Babi Guling Dobiel

A short post from my recent Bali trip, Babi Guling Pak Dobiel.

One one afternoon, in desperate need of a quick lunch, our driver took us to Pak Dobiel. Only 5 minutes from Nusa Dua area where I stayed, this is his recommendation. Heard in from Veny before, I immediately agreed to eat there.

The place is a small house/warung in small alleys near Nusa Dua. The place was empty, some of the locals just bought it. A bit dusty actually but seeing the place, makes me believe that it's where the locals eat, it must be good :)

A portion of Babi Guling consists of a plate of rice, not too much of it. Crispy pork skin, grilled pork meat, some sort of spicy veggies, a spicy sambal like sauce and some dried chili. I gotta say, not that appetizing. First, I tried the veggies. Soggy but spicy like all balinese food. The pork skin is good, meat is tender but still has texture. Combine altogether, YUMMY!!!

The soggy veggy and sambal makes the rice has that yummy gooey consistency. The meat is somehow fragrant, not in the slightest I taste that pork taste. Overall, a great dish. Would be back for more!

Rating: 7.5/10
Location: Nusa Dua, Bali

Laka Leke

Hola patients, it's time for some post from my trip to Bali :)

I think everyone agrees that Bali is a magical place that can instantly make you stress-free. After a year without any long holiday, I finally went to Bali. A long planned holiday thanks to Air Asia promo airplane tickets :p

Okayyyy, lets start on the FOODDDDD. Laka Lake Restaurant is located in Ubud area. I picked this place for lunch in Ubud coz Bebek Bengil and Nuri's have already opened branches in Jakarta. And... I made the right choice.

Laka Leke offers a very relaxing, laid back feel with rice paddy literally a hop away. I can imagine how beautiful the place will be at night, maybe on my next visit :) The cool air of Ubud, the peacefull surroundings and the impecabble service is ohh sooo good.

The food:
1. Indonesian Rijstaffel (Rp. 350.000)
A huge platter for two with yellow rice, saffron egg, curry chicken, ginger chicken, some sort of balinese mixed veggies, tempe, corn fritters, 4 sate lilit and half a crispy duck. HUGE PORTION!!!!! A great option to sample many dishes by Laka Leke and I can say that I am satisfied.

The chickens are very well seasoned, cooked perfectly. The meat is still moist yet seasoned and spiced boldly. The fritters and tempes are just ok, eggs are also ok. The sate lilit is also yummy :) Lastly, can't go wrong with the savory yellow rice. Ugh... Now i'm hungry again.

The package comes with 2 drinks and desserts. The mango lassi is a bit too thick and the balinese ginger drink is a tad too strong for my liking. The dessert is a cake consists of foamy coconut layer and sweet custardy bread pudding. YUMMYLICIOUS!!!

2. Famous Crispy Duck (Rp. 83.500)
The duck is the same as the one in the rijstaffel. It is so good that we decided to order another portion of the duck. The duck is crispy to the bone, well seasoned and goes perfectly with the sambal matah. I swear it's wayyyy more delicious than the ones you found in Jakarta.

Very recommended!!! They also have performances in the evening, very cool huh

Rating: 7.5/10
Location: Jl. Nyuh Kuning, Ubud, Bali.

Jade Imperial Sichuan

It's been forever since my last post. Sorry patients, got this new gig going and I can't find a time to blog :( Today I'm taking a sick leave soooo I got time to writeeee, woohooo *evil grin*

Today's post is dedicated to my younger brother Bie Bie. Congratulation on your graduation brooo, welcome to the real world!!! And congrats also for being accepted in Delloite, so proud!

A few months back, my family went to Jade Imperial Sichuan to celebrate Bie Bie's graduation. Went straight there from JCC where the graduation ceremony took place. I originally picked Paradise Inn but seing the menu only serve small portion, I can't imagine ordering many dishes to feed all of us. So went up to try Jade Imperial Sichuan.

I don't think I ever tried Sichuan Rest before. Encountered mapo tofu before but didn't give me any picture about real sichuan food. The place is quite elegant. Classic chinese decor with jade ornaments and splash of greens here and there.  Small entrance leading to a huge dining area inside. Unique!

The food:
1. Sichuan House Smoked Duckling (Rp. 220.000/Whole)

A duck, smoked and grilled I think (can smoking things make it brown?) served with shell shaped white bun (mantao). Hmm... This dish is a bit confusing. First, dry smoked duck served with bun, not a good match. The taste of the duck is also rather weird... I didn't find it delicious and so did everyone else on the table.

2. Barbecued Lamb with Anise (Rp. 44.000/2 pcs)

Small pieces of lamb on an iron stick, grilled and served with lime. Hmm the taste is ok and very middle eastern-y.

3. Barbecued Chicken with Black Pepper (Rp. 44.000/2 pcs)

Just live the above only its chicken. Nothing special either

4. Deep Fried Squid with Garlic and Chili (Rp. 91.500/M)

Yummy!!! The squid is fried perfectly, fresh and big. Seasoned nicely with salt, pepper and chili powder giving spicy and salty treat. Love it :)

5. Deep Fried Spicy Chicken with Dried Chili (Rp. 105.000/M)

Another yummy dish! Salty and spicy, goes perfectly with a bowl of warm rice. The chicken is tender and moist.

6. Sauteed Sliced Beef with Garlic and Chili on Sizzling Hotplate (Rp. 105.000/M)
I didn't take a picture of this one... The beef is tender and spicy. All of the dishes are spicy actually.. I think that's the strength and also the weakness. Their taste resembles each other.

7. Sauteed String Beans with Mince Chicken (Rp. 84.000/M)

Yummylicious!!! One of the best I've ever tried. The string beans are crunchy. the minced chicken complements the tasteless string beans perfectly. Highlight of the day :)

8. Barbecued Pork Ribs Chong Qing Style (Rp. 44.000)

This is a snack actually but the taste is ohhh sooo yummyyy.. Pork has never failed me and this dish proves it. The pork is tender and juicy. Very bold and flavourful. The oily pork grilled and marinated with chili powder is a match made in heaven.

9. Chicken Feet (Rp. 22.000) Steamed Pork Bun (Rp. 22.000) Fried Shrimp Roll (Rp. 22.000)

I love the steamed pork bun the best!!! The others are quite good, definitely above average.

I think this place is a good alternative to the chinese cuisine scene in town. After all the HK style modern restaurant and the traditional hakka style restaurant, it's time for sichuan to shine! Worth trying but pick your dish carefully. Big portion, steep price but worth it :)

Rating: 7.5/10
Location: Plaza Indonesia F3

Kambing Bakar Cairo

Kambing Bakar Cairo is a place that serves... Kambing a.k.a mutton (goat meat). I knew this place for quite some time and eager to try buttt it's so far from my house. One lazy Sunday Afternoon, Asmet came over and we went there for a bite.

The place is divided into two sections, the smoking open air section and the non smoking air conditioned one. It was a breezy cloudy day, open air it is. Simple plain decor, nothing special.

The food:
1. Kambing Bakar Cairo 500 gram (Rp. 74.500)

We opted this dish to share. The meat is oh so tender. U can just suck in from the bone :) BUT the taste is really nothing special. All I recognize is heat and spicy from the chili and pepper. Lots and lots of chili and pepper. For a dish that cost that much, I expect more.

2. Gulai Kambing (Rp. 27.000)

I don't know what kind of gulai this is but this gulai lacks of everything. The soup is too watery, the taste is rather bland and they put like a big chunk of bone with thin meat layer around the bone. The gulai is so not recommended.

For info, a plate of rice is Rp. 10.000 (bring your own rice next time). IMO, not recommended. Of course the Kambing Bakar is something but that's simple not enough.

Rating: 5.5/10
Location: Jl. Sambas III No. 126, Jakarta

Ikkudo Ichi

Ikkudo Ichi is the IT Ramen restaurant right now. 2012 is a very good year for ramen. Aside from the old contender like Ramen 38, now we have the elegant Marutama Ramen, the rich Hakata Ikkousha, the premium Hokkaido Santouka and now, the trendy Ikkudo Ichi.

Heard about this place from twitter and when I passed through this place on a breezy sunday afternoon, I yelled in excitement. Soo... This is THE Ikkudo Ichi looks like. The place is divided into air-conditioned and outdoor area. Opted for the open air area, we sat on this wooden chair, just like the Japs we saw in movies. PIK area is perfect for outdoor seating, windy and not too crowded (except for Saturday night when It turns into a massive parking ground). The place is still new, Japanese themed decor with Indonesian waiters (which I found quite funny) and a Chinese guy lurking around us doing God knows what.

The food:
1. Ikkudo's Tori Kara (Rp. 39.800)
Chicken ramen with Ikkudo's special red sauce. Okay... Presentation wise, it's not bad. Maybe I had too much ramen since now I think all ramen looks the same. For me, the ramen is just okay. The broth is not as rich as Hakata but bolder than Marutama. I didn't taste the meat but my auntie said it's okay. The condiment is Indonesian standard, sambal and garlic. The egg is a bit overcooked but still acceptable.

2. Ikkudo's Buta Kara (Rp. 39.800)

Identical with the previous but with pork. The pork is also good, no smell and quite tender. Again, the broth is the problem. I don't know how to describe this but Ikkudo's broth is somewhere in between Marutama and Hakata. That is what confused me. The ramen is good, cooked perfectly and got two optionn, straight and curly. I always pick the curly one since the straight one tastes weird with soup.

3. Yaki Buta Gyoza Ebi Iri (Rp 35.000)

The gyoza is good. Thin skin and juicy fillings, a perfect appetizer and a great side dish too.

4. Mini Chasiu Don (Rp. 10.800)

A bowl of rice topped with minced pork meat. Again, this dish is very similar with the other ramen places. I think you can't do much with a dish as simple as this one. A nice add on if you are not full from ramen.

For me, Hakata Ikkousha is still the reigning champion of ramen war. Marutama comes close in second (although it's because their super yummy nabe). Ikkudo is definitely worth a try. Nice place to hang out and enjoy a bowl of quality ramen.

 Mom - Auntie Foing

Rating: 7/10
Location: PIK

Grandma's Suki

Holaaaaaaa uda lama nih ga nge blogggg. Berhubung hari ini gw lagi malessss banget, jd nge blog nya pake Bahasa Indonesia aja :p

Di suatu sore yang cerah (sumpah jijik ya) gw keluar makan sama bonyok en ade ade gw ke PIK. Mau keluar Pluit MK, males. Akirnya ya ke PIK lagi PIK lagi... Terus out of nowhere, si mami mengidekan nyobain pho pho kuo huo (forgive my poor chinese) A.K.A. Grandma's Suki. Actually, si mami uda berapa kali sih ngajak nyobain ini, dia tertarik berat nyobain suki di PIK walopun pengalaman pertama kita makan di sebuah resto suki di PIK kurang memuaskan.

Suasananya sih typical resto di PIK, sempit terus dipaksain muat orang banyak. Untungnya walopun sempit en nyala kompor banyak, AC nya cukup dingin.

Setelah memeriksa menu, pilihan jatuh pada Signature Pork-Maw Chicken with Pepper Soup (Rp. 268.000) Paket ini uda include sayur set, berbagai macam pangsit en bakso serta main ingredient nya which is Pork-Maw Chicken. Apaan sih itu? Ternyata... itu adalah tito! Tito itu perut babi, well i'm not sure itu usus ato lambung, anggep aja lambung deh ya.

Iugghhh banget ga?? NOPE! As a pork addict, I eat a lot of pork. Si tito ini kalo yang masak nya ga becus pasti alot en bau. Punyanya Grandma's Suki, GREAT! Empuk en tidak ada jejak bebauan ga enak. Mantep banget dahhh. Kuah nya pedes lada gitu (namanya aja pepper soup ya) dengan traces of pork broth yang kuat banget. Ayam nya itu dipotong2 dimasukin ke dalam ususnya, direbus bareng yang akirnya jadi itu pepper soup.  Yummy :) Don't worry harganya mahal karena seporsi itu sebenernya bisa buat makan 3-4 orang.

Selaen dapet kuah en ayam + tito, sudah include juga 1 buah nasi putih, appetizer berupa tahu jepang en kacang merah, dessert berupa kembang tahu en jelly. Lengkap kan :)

Kemudian gw add on Special Dumpling (Rp. 25.800) Grandma Meatball (Rp. 22.800)en Enoki (Rp. 16.800) yang menurut gw semua rasanya biasa aja, apalagi harganya mahal gitu lhoooo

Oh ya... untuk kuah nya, kalo mesen nya paket, bisa pilih 2 macem kuah. Kuah 1 lagi yang gw pilih adalah shark bone soup! Keren bener ya, bisa ada kuah ikan hiu. Relax... I doubt dengan harga seporsi kuah yang sekitar 26 ribu rupiah ini kuah beneran pake ikan hiu, palingan juga fish broth dikasi semacem bumbu gitu... This soup is also yummy! There's a hint of shark fin soup in there :)

Overall, a nice place to taste a different kind of suki. Slightly pricey but worth it.

My Sis

Rating: 7.5/10
Location: PIK, Seberang Waterbom

Kedai Kita

On a bukber occasion with office gank, I went to Kedai Kita, ahumble eateries in Bogor. As many other eateries in Bogor, Kedai Kita is located in an old house, with narrow streets and outdoor areas to enjoy breezy and sometimes rainy Bogor :)

I found this place to be very popular. Wikipedia has to book and deposit 50k to get a place for bukber. The place is very crowded but not hot. We were seated in the lesehan area which I think is quite comfy. Loaded with Bogor's abege, the place is a bit noisy but lively. Please note that this is place is not some high-end chic cafe in Jakarta, expect some dirtiness here and there (my mom used to say that a bit dirt is what makes the food tastes good)

The food:
1. Pizza Bakar BBQ Beef

YUMMY!!!! This is Kedai Kita's specialty. Said to be baked using firewood, I didn't taste any burnt aroma. What's good about this pizza is that the dough is quite Italian, thin and crispy. The toppings are very indonesian, bold flavors, lots of sauce and meaty. The cover is very american, lots of mozzarella resulting in a gooey and sticky cheese layer which is to die for.

I didn't bring back the receipt but I remembered this pizza cost around 40-50K, quite cheap compared to the overrated super popular Pizza Hut.

2. Tom Yam Kung

Hmm this is a no for me. All I can taste is sourness. Rosna said the soup has a lot of mushroom but the soup itself is a huge turn off for me.

3. Mie Hotplate
Yummy... The mie hotplate looks just the same like any other mie hotplate. The one thing that stands out is their topping. The gooey liquid resembling capcay is soooo goodd. I don't know how much MSG they put and honestly, I couldn't care less *grin*

4. Lasagna

The lasagna is huge!!!! For lasagna standard, Kedai Kita serves a so-so lasagna. BUT, considering the price, portion and the fact that this place in the middle of Bogor is not an Italian restaurant, the lasagna is GREAT. I love how the lasagna maintain a tough texture. Hate it when the layers of lasagna falls apart and we busy fixing it so we can get that layers of flavor. Again, an Indonesianized Italian dish. Very bold flavor and heavy on the supposed to be bechamel sauce. Too bad that the creamy part is too thick and not creamy. I guess price don't lie :)

5. Sop Buntut

Yummy!!! HUGE portion of oxtail soup. The soup is nice with pepper stinging my tastebud. The meat is tender, those of imported Australian oxtail quality. A very comforting food in the cool air of Bogor.

6. Nasi Ayam Lada Hitam

The chicken blackpepper is just standard. I admit it tastes better than Solaria and its kind but It's very hard to make a generic food such as Chicken Blackpepper to stand out. Kedai Kita has done the best way possible to make the chicken blackpepper to taste good and they succeeded.

7. Bistik Lidah

YUMMY!!!! Finally, a yummy bistik lidah. Miranda, you have found your match! The ox tongue has no scent of tongue or whatsoever, the gravy is gooooddd. Too bad the side dish is nothing special. I think for bistik lidah, it's better to be served with rice.

Kedai Kita offers quality food with very affordable prices. The food costs around 20-60K. The six of us spent 400K including drinks and Ollino Ice Cream for dessert, quite cheap right?

dr. B - Marince - Angkara Murka (chair) - Wikipedia - Wadir Perek

Rating: 7.5/10
Location: Jl. Pangrango, Bogor (Next to Hotel Mirah)