Tapas Movida - Cilandak Town Square

I did a review on Tapas Movida way back in 3rd June 2013, which opened my taste buds to what local Spanish cuisine really taste like. Since then, I've drop by quite a few times to their headquarter in Cipete and a second branch had just opened in Cilandak Town Square. I guess hitting the malls can definitely reach out to the people better. Anyways, I was there with a bunch of other foodies and had so much fun. Food was without a doubt; terrific! And what made it even better was the vibe between us all !

The decor of the restaurant wasn't 100% done, they still have a bunch of other things to fix here and there. A couple more weeks and I'm sure it'll turn out great. Tapas wasn't going for any specific theme, they are presenting themselves as 'casual spanish good food', no specific Spanish decor or theme. A little bit difficult to guess what type of food served from the outside, however the bull logo design can be a easy giveaway. Even though they're just newly opened, but their kitchen was running full gear, they have everything listed on the menu and here I go with the food comments ... ^^

Menu : Pincho de Bonito
Price : Rp 15,000 ++ / each
Score : 8.5 / 10

>> Not a big fan of olives but this is definitely one of my favourites! Freshly made bread on the bottom, with a layer of candied tomatoes (which was yummm!) and a generous amount of tuna fish on top. There is this sweetness from the candied tomatoes that was just brilliant. It is still a savory dish even with the contribution of the tomatoes. It's one of those food that gives you an outburst of flavors in your mouth. I couldn't explain myself any better. One bite and you'll understand me.

Menu : Patatas Chorizo

Price : Rp 65,000 ++
Score : 7.5 / 10

>> I adore simple dish. This is going back to basic, potatoes with spanish sausage! Both ingredients shine and grilled (or fried) to perfection. I was expecting crazily salty taste from the bite, and well the kitchen definitely know how to hold themselves with sodium. Chorizo itself has a high salt level and with the herb seasoned potatoes it was comfort food for me. I loooove to just have this over and over and over for breakfast every single day for this week. Slightly on a pricey side for potatoes and sausage but hey, it's imported from Spain, got to give more sometimes. Adore !!!

Menu : Mejillones 

Price : Rp 45,000 ++
Score : 9.0 / 10

>> Oh my! Mussels in white wine cream sauce. I had like 20 of these I think? I made sure the bowl was place very closely to me. First dish that I would definitely order again during my next trip here would be this. The mussels were not the gigantic ones, but more of the normal sized. But that actually work better for me. The seafood were definitely scrubbed clean, there wasn't any sand of dirt complains and the white wine cream sauce was balanced so well. More over, Rp 45, 000 ???? So worth the price that I think it is actually under priced. I wouldn't mind paying at Rp 80,000.

Menu : Albondigas

Price : Rp 45,000 ++
Score : 8.5 / 10

>> Give me some boiled spaghetti drenched with Albondigas and a good movie on my favourite couch , I would die a happy woman (hyperbolic!) hahaha. Albondigas is basically just beef meatballs with spicy tomato sauce. It is different from your day to day boring tomato base pasta. It is not Italian, this is Spanish and aren't you curious what Spanish Tomato sauce taste like? You should and beware that you'll get hooked for life. Cause I am ... 

Menu : Mini Hamburgers

Price : Rp 15,000 / each

Score : 7. 0 / 10

>> Beautiful cute edible little babies. These are so easy to eat, and perfect for appetizers. Meat patties were made of good quality beef and just the freshness of each of the elements really shines through. I believe there is cheese inside and however, not you ordinary cheddar cheese. Really yummy and really adorable !

Menu : Gambas Ajillo

Price : Rp 60,000 ++
Score : 8.0 / 10

>> Garlic Prawns with white wine butter sauce  and boiled pasta will definitely go very well! I know I keep on mixing Spanish food with the Italians, but I don't think white rice will go well? What can go better than pasta, right? Anyways, off the pasta topic. The garlic was cooked perfectly but the sauce is definitely the star of the dish. There is a subtle garlic rhythm, harmoniously balanced with butter sauce. Oh lala...you'll be grinning from ear to ear.

 

Menu : Paella de Mixta

Price : Rp 85,000 ++

Score : 8.5 / 10

>> I had this in the Cipete branch and now the one in Citos is just as good ^_^. This has a generous amount chicken, seafood, tomatoes and parpika inside. The portion is huge and definitely enough for 3 people. The menu recommends for 2 pax but 3 should fit just right. The saffron infused spanish rice was so delicious, it's soaked with all the goodness of the spices and flavours. Simply DELISH ! If you'd like just with seafood (Rp 175,000), just ask for it !

Did you know that Tapas Movida was voted the best Spanish Restaurant in Jakarta by "Now Jakarta" 2013. And make sure to vote them again this year, go online to Now Jakarta website and click away !! I did vote personally and really hope they'll get the trophy again this year. Mind blowing, addictive food !

Tapas Movida

Cilandak Town Square Ground Floor # 043 - 045

Jl. TB Simatupang Kav 17. Jakarta Selatan

Phone : 021 - 29042818

Coco Curry

 

If us Indonesians have our rendang then the Japanese promote their distinctive curry sauce. Thick consistency with the great fragrant is a factor, sweet with a touch of heat is another trait. A franchisee came into the action at Grand Indonesia, goes with the name of 'Coco Curry'. If I am not mistaken, the original store was obviously in Japan and made it's way down to Singapore and then here Jakarta.

Do I like it? Umm...not so much actually. I am quite a big fan of Japanese curry but this was pretty ordinary. Nothing out of box; taste wise. I wouldn't say don't try it but it didn't made me crave for a second helping. I might come back here maybe in another 6 months time though...hehehe...

Coco Curry

Grand Indonesia, West Mall

( Across Fook Yew )

Seorae

It's been sometime since I chat about Pantai Indah Kapuk? Yes or No? Ummm... hahaha anyways there was a big buzz about a new Korean restaurant opening up in PIK. They were in business around early August and has taken the Pluit, Muara Karang, PIK community by storm! My friends living in Jakarta Barat, Selatan and even Pusat asked me multiple times "Yul, have you tried Seorae ??!". Well I finally did last Friday and I must mention about the queue. Queuing up for food is something that I hate soooooooo sooooooo much, but for the sake of this. I did wait for around 1 hour and 45 minutes !!! I almost gave up after one hour but to think that I had already spent 60 minutes, pushed me to wait till I finally get to try this damn thing. 

The usher in front was actually nice enough, he tried chatting with the people who were waiting anxiously. He assured everyone that they do have enough meat to go around and thus waiting will not be in vain. He tried to explain the specialty that 'Seorae' has to offer is 'Galmaegisal'. Each fully grown pig can only produce 250 grams of this sirloin extension ; Galmaegisal so called 'Skirt Meat' is thus considered as a rare part.

Menu : Sundubu Jigae

Price : Rp 54,800 ++
Score : 6.5 / 10

>> I always go for soup in a Korean restaurant. I think it's important that a good Korean place can make a solid soup. Well it's a 6.5 from me. I had much better ones but I think Seorae's was pretty decent. The tofu, veggies and clams were quite generous, except for the pork. There wasn't much pork noticeable inside the hot stone pot. Overall, it is the kind of dish that when you have it, you'll not be disappointed but nor you will be impressed.

King Spicy Galmaegisal   :   Rp 134,800 ++   ( Score : 9.0 / 10 )

>> I was not hungry when I arrive but was famished after 1 hour and 45 minutes of queuing. Two person ordered 3 dishes. The sundubu jigae soup (above), king spicy galmaegisal and the pork neck (below). If you happen to pay attention to the menu during your trip, you'll notice there is a 'king' and 'non - king' galmaegisal. It simply means the portioning. I would urge you to get the king one! It is goooood and you'll able to finish it no matter how. Then there is a spicy and non spicy, I obviously had the spicy one and to be honest, no heat or spicy kick to my palate. Thus just follow my choice 'King Spicy Galmaegisal' and you won't regret it. I don't know about animal pig's anatomy body part, not sure whether skirt meat is really rare or not. But one thing for sure, my taste buds don't lie. Galmaegisal is a 9 pointer !! And I don't give points that high very often.

By the way, I forgot to mention that Seorae is in fact a franchised brand from Seoul. The owner said in the near future the waiter would most likely to teach the eater to be independent, hence grilling their own meat (exactly like those in Korea). But at the moment, helpers were there to assist us in grilling to perfection.

Hangjeongsal   :   Rp 79,800 ++   ( Score : 8.0 / 10 )

>> Initially I was quite skeptic about 'pork neck', but both of us decided on this anyway. And after grilling it to crisp with slightly char burnt edges, it was surprisingly goooood !! I expect it to be chewy, a similar texture to tendons I supposed. But it wasn't at all. Tender and quite juicy in fact! I dip it with the home made mustard sauce Seorae provide and I was blown away by it. A definite recommendation from trythismenu ^_^.

Coming back here? Yes, yes, yes ! The owner said they're preparing to set up the second floor and getting additional helpers and waiters to accommodate the crowd. Thus by then, the lead time for waiting wouldn't be so painful. A tip that I notice, come in late at around 9.30 pm, but before their last order at 10 pm. Around then, there is no crowd or line waiting on the list. You get served to the table right away! I might do that in the very near future. Galmaegisal saranghaeyo !

Seorae

Rukan Garden House, B - 19. Pantai Indah Kapuk. Jakarta Utara.

Phone : +62 21 29033389

Spanky's Ribs

A friend recommended this 'Ribs' restaurant, saying it's better than all those Outback, Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock Cafe and even Tony Roma's ribs !! And of course being a food enthusiast myself, I wanted to taste it for myself. Spanky's Ribs is situated in the Kemang area, Jakarta Selatan. Not too difficult to locate, it's around 200 meters after Mc'Donald. Hence, just keep on staring onto your right after you drove past Mc'Donald. It's in fact the new tenant of 'Nu China' if you're familiar with the area. Nevertheless, the restaurant was rather quite, only a few tables were occupied (bearing in mind it was 8pm on a Saturday night), but then again, it was raining so I guess couldn't judge too much from the crowd. Ambiance was alright, it was decent although it gave a feeling of a 'diner' instead of a steak or ribs' house. I'm not going to judge too much on the decor but instead 'yap' away on the food ......

Menu : Pile 'O' Onion Rings
Price : Rp 49,000 ++
Score : 6.5 / 10

>> What can ever go wrong with fried onion rings? Almost nothing right. But to make it spectacularly good...hmmm that's another story. The one served here was alright, a 6.5 over 10 from me. The onions were crispy all good and the additional home made 'sambal mayonnaise' was a great combination. The way it was served was similar to the one in Tony Roma's too. Piled on top another with all the wonderful bits of burnt parts distributed over. Well, a good starter but didn't blew me away.

Menu : Baby Back Pork Ribs
Price : Rp 315,000 ++ (Full Slab)
Score : 8.5 / 10

>> I sort of get it why my friend highly recommended this place. The pork ribs itself was a perfection! Very very succulent, the meat just slides off the bone. It didn't need too much effort in biting off the meat from the rib bone. On top of that, they managed to keep all the juices intact inside the baby back ribs. 

Whether it is better than Tony Romas? Hmm..I would say on the same caliber! But what was special about it was more on the sauces. We're given 2 choices of sauces that is served aside; Tangy Mango Chili, Spicy Alabama & Indonesian BBQ. The best one was the Tangy Mango Chili and that simple sauce might help hit the home run for this menu!

Menu : Chicken Wings
Price : Rp 45,000 ++
Score : 6.5 / 10

>> For this menu, there is a choice of 'spicy buffalo' or 'honey bbq' and served with blue cheese on the side. We opted for the 'spicy buffalo' and another tasty dish. A 6.5 over 10 for me is like saying 'Well done, but a lot of other people can do just as good. Room of improvement!' hahahaha. The chicken wings were cooked well, crispy and moist on the inside. The spicy sauce were glazed evenly and the blue cheese were a good combination. Who thought of blue cheese with fried chicken right !!?? But again as I said, needed that extra kick somewhere.

Menu : Pulled Pork Quesadilla
Price : Rp 65,000 ++
Score : 7.5 / 10

>> Hmmm yumm! I love quesadilla and I mean who don't?? Warm, thin, crispy pita bread with pulled smoked pork in between. Have a good dollop of salsa and guacamole on top and pop it into your mouth. Hmmm...yumm!! The pita bread was well done and the guacamole was heavenly. It was obviously freshly made in the kitchen and couldn't stop asking for more. The salsa was alright, fresh but rather mediocre. And they could definitely improved more with the amount of fillings inside. The delicious taste of the guacamole overthrow the taste of the meat. But overall it is still a good dish for my taste.

Menu : Key Lime Pie
Price : Rp 42,000 ++
Score : 9.0 / 10

>> I was full as hell but was sooooo glad that I decided on the dessert. This is the best key lime pie I had ever taste in Indonesia. The sourness of the lime and the combination of the cream cheese with the perfect amount of sugar was heavenly! Well, I must say if you're not a fan of sour food then don't go for this one, have a chocolate cake instead but if you like it then, you'll love this! I finished every bit of the slice and licked my fork glistening clean. That was how good it was. Delish dessert !! Bravo !

Spanky's Ribs
Jl. Kemang Raya No 24 A, Jakarta Selatan 12730
Phone : 021 - 7182876

Bakmi Orpa

Bakmi Orpa - Pork

Alot of people calls Bakmi Orpa as the rich man's noodle or 'Bakmi Orang Kaya'. Well, due to the obvious reason that the price tag is rather expensive in comparison to other noodles in Jakarta. This beauty on top cost Rp 38,000 while the other noodles in Muara Karang & Pluit area cost around Rp 18,000 to Rp 24,000. But nevertheless, I'm one of their loyal customer. My office is super near to this place and I watched it grow along the way, from their rented ruko, to a better but still 'run down' ruko and now their own estblishment (all along in the same area). I have to say, I rather like their noodle and would give them an 7.5 / 10. They do home made their own noodle and the portion in a bowl was just right. I'm able to finished the bowl without feeling too full nor sick. The meat and the seasoning were on the track too! Good stuff...

PS : Bakmi Pejagalan still taste better (Review Post Dated : 22 May 2013)

Suikiaw Kuah

These are the bomb! I'll score these an 8.0 / 10. I like this much better than their noodles. I'm a sucker for dumplings and their home made skin used to wrap the meat are super thin and flaky thus you can get minimal carb with maximum taste of the meat fillings. Some people like their dumpling skin thick (which I don't understand why), thus if you are those kind, then you won't like these so much. Regardless, the meat itself is generously filled and definitely seasoned well.

Menu : Tahu Isi Daging
Price : To be advise
Score : 6.0 / 10

>> Slightly too mediocre for me and thus I supposed you don't need to bother to order this. The tofu and the meat was well done, but didn't hit my taste buds and made me go 'Wowww'. However, still a decent snack while there. You could order this or not, won't missed out on anything.

Menu : Bakso Goreng

Price : To be advise

Score : 7.5 / 10

>>  Who don't like deep friend Pork Meat Balls. I loooveee it and always have it along with noodles. Their's in Bakmi Orpa was tasty and well fried! You're still able to taste the crunchiness of the outer skin while the gooey inner part of the pork meat was still intact. The chili sauce at the side helped in a big way too. It cuts the oil and thus making this one of the must try during your trip to Bakmi Orpa.

Bakmi Orpa

Jl. Malaka 2 No 25. Bandengan Jakarta Utara

Phone : 021  - 6912450

De Pluit

De Pluit is your normal around your neighborhood kind of restaurant. They serves a good variety of Chinese food, with a slight fusion mixture of Indonesian. Ambiance was reasonable, with air conditioning and sofa seats all over the 2 storey building. I wouldn't say this is a brilliant place and that you must try this, but it's decent for late night snack or a quick bite..

The pricing of the the menu were all reasonably priced with a decent portion. The additional free wi-fi service was a bonus point. But is it enough for me to go back for a second trip? Hmm ... read my reviews below and see how it goes ...

Menu : Siu May (Left)   /   Hakkau (Right)
Price : Rp 11,000 ++ per portion
Score : Siu May 5.0 / 10   &    Hakkau 5.25 / 10

>> Well, a disappointment but didn't expect much from the very beginning. It's a pass and thus edible and not a total junk. But it's for sure wasn't freshly made on the spot. It is most likely pre bought in frozen form. Whenever anyone order, they'll just steam it up quickly and served. The texture that gives a feeling of 'frozen food' is there upon the first bite. But then again, you can't complain too much for Rp 11,00 per portion.

Menu : Char Siu Panggang
Price : Rp 38,000 ++
Score : 5.8  /  10

>> This was not too bad, a 5.8 coming from a stingy person that doesn't give away points for food too easily. The portion was alright, standard for the pricing. I like the sauce that the roast pork is nestling on. Rather too oily but the taste was okay as a matter of fact. If I may complain, the thickness of the Char Siu was too thinly sliced. A little less slices but more thick cuts would be better for me.  Thus I won't recommend it to anyone.

Menu : Nasi Goreng Ikan Asin

Price : Rp 28,000 ++
Score : 6.0 / 10

>> Portion was a surprise for me. A good portion for a fried rice with a tag of Rp 28,000. Wasn't humongous but a good filling to my big tummy indeed. The taste of the seasoning wasn't half bad either. When eating with Char Siu (Above) and Babi Kuluyuk (Below), I should've eaten with white rice instead. Because the salted fish in this rice made it over salty. But as a single dish on it's own, was okay.

Menu : Babi Kuluyuk

Price : Rp 40,000 ++

Score : 6.5 / 10

>> When translated to English it simply means 'Sweet and Sour Pork' and the taste mirror the title of the dish. Sweet from the tomato paste, sour from the pineapple juice. This might be better dishes among the others in the menu. Size of the portion was enough for 2 to 3 person and reasonable priced too. Taste was somehow alright, a decent 6.25 from me. 

Coming down to the conclusion of will I come back for a second trip .... .... ..... ?

Maybe not ... I'd rather spend my money on Bakmi Pejagalan (Review post date : 22 May 2013). Hahahaha !

De Pluit 

Jl. Pluit Karang Blok Z6 Selatan No 13. Jakarta Utara 14450

Phone : 021 - 66672348

Bakmi Pejagalan

This is the noodle stall that I mention on my post dated (16 May 2013), my favorite noodle of all time! And I personally feel this is the best among the tens and tens of people selling noodles in the crowded area of Pluit & Muara Karang. This place is situated just next to Fong Tu or if you don't know the location in Pluit, get to 'Kwetiau Singapore' and ask around with the guards in that area. It's almost impossible if they don't know it.

The place is decent, with air - con and quite spacious for a noodle stall. It's 'better looking' than your food stall in the Muara Karang area. But never mind the ambiance when you're dining in this area, the food talks and your taste buds don't lie !

Menu : Bakmi Pejagalan, Babi Jamur, Sui Kiauw
Price : Rp 34,500
Score : 9.0 / 10

>> I wanted to dance upon my first slurp. It is that delicious and yes! This is by far the best tasting noodle in Pluir & Muara Karang area. So many things to brag about this and I'm not paid to say all these ;

- Size of noodle : Thin, slightly curled and Perfect
- Pork : Seasoning is Perfect
- Size : Fulfilling to the stomach and Perfect
- Dumplings : Seasoning is Perfect, Thickness of the dumpling skin were Perfect too
- Overall taste : almost too good !!

Notice how each factor ends with a 'perfect' and that is the reason that this earns a nine pointer. There's just something special with the dumplings and the seasoning of the noodle. It wasn't too oily at all. The oil merely glisten and cover lightly across every strand of noodle. Curious? Do try and witness it for yourself!

Menu : Bakso Goreng
Price : Rp 6, 500 / Piece
Score : 8.5 / 10

>> Arrrghhh !!!! Goodness gracious! It's goooodddd!! What I love about this is the fact, the sliced the pork meat ball and then fry it again. Usually, the fried the entire meat ball and then sliced it thus leaving the inside of the meat slightly gooey and chewy. This is definitely different and much much better in all aspect. The price was reasonable too. RP 6,500 per piece and you get half the amount from the picture on the left (Photo show 2 pieces).

Will I come back over and over and over again to this eatery? It's a definite yes and you should be doing the same thing too!


Bakmi Pejagalan
Pluit Barat 1 No 7 Jakarta Utara 14450
Phone : 021 - 6602677

Bakmi Khek

Bakmi Khek when translated to English means 'Hakka Noodle'. I'm a Hakka and it just feels right whenever I ate this. It might be the silent brain washing, taste adjuster that my parents and grandparents had instilled in my taste buds. But Hakka food just has a soft spot in my tummy. Remembering my childhood, my grandmother always cooks Hakka dishes and I thought Hakka was only the type of variety in Chinese dishes. When I grow up, I became more 'smarter' of course, but Hakka cuisine still is my old time favorite dish.

Menu : Bakmi Khek Special

Price : Rp 22,000 (Small Portion)

Score : 7.5 / 10

>> The difference between Special and Regular is the amount of meat. Regular is a choice of pork of chicken, while you get both meat the pork and chicken in the special. And the price of a large portion is an additional Rp 10,000 on top of the small one.

They hand made all of the noodles and the claimed to used a secret sauce that has been in their family since 1969, brought down generations to generations. How true? I don't know. But I'm sure of the fact that this food stall had been 'forever' in Muara Karang; since I was a child and with regards to the taste. It's goooood! The texture has that springy feeling and the amount of the sauce isn't over salty. The additional meat gives it an additional kick to the entire dish.

Menu : Sui Kiaw

Price : Rp 20,000 (5 pcs)

Score : 6.5 / 10

>> Thickness of the skin is good. Not too thick at all. What was a slight let down for me was the seasoning of the broth and the fillings.

The soup was a slight bland, maybe this was a purpose as eaters usually adds their own special mix of sauces and condiments such as soy sauce, chili and pepper.  Not a big deal though.

The amount of the fillings were generous. They used pork and vegetables as usual. A good size and was quite filling to the tummy if you had 10 pieces of this. But again a small issue with the seasoning. A little more sprinkle of salt might made of the big changes to this dish. But overall a solid meal and you should definitely pay here a visit!

I will be doing a post on another Noodle stall in Pluit area which I think is better and deserves a 9 out of 10. Curious? Stay tune and hooked on noodles ^_^

Bakmi Khek

Muara Karang B7 Utara No 115 (Pusat)

Phone : 021 - 6680048 / 6604328

Cabang Kelapa Gading                            Cabang Taman Palem Lestari

Boulevard raya Blok WB No 2                 Taman Palem Lestari AA2 No 3 Cengkareng Jkt Barat

Phone : 021 - 97960704 / 4508906        Phone : 021 - 80739935

Guo Tie - San Tung

It's been a quiet April month for TryThisMenu, not so much reviews been posted on here. I've been really busy with work (due to all the Tax month thingy : SPT, PPh 29, bla bla bla) but that doesn't mean I've not been eating. To think about it, I've been eating just as much or not, more than usual. This May, there will be more reviews on 'Street Food'. It will be a compilation of road side food ('Kaki Lima') and more simple 'local food'. You know, your well known food stalls in Muara Karang & Pluit area. Begin reading and get ready to salivate !!

Menu : Guo Tie San Tung
Price : Rp 3.500 Per Piece
Score : 7.5 / 10

>> Who don't know the well known name 'San Tung'. The very first branch is in Central, Kota area in Jakarta. This brand is very much a big part of my childhood memory and it never fails to bring a smile whenever I came back and pop some in my mouth. 

Thickness of skin is neither too thin, nor too thick. The amount of pork fillings with vegetables was just perfect. The pork meat wasn't over oily at all. With additional condiments such as ; garlic, chili, soy sauce and sesame oil, you'll soon be having at least 20 pieces all to yourself. I had this beauties in the Muara Karang branch, even though it's still good, I definitely think the one in Kota branch is way better !

Menu : Tahu Kecap

Price : Rp 10,000  per piece

Score : 6.0 / 10

>> A simple dish that usually goes together with Guo Tie dishes. They usually sells this as 'Sek Ba'. A big pot that includes Pig's organ such as intestines, blood cubes, trotter, etc, cooked together with hard boil eggs and tofu in a heavy dense soy sauce mixture.

It taste a little bit sweet with a hint of 'herbal' sense. Difficult to explain but has that Chinese herbs smell that is quite soothing to the palate. This dish is common among Chinese tables and even though I had better than San Tung had to offer, it's not bad at all. Mountains of Guo Tie with slices of Tahu Kecap is definitely the 'must eat' menu over here!!

 

Guo Tie San Tung

Cabang Muara Karang ; 

- Along the stretch of eateries across Eaten Restaurant. 

Pyong Yang Restaurant

 

This rare gem is pretty interesting! I've heard about a North Korean Restaurant in Jakarta but didn't actually know exactly where it was. As a matter of fact, when I googled it up it's just a 5 minutes drive from Gandaria City Mall. Upon reaching the restaurant, you'll be greeted by pearl white skin beauties! I was actually fixated looking at the waitresses. They're all native North Koreans, well in fact in fact; the waitresses, along with the cooks, came down here all the way from Pyongyang around four years ago, around the time this restaurant was first opened. They had been students in a hospitality academy in their country, one of them told us.

I wouldn't praise too much about the decor, just pretty much standard but the ladies were an attraction! Beware of language barrier, makes it difficult to communicate or asking questions. The menu had pictures for every title thus making it easier for the local Indonesians to understand.

One of the biggest attractions of Pyong yang Restaurant is the fact that the servers are all stunning North Korean ladies in their traditional custom dress, Hanbok with impeccable service and extremely attentive towards the preparation and serving of the food. I must admit that those ladies are multi talented, wearing their traditional costumes and flocking around the place serving customers. Every Friday and on the weekends at 8 pm sharp there is also a group song performance by the North Korean ladies that makes Pyong Yang surely a astoundingly enjoyable dining experience. 

Menu : Pyongyang Cold Noodle 

Price : Rp 55,000 ++

Score : 5.5 / 10

>> This cold noodle is definitely different from the normal cold soba noodle you had in your favourite Japanese restaurant. Even though I didn't quite like this, my friend loves it! The texture, the flavor and even the viscosity is unique! A distinctive delicacy of the city of Pyongyang is naengmyon (cold buckwheat noodle). Here it was served in rich, icy broth with a smattering of julienned vegetables and boiled egg. It tasted a bit vinegary but the coldness was perfectly refreshing, with its noodles supplying a smooth sensation to the mouth. 

To be honest, I'm more of a ramen girl than a cold buckwheat noodle. It didn't settle too well with my taste buds but definitely do try this when you're here. It's one of the 'must try' dishes.

Menu : Meat Dumpling Soup

Price : Rp 68,000 ++

Score : 6.5 / 10

>> Dumplings! I loove dumplings! Well I had better ones than this but it's a 6.5 pointer from me. It's pretty good actually, the skin was quite thin, the fillings were full and the seasonings were balanced. 

The broth was good, i love the calm warm feeling that I tasted. It wasn't overpowered with spices or anything. Plain good brewed pork soup! Delicious and worth your try!

Menu : Roast Pork

Price : Rp 150,000 ++

Score : 7.5 / 10

>> Yummmmmm !! I likee this and thus you gotta love this too !! Sliced grilled pork with soy sauce poured on top. The meat had a good thickness, thus with the hot sauce, the meat didn't overcooked or get soggy. It maintained the texture and the flavour was definitely gooood.

I wasn't sure what kind of sauce they use, black sauce for sure is used and of course the traditional garlic, onions, pepper. But nothing similar with those dishes I tasted in South Korean restaurants in Indonesia. When you come here, you gotta have this!!

Pyong yang Restaurant

Jl. Gandaria 1 No 58, Kebayoran Baru Jakarta Selatan 

Phone : 021 - 72800889