Spicy Red

Spicy Red aka Lada Merah(red pepper)
Location: somewhere in the basement or lower ground of plaza indonesia.

CHOW: 

Wondering if this is the new red pepper?(change from a foodcourt into a restaurant and change the name to bahasa) which was built there before it was torn down with omg luscious tahu petis which i cant fine anywhere now in jakarta and the amazingly yummy kupat magelang...sigh...i can go on and on..anyways back to our quite new indonesian restaurant in the mall,the kwetiau was pretty tasty but lack of something i cant quite put my finger on it. But i guess u add a lot of bawang goreng and cabe its gonna be good to eat! 
The ketan item was divine tho,sweet,savoury,creamy..really beats my sweetooth cravings for the day.

U cant go wrong ordering ketan item for dessert,never!

SLIM-CHOW: 
As you can see,im not being so creative with the choices,so i picked my old classic order gado2 which tasted not bad at all there,but u also hv other choices like karedok and pecel(the menu is much more creative than me) so for healthychoices,u have many there.

VERDICT: 
Quite interesting consist of many choices of asian to authentic indonesian foods.
For an indonesian food craving while mall ratting,this place is a way to go,ive tried the ketoprak once a long time ago and as far as my memory serves me it was also pretty tasty and has a foodhawker taste to it,if u knw what i mean...the place also decored nicely,vintage with pastel colours with an open kitchen to make it still modern..listening to oldies indonesian tunes,maybe a lil modern keroncong if im not mistaken.. 
And comfy sofa..yes thats a plus,i always sit on the sofa..

KACHING! $
For a mall its a very reasonable price i reckon! Worth a go!

Carnivore

Hey guys! Long time no talk bout food eh? its been lotsa fashion pics lately less chowing time..
Oh no worries.. A girl still needs to eat!

Carnivore
Rustique, Plaza senayan.

CHOW:
Shopping and mall ratting can makes a gal goes hungry...and I suddenly crave for a juicy steak that I haven't eaten for a looonggg time now.
So am here in Plaza Senayan and the first comes in mind to satisfy my craving is to go to the best place to find good steak..Rustique!
I'm so excited to go there, I've always wanted to check out the place and the food.
So there I go and order the rib eye 200gr dry age steak...with of course spinach on the side for a healthier dinner (ahem).
I ordered a med rare.. And..when it came they ask me to cut it straight away which I didn't want, coz I want to keep the juice inside (rest the steak for a few mins). So when I touched its actually med, a pale pink on the inside..but its okay..when I cut it off...I think its a lil bit too overcooked for my taste but its still okay...coz the quality of the beef makes it taste good still.
The creamed spinach however..does not have any creamy consistency at all, or even the slightest buttery feel..really taste like my mbok tun's spinach (my old mbak who cooks in my place)...err...when she's in a bad mood..its rather stringy and a lil bitter and the garlic are not vey subtle either.
I ask them for a mushroom au jus sauce which is pretty good.
And to pair this lovely meal is a glass of pinot noir if am not mistaken 2012 from chile (Pardon me if its not merlot 2010 from australia) which is nutty and mild...suits well.





SLIM-CHOW:
So for my diet side (ahem), and still satisfy my red meat pallete...I ordered a beef goulash..which usually I didn't like eveywhere.
Surprisingly..unexpectedly its very tasty!
The beef is tender and everything is savoury and nice.

VERDICT:
Pardon the flat comment, but I must say there's a lil twist here where I expect to be blown away by the steak but instead the soup is more of the star that night.
My suggestion? If u ordered a steak here if u want med rare, maybe u should ask them to make it rare...but they are very kind to ask me to check wether its the way I want it or not. And another suggestion is, order other thing than spinach for the side dish...there are many choices.



KACHING! $$$
As you can see...the steak itself cost u 268++ was it worth it? Was it that good? Was it an experience? Would I go back there for a carnivore moment?......
All I say is that the service was good and the place was nice and if u are really really really wanting a dark,classy place to eat with your steak, then Rustique is the place.

Taste of China

Hey guys! it's been fashion-fashion and no chow-ing lately huh? Oh well...here goes a start of my other culinary journey in this city.


CHOW:
Ok first of all, this place is not halal...it's all porky all the way, but the thick yummy liquid in the noodle soup..like I've never seen or tasted before..it's thick, white-ish, and I can tell it's been simmered for quite some time to get all the flavor together...subtle yet addictive...it was the most amazing noodle soup I've ever tasted.

The xiao long bao...they have many flavors and I didn't try them all, but the one that worth ordering was the black truffle one, but I don't think there's anything special to it.

The pork with the crepe wasn't that special either, they taste like slices of pork cooked in "kecap manis"...serving it inside the crepe with slices of scallion, like the Peking duck with lack of bitey and crunchy texture...but the pork was super tender, that I give you.

The dessert I decided to get was the crispy pancake with red bean filling...it was so-so...I've had better, and with more fillings inside.

SLIM CHOW:
The tofu and mushroom dish which I thought was gonna be a lil low fat, turned out to be very tasty...as a matter of fact, was too tasty for a low fat which was not! I saw pieces of pork and fat in it! oh but it was the best thing that melts in my mouth! I'm not exaggerating, I promise you, the tofu was so soft, yet absorb all the flavor, one bite, and you just don't wanna stop till it's all finished...this one is a must to order!.

VERDICT:
Totally one of the best Chinese restaurant in Indonesia...if...you know which one to order...read my reviews, and the chicken feet is quite good too and it comes with a big portion, enjoy!

KACHING!:
It is i must say rather pricey, but I think it is worth it!..if...once again you know which to order.

Hail the King of Quack

CHOW: 
Well I bet a lot of people have already tried this place, since it is very popular and most of big malls in Jakarta has it. I think this restaurant doesn't serve pork and most of the food taste OH SO GOOD!
Look, honestly I'm not a big fan of Chinese food because sometimes it's too greasy, tasteless, or it left my mouth with a numb feeling afterward...but once in a while...the big and scrumptious crispy prawn with mayo that starts with the creamiest in your mouth, then the bite of that "al dente" prawn...so worth it!
What else...the tofu with chilli and salt...it's one of the best I've tasted so far! it's very tasty, the chilli, salt, and garlic are very balanced, then end it with a creamy tofu....and if you like a more chewy and bitey texture, try the chilli and salt squid, it's the same taste only more crispy.

SLIM-CHOW: 
The "Pocai kembang tahu" is definitely my first aim if I'm doing a vegetarian detox or need some greens in my system...beside that the tofu skin taste divine...it's chewy and has a lil bit of deep smokey flavor to it, the pocai greens is so soft and theres enoki in it too...I don't feel like dieting whem I'm eating this...mmmmmh..












VERDICT: 
Well if you are looking for a good Chinese food in a mall, Duck King is definitely the right choice...and plus the atmosphere is warm and private that makes it even better...
They have a promo this month, get free desserts if you tweet your favorite food in Duck King.
So what are you waiting for?

KACHING!
For that four successful meals and a free desserts, that isn't so pricey at all. Going out of the restaurant with a take away (because that was a meal for 3-4, and it was just the 2 of us ;) ) no numbness in my mouth, a full tummy and a smile..

Duck King: PIM 2, Central Park, Senayan City.

T-H-E Kwetiaw!

Location: mangga besar

CHOW:

Ok everytime I come here Im always a lil bit.. Err.. lost..

So if u go to Kota(chinatown) u have to turn right after the bridge,and which bridge I still have to make sure again :D

Anyways, the place is.. hawkery in style.. No aircon, hot, loud and always packed..cause next door they have a very packed neighbours too like the famous bakso akiaw, henis bread, freshly cut durian and traditional cakes and many many others! its like a feast for hawker crazed fans.

Ok let's get back to bussiness, this kwetiaw is famous since I was a teenager..but rarely come here, and as far as I remember this visit feels like my first time again... Its a rice noodle serve with many goodies like pieces of fish cakes, veg,eggs and crab! U can actually taste a full claw of it.. And the taste and texture is hermonious...ooompphh! U just gotta taste it yourself to believe it.

SLIM-CHOW: the only slimming part here is probably that refreshing drink liang teh(cold chinese herbal tea) and the aloe vera drink which is no fat but high in sugar but oh so refreshing makes me wanna slurp more and more.

This place is not for dieters..but,since they cook it ala minute maybe u can request for the kwetiaw to be msg free and all vegetarian, but where's the fun in that?? forget diet here or just slurp that liang teh with a long face while your buddies eat the yummy kwetiaw.. :p

VERDICT: indonesian street food is one of the best places to visit and bring ur tourist friends, and one of em that I recommend is here..the original one.. Where they still have that old school ripped day by day calender hung on the wall and no matter how u look everyone who works there will call u "cik"(sis in chinese) and "koh"(bro in chinese) and that is what makes it more original! I've tried another akiaw somewhere else, and it taste different..here in mangga besar its hot, its loud but its worth it! oh..don't forget to order the wo tie(dumplings) One bite pipping hot inside with the chilli dipping sauce… Perfect!

Closest to canton the sequel

HKC(Hongkong cafe)
Location: jl sunda no 5 thamrin and 1st floor unit L1 Central park jakarta barat.

CHOW: If there's a sequel to my visit, it means either the food there is filled with dishes of awesome goodness or it triggers my curiosity to explore more in the menu.
The last time I came here, I only reviewed a bowl of curry noodle and veg with salted fish.. U guys can read that on the slim chow dept, now I'm gonna talk about how scrumptious the taro dumplings (wu gok) and eat it with a dollop of that crispy (almost) xo chilli sauce! its crispy, creamy and oh so comforting! However their specialty is the fried carrot cake that is super yummy! starchy, crunchy at the same time..and the chinese style beefsteak...the beef is tende, with sweet, savoury and very bold flavour rich sauce, don't skip the onions, it really goes well with the beef..and oh, definitely u must order steamed white rice with this.

SLIM-CHOW: ouch and ouch and ouch! Once again I ordered the wrong greens.. Kailan with salted fish.. it sounded so good, and last time I ordered it, it was okay. This is the only dish that's quite a fail.. Maybe its very pale in comparison to all the other goodies I ate, but this time I find the veg is hard to chew, fibrous, and when it enters your mouth u expect it to be salty and nice but instead there's a taste of alien sourness and strong lemongrass taste to it! Especially when you have a toothache, its a big no no.. Now I will definitely remember NOT to order this when I come back to HKC. Ah,its okay..many choices of greens on the menu that I can still chomp on! maybe the brocolli and cheese (what is it doing in a chinese menu? I know!) But way to still try to put greens in your meal!

VERDICT:
What more can I say? good food, good price, full tummy, pretty smile on my face!
This place just makes me feel like I'm in Hongkong, the atmosphere in central park is very french and regal, but still cozy and casual..  the decor in jl. Sunda is more "Hongkong" style which is also cozy bit more authentic.
Another good news is that i think its halal since they don't serve any pork dish there, but I think if its really that important, do please double check.

KACHING!
Good food aint cheap, but the memory of a great chinese meal stays in my mind till now.

The Tummy Nest for the Nightbird

Hi guys! How is everyone? I haven’t been blogging since I’ve been hectic with work! boy do i miss blogging and eating good food!  Well...tomorrow is a holiday, so I got the chance to eat out and try this cool new place.. Here’s the story...

CHOW:
Its 10pm, off from work and insanely hungry..my tummy has been complaining like a banging drumroll!
I’m not up for eating anything too heavy though, due to my struggling diet regimen :p
I’m craving for some protein, something soupy and warm.. Thinking of finding soup in mangga besar aka Chinatown...tsk tsk...nope, too far.
After a few rounds of looking for a non- junk food or high fat street food that is still open.. I remember I’ve see this lil cute place near central park area and it opens 24/7! BINGO!
I ordered the chicken satay.
The chicken is served with kecap manis, chopped chillies, and shallots also acar timun & wortel... Oh yum.
The peanut sauce is not super authentic but very good,  to me it’s a lil bit too oily, especially at night time.













SLIM CHOW:
The mushroom soup is mushroomy like how they claim it, creamy yet mild quite fulfilling and they don’t serve it with bread which is good for lo carb dieter( no temptation ). If the waiter present the soup cold, don’t hesitate to ask them to reheat it!
The Caesar salad is so heavenly.. The dressing is not too rich, generous on the smoked beef, perfect composition of the greens, cheese, olives...perfect portion!  though my partner in crime always reminds me not to eat the yolk( boo! That’s my 
favorite part) this salad is a champion.

VERDICT: For people who lives around west of Jakarta, this place is a destination for you to go to.. It is quite dark, from the outside it reminds me of villas somewhere in puncak.
After 11 they get darker I think and play loud music, I’ve seen there’s some live music there too.. say people can smoke inside the restaurant, and that’s why I’d rather hang outside and smell the fresh air.
Totally for young people to hangout and I love how they open 24 hours but can provide good food and also choices of healthy ones!
keep up the good work! Ill be owl-ing for more midnight meal or snack there for sure!

KACHING!




The price is not bad at all ,those three plates fit for 2 modestly hungry people.


Location: MidTown Owl 24/7
meditterranean garden area,near central park west of Jakarta

The Bold and the Brave part 1

Location: basement  floor of Central Park.

CHOW: I would call this place the Bold and the Brave! Standing just a few restaurant next to the famous sanpachi,they opened a ramen place..at first i was sceptical,but i just went in and give it a shot. Looking at the menu,while my eyes and tummy are craving for rich food like the ramen and the gyoza...(Aaarghhh) unfortunately i still am on my diet regime.

So i just tried something small...the takoyaki caught my eyes...they put abon(beef floss) on top of it and a creamy orange dressing.
How did it taste?
First bite the crispiness of the dough mix with the creamy dressing then,chewy octopus and quickly the combination of the gritty sandy abon and more creamy sauce that  taste similar to thousand island melts in my mouth...Heaven.
Ok fine...this is not healthy,but i still need something rich,period.

SLIM-CHOW:

So,still trying my best to eat healthy and having a low carb dinner,i order a salad and a bowl of soup (more likely its the broth from the ramen,and dont ask me the price coz i got it for free)

The broth taste mild but tasty and original..they have pork and chicken broth..the salad was also presented neatly, tasted good and,fresh. A lil tangy and quite a lot.
The takoyaki,salad and soup sooth my PTS (palette,tummy and soul) for sure.
I recommend for dieters to order what i ordered ;)


VERDICT: I dont feel guilty and iam happy! I am out of the restaurant with a smile from ear to ear,that was totally my most delicious diet food so far..not to mention fulfilling and cheap! (okay maybe the takoyaki is not that healthy,but what the heck..the rest are so light and my chubby cheeks need to be filled more!) I’ll come back tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow...and again..

KACHING! As u can see the salad and the takoyaki balls only cost me 50k,and the nice (owner) lady also didnt charge me for the most authentic delicious soup...not to mention she gave me the point card to get a free ramen after 5 times purchase of 100k! yipee!

Closest to Canton

HKC (Hongkong Cafe)

Location: jl sunda no 5 Thamrin,Jakarta pusat and 1st floor unit L1 Central park, Jakarta barat

CHOW:

When I was living in sydney, looking for a quick chomp in chinatown is our best bet...its not that expensive, and its guaranteed to taste good, its fast and it opens up till late!, what more can u ask? but there are always these special places (maybe 2 or 3) in chinatown that from outside it looks modern and simple yet cozy with traditional hakka food.. Usually its a "hongkong cafe" kind of place that serve all in  one bowl food or toast HK style and many chinese dessert.

While in Hongkong, place like that you can find in many areas...

Now in jakarta, I kinda miss that feeling again.. The cozy and nicely decored yet casual and serve comforting chinese food... Voilà! I found HKC..

There are so many good food that you can order here..my friends like the ifumie, and the portion is big with the bake rice.. Good for value meal..but when ur in a splurge beefsteak with chinese sauce and fried carrot cake..oh divine!

But today I ordered the noodle with curry sauce... The noodle is al dente, I like the addition of an egg there..it adds creaminess and blends well with the bitiness of the chicken..the curry is very subtle and the addition of the potato just add more carbs...overall, its not a great dish but its not bad at all.

 

SLIM CHOW:

I tried the vegetable with salted fish..they cook it just right, there’s a lil bit of sourness and mix well with the crunch of the veg and leaves the saltiness from the fish last.

You can also try the bokchoy for a less bitey vegetable and the brocolli and cheese if u miss ur cheese.

But for a great meal, you dont want to forget the xo chilli sauce that pours all over whatever meal you are eating there (for dieters watch the oil)

KACHING: not too bad..it cost us only 78k for all in one bowl noodle and my yummy vegetable diet food. The yumminess gives a pretty trail in my mind, a definite return!

Oh so wobblicious!

d'beanz

Location: central park LG floor 14

CHOW:

Its late at night and im still mall ratting at central park..still on my diet parole,but im craving for something sweet! I cant believe ive been walking around this crowded mall for 30 mins just to find a good dessert for tonight.

(i think the walking around has burn calories for me to earn a good dessert)

Then when i was just about quitting to ease my sweetooth,i suddenly saw this small shop in basement area..d'beanz..singapore favourite cold beancurd...mmmmmm...

I was thinking twice since i cant consume anything thats made of soy,but what the heck...lets just give it a shot!

They have 4 flavours which are: original,almond,strawberry and durian.

So i bought 2 flavours , original and almond(next time I’ll try the strawberry and durian). They claim that the original is delicious and healthy.

When i opened the container,its was very wobbly and smooth..first bite..it melts in my mouth! The sweetness is just right,maybe too sweet to some..texture is like a very - very soft tofu and when u eat it while its cold its heavenly...

SLIMCHOW:

Ok i dunno about it being healthy,since im pretty sure the sugar content must be a lot..but somehow i didn’t feel guilty after eating it,maybe because it feels light and high in protein from soymilk, which also makes me full and satisfied.

As i said they claim the original to be healthy and delicious,maybe because its more natural when it comes to the flavour and colour.

But for low carb dieter or have diabetes,i think you have to watch not to chow too much on this,coz of the sweetness.

Maybe we can suggest them making a sugarfree one or with "sugarfree sweetener"... oh yes lets!

VERDICT:

For people who does'nt like soybean, you still have to try this..for people who loves it...go grab it now! Coz im gonna! ;)

KACHING:

2 packages cost me 38k which cost 19k each, the portion is great,the taste and one package makes me full already!! Im definitely gonna come back for more.

Healthy Snack

Dates,macadamias and walnuts...mmhhh...what can i ask more from mother nature for a chewy,richly sweet and crunchy snack in just one bite... Oh i just found myself a great new nibble!
I am definitely a snacking kinda girl...if hobbit existed i would be one (mind my petite size as well, sans the hairy feet haha) and snacking would be my heaven ly stops of the day.

I know i only posted one picture of these lovely healthy snack which consist a macadamia,walnut thats wrapped in dates, but trust me once u try this u will fall in love! This is a gift from my friend who just came back from Hongkong and since then i cant stop eating it and by the 3rd day its gone and im sad.

So since i dont have it anymore my foodbrainy head knock on my snacking palate asking for more...what do i do?
So for you guys who also wants to try these, its so easy to make, to get the ingredients..just go to any supermarket like HERO they have plenty of dates choices or bateel. And just try to stuck it in some of your favourite nuts there.
Walnut,macadamias and almonds would be best since they are also good for your heart,brain and skin,
And dates has many vitamins,nutrients and rich in dietry fiber also antioxidants that makes this snack not just tasty but good for you!

Ok,snack time for me..now im going to the grocery store!
Happy experimenting!