and saucer used to serve our Indonesian hot coffee and hot tea, we even asked the waiter where to get them from. To our disappointment, his answer was "dunno". Sob sob.
What happens if I boarded a flight without any in flight entertainment, no magazine or book on hand, and still wanting more food?
I stared out the window gawking at the clouds and to me, the big fluffy ones looked like cotton candy and the small puckered ones look like pop corn. Hmmm....deliciously delusional.
If being adorable is a crime, Kedai is so guilty as charged. It's every little corner is so delightful, it's criminal! Unbelievable creativity is reflected on its entrance to its back corner, further to its creative menu, friendly crew, and delicious food...I stood in awe, speechless.
The place is pleasantly tinged with bright pastel hues, I felt like I was in a little wonderland.
A karambol table at a corner reminded me that I suck at it and should not make myself feel worse by attempting to play ever again. Haha!
The colanders hung upside down as lamp shades caught my eye. Darn it. Why didn't think of that first :)
The walls were full of old Indonesian posters, and I love the combination of Indonesian and Dutch colonial furniture, the mismatched chairs, and the pop corn machine at the corner! Wow!
Up to this point, I am pretty much speechless. Isn't every corner a surprise?
Busy gushing at the place, I almost forgot something important, the food. The dishes were creatively titled with Indonesian names, such as Nasi Goreng Jumat Kliwon (Jumat Kliwon Fried Rice. Jumat means Friday, kliwon indicates the fifth day in Javanese Calendar. In Indonesia, Jumat Kliwon is believed to have mystic association, so it creeps me out a little bit. I am sure the fried rice should be delicious though ^_^). The whole menu made me giggle.
Baked Rice (Nasi Panggang)
Delicious rice with bits of bacon, topped with cheese and baked. Need I say more?
Unusually delicious.
Lemongrass Chicken (Ayam Serai)
Light and simple, yet fragrant and full of flavors.
and here comes my favorite...
Bakwan Komplit (Indonesian Mixed Balls in Clear Broth)
It has everything I want in a bakwan komplit. A perfect combination of beef balls, fried tofy, fried dumpling, fried fishball, in hot clear broth. It may look light, but it's hearty. Best eaten with lots of chilli. Nothing's more enjoyable than slurping the hot broth with sweat trickling down my face.
I opted for the drink that I crave every time I am back in Indonesia...
Teh Panas/ Es Teh (Hot/Iced Tea)
No lemon, no milk. Just plain ol' tea with a touch of sugar.
Happy trio at Kedai.
To all of my Indonesian friends living overseas, please forgive me for teasing you with this post ^_^
I bet you can't wait to visit this place.
Noticed something on top of the restaurant's entrance? Oh yeah, they have an adorable knick knacks shop, Bikin Barang, which is full of vintage and handmade goodies. Too bad it wasn't open when I was there, I am so gonna visit next time.
Not visiting this place? That's a crime.
Kedai & Bikin Barang
Jl, Benda Raya no 89, Kemang. Phone:021-7815114, Jakarta, Indonesia
When I say "I perform well under extreme pressure", what I really meant was "I am a huge procrastinator".
Seriously.
Most of the time, I can't do anything unless it is at the very last minute.
Just like this week. I've promised to join various food blog events, the due dates are dangerously near, I haven't started thinking of what to cook for some events, and for the ones I've cooked, I can't even start to sort through my gadzillion failed pictures to find some decent shots to post, let alone think of anything clever to write.
I guess the desperately needed inspiration may come later when the hosts have already shunned me forever from the blogosphere due to broken promises and missed deadlines. Hehehehe, a minute late, a dollar short.
To celebrate my ongoing procrastination, I am sharing this fabulous little corner I found in Puri Indah Mall, Jakarta. The Cemal Cemil (Indonesian for Snack) corner tries to recreate and sell old and classic Indonesian snacks and accessories, such as permen cicak, permen rokok, the yellow and pale green metal mugs, and the classic green and white patterned mugs, and many more!
Being a lover of everything old, you can imagine how I was lusting over every single bit of stuff sold at that corner. It was so frustrating to know that I have absolutely NO space to keep any of them in my tiny Hong Kong flat.
Should I buy? My brain was saying NO, NO, NO! But my heart was saying YES, YES, YES!
My brain won. Dammit!
Go ahead, buy away, make me jealous.
Visit Cemal Cemil
at Jl. Kemang Selatan I/20, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia
The moment I stepped into this place, I instantly fell in love. It was my first year of university, with my classmates and seniors, getting assignments, exams, projects and deadlines off our heads. It totally helped.
It's just the kind of place we'd all adore. It's charming, fabulously old (Since 1932. Wow!), and indeed one of the city's iconic place. A couple of swanky new places which have been sprouting around it does not shake its popularity.
Ragusa is famous for its ice cream. It's light and refreshing, perfect for Jakarta's balmy weather. 
My sis and I went there after a day of shopping (again?) in Pasar Baru, trying to avoid traffic jam, and resting our exhausted feet. I ordered a Chocolate Ice Cream Soda, which came pink, thanks to my sis who thought Chocolate starts with an S (Soklat, as it might be pronounced in Javanese accent) and wrote (S) on the order form (the code for Strawberry). I can't blame her. This is what a day of crazy shopping could do to you. It's not all euphoria, it too, could get you a bit delusional.
We also ordered a cup of classic Mocha Ice Cream. Just sounds so perfect for my blog, innit?
We gossiped (oh, I meant share valuable experiences) for hours, and just enjoyed the cool ambience. The crowd; the group of gentlemen just beside our table; the singer who did a beautiful rendition of the golden oldies such as Let It Be Me, Love Me Tender, and Only You (oh...all my songs!); the jamu gendong lady and other street food vendors delivering foods from outside the shop; the servers in neat uniform; the parking attendant who were downing a bowl of steamy noodles by the street; the sun setting behind the trees; the sound of the rain just outside the door....truly a feast for our senses and soul.
We were still stuffed from the huge lunch of noodles earlier, but we couldn't help ordering two servings of our all time favorite...
Krupuk (crackers) drizzled with palm sugar syrup and peanut sauce
We had to leave before we were tempted to order another plate of these bad boys.
Ragusa Es Italia
Jl. Veteran I/10"
Central Jakarta
Indonesia
Tel.: (62)(21) 384 9123
Everybody has their own favorite seafood place. This one is mine. A must must MUST visit destination for me. The foods are so fantastic, I am missing them already!
The crew's obviously happy (They kinda have to. They are exposed in an open working area. Hehe), no wonder they made such great food! This is something I can't get over in Indonesia. I pretty much didn't have to ask their permission to take pictures (although I did anyway), as once I took out my camera, they instantly arranged themselves neatly into poses, literally shoving each other, fighting to be in the frame. I love you guys! PEACE! OK! Rock & Roll!
Now....it's seafood time!!!
Udang Goreng Mentega (Stir Fried Prawns in Butter and Soy Sauce). Even after we finished the prawns, we didn't want the servers to remove the plate, we mopped the sauce squeaky clean!
Oh my gawd, is that something from Alien-Ressurection? Nah, this beats that. It's Gurame Goreng Kering (Super Crispy Deep Fried Gouramy - thanks for the correction, Pepy), served with Sambal Kecap Manis (Sweet Soy Chilli Sauce). Its sore throat inducing power is so strong, remember take loads of liquid with it, and don't forget to pay the bathroom a visit before you hit Jakarta's notorious traffic. Believe us, holding your liquid in while being trapped in hours-long traffic jam is NO FUN!
All it took was forgetting to take the rice picture for a few moments, and the still hot and steamy rice was longgg gone. This is all I have for you guys, the wicker basket and banana leaf which held the rice.
Pondok Sedap Malam's specialty, Kepiting Lada Hitam (Black Pepper Crab). Spicy, tasty, and the crab roe...simply indescribable.
Just a plate of veggie? Kangkung cah Tauco (Stir Fried Water Spinach in Fermented Bean Sauce -thx, Rurie!). Yeah lots of protein and just a tiny bit of veggie. My version of balance diet, alright :)
This is something I always try to duplicate at home without using a proper grill. Surely, it ain't the same, baby! Gurame Bakar Kecap (Grilled Gouramy in Sweet Soy Sauce - thanks again, Pep!). The fish is perfectly cooked, velvety smooth, and the charred and caramelised skin....I think you got it.
Oh, crab! Here's another favorite. Kepiting Goreng Telur Asin (Crab Stir Fried in Spicy Salted Egg Yolk) In fact, my sis and I ate this the last, following our "Save the Best for Last" policy. I wanted to memorize the flavor...let it linger...that's until we were ready for dessert. Hehe.
It ain't just all food. You get some serious entertainment too! A few groups of singers/choirs paid us a visit and entertained us with songs of joyful rejoice, a little out of tune sometimes, but joyful still :)
A little tip: prepare some small change on the table. It was a little awkward having to dig our pockets/wallets for some money while we had seafood all over our fingers. To the singers: you might wanna consider places where we don't have to use our bare hands to wrestle with our food. You'd probably get more money ^_^
Remember...when you see this sign...
...you're in for a delicious ride.
What did I wear that night? Check it out here.
Pondok Sedap Malam, Pluit
(address and phone number coming soon)
Several light years ago, when I was living in Jakarta, I remembered what it was like being young and hip.
Wearing whatever's hot from Esprit and Benetton (oh yeah, those two were the "it" brands back then) or Mangga Dua Grocer (I might've been trendy, but I was as cheap as I am now. Haha), trying out McDonald's just when they opened the first branch at Sarinah, dining out and watching movies at Planet Hollywood (HAHAHA!) being told by our server "Choose your meal carefully, this is not the cheap McDonald's value meal you guys are used to" (Oh my, if he told us that now, we'd probably complain the crap outta him). Oh boy, those were the times when we felt dining at Sizzler was a major gastronomic experience.
Although I am no longer hip nor happening, every time I visit Jakarta, my sis would bring me to Jakarta's hottest dining spots. This trip, she brought me to this fabulous restaurant/bar/winepost, Social House at Harvey Nichols.
We went there for an afternoon tea, right after a day of intense shopping. We needed comfy sofas to give our sore feet a break, fabulously packaged caffein and sugar to replenish ourselves, and a breathtaking view for our foreign visitor (and me, lil' miss photo opportunist). Social House has it all.
The iced and hot cappucino came gorgeous, the iced lemon tea is no ordinary fair. It's served with fresh mint leaves and lemon sorbet. It was even more fantastic than mojito. Perfect for those who are allergic to alcohol (i.e. me)
Nothing made us order more drinks than a once-you-pop-you-can't-stop, thirst-inducing, delicious snack. The kacang telor (Indonesian snack of peanuts covered in spiced flour) were fantastic. Crispy and tasty.
The chocolate cake was baked to perfection. Rich, moist, gooey, chocolatey, with a touch of cream and berries.
It was every bit as amazing as it looks.
The mixed berries creme brulee converted this berry hater. It was a beautiful combination of the creaminess of the base, crackling sugary sweetness of the top, and the tartness of the berries.
We were lucky to have a corner spot overlooking bundaran Thamrin. The view even had the locals like me impressed, I was snapping away like a mad woman. Thus the intense backache that followed. Bah!
Bootylicious? Not!!!
A word of wisdom after a meal? Sure...as long as it encourages more eating :)
The view gets even more amazing at the magic hour.
It's worth all the backaches and sore shoulders.
Yummy treats from Soho and jewelries from Forever 21. A great day for me and my girls.
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