Tasting Menu and Sensorium Cocktails at Tippling Club, Singapore
Tippling Club is offers innovational tasting menu dining experience with sensorium drinks. Not a dull moment when you are at this place!
Tippling Club serves ample innovation and interesting experience in its many courses of food and snacks. The food is fun, playful and interesting, combining ingredients that are not typically put together, but end up being great match.
Food is paired with a selection of sensorium cocktails, in which the drinks list is presented based on a range of smells, including caramel, grass, campfire and leather. Guests are then encouraged to pick the aroma that resonates with them the most.
Guests are presented with an option of two tasting menus; a five-course meal (at SGD 170 per person) and a 10-course meal (at SGD 270 per person). I selected the more affordable option (although you should not be fooled by the number of courses, because this does not include the extra five pre-main course snacks, three pre-dessert desserts and an after-dessert meal).
Waited in line during a touristy new years week in Singapore to try the Hong Kong-based Michelin star restaurant, Kam’s Roast. The wait was well worth it.
Kam’s Roast’s location is hidden on the side of the Royal Plaza, across from the Far East Plaza. I only knew of the place because my father was so adamant on trying some of the newly granted Michelin-starred “street food” restaurants in Singapore, and Kam’s Roast was one of them. I initially thought that it was just going to taste like any other roast pork roast duck Chinese restaurants. But no. I literally had the best Char Siu I have ever had in my entire lifetime.
I arrived at the restaurant at about 11:30 AM. At this time, there were about two groups of people in line ahead of me. Behind me were long empty queue seats waiting to be filled with people. As I became the first in line (this was at about 11:50 AM), the seats behind be were already filled with so many groups waiting for their turn to try Kam’s Roast’s amazing roasts (eheheh).
The restaurant was quite small, probably filling approximately 50 seats in total. There is a private room that could seat about eight to 12 people, but you would have to spend a minimum of SGD 250 to get that room.
The menu itself is also not much, serving just the basic roast barbecue dishes, with some soup/noodle/rice options on the side and a variety of drinks to try.
At the end, for a total of three (super hungry) people, we spent about SGD 79. Amazing.
Umabo just moved its home to Setiabudi One! With its ever-delicious food and, now, super photogenic location, this restaurant is a must try!
We all know that location is key when it comes to restaurants. But nowadays, #instaworthy-ness is also key. Along with the actual food itself. Well, instaworthy food is also definitely key. Rather, many things are key (it seems that there are many locks to open in restaurants). With those in mind, Umabo is holding more keys than before with its new location at Setiabudi One!
When Umabo moved its vicinity from Jalan Wijaya to the Setiabudi building, I was immediately intrigued. Not that the previous location was bad, it’s just that it was in its own building and I would have to exclusively go there to eat. With its new location at Setiabudi, I could achieve more things while having lunch at the restaurant in between - I could stop by Surface Skin Habit to get my facial beforehand, eat lunch at Umabo, then maybe a quick coffee at Starbucks or St. ALi after.
Umabo identifies itself as a quick-bite restaurant, which means that it serves easy to eat menu, perfect for lunch or snacks. The food served include rice bowls, burgers and fries, with added toppings like bacon, cheese and all other sorts. The location serves the brand’s purpose very well, with its outdoor area and simple designs. I would say that it was a great call for Umabo to move here!
Although, for this lunch, I was being treated by Umabo’s chef, Fernando Sindu, I have always been a big fan of the brand. Take a look at what I had at Umabo.
Disco Fries, with short ribs, cheese, scallions and chillies.
Apparently Umabo makes its burgers from scratch!
Steroid Burger, with beef patty, cheddar cheese, caramelized onions and fried eggs.
Me, enjoying my delicious burger.
Ribs Me Up, with slow-cooked ribs, roasted eggplants, creamed corn, braised garlic, poached egg and crispy shallots - everyone’s general favourite!
The size of the Ribs Me Up rice bowl.
Umabo’s super handsome (and unavailable) chef, Fernando Sindu.
Sushi Ichi’s omakase lunch is officially the most expensive Japanese lunch that I have ever had to pay for in Jakarta. Take a look at what I had!
Have I ever had a lunch that costed more that IDR 3 mil a person? Probably. Have I ever paid it myself? Not until now.
For the omakase lunch, Sushi Ichi’s price starts between IDR 1.8mil to 2.2mil. For my lunch in particular, I also ordered hot ocha and extra grilled toro sushi, which in total (including tax) amounted to about IDR 3.1mil. A very hefty price. The lunch price is lower compared to the omakase dinner, which would start at about IDR 3mil.
Was it worth the price? As a background information, almost all of the ingredients used at Sushi Ichi were flown in from Japan, so they are of better quality compared to the local ones. The portions were perfect - they made me feel just full enough until dinner (when I ordered that extra sushi I ended up being super full). The service quality was amazing and the chefs were super friendly (it’s always nice to be able to have a conversational chef when you are at a Japanese omakase, as it keeps the dining experience interesting and you will also get to learn a thing or two about the person and/or Japanese cuisine). In conclusion, although the lunch was objectively expensive, it was the price to pay for such an experience.
Take a look at my lunch at Sushi Ichi.
Indita
Sushi Ichi
Address: Pullman Jakarta Indonesia, Jl. M.H. Thamrin 59, Thamrin, Jakarta
St. ALi just released its new set of menu, with lots of healthy options to choose from. Have a look!
St. ALi has always been innovative in its menu, striving to cater to as much market and trend as it could. With vegan option, gluten-free option, vegetarian option, option to customise food, there are so many ways that St. Ali’s food could cater to what you want/need. Although it never regards itself as a healthy or health-conscious restaurant (have you seen its Fried Chicken Basket?!) it is certainly a good pick for people who do want to have a healthier alternative.
With the launch of its new menu, St. ALi has released more healthy food choices, catering to the vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free market. Take a look at some of its new menu!
Some of the new menus recently released by St. Ali.
Quinoa Pudding: Chilled vanilla and maple quinoa pudding with shaved coconut, berries and limes (vegan and gluten free).
Bircher Muesli: St. ALi bircher with Balinese long pepper, poached stone fruit, blueberries, lime labneh and basil seed syrup (vegetarian).
On a less healthy note, the Fried Chicken Basket (with hidden coleslaw and pickles underneath the layers of fried goodness).
What About Second Lunch at Ristorante da Valentino?
What I thought as just a quick stop for dessert (after a packed lunch) ended up being a SECOND lunch at Italian restaurant, Ristorante da Valentino. Yet somehow I was still able to finish them all.
If you have watched the first instalment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy (i.e., the Fellowship of the Ring) you must have heard of the term “second breakfast.” Well imagine that, but lunch. I came in to Valentino thinking that I would just be taking pictures and eating light desserts after having a packed lunch at Akira Back at the upstairs floor. Nope. I was very wrong.
Coming in, I was immediately introduced to Chef Marco Tremolada who was then kind enough to pick the menu for the second lunch (and selection of alcoholic drinks, nonetheless), cook the food and then dine with us afterwards.
Have a look at your lunch experience at the restaurant!
The entryway.
The restaurant’s private dining areas have very romantic ambiance.
As a starter, we had the gnocco fritto, with pancetta, parma ham, salami, mortadella and olives. This was my first time trying gnocc fritto and I would say that it is very delicious!
Iberico Pork Chop: Spanish pork chops marinated in mustard and served with rocket salad and fried baby potatoes.
Fettuccinne al Granchio: Signature squid ink fettucini with crabmeat in creamy sauce.
Tiramisu.
Profiteroles covered in chocolate.
Aperol spritz.
Taking someone on a date? Having a birthday dinner? I would say that Valentino would make a great place for such special occasions (or even just a casual lunch like mine!).
Indita
Ristorante da Valentino
Phone: +6221 29057888
Address: MD Place Bulding, Lantai 11, Jl. Setiabudi Selatan No. 7, Setiabudi, Jakarta
Take a look at my lunch special menu at Akira Back!
Last week the Akira Back team invited me over to an exclusive lunch at its restaurant. Just as a quick background, Akira Back serves a lunch menu that costs IDR 180,000, which includes a starter, main course and dessert. This kind of deal is what I call CHENGLI (translation = good deal!). I also got to try more items from the regular menu and something that the chef especially made for an upcoming event at the venue (off the menu).
As a disclosure, of course I did not have to pay for this lunch, because I was invited. But I honestly thought that the meals and the experience were amazing.
Take a look at what I had at Akira Back:
Not from the lunch special: Half-and-half portions of the Tuna Pizza (ponzu mayo, micro shiso and truffle oil) and the Enrigi Pizza (micro shiso and truffle oil).
My lunch menu starter: Kimchee-se Sliders, with mozzarella cheese, short rib patty and gobo chips.
My lunch special main course: Gyudon (you will have to pay IDR 180,000 more to add this to your lunch meals), with wagyu tritip, uni, foie gras, onsen tamago, portabello mushroom and truffle tapenade. The holy grail of all food!
Off the menu item for Akiraback’s upcoming event: Wagyu short rib with foie gras and potato puree. The best meal in the entire world.
My lunch menu desert: Yuzu Granita, with mango bubbles, passionfruit and coconut foam. Super refreshing!
The bar at Akira Back.
Akira Back is a must visit, must come back for more kind of place. I loved it and I cannot wait to re-visit the place!
Indita
Akira Back
Address: MD Place Bulding, Penthouse Level, Jl. Setiabudi Selatan No. 7, Setiabudi, Jakarta
Welcoming Sekala Kopi, the newest addition to the coffeeshop scene in... you guessed it, Depok.
Ok you probably didn’t guess Depok. But here we are.
A few things to disclose about our post on Sekala Kopi:
1. The coffee there is amazing.
2. There might be slight nepotism involved. Okay, to be clear: I initially visited the place out of support (my partner co-owns the place), but no partner can justify the 2-hr drive down from my house if not because...
3. The coffee there is amazing.
So again, here we are. At a hole-in-the-wall in one of the back alleys of Depok. While the 1-minute walk from the parking lot to the place is riddled with confusion, a glimpse of the alleyway housing Sekala Kopi offers an immediate refuge amidst the hustle and bustle of busy Margonda. Finding the place is a feat on its own-- it’s a satisfying feeling, like discovering a secret underground hiding spot at an unassuming location.
It’s like entering Narnia
The ‘place’ in question is an alley that houses a calm, lush space where you can see the bakso vendor conversing with the nasi-padang lady next door, all while passing by Sekala and ordering a cup of coffee (or tea-- made to order especially for si enyak). That’s one thing that struck me the most about Sekala. Within the few weeks of its opening, it already managed to build itself a community of next-door neighbors, friendly baristas, and daily loyal customers.
The friendly neighborhood food vendors
Featuring the aforementioned partner
So what do these people congregate around? The coffee, obviously.
You might be intrigued by their prices-- 8 thousand Rupiah for a cup of coffee might signal a few hundred warning signs for coffee-lovers. But in reality, Sekala actually uses local, freshly-ground coffee blend that is masterfully brewed (automatic or manually) by local baristas Dodi and Putri. If you’re feeling snacky, they also offer delicious pisang goreng (fried banana fritters) and sugar doughnuts to accompany the coffee.
Doughnuts, banana fritters, and muffins
Of course, a hole-in-the-wall place wouldn’t be complete without an off-the-menu item. Enter Lungo, barista Dodi’s signature coffee, super strong and super smooth all at the same time. How?? While he’s explained the process to me a few dozen times already, I always keep on forgetting. Guess this warrants another visit to Sekala Kopi!
Mr. Dodi’s signature Lungo coffee
Delicious fried rice from the next-door fried rice vendor
Es kopi susu Gang Sawo, served with palm sugar
x
Dalia
Sekala Kopi
Blok Stasiun UI Depok, Jl. Sawo Blok Stasiun Ui Depok No.46, Pd. Cina, Beji, Kota Depok
instagram.com/sekalakopi
*some photos in this article taken by the uber-talented Abang Rolansyah
Certain expensive Japanese food cravings lead me to eating here.
If you follow us on instagram, you would know that I just got back from an amazing trip in Japan. Ate about six meals a day, from sandwiches at 7/11 to the Michelin-starred restaurants, I tried to make (or rather eat) the most out of my 11-day Japan trip.
After being back in Jakarta for almost one month, I developed a sense of longing for Japanese food. The expensive kind, especially. I guess I also wanted to post more Little Meg Siu Meg-inspired pictures on the ‘gram. Hence, I called my trusted foodie friend who is an expert in all things fine dining in Jakarta and asked him to take me to one of his recommended Japanese restaurants for an omakase. Alas, Senshu it was.
We ordered the T-Course Omakase Kaiseki from the menu. Here is a snippet of my trip at Senshu.
Chef Matsuo-san. Super humble and super friendly. And SUPER talkative. It was fun to get to know a little bit about him and his restaurant while he cooked for us.
The first on the menu. Cod sperm. Always fun to have.
Chef Matsuo-san preparing our assorted sashimi course.
Aforementioned sashimi course.
Salmon zuke sushi.
Wagyu sushi with uni (not seen), one topped with caviar and the other topped with sansho peppers.
Omurice in the making. SO DELICIOUS!
The best french toast I have ever had in my lifetime. Who knew???
The pictures above only showcase some of the courses we had at Senshu. The price for the T-Course Omakase Kaiseki menu is at IDR1,200k, and with drink and tax totalled to approximately IDR1,400k. Was it worth the price? Yes. Would I come back? Definitely!
Journey Along the Spice Route at Attarine, Senopati
Refusing to brand itself as a Mediterranean restaurant, Attarine offers Western cooking inspired by the spice route.
While that sounds super fancy, the newest addition to the PTT Family actually offers simple yet flavorful dishes you can’t find anywhere else in the capital.
Despite being generously invited to Attarine this time round, it was actually our fourth time back to the place. We barely needed an invitation to come back, but considering that Attarine’s menu changes constantly, regular visits have become a necessity.
The rustic-homey interior of Attarine
Wood-fired flat bread with za’atar lentil dip and garlic eggplant dip
While it looks totally unassuming, this is definitely the one dish you have to order if you go to Attarine. The crispy but doughy flatbread is delicious, but the za’atar lentil dip is next level. I’ve never had za’atar that good outside the Middle East. Trust me, as much as I love eggplants (refer to: all other posts written by me), I can honestly say that for once, I was fully enamored with a non-eggplant dish more so than the eggplant dish. (i still love you eggplant)
Crispy chicken leg cooked with spiced honey
This was one of the night’s specials. Something I would’ve never ordered if not strongly recommended (and we were strongly recommended), and which proved to be one of the most delicious fried chickens in recent memory! The chicken leg was marinated in spiced honey for 3 days and so every single bite had the slight-sweetness of honey complementing the juicy meat. Fun fact: it took about 1 hour for us to actually finish everything, and even towards the end of the hour, the chicken skin was still crispy.
Crispy brussel sprouts
The fourth time I’ve been to Attarine, and the fourth time I’ve ordered the brussels sprouts. Fun fact #2: I actually used to (and still sometimes do) hate brussels sprouts, unless it’s cooked amazingly well. This one is cooked amazingly well. Smokey and crispy, it has zero of that weird brussels sprouts smell. Also, that white sauce on top? Yolk-less mayonnaise. It’s like mayonnaise but 10000x lighter. Delish.
Flank steak with brussels sprouts, mushrooms and cauliflower
While this dish might be a crowd favorite, I’m not a big fan of meat, so this was just ok for me. Well-seasoned and well-cooked, but I would 100% stock up on the chicken and veggies (and flatbread) next time instead of ordering this.
Having only opened for about a month (or two?), Attarine has quickly become one of my favorite restaurants in Jakarta. Fair warning: it’s not for everyone. I personally enjoy the abundant spices, especially the use of spice-route-inspired spices (think cumin), and the heavy focus on vegetables. Which is a point I would like to reiterate: do not go to Attarine without ordering the veggies. If needed, just order all veggies. And flatbread. I would probably go back there 100x just to order a shitload of flatbread and cocktails (hint: roasted bloody mary).
The aforementioned hint
That said, I really hope everyone tries Attarine, and when you do, keep an open mind and an open palate!
Ways to Cook with Honey - Chiffon Cake with Honey Cream
When Honey Lane invited us to try its new honey products, the invitation came in with three large jars of assorted honeys. The gesture was generous, but what do we do with so much honey? So with such excess honey, we decided to partner up with Gabby from Pastriella create a cake and its assortment of toppings using Honey Lane. Here are the recipes!
Some of the ingredients used
Since honey is already such a sweet ingredient, we decided to tone down on the cake base and created a simple earl grey chiffon cake.
Earl Grey Chiffon Cake (recipe by Anna Olson)
Ingredients:
- 2 earl grey tea bags
- ¾ cup of boiling water
- 8 egg whites at room temperature
- ½ tablespoon of cream of tartar
- 2 ¼ cups of pastry flour
- 1 ½ cups of sugar
- 2 ½ tablespoons of baking powder
- ¼ tablespoons of salt
- ½ cup of vegetable oil
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon of finely grated lemon zest
- 3 ounces of milk chocolate, chopped and melted
Basic earl grey chiffon cake
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 325 F
- Steep teabags in boiling water until the water cools at room temperature. Remove bags without squeezing the excess liquid, then to up the water to its original 3.4 cup measure.
- Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy, then add ¼ cup of sugar and continue whipping until the whites hold medium peak. Set aside.
- Sift flour, remaining 1 ¼ cups of sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl of a stand mixer. Add cooled tea, vegetable oil, egg yolks, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whip the mixture on high until thick, for approximately 4 minutes. Add melted milk chocolate and whip on low speed. Fold in half of the whipped egg whites by hand until they are incorporated, then fold the remaining whites.
- Pour the mixture into a desired pan, ungreased.
- Bake the cake until the top of the cake springs back when gently pressed (a 10-inch pan would typically bake for 50 to 55 minutes long). Invert the cake pan into a cooling rack and cool the cake upside down in its pan. To extract the cake, run a spatula or knife around the outside edge of the cake, then tap the cake out onto a plate.
Honey cream
Honey Cream Cake Topping
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of Honeylane Original honey
- 3 cups of whipping cream
- A pinch of salt
- Honeycomb (see recipe here)
Steps:
- Place the bowl and whisk to be used to whip the cream, as well as the whipping cream, in the refrigerator in order to whip the cream quicker.
- While waiting for the tools and cream to cool, mix three tablespoons of whipping cream and honey into a small bowl. This is to introduce the honey into the cream and for easier mixture later on.
- Take out the whipping tools and cream from the fridge and whip the cream until soft peaks have formed. Slowly add in the cream and honey mixture and whip the combined mixture until medium peaks are formed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Serving:
For this cake, we decided to serve the dessert with honeycomb, which we already made previously. We also added some edible pearls, gold dust and other beautiful toppings for added magic. Here’s the step by step tutorial:
Crumbled honeycomb (recipe here)
Crumbled dried raspberries
Mint leaf cutlets, just for decor
Edible pearls, for that extra umph
Magic gold dust (magic non-optional)
TA-DAA!
This cake recipe is actually super simple to make. The added decor is what really makes the cake super beautiful, which is super-do-able! Hope you enjoy and try yourself at home!
When Honey Lane invited us to try its new honey products, the invitation came in with three large jars of assorted honeys. The gesture was generous, but what do we do with so much honey? So with such excess honey, we decided to partner up with Gabby from Pastriella and find different ways to cook with honey, with Honeylane products.
Here’s how to make a simple honeycomb (recipe by the Food Network)!
Ingredients:
- ¾ cups of sugar
- ¼ cup of water
- 1/3 cup of Honeylane Original honey
- 2 teaspoons of baking soda
Steps:
- Line a baking dish with parchment paper, so that the honeycomb does not stick to the pan.
- In a large pot, combine sugar, water and honey, then bring to a boil without stirring until the mixture turns a caramel color. This would typically take three minutes.
- Quickly whisk in the baking soda. The mixture will foam and bubble up. Working fast, pour the mixture into the baking dish and let cool.
- Once the honeycomb has cooled, break into pieces and serve.
This honeycomb can be served in so many ways; you can dip it in dark chocolate and have yourself a chocolate-dipped honey comb, you can also crumble it further to smaller pieces and make it as ice cream or cake toppings (this post will come out soon!).
An Attempted Five-Day Vegan Diet with Forking Clean
Okay, maybe not vegan diet – more like, vegan lunch and dinner meals. Heheheh… (Michelle don’t kill me!).
Last week Forking Clean offered us to try its week-long vegan catering, which includes lunch and dinner meals. This proposition intrigued me because, looking at its Instagram page (@forkingclean), the meals look great! Plus, I had never tried doing a vegan diet and was (supposedly) dieting at the time. So the offer was something I could not refuse.
The Sun & the Sea Salad
The thought of actually doing a vegan diet did not scare me, because I honestly thought that Forking Clean’s food seemed interesting and filling. On top of that, about six to seven years ago, I was a pescatarian for about 1.5 months (I legitimately felt sorry for land animals, until it became inconvenient for me, and somehow I didn’t feel so sorry anymore), so having to avoid certain food was not something completely new. Besides, with lunch and dinner already prepared, all I had to do was eat and keep busy from snacking non-vegan. Simple.
Chickpea shwarma in pita bread
On my first day of attempted veganism, I had a full day of work and a flu. With the entire day being super busy, I thought the pre-prepped meals came in super handy (the health part was an added bonus). I also needed a lot of energy to deal with many people, so I really needed food that could help me stay active. The rice-based meal I got for the day really help me with that and made the food also filling. I was even quite full and found it difficult to finish the entire thing. Although I did not find the usual meat protein I got during a normal diet, the taste of the food was still flavourful. All the ingredients were also super fresh.
Darjeeling Express - Indian style Buddha bowl with okra and onions, pepper zunka and dal bukhara.
The second day came in like a breeze. I got chickpeas and rice meals, which I ate and finished gladly. I did not experience any sort of hunger or cravings for meat throughout the day and temptations were not crazy.
Vegan sushi rolls
When third day came around, work wasn’t as busy, so there wasn’t that could distract me from eating, and my mom made chocolate cupcakes at home. Fuck. I wanted milk and eggs so bad. And so I cheated. Oh well. I killed an unborn baby chick and consumed what could have been the food of a baby calf. But the lunch and dinner meals continued on!
Again, the actual meals were great, and I never actually felt un-satiated from the meals, but having to avoid desserts (which are usually milk/eggs/sugar based) was the most difficult part. Alas, midday on the fourth day I kind of just gave in and ate milk and egg-containing food. So what, I became a vegetarian instead of a vegan.
A Forking Powerful Salad
And then, dinner came about. I had the dinner meal and I thought I wanted something more to munch on. I saw that my maid made some side veggies for the house dinner, and so I took a small portion and eat it. As I was chewing, I tasted something rather salty and fishy. I looked and I saw some tiny anchovies lying with the greens I was eating. At the end of the fourth day I became a pescatarian. Oops.
Vegan Mac N’ Cheez
Then fifth day. The last day. At this point I thought, at least I tried. The attempt was there. I went from a vegan to a pescatarian within days, but it’s the thought that counts. I still ate the meals though. For the last day I got pasta-based dishes, so they were very filling. Other than the Darjeeling Express (the dinner I got on the third day), the Mac N’ Cheez was definitely one of my favourites! The cheese was obviously vegan, but tastes just like normal cheese. I added a few drops of white truffle oil after I heated mine, and it tasted just like a gourmet dish.
At the end of the week, I did a scale; I lost about 0.7 kgs (I also only worked out twice that week, unlike the usual four times, due to the flu). Not bad. I think if I did the diet full-on I could have easily lost at least 1.5 kgs.
Fusilli Lentil Mushroom Bolognese
Overall, the experience was good. I didn’t lose energy from lack of meat. I ate meals that I actually liked. I didn’t feel hungry, though temptations to snack were always there. I lost almost one kg, which is always great. Would I do it again? Definitely!
Forking clean costs IDR 850k for a full five-day catering (lunch and dinner) and IDR 500k for five-day lunch only.
Portibi Farms gives birth to some of Jakarta’s notable restaurants’ organic vegetables and fruits. We fortunately got to visit the lovely place and stayed over at Lodges Ekologika at the Portibi Farms for a night.
Take a look at the stuff we experienced and saw during our one night stay.
Portibi Farms is lokated in Sukabumi, which is about 2-5 hours away from the city (yes, the difference is appalling, but if you understand Jakarta’s outer-ring traffic, you would get why the time span is so wide).
Entering the vicinity, you would have to go through walls of greens, which may seem scary at night (which is the time we arrived), but if you just push through the darkness, you’ll seriously start seeing lights (this applies to many life problems as well), coming from the Lodges Ekologika bar. That means alcohol is readily available.
In the space itself, bounded by mainly-wood exterior, resides modern eclectic wooden furnitures (some refurbished) and modern accessories. Some of the public spaces also have great speakers. Jocean Bowler, who is the owner of the place plays amazingly great playlists to complement the amazing sound system.
The picture above shows the main building of Lodges Ekologika, with the bar on the ground floor and the soon-to-be-library-but-currently-a-temporary-room on the second floor. Speaking of bars, this bar has ample supply of alcohol and Jocean also makes amazing cocktails!
The picture above shows a peek of the room on top of the bar, where we stayed for the night.
And this is the bar where the magic happens.
All of the guests at Lodges Ekologika are encouraged to mingle with one another, which is why the space has lots of group arrangements where people can comfortably converse and get to know one another. During our stay, we had people come in as a family (with very young, funny kids), couples and just young, good-looking adventurers who are just trying to get away from the city life (guess which one we fall under, hehhee).
At Lodges Ekologika, food is served three times a day; breakfast, lunch and dinner, incorporating some of the harvested fruits and vegetables from the farm. Not only is the food super fresh, it is amazingly cooked as well. The picture on top shows the dining room, adjacent to the bar building, with a main long communal table for people to eat dinner and converse at night, and smaller tables, where people usually eat for breakfast and lunch.
For those with kids or who are just young at heart (like that nearly 30-year old guy in the pic), Lodges Ekologika provides a playground with mini flying fox.
Of course, we did not visit Portibi farms just to chill and drink and eat; we went to visit the organic farm too! Someone from the vicinity took us to the farm and actually gave us a tour of the place, showing the arugulas and the lettuces and all the other vegetables that they grow and are even ready to harvest and eat. Since the vegetables were grown organically, we could even eat them on the spot! Unfortunately, fruits were not in season during our time of visit, which means that another Tasteritos trip to Portibi is due soon!
This is the recently harvested cassava from the farm.
Portibi Farm is not a new name in the Jakarta food industry; many of the city’s renowned restaurants are supplied by the farm and many of its renowned chefs have also visited the place with great experiences. For those who are looking to get away from the city life, away from stress and job demands, Portibi is definitely a place to go. Everyone at the farm totally gives a good-vibe feeling and the overall experience will definitely leave you feeling super fresh!
The newest restaurant in Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Jakarta features Crab Eggs Fried Rice, Imperial Kung Fu Soup, and Black Swan Dumplings!
We were invited back to Mandarin Oriental to try out their newest restaurant, Li Feng. A revamp from the delicious Xin Hwa, Li Feng offers innovative Chinese dishes with elegant presentations in a beautiful setting.
The venue is inspired by the Chinese food trade, with walls displaying sketches of sailboats and atlases. We were treated to a lunch that involved a total of 12 dishes (!), bringing us to a culinary journey courtesy of Executive Chef Loy.
Crispy salmon skin with salted egg yolk
The lunch opened with one of our favourite dishes, which I swear I could eat nonstop if paired with rice. Very crunchy and savoury, with a hint of spiciness from the green chillies.
Swan Dumplings with Black Pepper Duck Meat
The restaurant’s signature dish, which is actually a “sister-dish” to the golden swan dumplings in Jiang Restaurant, Mandarin Oriental Guangzhou. The ‘feathers’ of the swans actually had a texture similar to Singaporean puff pastry (the one with the curry inside)-- but this had a black pepper duck meat filling. Delicious!
Squid ink, seafood and fish roe dumpling & Spicy XO scallop dumpling
So cute n dericate. These steamed dumplings were very refreshing, especially after the heavy fish skin and swan dumplings. Our fave was the scallop dumpling, with a dollop of XO sauce that provided the perfect spice.
Imperial Kung Fu Soup
We obviously had high expectations for the IMPERIAL KUNG FU soup, and it exceeded them. Filled with stewed chicken and quail with matsutake, cordyceps flower, and dried longan, this was possibly the most comforting dish of the day. The chicken and mushrooms were very tender, coupled with the slightly sweet longan fruit. It was also actually quite filling! Next time we go to Li Feng, we definitely won’t be ordering corn soup.
Sauteed beef with Szechuan pepper and chili
Sweet & sour chicken with pineapple and bell pepper
String beans with dried shrimps and garlic
Braised Hele crab with Japanese rice in Hoisin sauce
The main course! While the beef and chicken were certainly delicious, the dishes that stole the show were the humble string beans and the not-so-humble Hele crab. The string beans were slightly crunchy, salty, and savoury, while the Hele crab with Japanese rice was just next-level. Female crabs with abundant crab eggs, cooked together with slightly-sticky Japanese rice, it was like the best fried rice you could ever have. If you ever visit Li Feng, do NOT miss this dish. The crab itself was so fresh it was slightly sweet, and the Hoisin sauce made it deliciously rich.
Deep fried rice dumpling with frog jelly and coconut milk
Blueberry snow skin dumpling
Mango with pomelo sago cream
For someone who’s not a huge fan of desserts, this dessert platter was perfect for me. The duck dumpling tasted pretty much like deep-fried mochi filled with coconut milk, the blueberry snow skin had a creamy snow-like texture inside, and you could never go wrong with mango pomelo cream.
We ended the day with a very full and satisfied tummy. Can’t wait to try the other dishes at Li Feng!
There is something about the summer that entices me to drink sangria.
The thing with sangria is that you can basically get away with putting in whatever fruits you want, mix it with some wine and brandy and you’re good!
For this sangria menu, I have incorporated summer fruits like dragonfruit, lemon (skin in), orange (skin in) and green apples. Cut them in block, but ‘em in a jar full of ice cubes. I also put one whole bottle of Sababay wine, just because it is light, which is great for the summer and a half-cup of brandy.
While it might be uncharacteristic for us to do a review on a hotel, our stay at The Lombok Lodge was an experience that went beyond a 2-nights stay at a hotel. It introduced to us the amazing food, surroundings, and hospitality of Lombok.
Browsing the web through the variety of hotels in Lombok, it wasn’t a tough decision for us to settle on The Lombok Lodge. Its stylish design and variety of hospitality accolades convinced us that-- if we were to only stay 2 nights in any hotel in Lombok-- it would be here.
We arrived on Friday night, to find that all bookings in The Lombok Lodge include a five-course dinner meal, and because we arrived quite late at night, they arranged to serve us the dinner in the comfort of our own villa living room.
To be honest, we didn’t expect much out of an 11 p.m.-”room service” dinner. Of course, one course after the other arrived and we were pretty much blown away. And not only because we were hungry. One dish that stood out particular was the tuna steak:
Tuna steak with baby potatoes and herb butter
You know how cooked tuna often have that stringy texture and overly fishy smell that leaves an after taste in your mouth? This had NONE of that. It tasted almost meaty, and had a texture of the best medium-rare beef you’ve ever had. The butter had a taste of Indonesian herbs and spices and in time, melted down into a decadent sauce.
White chocolate ganache with pineapple chunks
The perfect dessert. The ganache was creamy and sweet, almost too rich-- if not for the combination of the super tangy pineapple chunks at the bottom.
This was probably the best 11 p.m. dinner I’ve ever had. We continued chatting with our waiter, who explained to us the various culinary traditions in Lombok, including the infamous Ayam Taliwang, which obviously intrigued us. The waiter then told us.. y’know.. if we want, he can arrange the chef to cook us traditional Lombok food for lunch tomorrow. Off-menu stuff. Note that at this point he just described to us a traditional dish involving eggplants, so for me, the offer was a no-brainer.
The next day was when we truly got to experience the beauty of the hotel. Owned by a Belgian couple and developed by an Italian interior designer, the first thing you notice is that everything-- literally, even the brooms-- were either wood or black/white monochromatic. Set in the backdrop of the SUPER BLUE sea, it was unlike any other resort we’ve ever seen.
About 4 hours into swimming and admiring the hotel, lunch arrived.
Guess which one is which: kangkung plecing, ayam taliwang, urap sayur, salada terong, grilled fish, tempe & tahu
One thing about Lombok food: everything is spicy.
Eggplant salad
So interesting. As an eggplant-lover, this surprised me. I have never eaten CRUNCHY purple eggplants (I’ve eaten green ones). But they were delicious.
Ayam taliwang
The food most associated with Lombok. Grilled chicken, served with spicy peanut sauce. This was best eaten with even more sambal and the eggplant salad.
Urap sayur
My favourite. We couldn’t figure out what kind of leaf was used in this (we asked but I forgot lol) but it was so delicious. The coconut shavings were juicy and the leaves were so fresh and had a herb-y taste to it. If not for the super spicy chillies, I could’ve eaten this alone.
The rest of the stay, we were pampered so much that I didn’t even mind not leaving the resort at all. In summary, I:
had another 5-course dinner but this time outdoors, under the freakin’ stars
had the best message ever in the resort spa
watched The Revenant from an iPad in the room that connects to the TV with an endless amount of movie options
rode in their in-house jet to nearby island Gili Trawangan
had a chat with the lovely owners who gave us free souvenirs and delicious madeleine cakes
overall had a very memorable experience with the best service I have ever had in a hotel/resort/villa
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