Din Tai Fung

Today I signed up for my first tax accounting tutor class at Mall of Indonesia and I decided to hit the mall for lunch. I entered from 'Lobby 4' and the first restaurant I saw on the left was 'Din Tai Fung' It has been ages since I had dim sum and looking from the half - packed restaurant floor I made up my choice of lunch for today!

The food was beautiful and seriously didn't let me down one single bit!! I want to eat there more often and try all the dishes in the menu. When I realize they have several branches all over Jakarta, I was relieved I wouldn't have to always come back to Mall of Indonesia.

The price was reasonable and the service was quick and smooth. I love every single menu I had today, even though some was much better than the others but the overall lunch experience left me with a good image. The only sad part was that, their desert selection was not complete, I ordered for a mango pudding desert (mango covers 60% of their desert selection) but the waitress said they ran out of mangoes -__- ....

Menu : Chicken's Feet
Price : Rp 15,000++
Score : 8.5 / 10

>> The best chicken feet I had ever eaten in my entire life! The chicken feet was tender, light, very very tasty, the skin and meat slip off easily off from the bones. The sauce was gorgeous and made me want to pour it all over steam white rice. One small serving of this is not enough!

Menu : Soft Shell Crab with Beef Floss
Price : Rp 40,000++
Score : 6.5 / 10

>> Very crispy but not too oily. The dish was pleasantly seasoned and actually surprised me that beef floss actually goes well with soft shell crab. Even though the crab was rather small, I enjoyed it very much when eaten together with their home made chili oil. Remember to put a generous amount of it :)

Menu : Shrim & Chicken Won Ton Tossed with Spicy Sauce
Price : Rp 28,000++ (6 pieces)
Score : 8.0 / 10

>> Very very yummy!! I want to keep on eating this with their great tasting home made noodles! The vinegar sauce blew me away, the sourness, the tartness, the spiciness were combined together at the right portion and made this a scoring dish. The won ton skin were thin and nearly translucent, thus concentrating on the meat fillings inside.

Menu : Tom Yum Seafood Noodle Soup
Price : Rp 52,000++
Score : 7.8 / 10

>> Omg! Lovee this! The soup is just simply delicious, the spiciness and the sourness is not overpowering. The coconut milk was very well balanced, not too strong. The noodle was very very smooth and delicate, great texture!! The fillings inside was little but the soup and the noodle made me forget those factors! I will come back for more, definitely!

DIN TAI FUNG

BRANCHES : 

                    - Pondok Indah Mall 2

                    - Plaza Senayan Arcadia

                    - Plaza Indonesia 

                    - Pacific Place

                    - Mall of Indonesia (Ground Floor, in front of lobby 4)

Sweet Tooth

If you get to know me better and take notice of my way of eating, you'll know that I am a sugar junkie! I loveeee sweet treats, I need sugary stuff to finish my every meal. Even if it is just a piece of chewing gum, a glass of strawberry smoothie or an elaborate plate of desert I desperately need anything sweet at the end of my meal. If I didn't have any, I'll feel something is odd, something is not right, something is not yet complete. In short, I have a very sweet tooth and so I'll dedicate this post for sugar lovers out there.

Where : Canteen (EX, Plaza Indonesia Extension)

Menu: Chocolate Fondant with Caramel & Vanilla Ice Cream
Price : Rp 35,000++
Score : 7.0 / 10

>> Glorious chocolate!! Slightly bitter chocolate cake with melting sauce oozing from the inside eaten together with sweet vanilla ice cream is just wonderful! I reckon I had better ones but I definitely finished this plate by myself :p

Where : Canteen (EX, Plaza Indonesia Extension)

Menu : Creme Brulee

Price : Rp 35,000++
Score : 6.5 / 10

>> The first scoop didn't taste that good but the more you dig into this, you can't stop. At least, I can't! I specially asked the waitress for a more burn caramel on top and that really increase the 'wow' taste factor.

Where :  Maystar (Emporium Pluit Mall, 4th Floor)

Menu : Coconut Pudding
Price : Rp 42,800 ++
Score : 8.0 / 10

>> Rather expensive but one of the best coconut pudding in town, even better their rival Duck King's. The sweetness and the tender pudding simply melts in your mouth! Heavenly! 

Where : Kiyadon (Several branches all over Jakarta)

Menu : Shiratama Zenzai
Price : Rp 35,000 ++
Score : 6 / 10

>> Even though I'm not a big fan of mochi but this warm mochi is very chewable and pleasant to eat. I love the strong vanilla infused ice cream, I must say it is more fragrant than usual and the asuki beans were sooo yummy, definitely the star of the dessert!

Where : Korean Supermarket or Korean Restaurant

Menu : Ice Cream Sandwich with Cheese Cake
Price : RP 15,000
Score : 7.0 / 10
>> I like this Korean ice cream very much. The sponge cake on the top and bottom is very soft and even though you eat it out straight from the freezer, the cake wasn't icy solid nor difficult to bite through. The ice cream is smooth, no ice crystals and most importantly I can definitely taste the cheese cake flavor.

Where : Pluit Village 4th Floor

Menu : Chocolate and Cheese Doriyaki
Price : RP 7,000 / each
Score : 2.0 / 10
>> I bought this at Pluit Village 4th floor from a doriyaki stand that I forgot to note down the name (but definitely won't ever go back for the 2nd time). It taste bad -___-! The dough was cold and chewy, the filling was spare and so little that I cannot taste the cheese inside. I only had one bite and gave the rest away to my driver.

Where : Any Supermarket

Menu : Ultra Jaya Assorted Flavored Drinks
Price: Sari Asem (Rp 3,500), Sari Kacang Ijo (Rp 2,800)

& Susu Coklat (Rp 4,000)
Score : Average of 6.75 / 10

>> Every time I hit the supermarket, I'll pass by the drinks section and pile on these 3 flavored drinks. Compared to all of the other competitors' brands, Ultra Jaya has better taste, better consistency and from the taste I'm assuming they're only using pure sugar instead of artificial sweeteners.

Where : Food Hall Supermarket

Menu : Mrs Fields Triple Chocolate Cookies
Price : Rp 51,000 / pack (8 pieces inside)
Score : 7.5 / 10

>> Overprice for sure but I feel it is worth it to splurge on great tasting food. The cookies were wrapped individually for freshness. You can taste the moist, chewy and gooey chocolate in all of the cookies every time you bite into it. I love having this in front of the TV watching my favorite drama.

Pizza Hut

It's been ages since my last trip to a Pizza Hut joint, more than 2 years maybe. Last week, I was sitting in front of the TV and Pizza Hut's advertisement played and since then I have been craving for a slice of their pizza. Marketing gimmicks works I guess. I went in last Thursday and their special Thursday menu (HEBAT = hemat banget) is a 50% off on Crown Crust Black Pepper Chicken and also on their Puff Pastry Mushroom Cream Soup. Therefore a complete meal for two person, the bill came down relatively cheap; Rp 150,000.

I had the appetizers, entree, main and chocolate ice cream to end my lunch. The overall experience was okay, even though I was mildly irritated by the talkative waitress. All of the waitress were trained to speak in a certain way and memorize a certain paragraph. The whole thing becomes an act and in a way 'fake'. Nevertheless, it is a junk food chain restaurant and thus I can expect too much out of it.

Menu : Garlic Cheese Bread
Price : Rp 14,500++
Score : 6.0 / 10

>> I wanted to eat garlic bread so badly and when I saw this on menu I was derailed; tempted by the melted cheese all over on top. Even though I like just the garlic bread better, this garlic and cheese topping works beautifully together. The taste definitely works for me.

Menu : New Orleans Chicken Wings
Price : Rp 27,000++ (6 pieces)
Score : 6.5 / 10

>> Whenever I come to a Pizza Hut joint, I'll always order this BBQ chicken wings. It is damn tasty!! The small size of the wings actually compliments to the entire dish, you can just easily pick one up and bite the juicy meat easily off from the bones.

Menu : Puff Pastry Mushroom Cream Soup
Price : 17,000++
Score : 3.5 / 10

>> Bland, bland, bland. No seasoning what so ever. I really think the chef forget to sprinkle salt and pepper into the dish. The pastry was fine but the taste was just utter disappointment!

Menu : Crown Crust Black Pepper Chicken
Price : Rp 32,000++
Score : 6.5 / 10

>> Crown crust simply means; fish finger lay over close to edge of the rim. This personal pan taste yummy! The black pepper sauce was tasty and seasoned well, the vegetables on top was not overcooked, the chicken were still juicy and the dough was the right thickness.

Menu  : Choco Mania
Price : Rp 24,000++
Score : 4.0 / 10

>> Super market bought chocolate ice cream and I assume the brand might be "Diamond" or "Wall's". Nothing special about this, just bits and pieces of chocolate bits thrown together into a big bowl. The only great thing is that this has 4 big scoops!!!

Bubur Ayam Abang - Abang (Road Side Chicken Porridge)

I have been in working in PT. Wihadil for about 1.5 years and just for your information and slight free advertisement; we're a manufacturer of sodium cyclamate (artificial sugar or sweetener) and for details, you can visit www.wihadil.com hahaha! Anyways back to the food topic, I had my first "Bubur Ayam Abang Abang" since I get in here. I often ate bubur ayam (Chicken Porridge) in my previous company for breakfast. But I don't know why, I stop having chicken porridge in the morning. 

I love road side chicken porridge, even though it is truly a simple food and some people think it is a 'peasant' food, it taste real nice and authentic to our traditional way of what the local eat. On top of the porridge you'll find shredded chicken meat, roasted ground nuts, birds eye chili, special gravy and crackers on the side. The food is cheap; RP 5,000 and it surely fire you away in the morning, giving you the extra energy to get through another day in the office.

Bubur Ayam Abang - Abang
Price : Rp 5,000
Score : 6.5 / 10

>> It has been ages since I ate bubur ayam and to be honest my first time eating it in the office. I was surprise and the price in comparison to the quantity. For the mere Rp 5,000 the portion is quite large and not only that, the shredded chicken and all the other goodness were plentiful and yummy! Definitely going to have breakfast more often in the office.

Rice Bowl

I wasn't in the mood for food but for the sake of just eating I had 'Chicken Rice' at Emporium Pluit Mall. It was a quick trip down to 'Rice Bowl' and actually my first. Rice Bowl (www.ricebowl.co.id) was first opened in October 2004, with the goal of providing great food, great services at an affordable price. Rice-Bowl serves many different variety of Asian cuisine, such as their all time favorite Roasted Duck, Black Pepper Beef, Hainan Chicken, Braised Japanese Tofu, and many more.

Menu  : Singapore Hainan Chicken Set
Price : Rp 39,900
Score : 6.5 / 10

>> For the budget price, I reckon the portion and the taste was satisfying and definitely worth it for money. The portion was generous and I couldn't finish the set. The rice was fragrant, chicken was succulent and broccoli was crunchy and yummy! I felt the chili was alright but definitely can improve on the taste; it was spicy enough and a little more ginger can do more good than harm.

Marutama Ramen

This is my second time to Marutama Ramen and to the same branch in EX Mall. I had a lot of pork dishes today and together with DH we 'piggied' ourselves to the max! I had Ramen the last time I was here and today I tried the Rice dishes too. The side dishes was of coursed wasn't missed by me and by the time we finished, I was all guilty with regards to my cholesterol level. I hope my body understands that, and forgives me :p

Menu : Pork Curry Gohan
Price : Rp 52,000++
Score : 6.0 / 10

» The portion is quite big, the pork meat is tender and juicy. But the curry sauce was too bland. It didn't have enough curry flavor, the seasoning needs to be more definitely!

 

Menu : Pork Chasu Gohan
Price : Rp 38,000++
Score : 6.5 / 10

» Suitable portion for my tummy, not too big that you need to force yourself to finish the dish. To simply say it, it has the right size. I liked the pickled radish they put on top of the chasu. The price wasn't too pricey for the medium sized portion too!

Menu : Karashi Ramen
Price : Rp 52,000++
Score : 7.0 / 10

>> This is the second time I had this Ramen and surprisingly it tastes better this time! I'm sure it is because that soy sauce, pepper and cut chili were poured into this bowl, thus making the broth crazily good!

Menu : Steamed Dumpling
Price : Rp 30,000++
Score : 7.0 / 10

>> I loveeee steamed dumpling in spicy vinegar soy sauce. The spiciness, saltiness and the tartness was incredibly wonderful.

Menu : Kakuni Pork Belly
Price : Rp 30,000++
Score : 6.5 / 10

» This pork belly is soft and succulent even though it has a little bit too much fats, i still like this dish. The sauce is salty and has an unique taste, I recommend eaters to eat this white plain white rice.

Menu : Yaki Chasu
Price : Rp 30,000++
Score : 7.0 / 10

» This is an entree dish and definitely my favorite dish in the entire menu. With a good amount of squeezed lemon all over, sprinkle chives and ask for the house cut chili to complete the whole experience. The fatty part wasn't too overpowering for my taste, just simply yummy!

Menu : Tori Dango
Price : Rp 22,000++
Score : 5.75 / 10

>> These six pieces of chicken meat balls are very small in size, bite size; more like a canape. The flavor is pretty okay but the texture of the meat is too mushy, I rather like it to be more firm and a hint of chili or slightly more pepper.

Wedding Dinner @ Hotel Mulia

Yesterday, the 14th January 2011 was certainly the loveliest day for my dearest friend Alvina. She had her wedding reception at Hotel Mulia. It was a beautiful wedding, the decoration was not only incredible, the entertainment was unique and fun too. It was a table dinner reception and the theme of the food was "posh Chinese cuisine". The wedding also gathered a couple of long time old friends, rekindle some lost moments that will be treasured forever.

My favorite dish of the night surely was the dessert; Thai Coconut Jelly with Vanilla Sauce. It was the perfect match to end the meal. The shark's fin soup and the fragrant fried rice would come second. Next was the prawn and the chicken fillet, fourth would the fish and lastly was the sea cucumber dish. I don't actually like sea cucumber, even though it is an expensive food, I'm just terrified of the the slimy texture hahaha...silly silly me!

THE MENU

 - BBQ Combination : Roast Duck, Jelly Fish, Baby Octopus, Vegetale Cakwe

- Braised Shark's Fin Soup with Crab Meat

- Deep Fried Prawn with Wasabi Mayonnaise

- Deep Fried Chicken Fillet with Thai Chili Sauce

- Crispy Fried Fillet of Marble Goby with Soya Sauce

- Braised Sea Cucumber with Bailing Mushroom in Oyster Sauce

- Wok Fried Fragrant Rice with Cubed Chicken and Balachan Sauce

- Thai Coconut Jelly with Vanilla Ice Cream

Arang 22

My close friend (SM) had her twin baby boys today. She had a C - section and within 10 minutes her babies were out of her tummy. Brayden and Bradley were the two names! After visiting her in the hospital, I had Korean dinner with DH. I chose Arang 22 as the place. I heard a lot of buzz about this restaurant but only get to try it now. The parking space was a bitch but the food experience was apologetic for all the parking excuse.

 

Menu : Sut Bul Kalbi

Price : Rp 180,000++
Score : 6.5 / 10

» Great tasting meat! I like the saltiness of the marinate sauce they use. Very succulent and juicy. With green lettuce leaf, cucumber, chili and red Korean paste, the whole party on the tongue is just irresistible!

Menu : Kimchi Chigae

Price : Rp 65,000++
Score : 7.0 / 10

» I would have to say this is 2nd best to Gyukaku's kimchi soup. Definitely better tasting than the one Han Gang is serving. It has great seasoning and the balance of sour, salty and the spicy really had me go for 2nd serving.

Menu : Bossam Jongsik

Price : Rp 80,000++
Score : NIL

» I'm sorry to say that I didn't taste this and therefore not able to cast a score. I had the Kimchi served at the side but not the pork. Reason was that it is 100% FATS -_-. Slices of thick and slightly grilled fats was surely not ordered by me. I reckon if I had this, my cholesterol level would have just shoot out of the roof!

Menu : Jap Chae

Price : Rp 95,000++
Score : 7.5 / 10

» Arang's Jap Chae is amazingly delicious! Of all the dish I ordered from the menu, this is really the best tasting one. The potato noodle is more stickier than other Korean restaurant has. I love the noodle, the sauce, the texture and of course; the taste!!!

Add a caption

Arang 22 : Sut Bul Kalbi Price : Rp 180,000++ Score : 6.5 / 10 » Great tasting meat! I like the saltiness of the marinate sauce they use. Very succulent and juicy. With green lettuce leaf, cucumber, chili and red korean paste, the whole party on the tongue is just irresistible !