Category: Cities

This is a category for cities. All about food have reviewed restaurants in cities like Sydney, Singapore, Bali Island, Surabaya, and Bandung.

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
Hot Cui Mie

Rating:

7 / 10

Taste: 7/10

Price Range: Rp. 15,000 –

Rp. 20,000 » $1.8 – $2.4

Place: 7/10

Terms:

This will be a new section that briefly explains the terms I use in the review.

Gorengan: It’s like deep fried wonton/dumpling without the meat.

Kulit Ayam: Deep Fried Crispy Chicken Skin

Udang Rambutan: Deep-fried prawn balls that are shaped like Rambutan fruit.

Review:

If you look at the price range, there was no typo there. That’s just how ‘affordable’ (if you don’t want to say cheap) food can be in Indonesia. As a general rule, when we go food hunting in Indonesia, it’s the taste that matters.

Hot Cui Mie presents us with a unique bowl of noodles. Their signature dish is Hot Cui Mie Ayam Jamur(Chicken and Mushroom). The bowl was coated with gorengan and the noodles is served with deep fried chicken and mushroom with spicy sauce (and some veggies, of course). For those of you who don’t like it spicy, they also provide us with the No Hot version.

We ordered Kulit Ayam and Udang Rambutan for starters. Both starters came with sweet and sour dipping sauce for extra taste. Kulit ayam were deep fried to a point where it still retains the softness of chicken skin, yet it’s crispy on the outside. It also filled us up incredibly quickly before the main arrived.

Udang Rambutan wasn’t well presented. It looked like a plate full of crackers. You had to dig into the crackers to actually get the prawn ball. Their prawn ball was also filled with quail egg.

For the drink, I would suggest you to order Iced Mocha. However this is not the regular mocha coffee that you’ll find in coffee shops across Australia. Instead, you will get slices of avocado in shaved ice with chocolate milk. I like this drink a lot since it is refreshingly sweet.

Did you know?

There was the big mud flood incident near the city of Porong years ago that causes the trip from Surabaya to Malang doubles. The government built natural barrier to isolate the mud. ‘Lumpur Lapindo’, as the locals said it, can still be seen on your way to Malang.

Surabaya citizens normally go to Malang or Tretes for a quick weekend getaway since it has cooler temperature than the scorching hot city life.

Location:

Ruko Kawi Atas 43-B, Malang, East Java, Indonesia

Mar 3, 2010
Poong Charcoal Korean BBQ

Rating:

7 / 10

Taste: 7/10

Price Range: $11-$15 per dish

Place: 7/10

Review:

Poong charcoal korean bbq restaurant is pretty unique in a way that it presents us with a traditional-styled restaurant. The decors were excessively ‘ordinary’ and everything was painted in green. There was no adequate exhaust fan for the smoke generated from the pot so I would advise you NOT to wear fancy outfit. Despite all these drawbacks, the restaurant caught my attention because of the hominess feeling and of course it is pretty cheap as you go with more people.

Normally we go into the restaurant from the back entrance through an alley. There will be no a la carte menu in this restaurant and You will be cooking your own food on a burning-hot charcoal mesh. It is important to cook your food fast as it will be burnt pretty quickly if you are not aware.

There’s not much variety of food they offer and their menu is presented in Korean with a loosely translated English (e.g. Beef triple, Beef Skirt Slice). They do serve Korean Soju (rice wine) or Beer that you can try.

One must-order dish that I would recommend is Marinated BBQ Spare Ribs. You will get two layered, boned-in spare ribs that you can cut to your bite size. The meat is very juicy and a little bit BBQ-sweet. No matter how you cook it (from medium raw to well done), it will still be soft and tender. Once you’re done with the meat, I would also recommend you to cook the leftover bone for its tasty tendon.

As a side dish, you will be given complimentary kimchi and a plate of assorted raw vegetables. You will also be given sesame oil and homemade sauce – tastes a little bit hot and sour, like kimchi. The drink is served in an aluminium container/cup and there’s an additional charge for rice.

Did you know?

For the daredevils, you are welcomed to try Poong’s authentic Korean cold noodle, called Arrowroot & Cold Noodle Soup. My not-so-much-of-a-fan illustration of this noodle would be: it’s grey noodle chucked into crushed ice with Kimchi sauce and some vegeteables.

I’m pretty sure they like it a lot but it’s not suited to my tastebud.

Parking space is available in nearby Canterbury RSL.

Location:

Corner Canterbury Rd and Griffiths St, Canterbury, NSW, Australia

Feb 25, 2010