Category: Bandung

All About Food have visited the mountainous Bandung several times. Bandung is located in West Java, Indonesia and is one of the busies city on weekends.

Sagoo Kitchen

Rating:

7.5 / 10 Taste: 7.5/10

Price: $4 per person

Place: 7.5/10

Review:

I fell in love with Sagoo Kitchen the first time I saw it, unfortunately I had had my lunch at that time. The restaurant has a retro feel in it. Once you are inside, you are presented by vintage decorations, very homey ambience and wooden furnitures. There was a little vintage stall as you enter the restaurant.

Since Sagoo Kitchen’s specialty is Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice), we ordered three different kinds of fried rice. You can ask the level of hotness of your nasi goreng. You might know it by now I don’t fancy spicy food, so I ordered the one without chilli. Nasi goreng Sagoo was my choice for the obvious restaurant-named dish. It had an interesting presentation: volcano-shaped with beef jerky in the middle. It was complemented by the usual suspects for fried rice: shredded omelette, pickles and prawn cracker.

The second nasi goreng might only be enjoyed by some people since it had beef tripe and it was pretty spicy. Nasi Goreng Babat Semarang was said to be originated from central Java. It was presented much-less gloriously with a generous serving of beef tripe and fried onions. The last one was Nasi Goreng Tempo Doeloe, literally translated ‘fried rice from the old days’. It was cone-shaped fried rice with the usual extras and ebi (dehydrated shrimp). Unfortunately, this one lacked the punch, over-shadowed by the other two.

Beehoon Goreng Rawit Sagoo was the one I didn’t get to taste since it contained the ultra hot green chilli! However, the next dish was so good that we had to order the second one. They called it Tahoe Kopjok Telor (tofu in fried egg). It was a combination of savoury tofu dish with sweet and sour soy sauce. I really loved the sauce, it was so tasty and when combined with the tofu and some pickles, it was unbelievable!

There are assortments of desserts and assortments to choose from the menu but since I already had limited capacity, my choices fell to Klepon and Es Katjang Singapore. Klepon is a native South East Asian dessert which is a glutinous rice ball dipped in pandan essence with liquefy palm sugar and coconut. It had a chewy texture with melted palm sugar filling. Es Katjang Singapore isn’t actually an Indonesian dish but I just couldn’t help it with the Green and Red syrups.

The final verdict for Sagoo Kitchen

Sagoo Kitchen is definitely one of the restaurants you must visit in Paris Van Java. In addition to them being nice and clean, the food was also excellent.

Did you know?

Don’t go to Paris Van Java on a weekend! The traffic is really bad that Jakarta’s traffic is like a walk in the park!

Details:

GL-D-05, Jalan Sukajadi 131-139, Paris Van Java, Bandung, Indonesia

+62 22 8206 3754

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sagoo-Kitchen/88725198134

Jul 20, 2012
Kafe Halaman

Rating:

7 / 10

Taste: 7 /10

Price: Rp. 15,000 – Rp. 55,000 per dish = $2 – $6

Place: 7/10

Review:

For my first review in my home country, I will take you to one of the only few good things in Bandung, Kafe Halaman (translated into ‘backyard café’). This café gave you the feeling of having a meal in a patio on our backyard.

Before you start, you might want to familiarise yourself with the menu, since there are literally 100s of things to choose from. Feel free to explore the variety of menu in the restaurant, as I will only list a fraction of it that we actually ordered.

Our first starter was this funny looking dish called Rambutan Prawn. Derived from the Rambutan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rambutan) image, the noodle-coated prawns were deep fried till they’re golden brown. Enjoyed with condiments of Chilli and Tomato sauce, it was really crunchy. The other starter was Lumpia (Spring Rolls). Another deep-fried menu, but this time was too similar with the regular spring rolls, with the exception of their tiny bite-size.

We also ordered some share plates of Siomay (Chinese Shumai) and Ceker (Chicken Feet). I will pass on the description of the second one since its admirers are so little. The first one is an Indonesian adaptation of Chinese Shumai. They were slightly more sturdy and solid in appearance and usually more flour than meat.

We had two main courses to try with and both of them had the same seasoning. One was Buntut Bakar (Grilled Oxtail). It came with the unique Melinjo crackers and vegetable soup. Again, not anyone will enjoy this kind of treat. The second one was a bit ‘neutral’, Iga Bakar BBQ (BBQ Ribs). Unfortunately, these are not those gigantic Sydney’s Hurricane’s ribs. Quite the opposite, they were pretty tiny. I think it’s fair enough, considering the very low price of it. They did come in a nice old-fashioned hot plate, with sides of fries and veggies + additional yummy BBQ sauce.

The final verdict for Kafe Halaman:

The best thing about Kafe Halaman is its variety. You can choose from Chinese, Western, to traditional Indonesian food and they’re all decent (except maybe the exotic ones – for preference / distaste). It is also one of the few restaurants that open past midnight.

Did you know?

There are at least two Kafe Halaman restaurants I know of. This spot is definitely not better than the main one. In terms of taste, it’s not really different. Getting to the mall, on the other hand, is a mammoth task. Paris Van Java is one of the hottest spot in Bandung and considering traffic generally is already pretty bad in Bandung, it is worse at this spot.

Location:

Paris Van Java, Bandung, West Java

Mar 16, 2011
Brussels Spring

Rating:

7 / 10

Taste: 7/10

Price Range: Rp. 40,000++ » $5

Place: 7.5/10

Brussels Spring Review:

From practically unheard-of to an instant favourite of mine, Brussels Spring restaurant amazed me with their cartoon-characters-filled walls, very cozy atmosphere, and fantastic meal. Cartoon characters are individually inserted into a clear cube. Several cubes were attached to a white frame. The seats were so fantastic that we wouldn’t want to leave the restaurant. However, since there weren’t that many seats available in the restaurant, I would guess this restaurant would be crazy packed on weekends.

A lot of the restaurants that paid too much attention on their interior design failed miserably on the food department. How about this one? I can confidently say no! They looked quite a bit too much doing the menu with the placement of history of waffles on the first few pages. They also had quite a few selections of Indonesian-fusion food.

I might have overlooked the appetizer menu, because my mind has been set to the Mussels menu. I ordered the Brussels Mussels in Oregano-Butter sauce. The mussels came in a pot just like how the Belgian would have served them. Unfortunately, there were only 6 of them (I wouldn’t be so surprised given the price we paid for them). The mussels were so nice and butter-y and you were also given a side of fries with the Belgian-Mayo sauce. The sauce was excellent with the thick golden brown fries.

I also managed to taste 2 of the other main dishes, Spaghetti a la Brussels Spring and Entrecote Minute Steak. The spaghetti was not too exciting, but the Steak was fabulous. I was instantly interested with the way they decorated the dish. Covered in yummy brown sauce and a sprinkler of oregano leaves, the steak was accompanied by two deep-fried beef stood atop cheesy mashed potato and a vertical onion ring.

For deserts we ordered Waffle with single ice cream and Fondue. Again, there were two side of the story here. Whilst the waffle look very ordinary, the fondue was quite interesting. Sitting atop candle-lighted cup, the dark chocolate was pretty thick and rich in flavour. Rows of strawberries, bananas, and brownies were aligned and prepared to be eaten.

Last but not least is the drink of the day, Hot Naughty Coco. The name might be a little bit too kinky but it wasn’t without a reason. The drink was served in a unique cup with the café’s logo on the handle. The chocolate would’ve been a lot nicer if it were hotter. The blend of chocolate and hazelnut was already perfect.

Did you know?

The number of people in Bandung has increased to (almost) double during weekends after the opening of the Purbaleunyi Highway. That highway cut the time of travel from Jakarta to Bandung by half.

Location:

Jalan Sumatera 30, Bandung, Indonesia

Apr 14, 2010
The Duck King

Rating:

7.5 / 10 Taste: 7.5/10

Price Range: Rp. 100,000++ » $15

Place: 8/10

Terms:

Terong Isi Hotpot: Eggplants Hotpot with Chicken meat filling and minced chicken.

Review:

We’re on for a special treat this week. Probably Bandung’s most exclusive (and definitely tastiest!!) place, The Duck King serves nothing but the best. Surprisingly enough, this restaurant is part of an Indonesian (possibly worldwide) chain. They served 2 kinds of menu, the ones on the placemat for a quick and light bite, and the menu book for a complete fine dining experience.

As the name suggested, this restaurant’s specialty is the duck, especially Peking duck. Unfortunately, our group wasn’t big enough to order that one. So, we’re settled for their finest in-house menu: Bebek Panggang (Roast Duck). We had a combination of roast duck, jellyfish, and marinaded BBQ chicken. The duck came with a dipping sauce that enhanced its flavour. The meat was so easy to chew and the texture was so tantalizing.

Next one on the table was the Udang Goreng Mayonaise (Deep-fried prawn in mayonnaise sauce). The prawns were deep-fried in light wonton till they were golden brown with a light touch of mayonnaise sauce. It gave the perfect blend of crunch and sweet.

Belut Goreng Saos (Deep-fried eel in Special Sauce)’s presentation was quite appealing however the eel was my least favourite dish of the day. Although the eel was incredibly crunchy, the sauce was too thick and bitter to my liking.

Then came the Terong Isi Hotpot. Already one of my favourite vegetables, the chefs surprised us even more with the way they handled the eggplant. They still gave the eggplant texture but cooked them till they were extra soft with less eggplant scent. The choice of spices made the extra strong flavour on the meat.

Last but not least was the only vegetable for the night, Brokoli Tumis Bawang Putih (Stir-fried Broccoli in garlic slices). Contrary to the eggplant, this dish was simple and straightforward. However, the taste was far from ordinary. Broccoli was cooked so that it’s a little softer to chew.

For drink, I ordered a pot of Chinese Green Tea (I should have ordered Chrysanthemum!!!). It was the cheapest drink on the menu, but I think it was the finest. Unlike Sydney’s good ol’ Kingsford Chinese, the tealeaves made the tea so fresh and invigorating.

Did you know?

The restaurant’s dim sum menu was actually a lot more affordable to most people than its dinner menu. The taste was also as expected for dim sum. On the other hand, its dinner menu comprised of a whole range of Chinese foods, from its duck to the elusive abalone and shark’s fin.

The mall’s name: Paris van Java (The Paris of Java) was actually Bandung’s nickname given by the European for its resemblance to the city of Paris. Some (little) parts of the city still reflect the beauty of Bandung, especially at night.

Location:

Ground Floor Unit C-18, Paris Van Java, Bandung, Indonesia

http://www.theduckking.com/

Mar 31, 2010
Fuego Barbecue

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Unfortunately, Fuego has closed its doors.

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Rating:

6.5 / 10

Taste: 6/10

Price Range:Rp. 35,000 – Rp. 54,,000 » $4.2 – $6.5

Place: 7/10

Review:

When I first heard about Fuego Barbecue and Grill, curiosity sparked within me. There is a decent Brazilian/Mexican restaurant in Bandung. The restaurant is located in the mountain part of Bandung overlooking the city. Just like any other part of the city, the road leads to the restaurant is incredibly crowded, especially weekends, but the restaurant gave us a nice first impression. It is beautifully designed with wooden furniture. The grill is located in the centre where people can see the chef grilling our dinner. It gave us a cosy and spacious feeling with little noise.

For starters, we ordered Cajun Salad and Cheddar Stix. Although not decorated nicely, the salad gave us a spicy Brazilian feel to it. They even put unpeeled, grilled slices of orange. The Cheddar Stix was awesome! Deep fried into golden brown of perfection, 5 stix were laid on top of a bed of vegetables. They were accompanied by spicy (and tasty) Brazilian sauce.

They have a range of Brazilian as well as Indonesian-styled BBQ menu. Unfortunately the one that I chose (first item on the menu!), American Back Ribs, was sold out. So I ordered their Chef’s suggested Steak, Chimichurri Beef. I highly anticipated the Steak since Chimichurri is THE Brazilian sauce. However it didn’t taste or look like the Chimichurri I’ve ever had. The sauce looked like a pile of sliced chilli and garlic with some oil poured all over my steak. It was nice, garlic-y and spicy, but it was different.

I had a taste on Rosemary Beef and Honey Glazed Ribs. It took forever to prepare, the minced beef on a Rosemary stick was not to my liking. The rosemary overpowered the beef, thus it was too much fragrance. I loved its unique presentation and idea. Honey glazed ribs was by far the best meal of the night. The ribs were grilled perfectly. It had strong BBQ taste, yet the meat was still very tender and juicy.

For dessert we ordered Apple Fritters and Chocolate Pizza. The slices of Apple were deep fried with a chocolate-decorated plate and a side of whipped cream and strawberry. The apple was a bit too sour for me. The filling was nice. Layered of chocolate and fruits, topped with Parmesan cheese was beautiful to end the night with. It was only spoiled by the fact that the pizza base was undercooked. It still had the flour-y taste on it.

As with most restaurant in Bandung, they have traditional drinks on their menu. I ordered Bajigur on this occasion. Bajigur is a hot ginger drink with slices of coconut. It was the perfect drink for rainy or cold weather.

Did you know?

Just like Malang, Bandung is the place to be for Jakarta people to spend their weekend away. However, unlike Malang, the city roads were poorly maintained and traffic can get really ugly, with bikes and public transports seemingly ignoring the traffic rules. If you want to get the idea of Bandung, I would suggest you to drive around the city after 1 AM (no kidding!), or you’ll be stuck in the traffic.

Despite their traffic nightmare, the city itself gave us a glimpse of Indonesian history and the people are incredibly creative and musical. The food… Wow! Highly imaginative with combination never been seen before, but sometimes it can be devastatingly horrid.

Location:

Jl. Terusan Sersan Bajuri KM 3.8 no. 88, Bandung, Indonesia

Mar 23, 2010
Laura y Oriol Grande Fiesta

It is another appreciation week on my blog, Laura y Oriol Grande Fiesta. I present you 2 Spanish chefs (I don’t believe you guys are actually doctors) who cooked fabulous food for us.

Terms:

If you know all about Spanish food, you can skip this part.

Gazpacho: Blended tomato, red pepper, onion, garlic, and cucumber soup with a hint of olive oil and vinegar.

Tortilla de patatas: Potato Omelette.

Escalivada: Oven-baked eggplants and red peppers in Olive Oil

Nachos con Guacamole: Avocado sauce with tomato, coriander, and cream cheese, served with nachos.

Salmon with balsamic and pesto sauce: Signature dish of the day. Lightly grilled salmon with caramelised balsamic vinegar and pesto (olive oil, pine nut, basil, and parmesan) sauce.

Arroz con leche: Rice with milk cooked with lemon peel, sugar and cinnamon stick.

Experience:

It all started in Setiabudhi where we gathered all the ingredients for the night’s fiesta (no, I don’t get paid for advertising the store :P). After much debate on what ingredients to buy and with double and triple checking of the stuffs needed, we still missed the main ingredient: parmesan (mainly due to my mistake on thinking cheddar = parmesan).

Without further ado, we begin the night with two starters. We have Gazpacho soup and Tortilla de patatas. Gazpacho on its own presented us with taste-building appetite perfect to open the night. The soup was both savoury and fresh. For an extra fill, we can dip toasted bread into it. Our second starter for the night was a massive potato omelette. I don’t want to think how much carb it had, but it was very tasty and filling, especially if you put extra pesto sauce on it.

The next three dishes could actually be enjoyed together, but the salmon is written last to put an emphasis on. Nachos con Guacamole is originated from Mexico. It provides the crisp taste for the meal. Escalivada was my favourite vegetable dish. They were simply baked and peeled off with a generous pour of salt and olive oil.

What makes the Salmon with balsamic and pesto sauce special? It was the couple’s signature dish, perfected after years of evolution. Described as a Spanish cuisine with Mediterranean influence, the salmon was mixed with balsamic vinegar and generously poured pesto sauce. The combination gave us a rich and unique flavour of juicy pink salmon, sweet and strong balsamic vinegar, and tasty pesto sauce.

By the time we finish the dishes, we hardly have any space left on our tummy. Luckily, the dessert, Arroz con leche, was actually better when refrigerated first. Oriol illustrated this dessert as an alternative way to enjoy rice; and he was right. With the added sprinkle of cinnamon powder, Arroz con leche was refreshingly sweet.

Did you know?

Laura and Oriol are both from Barcelona, Catalonia (not España!). Although similar to Spanish language, Catalans have their own dialect,culture and/or food. Additionally, their city is home of the world’s best restaurant, El Bulli.

Location:

Inggita’s home, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia

Mar 11, 2010