Pangkep 33

Another post from Pluit/Muara Karang area.. Pangkep 33!!!!

For you seafood lovers, I bet Pangkep 33 is no stranger. Serving makasar style seafood, this place has many loyal fans including Ms. Ratu Lebah. When I asked her about which seafood place is her fave when we were dining in Bandar Djakarta a couple of weeks ago, she instantly screamed PANGKEPPPP #lebai

The new Pangkep 33 has moved to a new place in Pluit Putra Raya. Easy direction, the road from Emporium Pluit Mal leading to Pluit Village where Jakarta Fruit Market and Harvest exists. Occupying what I think is actually a house, the place is ordinary. A big house converted into a restaurant that pays minimum attention to ambiance and comfort.

Talk no more and let's dive into the yummy seafood...

1. Ikan Aji Bakar Rica (Grilled Aji Fish Rica Style)

YUMMYLICIOUS!!! The fish has no fishy smell at all. Grilled into perfection, minimum moisture. Great texture, a bit softer than mackarel but not not too crumbly. Basted in chili, rica style which literally blow your tongue away... Spicy goodness.

2. Cumi Goreng Mentega (Stir Fry Squid in Butter Sauce)

Another winning dish from Pangkep 33. Small squids stir fried in margarine and oyster sauce... Salty and sweet at the same time, the squids are cooked perfectly they bounce around inside you mouth when you bite them.

3. Kerang Bambu cah Tauco (Razor Clams with fermented bean sauce)

The razor clam is fresh and huge! The fermented bean sauce needs a little more salt to give a punch to the buds. The clams is chewy and spicy, fresh chewy and juicy not ewww chewy. The chili helps give layers to the one dimensional salty fermented beans and the ginger minimize the weird clam smell.

4. Kangkung Terasi (Stir Fried Morning Glory with Prawn Paste and Chili)

Another classic.. Well executed but not the best. The morning glory somehow feels not fresh... Missing the crunchyness of a perfectly cooked morning glory.

Although I live near all these seafood places, I rarely dine there. Mostly because IMO,seafood is expensive. I love good seafood but I think seafood in Muara Karang is a bit expensive. Surprisingly, for all of the above plus rice, es campur and ice tea, I only spent around 250K. Well, those can feed up to 4 people right? So it's not that expensive :) Recommended!

Rating: 8/10
Location: Pluit Putra Raya, Jakarta

Beautika

Back to Jakarta patients!!!!

Holiday is over and I am so so so sad :(  But life must go on and tummy has to be filled. Meet Beautika, a perfect example of no pain no gain.

Beautika is a reputable manado restaurant in Central Jakarta. I've known this place for a few years but haven't been a loyal customers since lately. Pluit/Muara Karang area is not exactly where Manadonese people live so it's kinda hard to find a good Manado restaurant here. The one that i actually good, called Rampa Rampa is coming to an end I think.

I wouldn't blabber much in detail since basically this place serves BOLD, SUPER SPICY, YUMMY and AUTHENTIC Manado food. My fave would be the shredded cakalang rica (I think the name is rabe rica) One fucking spicy and yummy dish. Shredded smoked cakalang (blue fin tuna) buried in aromatics and chili. LOVE LOVE LOVE it

Another quality dish is their Ayam di Buluh, more aromatics than chili but still spicy to the max. Combine it with the rabe rica, resulting in chili high and a guaranteed multiple trip to the rest room.

The dessert are great too although a bit expensive. All of them are high quality Manado traditional cakes, greatly influenced by the Dutch when they Invided Indonesia hundreds of years ago.

Nougat Cake

Salad Buah

Last but not least, beware! You've been warned, spicy alert.

Rating: 8/10
Location: Hang Lekir, Jakarta (In front of Moestopo University)

Bangkok Delight Part 4

The food below are from Nara, a restaurant serving authentic thai cuisine in Central World. The sign in front of the place shows that Nara has won "Best Thai Restaurant Award" for a few times. Judging from the queue and the nice decor, I was instantly hooked and decided this to be our last dinner in Bangkok.

 Kang Kiew Wan - Chicken Green Curry

The curry is a tad too sweet for me. I actually love Thai Green Curry since it offers something different in the world of curry. One thing this dish is missing is the WOW factor. It's a yummy curry but not yummy enough to make me lick the bowl clean.

Moo Phad Kraprao - Pork with Chili and Basil

I love this dish. Chili and basil are the perfect combination. Another well balanced dish from Nara. The pork is tender and doesn't have a slightest sign of foul smell. The portion could be bigger tho

 

Kang Phed Ped Yang - Roast Duck Red Curry

As expected of a thai curry, rich spicy flavor bursting with aromatic sensations. The spicy level is next to nothing (or maybe my palate is starting to numb from all those bird eye chili). The duck is nothing special but the curry is a well balance dish.

 

Gai Hoer Bay Toei - Chicken Pandan

One of the best I've ever tasted. The chicken is well marinated, cooked perfectly. YUMMY!

This place has adjust it's taste to foreign clientele so the dishes will not be that super spicy u need 3 bottles of water to cool your tongue. I like the fact that all of the dishes are well prepared, all yummy off course and the servers are excellent. Recommended!

Location: Central World, Bangkok