Warung Tekko - Spice Up Your Palate

This place makes the ultimate throw down between my taste buds and my tummy. Within the mouthwatering dishes, greatest chili, and the running around to the bathroom every hour - I gotta say it worth every sensitive stomach pain I have to go through the moment after I walk out of the Tekko door. And still, lessons never learned...

 

white rice or red jasmine rice?
  

ayam penyet - traditional tumeric fried chicken served with smashed red chili sprinkled with fried white garlic.

Iga bakar penyet - tender short ribs served with smashed red chili sprinkled with fried white garlic. the amazing tender meat and spicy chili is super addictive.
  

gurameh goreng kering - deep fried grameh coated with special sauce served with smashed red chili sprinkled with white garlic. very crispy delicious, yet so tiny.
  

young coconut refreshes the aftertaste of spicy chili and garlic.

The rest after this is what I call hell, but I promise to take care of you, tummy...

Warung Tekko

Jl. Pesanggrahan Raya no. 7D-E

West Jakarta, Indonesia
+6121-585-9347

MOF Japanese Sweets & Coffee - Fix Me

matcha latte

Everyone would know how bad I miss my Urth's Caffe green tea latte. So badly, that I will give up everything to have a glass of it right now. So, when I saw MOF has one page of beverage menu devoted for green tea, I was like a crack addict looking for a fix.

 matcha shake with a scoop of matcha gelato.

After a few slurps here and there, the matcha latte wasn't exactly the one I've been longing for. The texture was thicker than the usual. The milk was strong and very creamy, leaning towards too rich in flavor. The shake, as expected were even heavier but tasty at the same time, vanilla and a scoop of gelato really made the difference.

MOF Japanese Sweets & Coffee
Plaza Indonesia Extension # L2 - E24, E24T
Jl. M.H. Thamrin Kav. 28-30
Central Jakarta, Indonesia

Kitchenette

grandma stella's strawberry elixir.

 

No stranger to great restaurant concepts, Ismaya group emphasize on everything homemade at Kitchenette. The feel of the restaurant is pretty much enjoying your food next to your own kitchen pantry. I really enjoyed the food and ambiance but hate the waiting lines especially at peak hours. As expected, the scene was pretty packed with socialites and Plaza Indonesia's power shoppers which stretch out their stays for hours. 

we love their nacho potato chips appetizer with cheese, chili, and jalapeno. crisp, cheesy, and flavorful! 

 

their specialties are gallete - savory buckwheat thin crepe. Antoine-Ego - filled with ham, cheese, mushroom caviar with truffle oil, this dish failed to bring it to the table. the crepe is too thin, I need more kick of flavor other than the truffle aroma.

the chicken is well seasoned and cooked perfectly. 

 

mama mia burger. juicy ground patty with egg, caramelized sweet onions, and specialty sauce. *drool* not only fancy on the eyes, this burger is pretty much BOMB. burst of sweet, tangy, melt-in-your-mouth kinda feel.

apple pie crumble. mediocre in taste, I expected the pie crumbs to be more crispy. 

For such charming layout and concept, I feel some of the dishes could have stronger consistency. Nevertheless, I'm not giving up on Kitchenette, the extensive range of menu still gives me hope to find more great meals.

Kitchenette

Plaza Indonesia Extension 1st Floor
Jl. MH. Thamrin Kav 28-30
Jakarta 10350
ph. +62(21) 2992 3580

Singapore Quick Bite

A week before the Orchard Rd flood, I went to Singapore for a few days to visit some friends, get some good shopping bargains, share some good laughs, and doing what I do best - fill my tummy tank!

killiney kopitiam ice coffee

mee siam. sweet, sour, and tangy in a bowl 

mee rebus

Seafood galore at Newton Hawker Center:

fried squid

BBQ stingray with sambal sauce

oyster omelette

snacking at Takashimaya's food court. 

some fine sushi wouldn't hurt.

came across The Hand Burger at 313@Somerset. $8 for a gourmet burger, fries, and a drink? I'm in.

Boon Tong Kee's finest:

kangkung belacan

 

hainan chicken

 fried tofu

I'll be visiting Singapore more often for some food hunting. So, where should I eat next?

Tesate - I'm Home!

Coconut milk, peanut sauce, and chili ingredients - I know I'm home! Indonesian food traditionally known for complex spices and burst of flavor on a plate and that's how I describe Tesate. The place is the upscale version of Sate Senayan, the Indonesian food chain restaurant which are delicious food and affordable. Authenticity is comparable with Indonesian street food vendors, but you know when you're dining at Tesate, you're partly paying for the atmosphere.

rujak pengantin salad - light tasting, fresh salad with egg, and deep fried crunchy noodle, that awakens the palate. the sour peanut dressing adds complexity yet interesting flavor. 

gule sengkel - tasty, succulent lamb shank, slowly cooked to fall-of-the-bone tenderness in light green curry.

iga kambing bakar - tender, juicy grilled lamb ribs with traditional bbq sauce.

 

makasar beef satay - exotic combination of aromatic beef with mouth watering, intensely sour starfruit sauce.

klapper tart - melt in your mouth young coconut cake with a scoop of refreshing coconut ice cream.

Tesate

Plaza Senayan 4th Floor Unit Cp 411

South Jakarta, Indonesia

(021) 572-5521

Half and Half Tea House - Believe!

Me: Some said this place has the best boba drink in town!
T: Really? Why we never heard? Compare to Tea Spirit and any other boba?
Me: Ya, I heard way better! Let's try it.

(We order the most popular item: icy milk drink with honey boba)
Me: *sluurp* hmm what's so special about it?
T: *sluurp* *dumbstruck* Have you taste the honey boba?
Me: Wait *sluurp* Jeez GOODNESS gracious what the heck is that? they taste so good OMG!

Dang, for those of you who like boba or tea drinks - you haven't drink nothing yet if you haven't get your hands on these. And for those of you who are anti-boba, I bet you'll be converted after their honey boba experience. Another heavenly drink is the fresh milk green tea with honey boba, unlike any other milk drink this one is not using powder and has strong tea flavor. Hooked is an understatement, it's an obsession!

the icy milk drink with honey boba and pudding. the drink is pretty much unsweetened and the boba will bring the not-overly-sweet flavor to the drink. the boba has a awesome texture and firmness. don't let them sit for too long, they may get chewy after a while.

Half and Half Tea House
120 N San Gabriel Blvd 
San Gabriel, CA 91778
(626) 309-9387 

Curious Palate - Rustic Sandwiches

cowboy cookie. raisin, chocolate chips, oatmeal, and pecans. talking about some "healthy" finds :)

On my way to my spinning and yoga classes, I always pass by Curious Palate. A tiny and friendly neighborhood sandwich gem that got me so curious and decided not to let it pass me by this time. This place reminds me of Joan's On Third, cafe/market minus the pretentious celebrity vibe. What makes their sandwiches so special are fresh, top notch, and elaborate ingredients. These people really put their love into the products, quality, and customer service. So if you don't mind cashing in $12 for a sandwich, then I recommend you to get curious and give them a try.

 strawberry juice. sweet and refreshing.

 feta, mushroom and spinach quiche served with curious salad.

 thai chicken satay - jidori chicken thigh marinade in peanut sauce with avocado and japanese pickles on 5 grain. A nice twist for satay!

 juicy jidori - organic jidori chicken breast, red peppers, scallion, cilantro, flour tortilla. simple ingredient, creative on flavor!

pulled pork - braised berkshire pork with onion confit, deglazed in strawberry gastrine on a brioche bun. crazy palate! the pork was so tender and flavorful - simply my favorite.

Curious Palate

12034 Venice Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90066

(310) 437-0144

www.thecuriouspalate.com

Farewell LA, You'll Be Missed

Urth's spanish latte 

I have been MIA for the last few weeks due to packing, selling my stuffs, last minute shopping, and of course heavy duty eating all the food I'll deeply miss from LA (I'll post some of them later)! I went back to my home sweet home, Jakarta for good. I will miss brunch, a good cold cut sandwich, my tacos, Urth's lattes, Korean BBQ, East LA Chinese delicacies, heavenly desserts and the list goes on.  I'm still mellow regarding my departure from LA but greatly anticipate exciting things that will happen. I will keep on blogging and producing more exotic food porn from Indonesia and anywhere else. Thank you LA, it's been one heck of a pleasure to eat you :)

XoXo,

YummyCrave