Bread Crumbs and Coffee Spills

Peanut Butter & Hazelnut Chocolate Cupcakes

2011-08-09T17:25:00.006+07:00

CL's Birthday Cupcakes

A very very late post indeed.

The year 2009 has seen me being quite active (and productive) in the kitchen, testing out recipes from 500 Cupcakes & Muffins by Fergal Connolly. Some were quite successful, some were rather a mess if not borderline disastrous.

Out of the few recipes I've tried, my favorite would be the Peanut Butter Cupcakes. Not only because peanut butter is a favorite among many people, but also because the recipe is quite easy, providing one with little room for failure. The recipe always yields a batch of fluffy, fragrant, and moist cupcakes -good eaten as is without any icing. I topped these babies with runny peanut butter icing (made from icing sugar, butter, and peanut butter) to create rustic homemade looking cupcakes.

In order to finish the jar of Skippy (I always use the chunky one because I love the added crunch), I made a few batch in the stretch of a few weekends. All were always accepted delightfully by my friends and colleagues.

For CL's birthday that December, I decided to bake some of these nutty treats for her. Half of the batch went to my colleagues in the form of mini X'mas Cupcakes. I also experimented a bit and made Hazelnut Chocolate Cupcakes using the same recipe, by substituting the peanut butter with hazelnut chocolate spread (most famous would be Nutella but I used a local brand, Ceres, because they have the chunky version).

The batter didn't turn out with the same consistency because the hazelnut spread was more runny than the peanut butter, but thankfully, the cupcakes still tasted yummy. I topped them off with hazelnut chocolate icing (made with the same ingredients as peanut butter icing). As a final touch, both cupcakes were topped with pink and gold sprinkles to create a more festive (birthday-ish) look.

For the X'mas version, I topped the cupcakes with red/green/white sprinkles. Everyone who received it was happy and jolly. Ho ho ho...

Jolly-faced Colleagues

Bakeover #3: Chocolate Stout & Black Bottom Cupcakes

2011-08-08T18:18:00.013+07:00

Chocolate Stout Cake with Irish Cream Cheese Frosting

When it comes to chocolate, I'm pretty much sure 90% of us will be infatuated by this rich ingredients. From young kids to grown ups, many would indulge in the profound delight of chocolate.

I myself am a chocoholic -a rather picky one too. Dark chocolate makes me happy, and I simply detest white chocolate (which, IMHO, shouldn't even be called 'chocolate' as it doesn't contain any chocolate). Anyway, I love anything (dark) chocolate and wouldn't pass any offer of chocolatey dessert. Especially when they're spiked with alcohol.

Yes, it's no secret that chocolate goes along very very well with alcohol (chocolate martini or chocolate vodka shots, anyone?). So when I stumbled upon a chocolate cake recipe that's spiked with stout, I couldn't resist -naturally.

After browsing around for recipes, I decided the one from Closet Cooking is the one to die for: Chocolate Stout Cake with Irish Cream Cream Cheese Frosting. Guinnes paired with Bailey's, what's not to love? I immediately called out CL to arrange time for this Irish affair.

For our first trial of the recipe, we decided to just use the most available stout on the market, Guinnes. I do think that the Guinnes here is not as good as the imported one, but it will have to do. For the cream cheese, I substituted Bailey's with Whiskey Cream that my bf purchased at Vom Fass (Ion, Singapore), which is thicker and stronger than Bailey's.

The cake turned out very moist, chocolatey, and slightly malty, with no hint of alcohol at all (alcohol vaporized when baked). We slather on the cream cheese frosting and it was a very yummy kick! A real treat for adults.

To keep CL's young daughter away from these adult cupcakes, she suggested we make another batch of cupcake which was more kid-friendly. Again, we consulted The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook and settled on the Black Bottom Cupcakes recipe.

These cupcakes were made with chocolate sponge base with a dollop of cheesecake filling, resulting in a rather dense and very rich texture. Chocolate chips were added to make it even more decadent. CL baked some of the batter into mini bite-sized cakes to pack into her daughter's lunchbox (the lil' princess just started school year). It's another piece-of-cake recipe for any novice baker, guaranteed to win kids' and adults' hearts alike.

Black Bottom Cupcakes

More Sweetness in The Shelf

2011-01-03T15:05:00.004+07:00

As the months have gone by in 2010, there have been some new addition of sweet titles in my bookshelf (or so, I hardly have any space left). I was excited. Evan, of course, was ecstatic.

The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

First off, is the foolproof The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook. Got this as a gift from my uncle when he went to Singapore sometime last year. But I also have to thank CL for introducing me to this book. We've tried quite a few recipes here, from the glorious matcha cupcake, fluffy banana chocolate cupcake, decadent black bottom cupcake, to the sourlicious lemon poppy seed cake (the latter two posts to be published soon -promise); and they all made us sigh with pleasure and contentment.

I Love Macarons by Hisako Ogita

The second book, I Love Macarons by Hisako Ogita, was a gift from my boyfriend. He stumbled upon it while he was in London last August and was quite enticed by the pictures in it too so he bought it for me. Ironically, he doesn't eat macarons as they're too headache-inducing sweet for his palate.

Evan is having a hard time deciding which flavor he'd like best

The book is written for home bakers which uses small ovens and features a detailed step by step procedure of making the treats. It seemed simple enough but as CL and I have proven one day, well, it wasn't (simple) at all. We ended up being somewhat traumatized, and that's not really an exaggeration. But that's another story (again, to be published soon).

The latest addition to my cookbook family was this cute The Cookie Box (from Page One publication). Inside the box, there are three cookie shaped books: square cookie, round cookie, and shaped cookie, which features around 20 cookie recipes each.

Page One's The Cookie Box

This book was a Christmas gift from my boyfriend and I haven't truly explored all the recipes in it let alone try any. Can I just wait til I have my own kitchen? With the big electric mixer and proper oven and spacious marble table and... uhm.. OK. Oh well, will probably have a go at some recipes in CL's more spacious kitchen. Soon. Yes, soon! For now, Evan and Cinnamon will just have to do with the pretty pictures from these books.

Evan and Cinnamon hogging over the 'cookies'

New Family Member: Cinnamon

2011-01-03T01:09:00.005+07:00

Hello, 2011!

Been experiencing some serious lack of commitment in updating the blog. So now let's start the year with a post about a new friend that I've got from my trip to Bangkok last November.

May I introduce you all to Cinnamon, the quiet but warm-hearted bunny.

My boyfriend adopted her from Vanilla (a tres chic restaurant and bakery in Thong Lor area). She reminded me of Mr. Bean's teddy bear -don't you think so too? Anyway, she's just adorable. Evan loves her too. Expect to see them both ogling over some cupcakes.

Meanwhile, I'll try my best to post some (uhm, many actually) pending posts about my bakeover sessions, restaurant reviews, and culinary trips to Hong Kong, China, Bangkok, and Singapore.

PS: Happy new year, All!

Long Weekend Bakeover #2: Banana Chocolate Cupcakes & Matcha Roll Cake

2010-07-21T19:09:00.006+07:00

As I've mentioned before on previous post, I've started doing bakeover sessions in CL's apartment, usually on the weekends. After the success of the first session, we decided to do another session the next day, on a lovely Sunday afternoon. Aside from the banana chocolate cupcakes recipe from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook, CL insisted on making matcha rollcake.

She took the recipe from the internet (I forgot where) and has tried her hands on it but wasn't too successful as the recipe, it turned out, was not sufficient enough for her pan. Thus she ended up with a thin and dry slab of cake and was generally not satisfied with it. So this time she suggested doubling the recipe to fit her pan.

Again, the cupcakes recipe required minimum effort -with maximum result. The only downside was the not so pretty shape of the cakes. We forgot to line the trays with papercups so even though we used silicone trays, some part of the cakes remained sticky on the tray. Blah.

But in terms of taste, they were light and fluffy with a hint of warm spices (from the use of cinnamon and ginger powder). The chocolate frosting was a tad too sweet for us though we've reduced the sugar, but CL's daughter enjoyed them so much (of course), especially with the colorful sprinkles on top.

Next, we moved on to make the Matcha Rollcake. I studied the recipe and saw that it uses sponge cake technique in which the egg yolks and the whites are separated and beaten in different bowls: the yolks creamed with sugar and the whites beaten until stiff and meringue-like. It made me kind of worried since I usually have problems with beating egg whites. If it's not stiff enough, the cake will fall; if it's too stiff, the cake will be dry. Folding the egg whites mixture into the other ingredients is also tricky.

Also, both CL and I are not experts in rolling the cake. Simple as it may seem, I always ended up with a cracked cake or horrible scalded cake. But we went on and I tried to beat the egg whites perfectly, and fold them in carefully. We then poured the batter into a lined tray -forgetting to thud the tray a few times so that the batter are distributed evenly on the bottom and to every corner *slap forehead*.

When the cake was done, we quickly rolled it with a parchment paper and leave it to cool before spreading it with the cream filling. I could sense that the cake was a bit too dry and it was difficult to roll it up to look rounded and pretty. Well, the shape was far from pretty and I wasn't satisfied with it, but it did tastes good. The matcha flavor really bursts and it wasn't too sweet. Even CL's husband, who's not a fan of matcha, said that it was good.

For the filling, we followed the recipe and used whipped cream with a bit of sugar and matcha powder. I didn't like it because it was too creamy but bland for my palate -I'm never a fan of whipped cream. I managed to cut off a strip of the cake and filled it with the chocolate buttercream leftover (from the banana chocolate cupcakes) and the combination was divine! I really do think that chocolate and matcha go well together.

I'll post the recipe later since I didn't copy it from CL. One thing for sure, you need to stock up on a lot of matcha powder. It would be great if you can get your hands on the high quality ones (when we made this, we used the one CL brought back from Japan) because it really defines the intensity of the matcha flavor.

PS: Again, pictures are taken with my Blackberry, so pardon the grains and unappealing looks. But I assure you, they taste better than they look.

Matcha Roll Cake

For cake:
3/4 cup flour
2 tbsp matcha powder
Pinch of salt (optional)
1 tbsp baking powder
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar

For filling:
3/4 cup cream
2 tbsp matcha powder
1 tbsp sugar

1. Shift flour, matcha powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.
3. Beat yolks until pale and creamy. Add in sugar.
4. Mix dry ingredients into yolk mixture.
5. Fold in egg whites.
6. Pour into pan. Tap pan onto surface to even out the batter.
7. Bake for 8 minutes at 200 celcius.
8. To make filling, beat cream and sugar until stiff. Add in matcha powder, mix well.
9. Spread filling onto rolled cake generously.

Long Weekend Bakeover: The Hummingbird Bakery's Matcha Cupcakes

2010-07-20T15:53:00.009+07:00

Well, I've been too busy (and too lazy) lately that I've neglected this blog for quite a while. Things have been quite crazy at work and it's gonna get crazier over the next few months, up til November. But in between, I try to squeeze in as much time as possible to play around in the kitchen -as a way to stay sane. Meanwhile, lots of pictures of baking projects and culinary adventures are abandoned, waiting to be edited and posted.

Over the past few months, I've done some baking collaboration with my good friend CL. It all started one lovely Friday at the end of May, with a visit to her apartment while another friend of ours was in town. Also a baking enthusiast, CL suggested that we tried a recipe from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook that she just bought. With both of us being self-professed Japanese green tea (matcha) addicts, the recipe that caught our eyes first was, of course, the Matcha Cupcakes.

We studied the recipe and it was simple enough. In fact, it was too easy to be true that we weren't too sure the cakes would turn out good enough to eat. But the recipe prove us wrong. The cake turned out lovely albeit more chocolaty than matcha-ish because of the chocolate powder used. The texture was not too dense but very decadent.

The combination of chocolate powder, matcha powder, and little sugar (we reduced the amount of sugar used) made the cake a bit bitter for some people. But it's balanced up with the sugary and creamy matcha frosting.

The frosting was made of simple butter cream, with loads of Matcha powder (more than the amount required on the recipe). We went all out with the matcha because we wanted the taste to stand out more to balance the chocolaty cake.

I'm usually not too big on frosting, but this time I literally couldn't stop 'testing' the yummy (and sinful) grass-green colored cream.We ended up with some leftover which, sadly, didn't go down our throats. As much as we'd love to do so, we tried hard to stick to our diets. Everything in moderation.. Meh.

We slabbed the frosting on top of the cakes and the end result was a heavenly explosion of chocolate and matcha; both bitter, sweet, and rich at the same time. Oishii ne!

PS: I won't be disclosing the recipe here since I'm encouraging you to buy the book -believe me, it's worth it.

PPS: I'm sorry if some pictures in my blog are far from pretty or appetizing. I don't have a camera so I'm relying mostly on my Blackberry's camera. Hopefully, soon, I'll get my dream camera *fingers crossed*.

'Alice in Wonderland' series #2: Lavender Cupcakes

2010-06-15T16:10:00.009+07:00

I have never really liked the smell of lavender flowers. But an infatuation soon started after I read Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence. Rather metaphorically of course, since I'm still not too keen on the scent. But the thought of living amongst lavender fields are just too dreamy to resist.

So when I flipped over my current cupcake bible (500 Cupcakes & Muffins by Fergal Connolly) and found a recipe for Lavender & Honey Cupcakes, I thought it would be nice to use the box of dried lavenders, which has been sitting in my fridge forever, as part of my 'Alice in Wonderland' cupcake series. Evan was very excited about it too.

The original recipe uses basic vanilla cupcake, with lavender-honey cream cheese icing. But since I wanted to put the lavenders in the spotlight, I tweaked the recipe and added a few tablespoons of the lavender tea into the cupcake batter and the icing as well.

In the recipe, the dried lavender flowers are mixed into the icing -I'm not too sure I want to go all the way to eat the small flowers, that's why I decided to use the tea water instead. Also, after a fruitless attempt of looking for blue food coloring (and forgetting to get the purple one instead), I ended up with a not-so-lavender pink colored frosting.. Oh well.

During the process, I somehow managed to put too much flour into the batter -thanks to the old shitty kitchen scale. Thus, the batter was more heavy and the cupcakes didn't turn out as light and fluffy as expected. While it still tastes good, the texture was rather dense like that of pound cake, but coarser and crustier. Bummer. The icing didn't turn out lovely too, in terms of consistency, because I put in too much liquid in order to escalate the lavender taste further. Another bummer.

But, being my lab rats (and probably for the sake of getting free pastry every week), my colleagues still applauded and praised me for the cupcakes. Haha.

Next on the series would probably be jasmine. What do you think?

Lavender Cupcakes

(makes around 2 dozens of mini cupcakes)

Cupcake:

225 gr all purpose flour, shifted

225 gr unsalted butter

150 gr sugar (original recipe calls for 225 gr sugar, feel free to adjust as needed)

4 eggs

2 tbsp lavender tea (made from 1 tbsp dried lavender flowers + hot water)

Preheat oven to 200 C. Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and beat with electric mixer (medium speed) until well combined (around 2-3 minutes). Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before icing.

Icing:

250 gr icing sugar, shifted

125 gr unsalted butter

2 tbsp lavender tea

blue/purple food coloring

Beat sugar and butter with electric mixer (medium speed) until light and fluffy. Add in lavender tea and food coloring, mix well.

'Alice in Wonderland' series #1: Rosewater Cupcakes

2010-06-11T16:29:00.012+07:00

When I first read about recipes featuring rosewater as an ingredient, I thought of it as very girly, romantic, and somewhat seductive. Rosewater is a byproduct of rose oil and is a widely popular ingredient in Middle Eastern sweets. I purchased my bottle from Jones The Grocer, Singapore, during my last visit there in January. The bottle stood in my kitchen cupboard for months until I finally put it into good use last Sunday to bake some rosewater cupcakes.

The recipe (taken and tweaked from 500 Cupcakes & Muffins by Fergal Connolly) originally calls for cream cheese and pistachio icing but since I didn't have any cream cheese and pistachios in hand and wanted to make the rosewater flavor more distinctive, I decided to substitute it with a light rosewater scented butter cream icing.

The cupcakes turned out lovely and fluffy with a faint tinge of rose flavor. I think that it is actually best not to use the cream cheese topping as it would certainly overpower the rosewater. Too bad I didn't have any red food coloring, these would look cuter with pink icing, but lucky I have some cute heart-shaped sprinkles to use. I brought these flirty cupcakes to my office and it was a hit.

Rosewater Cupcakes

(makes around 2 dozens of mini cupcakes)

Cupcake:

225 gr all purpose flour, shifted

225 gr unsalted butter

150 gr sugar (original recipe calls for 225 gr sugar, feel free to adjust as needed)

4 eggs

2 tbsp rosewater

Icing:

250 gr icing sugar, shifted

125 gr unsalted butter

2 tbsp rosewater

red food coloring (optional)

Beat sugar and butter with electric mixer (medium speed) until light and fluffy. Add in rosewater and red food coloring, mix well.

P.S: I decided to name the flower cupcakes project as 'Alice in Wonderland' series. Simply because all the flowers reminded me of the movie (Queen of Hearts, the flowers in the garden, etc.). Next up is lavender cupcake.

Introducing: Evan

2010-05-03T20:52:00.013+07:00

Eye-ing the strawberries 'n cream cupcake

Hi, All!

Meet Evan. He's a sweet but (rather) shy sweet toothed polar bear cub that I adopted from a gift hamper a few months ago. He lightens up at the sight of cookies, cupcakes, or any other sugary confectionaries. Though he's a bit reserved, at times he could be giddy -mostly because of the sugar rush.

He LOVES banana cupcakes

Unlike his adoptive mom (that would be me), Evan's not a big fan of coffee -he's afraid that it would stain his snow white fur. But he enjoys good tea every now and then, especially with milk and some honey. He also enjoys pasta and has a knack for cook books, specifically baking books -by natural.

Happy with the new Martha Stewart's Cookies book that he got from his friends

A Lil' Sip of French (and Nespresso) at Bistro Baron

2010-04-29T18:07:00.043+07:00

This new place looks very lovely on the outside with its tres chic French bistro design and romantic accordion music. You'll feel like you're in one of those scenes in 'Ratatouille' ;P But frankly the service was rather a disappointment -it took (almost) forever for our orders to come out.

One of the main attraction of this place, for me, is the fact that they serve Nespresso. So my partner and I, both a self-professed coffee enthusiasts, specifically went there for it. We are very keen to taste this it coffee. So far, on the menu, they only serve 4 types of pods out of the available 16. At Rp. 45.000 per cup (excluding the 21% tax of course), this cuppa is no doubt an expensive indulgence.

Nespresso Roma cappuccino (front) & Livanto long black (back)

I ordered Roma (intensity 8) as cappuccino while my partner opted for long black Livanto (intensity 6). Wrong move for me, since the rich taste of the coffee was covered by the richer milk. It would be better to order it as espresso to experience its intensity. Oh well, save it for another visit then.

After ordering a bowl of French Onion soup to share, we 'entertained' ourselves with the complimentary bread basket. Though I liked the idea of putting some salt on the butter, the bread (baguette) itself was too crispy and thus, a bit too tough to chew on. The soup itself was quite a delight albeit the small serving -it was warm, sweet, and not too rich. I also love the yellow pot they use.

My friends and my sister came to join us a while later for some pre-dinner snacks and ordered a salad (I forgot the french name) and croquette (again, I forgot the name). The salad resembled that of caesar salad, both from presentation and taste. The dressing was garlicky but light. Again, the only thing to complain was the size of the serving. The croquettes were soft with a very strong and pungent cheese and garlic flavor -I suggest you to stay away if you don't fancy garlic that much.

Clockwise (from top): afternoon buzz, garlic & cheese croquette, 'caesar' salad, churros

As my sweet tooth was demanding some sugar, I decided to order some dessert and opted for the Churros. It's basically similar to doughnuts: fried doughs dusted with sugar and cinnamon. Served with dark chocolate and milk chocolate dips, the one here was rather a disappointment. The dough was hard, not soft and fluffy, and there was a certain smell which I suspect came from the frying oil. I prefer the ones served at Miitem.

My lovely Monday to Sunday lace skirt

Down to the last drop

The following Sunday, I revisited the bistro again for brunch, this time with my family. Keen (and curious) on having another taste of Nespresso, but a bit discouraged to order espresso since I came with an empty stomach, I ordered long black Arpeggio (intensity 9). This time around, the cuppa came with the original pod on the side -which is an added bonus for the eyes, at least my eyes. The coffee itself was bold and bitter, with a balanced acidity aftertaste.

For the main course, I ordered their spaghetti aglio olio with smoked duck and rockets, pan fried seabass for my mom, and dory fish and chips for my grandma, while urging my uncle to get the duck confit.

Clockwise (from top): Nespresso Arpeggio long black, pan fried sea bass,

aglio olio with smoked duck, mimosa, duck confit, fish and chips

My pasta, though simple, was a delight. I love the combination of the light al dente pasta with the smokiness of the duck and the bitterness of the rocket leaves. My mom's seabass was quite satisfying too. The fish was not too dry, the sauce delectable, and the addition of the small and somewhat chewy potato 'cakes' was interesting. The fish and chip was nothing special -too much fries with not much fish on the plate. The duck meat was soft and it didn't leave any trace of that distinct duck smell, which is a very good thing as I rather dreaded that aftertaste. The red wine sauce was tangy and the potato 'pancake' served beneath the duck was very good.

To accompany my pasta and to round up my French brunch experience, I ordered a glass of mimosa (a mix of OJ and champagne). I'm not too sure about what kind of OJ they use, whether it's fresh or bottled, it tasted somewhat artificial. But the cocktail list itself sparked my curiosity, and I'm keen to try some of the unique and special drinks that they offer on my next visit.

All in all I'd say that it was a pleasant dining experience albeit the high price tag. There's nothing too spectacular about the taste of the food, but the ambient and the Nespresso are plus points for this bistro.

Bistro Baron
Plaza Indonesia Extension Level 1 #E20-E21
Jl. MH Thamrin Kav 28-30. Jakarta Thamrin
P +62(21) 29923505

The Lure of Ladurée

2010-01-07T10:34:00.015+07:00

Well, this is what I would call a sweet start to the year.

It is quite obvious that by now, some people would have noticed my silly obsession with macarons. Not that it's hard to miss, really, I ranted about the sweet confectioneries in my blog and even on my facebook status for some time.

So when a friend who happens to live and work in Paris (yes, the capital of Macarons) came back to spend the new year here, he made a sweet gesture of bringing back a box of assorted Macarons from one of the legendary patisserie there, Ladurée.

indeed, sin tastes sweet

Imagine my excitement.

We met up last Tuesday night, along with three other sweet toothed ladies, and devoured the whole box. While we were quite fast in emptying the box, I managed to take notes of the flavors that we tried: chocolat (chocolate), chocolat amer (bitter chocolate), café (coffee), pétales de rose (rose), pistache (pistachio), framboise (raspberry), caramel au beurre salé (caramel with salted caramel filling), menthe glaciale (mint), réglisse (licorice), noisette (hazelnut), griotte (morello cherry), citron-herbe de citron (lemon with lemongrass filling).

The macarons were soft by texture and has the right amount of sweetness. Bear in mind that macaron is made almost entirely from sugar so it is actually very sweet -but the ones I tried here were even sweeter and thus, deadlier. Amongst all, I'd say my favorite flavor would be the decadent chocolat amer (of course), the tangy framboise, and (surprisingly) caramel au beurre salé. I never really fancied caramel but salted caramel is indeed addictive -I should thank miss Joycelyn for introducing it to me through her amazing blog.

Needless to say, we were sugar high that night -and a bit bloated- but happy nonetheless (I'm not too sure whether we were really happy, or partially just got hyper from all the sugar).

Now I just need to wait for that box of Pierre Herme macarons.

Thank you, Thomas!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-09-25T18:50:00.003+07:00

As my mom was away during the holiday and the maid went back to her hometown to celebrate Idul Fitri, I was left in charge of the house -meaning, I was forced to stay at home to 'guard' it. I'd go out and about all day, and went back home at night.. to an empty house.

Thus began the midnight baking session(s) which were meant to kill time.

I've always had a penchant for cookies, so it was only natural that the first recipe I tried was the chewy chocolate chip cookies that I copied (again, oops..). As I had the house entirely for myself, I blasted some tunes from Lisa Stansfield in the kitchen. A bottle of Hatten Rose wine that my sister purchased from Bali was chilled and popped to accompany me through the baking process.

Like usual, I always modified the recipe, especially on the amount of sugar used. The cookies turned out chewy and yummy though still slightly too sweet for me. They became an instant hit amongst my colleagues that I was asked me to sell them. Sadly, production halted after a few months because, uhm, it was rather laborious and time consuming to bake cookies with my small toaster oven. Yeah yeah, I'm a slack.

The Domestic Goddes (Wannabe) Strikes Again

2009-09-23T17:32:00.006+07:00

It's been a long long while since I last stepped in to the kitchen to whip up some magical stuffs (well, they're hardly magical, but I just like to think of it that way).

I stopped experimenting when I started working full time and moved out of my parents' house to live in a small rented space (called kos room) -which is similar to a dorm room and is not equipped with proper kitchen whatsoever.

That was around 3 years ago.

Despite having numerously saying to myself that I'll get back to this so-called passion of mine, I left my baking utensils in the back of the cupboard for them to eat dust. While I do go home every weekend, I am usually too tired (read: lazy) to spend some time in the kitchen.

It all changed a few months ago. In order to motivate me to go back to cooking, I bought this small cook book: 500 Cupcakes & Muffins by Fergal Connolly. At first I was torn between this book and another one about cookies, but after much contemplation and a poll (yes, a poll -via twitter), I decided to give this one a go first. But not before I copied a recipe of chewy chocolate chip cookies from the cookies edition (guilty as charged).

But it took me a while before I can really give the recipes a shot. The opportunity (and time) presented itself during last year's Idul Fitri break. The first recipe that I tried was the mini ricotta cheesecakes. I baked the cheesecakes for a potluck lunch at a friend's house, at which I also threw in a simple but delicious fresh watercress and baby spinach salad with balsamic dressing (recipe tweaked from The Good Mood Food Blog). I made the cheesecakes the day before and sent some to my friends to try, alongside some aglio olio pasta.

It wasn't quite a success. Partly because I substituted the cream cheese with the lighter (and thus, more watery) version and used local brand ricotta cheese (which, according to my friend, is very watery too). So the cheese batter turned out runny and I ended up with more 2 dozens of mini cheesecakes rather than the original 1 dozen (as said in the book).

I also substituted some of the biscuits used for the base with Oreo and put slightly too much butter, so it ended up being very soggy. Meh. But my friends said they tasted good -not sure out of courtesy or just being kind, and they did finish them up until the last piece. So I guess they were being honest (haha).

In Search of The Perfect...

2009-09-09T16:27:00.014+07:00

Ever since I've stumbled upon Ms. Joycelyn's amazingly beautiful (and scrumptious) foodblog, Kuidaore, just a few days ago, I found myself to be immensely absorbed in her impeccable writings and highly art-directed tantalizing pictures. I also found out later that she's not just good with desserts but also very good with other meals too (like hosting a multi-course dinner party) -- she's an object of admiration and jealousy to me.

I kept on reading and every post seemed to be very inspiring if not encouraging me to pursue my now-forgotten passion for cooking and (especially) baking.

After too much ohh-ing and ahh-ing over her over the top cooking (and art) skills -- if you look at her creations, such as like these christmas joys, these snowflake cookies, these Marie Antoinette-sque cakes, and these super girlie sweets, I believe you'll react the same (and to think that she's entirely self-taught makes me even giddier) -- I stumbled upon one post last night that made me have a sudden huge craving.

A craving for that sweet fluffy French bread called brioche.

Back when I was still in college, I used to skip classes and hang out at Mal Taman Anggrek with my friends. There were no Starbucks or Coffee Bean yet but we were happy enough to settle at a small and rather secluded place located on the top floor called La Brioche Dorée, which turns out to be an ubiquitous patisserie franchise from France. I remember sitting there for hours just playing cards and talking. I would sometimes buy some pastries to bring back home because they discounted the price after 8 p.m.

I loved almost everything they serve here. They make the best grilled panini sandwiches (my favorite was cheese or cheese-tomato), I've never met one that's quite a match to theirs up to this day. My sister loved the large creamy mushroom quiche. My mom loves to savour their mini croissants and tarts.

The brioche itself, of course, is no short of wonders. They made it in a few shapes, from the mini ones, giant ones, and loaf shaped ones, with flavors ranging from plain/original, to chocolate, cheese, and strawberry jam.

Sadly, business wasn't very good for them so they closed down a few years later. I blamed it largely to the arrivals of Starbucks and Coffee Bean, which were more sought after by people here. So there goes my only source of great panini sandwiches and brioches. Shucks.

Same thing happened to Pain de France, my only reliable source for wonderful (and affordable) bagels, shortly after. When I think about it, I cant help but feel a bit remorseful to Starbucks, especially when I saw them selling bagels for more than twice the price of the ones at Pain de France. Nowadays, I get my bagel fix at Bakoel Koffie, with a price just below Starbucks's. Still pale in comparison to Pain de France's. Again, shucks.

Anyway, back to brioche. While still working in a garment company a few years back, I was quite a regular at Daily Bread which was located a few floors below my office in Kuningan. There, I finally got reintroduced to brioche again. They make good ones, I especially love the whole wheat brioche. It's been a while since I visited Daily Bread, I wonder if they still have brioche in their menu -- I hope so.

So, anyone here knows a good place (in Jakarta) to sate my cravings for perfectly good brioche (and bagel)? Comments and suggestions would be much appreciated, thank you.

* Originally posted in Multiply, October 01, 2008

Macarons Dream

2009-09-09T16:04:00.009+07:00

I'm curently wondering..

What Pierre Hermé's macarons taste like.

I'm never a macaron girl. I dislike meringues (which are basically made from the same main ingredients: egg whites and lots of sugar) and I've tasted macarons here from Bakerzin -and hated it because they were overly sweet, sticky, and yucky. But I've heard some people say that yes, the ones from Bakerzin are awful. You don't compare them with the real macarons such as the ones from Pierre Hermé or Ladurée.

Perhaps it's like comparing McDonald's beef burger to, say, Social House's wagyu burger (okay, that's probably a lame comparison -but you get the point).

All the hype and rave (and beautiful presentations) -as evident in Chubby Hubby and Kuidaore, to name a few -have made my curiosity turned slightly into an obsession. I've yet to discover whether I would fall head over heels in love with this supposedly melt-in-your-mouth confectionery, or just simply be overwhelmed with all the sugar rush and say yucky -again.

Prove me wrong and entice me, monsieur Hermé.

Pictures taken from www.wallpaper.com

* Originally posted in Multiply, April 06, 2009

Al Nafoura: a Lebanese Oasis

2009-08-23T19:57:00.032+07:00

After craving it for a while, I finally got a chance to set foot into this exotic restaurant which has won many good reviews.

And should I say, it is indeed a gem.

The ambient is perfect and service was good. We came during the weekend when they were holding their weekly belly dancing show which, for me, was actually not that entertaining (what with all the loud noise). But I guess such entertainment is needed to attract more crowd.

Upon sitting, we were presented with complimentary appetizer: a plate of raw vegetables (tomato and cucumber slices, lettuce, carrot sticks). You can eat them as is or order some dips to go with them -they're great when eaten with hummus.

Aside from the raw veggies, we were presented with a basket of warm naan bread. These chewy and fluffy bread came in unlimited supply, so feel free to stuff yourself with it -though I'd recommend you to save room for the delectable main courses.

From the menu, we ordered some spiced lamb sausage (called metze or makanek -I can't really recall) for appetizer. We also ordered two kind of dips: baba ganoush (minced roasted eggplant with herbs, drizzled with lemon and olive oil) and hummus (chickpeas puree with olive oil and sesame paste/tahini) with minced lamb.

The mini lamb sausages are succulent. They came drizzled with sauce that was quickly mopped up with the naan bread. The baba ganoush is smooth and the hummus is soft and creamy. The minced lamb meat and pine nuts on top of the hummus added some extra depth, I spread this mixture over the naan bread to get a yummy 'sandwich'.

For the main course, my friend ordered roasted lamb with yogurt sauce and rice, while I opted for steamed fish with lemon potatoes and broad beans on the side. When the plates were put in front of us, we were a bit taken aback to see the size of the lamb. Unfortunately, it doesn't taste as good as it looks. The meat was too dry and it lacked spices, so it still has that strong pungent lamb smell. In the end, my friend couldn't finish it. The fish is very tender and soft and goes very well with the sauce, which is a mix of paprika and onions. The only inedible thing from the dish is the overly-sour lemon potato wedges.

We didn't even consider ordering dessert because we were too stuffed by the end of the meal. Aside from the lamb (which was quite a failure), I'd still say that the food at Al Nafoura is fairly good. They are delectable (again, aside from the lamb). Price wise, it's a bit on the higher tab, but mostly because we had 2 glasses of wine each -and they charged 21% for tax. But if you're careful enough to avoid the pricey drinks and make wise selections instead, this place is indeed (very) worth trying.

Al Nafoura

Le Meridien Hotel

Jl. Jend Sudirman kav 18-20
Jakarta 10220 - Indonesia
P +62(21) 2513131

F +62(21) 5711633

P.S. Pardon the lousy dark and blurry pictures. Lights were (very) minimum there so I had trouble taking proper ones. And I don't like to use flash. Hehehehe...

Avorio: Just Not Quite There Yet...

2009-08-23T01:56:00.016+07:00

I can't help but notice that Plaza Senayan is quickly becoming a culinary playland for foodies all over Jakarta. What with the openings of various rather high end restaurants, especially around the XXI (cinema) area.

In addition to Fleurie and Sushi Sei, which have been there for a few years even before the section was renovated, the past year has seen many upscale restaurants flourishing around them: Rustique (steak house famous for its aged meat), Pier 6 (fine dining seafood adjoining Equinox & X-Lounge club), Katsura (another Japanese), Marche Movenpick (yes, the restaurant previously located at Gran Melia) and Oyster House (another one of Mr. Wongso's creation, serving anything and everything oyster); and lastly, an Italian joint which grabbed my attention, Avorio.

I had been rather curious with this place ever since I walked by the area and saw the name brandished on the wooden boards covering the then constructed restaurant. It finally opened its door around a month ago and elevated my curiosity even more.

But I restrained myself from exploring it because it exudes an expensive aura, so I had to set the perfect time and find me a company who shares the same passion and view (of food) as I am. But as time slips away, I forgot about it (same goes for other restaurants I'm dying to try but haven't got the chance to).

Then sometime around last week, my mom told me that she went to try this new Italian restaurant at Plaza Senayan with her friends for her arisan lunch. I knew immediately that she was talking about this place.

She told me of how good the food was and told me that we should all go to try it one of these days. So when she asked me whether I wanted to join her and my sister for lunch at Plaza Senayan last Saturday (before they went to see "Mamma Mia!"), I immediately jumped into the boat and suggested that we eat at this place.

Upon entering it, I got this mixed feeling about the interior. It's dominated with grey color, punctuated with white and purple here and there, in an attempt to make it look sleek and stylish. But the material and especially the furniture picks made it look like it's trying too hard to look posh, as they looked cheap with bad finishing, especially the tables.

Clockwise (L-R): pan seared scallops with spinach, asparagus & pea soup,

pomodoro lobster spaghetti, angel hair with tuna, caper & olives

But oh well, let's move on to the food. Since we're all foodie ladies with mind on their belly and waistline, we decided that we should order the food to share. My mom went for the pomodoro lobster spaghetti she raved about, and my sister went for asparagus and pea soup and angel hair pasta with tuna, caper, and olives, while I settled for an appetizer of pan-seared scallops with spinach and crispy parma ham drizzled with balsamic sauce. And since I couldn't get any wine to accompany the dishes because they don't serve alcohol during Ramadhan (sniff...), I settled for an interesting looking fusion drink, pandan infused lemonade.

A few seconds after the waiter left, I changed my mind and wanted to switch my scallop to a main course of baked sole fish instead (which my mom said was good too) but the waiter said that the orders couldn't be canceled because it was already sent to the kitchen. A bit of a turn off for me, since it was only a few seconds away and I assume they hadn't started cooking it yet..

When the orders came, I was not really disappointed by the presentation of my order, though I winced a bit at the small serving (well they didn't call it appetizer for nothing). But as for the taste, the scallops were juicy and succulent, they were cooked just right. The sauce adds a tangy touch but not too overwhelming. And the soft spinach and crispy ham gave the dish a unique texture. It was my favorite among the other dishes -so I made a wise choice I guess.

My sister's soup was nice and creamy, though not fabulous. Her angel hair pasta was more of a success. It was perfectly cooked al dente (angel hairs are quite tricky to cook due to its delicate shape), the light olive oil sauce was the right company to balance the tuna, olive, and capers. On the contrary, the lobster pasta that my mom raved about turned out to be a disappointment. While the pasta was perfectly cooked and the lobster meat was fine, the should-be rather acidic sauce was way too salty. So salty that it killed the natural tomato taste. We couldn't finish it in the end, but we did scoop out every last bit of the lobster meat as it would be a dear loss not to, considering the mondo price we paid for this particular plate.

Warm chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and berry sauce

For dessert, we settled for the very-much-inviting warm chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and berry sauce on the side, which was quite beautifully and artistically presented on a long rectangular plate. The cake itself was well made -moist and soft with a very rich dark chocolate taste. The vanilla ice cream was quite dense though not as fragrant as Bakerzin's, and the berry sauce was delightfully tangy. We dug our way into it enthusiastically.

Summing up the experience, I should say that it was a pleasant albeit not fantastic experience. I wouldn't mind coming back again one day -maybe not too soon. But I wouldn't refuse the offer should anyone wants to treat me here (including my mom, of course).

But should I pay for myself, I'd save my pennies for Puro. Or perhaps I should revisit Rosso.

Avorio

Ristorante & Bar

Plaza Senayan, P4 fl. Unit CP 409

P: +62 21 57900277

F: +62 21 57852773

* Originally posted in Multiply, September 29, 2008

P.S. sorry about the low quality pictures, I took them with my mobile phone as I didn't have any proper camera with me at that time

Man Puku: a Delightful Hidden Gem

2009-08-21T17:16:00.021+07:00

This hidden small place intrigued us when we first went pass it one night. Located at Jl. Mahakam, next to Pisa Cafe and on top of a Padang restaurant, it doesn't seem to inviting at all. So we carefully went up with hopes of finding a hidden treasure, sort of.

Upon entering it, we were greeted by the few staffs and uhm, hot air with a rather strong smell of fried food. We were then led to a table at the end of the small space. There were only us and 2 other people dining in that night.

The food here is of course, Japanese, but they also have a few Korean selections too. We ordered bee bim bab, buta bara, and their speciality fried robata set which consisted of around 12 skewers of deep fried fish, chicken, squid, beef, bacon, and vegetable for main course.

For appetizer, we ordered cold cut tomato salad, which my friend happily devoured by himself while I stuck to the complimentary appetizer of raw cabbage leaves with special miso paste to flavor (I finished one and a half plateful of this 'salad'). Oh, I also ordered a bowl of steaming wakame soup which was really good.

Clockwise (L-R): raw cabbage & miso paste (appetizer), buta bara,
bee bim bab, fried robata set

The fried robata came with a huge rectangular metal bowl on the side for us to dip the skewers in, and a small plate of toasted sesame to coat them in. While munching on the fatty, sinful, but delicious skewers, we couldn't help but wonder why they put the sauce in such big container -- it's going to be a waste. When we inquired this to one of the waitress, she said that they used to use smaller container but got complaints from many (Japanese) guests because they said they couldn't dip the whole thing in with the small container. Well, understandable, but still a total waste.

The bee bim bab was good. Though the rice was a bit overcooked for me, my friend loved it still. The buta bara was a bit on the average side. We washed all the food (and fat) down with a chilled bottle of sake. After the big dinner, we were given complimentary desserts of green melon pudding.

When we were leaving, we decided to give the restroom a visit. On the way there, we noticed that the place's actually quite big. Just next to the small room where we dined in, there's a bigger room/section -very nicely designed in red and black hues with cool modern lighting. And the air's cooler too, compared to the smaller room. They probably closed the section down because it wasn't too busy that night.

All in all, I'd say this restaurant's quite a find. Would love to come back next time if I have the chance.

Man Puku
Japanese Dining

Jl. Mahakam 1 No. 11B, 2nd fl.
P +62 21 7221690
F +62 21 7221691

* Originally posted in Multiply, September 14, 2008. Sadly, I've never had the chance to set foot inthis place again ever since. And last I checked, I think the place is closed down already. Too bad...

Loewy: Where You'll Never Leave Well Enough Alone

2009-08-21T16:27:00.018+07:00

Raymond Loewy (1893-1986), often referred to as the father of industrial design, was the genius behind the iconic Lucky Strike logo and Coca Cola bottle. He's also credited for originating a (design) technique called streamlining, calling the concept "beauty through function and simplification."

I think those idea and concept are truly applied to Loewy, a (near) authentic French-inspired bistro located in the middle of bustling Jakarta. With its open air patio, wooden flooring, aluminium ceilings, tiled walls; illuminated by dim lights and decorated by ceiling fans. It gives out a certain rustic feeling yet intertwined with a chic modern buzz at the same time. The place emanates a timeless appeal, just like Raymond Loewy's designs.

Warm, inviting, and comfortable. It's the perfect place to wind up after a long day.

Theoretically, that is.

In practice, finding a seat (or sometimes, just a spot to stand) in this latest 'it' place could be quite a tedious task, especially during the weekends. Just like finding a place to sit/stand on TransJakarta on busy after-working hours.

Yes, just a little over a year after Cork&Screw's phenomenal success, its younger sister seems to be following its footsteps easily. I heard that the place has been packed since its first (opening) night. Wow. Business is really good for this group, I suppose.

Positioning itself as a bistro (with a bar), Loewy doesn't boast a wide array of wine selections such as Corks. It focuses more on the food (and experience) I suppose. Though in my opinion, the menu's list is not particularly outstanding if compared to Corks'. And since the kitchen's run by Koi too, you may find many similar/familiar items here.

Clockwise (L-R): duck with red wine sauce,smoked salmon salad,

trio warm chocolate cakes, escargot

For starters, the cheese fondue is tempting enough. A pan of sizzling hot melted cheese with bite size baguette cuts on the side. The smell is just intoxicating. The escargot is quite good, though not as good as Praline's. Half a dozen of shelled escargots are served soaked in luscious garlic butter sauce, covered with bread crumbs and baked, served with sliced baguettes on the side.

For main course, they have Asian and European selections. I never tried the Asian menu but I heard that the fried kwetiaw is good. For European menu, try the duck in red wine sauce or, if you're brave enough, try their beef tartare. Steaks are also recommended here as well as the delicious duck confit.

The highlight of the menu is in the dessert selections. Sweet indulging treats perfect for sharing with friends and family (but you could have it alone if you want to of course). For a lighter treat, try the delectable homemade ice creams and sorbets. Or if you prefer something more filling and decadent, the mille fuille, warm chocolate cake (in white, milk, and dark chocolate) with vanilla sauce, or large apple tart are (always) good options.

The wine list, as I've mentioned earlier, is pretty limited. But the bar serves some hip looking cocktails (the martini's are tempting) and have quite a good selection of beers (from Erdinger, Stella Artois, to Kirin). If you're not into alcohol, the tea and coffee list are pretty good too.

L-R: steak & frites, mimosa

For me, aside as an escape on weekdays' nights, Loewy is a perfect place for lazy Saturday or Sunday brunch or lunch (they serve delectable brunch menu on weekends, including steak & eggs and mimosa). As the place's not as packed as weekday/weekend nights by then. Just gather a small group of friends, sit near the open air patio for some sun, pop up a bottle of chilled wine to accompany your food, and spend the day chit chatting while being serenaded by Bossanova tunes. It makes for a perfect and beautiful day --at least for me.

As (Raymond) Loewy said, "Never leave well enough alone." So make sure you share your times at Loewy with your darling friends and/or family.

Loewy
Oakwood Premier Cozmo Lingkar Mega Kuningan
P +62 21 25542378

* Originally posted in Multiply, August 06, 2008

My Take on Ku De Ta..

2009-08-21T16:06:00.014+07:00

Once upon a day, I was halfway eating a bowl of Singaporean Laksa when a fly, which had been flying around trying to get a piece of our food, suddenly swooped down and decided to do a harakiri by diving into my laksa.

I froze.

I saw its tiny body wriggling around, grasping for life. Saw its tiny legs moving frantically for a few seconds before it finally gave up and just float there, motionless. I moved the dead body to another place out of my sight and didn't even bother to call the waiter to complain. I've lost my appetite instantly.

The above experience could probably represents what I feel about Ku De Ta.

A sunny view from Ku De Ta's balcony

Of course many of you would probably be familiar with this place. Opened since year 2000, Ku De Ta is still considered as the place to see and be seen in Bali. The name Ku De Ta resonates with cool and hip. One could say that this place is world renowned.

A trip to Bali wouldn't be complete without a trip to Ku De Ta. And what makes this place so special? Well, the architecture and interior are nice, the fancy food is fairly good, the drink list is impressive, the ambiance music is excellent, the party scene is hype, and the location is just perfect.

Located just off Seminyak beach, it boasts a view to remember, especially on sunsets. It is not a wonder that this place is always jam-packed almost everyday during the afternoon. Ku De Ta is definitely an excellent place to chill with friends over some cool drinks, on the lounge sofas or the outdoor sofas, while waiting for the sun to set. Very romantic, I'd say (ay ay, says everyone else).

I myself have always thought highly of this dreamy place. I've been there a few times and was always impressed and blown away that I always insisted on coming back whenever I went to Bali.

lost memory: a cozy afternoon with a flute of Raspberry Bellini

That is, until I experienced its pompousness on my last trip.

During my recent vacation to Bali, I made it clear to my friends that we should visit Ku De Ta. Many of them haven't been there so I figured I'd introduce them to this famous spot. We went there on our first night in Bali. We missed the sunset but we still had a good fun, chatting happily over our drinks while enjoying the night breeze and ambiance, occasionally taking a few shots here and there.

On our last day, we were told that our flight was delayed. So I told my friends that we should spend the 'additional' time at Ku De Ta to catch the sunset. Even though it was cloudy and looked like it was going to rain, they all agreed instantly.

We arrived there around 4 p.m. and was forbidden by the security to park inside (or even enter) the premise because he said the parking lot was already full. This happened on the first day's visit too, but at that time we didn't really give it any bad thoughts because we thought it was indeed a busy night. So we parked a few meters in front on an empty land, and walked to Ku De Ta. We noticed that many cars were allowed to go inside the premise and was kind of disturbed with that fact but we shrugged our complaint. No point in ruining our last day of vacation.

It turned out to be signal number 1 of the unwelcoming experience.

Once we reached inside the venue, we found the place was even more packed than on our last visit. There were not a single space left on the lounge sofa or outdoor sofa to sit in. We browsed for a while, hoping to see any table left but it was a fruitless act. The only tables left were the dining tables. And we weren't allowed to sit there unless we're having dinner, which we couldn't as we had to leave around 6.30 to drop the car to my friend's cousin's house and went to the airport after that.

A few minutes after we walked in, rain started to pour down heavily from the sky. Everyone who were sitting outdoor quickly gathered their belongings to run inside. The lounge was suddenly as packed as Jakarta's public buses on weekday's busy hours.

I tried to persuade the staff to let us sit for a while on the dining table. After all, t was barely 5 p.m and we'd leave before dinner time anyway. But the staff curtly replied that the tables were all reserved for dinner and thus couldn't be seated, even though many people had to stand around with drinks on their hands. Ridiculous reasoning, I'd say.

Meanwhile, the rain was getting heavier. We figured we shouldn't waste anymore time there and look for other place. So my friend ran out to get the car. He was to pick the rest of us up in the lobby. We waited there with the rest of the guests who were leaving too, a mix of local and foreign tourists --mostly foreign.

We waited for quite a while, which left us wondering what could be wrong. Because the distance from our parking place to Ku De Ta was not far at all, it was only a few meters away. We were suspecting that he wasn't allowed to bring the car into the premise as before.

After a long while, we finally saw the car. Now we had no umbrellas but there were 1-2 staffs there who were escorting the guests to go inside their car with an umbrella. I waited for my turn when our car has arrived in front of the lobby's steps. And the most irritating thing happened.

I was practically standing in front of the staff with the umbrella, but he looked pass me as if I was invisible! He kept looking at another guest who was a foreigner. Uh, hello?? I'm a guest also and I deserved the same service! He finally noticed us after my friend inquired him and went to escort us to the car.

Inside the car, my friend told us that he had to do a little debate with the security guy to, you guessed, let him enter the premise with our car! He wasn't allowed to go in with the same lame reason, that the place was packed. But he said that he just wanted to pick up his friends (us) at the lobby, which was still denied. Funny thing is, all the while, he let other cars drove in. So my friend asked him, "Why can those other cars go in but I can't?"

And the answer is this, "Because they (the cars) are bringing tourists."

Wham! Racism inside your own country. So just because we were local tourists, we got second class service. It's as if our money worth less that their money, when actually we were paying just the same price. How ironic is that!?

So our suspicion was proven true. That security guy was lucky I wasn't there when he said that line. I think I could slap him in an instant for insulting us --for degrading us, his own countrymen. Yeah, so we don't come from other country, we don't have blonde hair or blue eyes, but we were still guests, for gawd's sake! We deserved the same service and rights!

Such is the mentality of many people here. They have the mental of a 'slave', inherited from centuries ago when our country was invaded by foreigners. What a pity that many people still want to lower themselves, even though we are a free independent country now.

What a shame. Just like that fly who ruined my appetite in a sudden, this experience made me change my mind about Ku De Ta -- 180 degrees. I won't be recommending this place to anyone and I'm not sure I really want to go back there unless they change their snobbish attitude. There are still other places just as good anyway -- and with a much better service!

This Pink Mojito would taste better if combined with a more professional service

I strongly suggest Ku De Ta to improve the service and educate its staff more so they won't be discriminative. Don't be too arrogant and pompous, in the end you'll be jeopardizing your good reputation.

PS: The pictures were taken from a previous visit -when I still enjoyed the place. After this latest experience, I've never stepped foot inside the place again.

* Originally posted in Multiply, April 14, 2008 (click here to read comments)

Cheers! To Cork & Screw.

2009-08-21T14:52:00.016+07:00

Wine. That velvety liquid regarded as luxury here. That sexy substance which could spice up any situation. Hmm…

I’ve never been a big fan of wine and have always leaned towards hard liquor more. Simply because I considered wine as too light and expensive. Thus, it is inefficient – if you know what I mean.

I would opt for wine if I were to go for a chill out time, maybe for a nice laid-back fancy dinner, which I don’t really do. Me and me friends would usually just go all out and party hard, cheaper than a fancy wine and dine. Second option is to chill at a cozy lounge and just chit-chat through the night, over wine or any cocktails of course.

The later I really love. There were days when I would opt for lounges over loud clubs anytime (remember Manna Lounge?). Problem is, it’s rather hard to find such ‘subtle’ places in this city.

Sure, we pretty much have it all down here when it comes to nightlife. Great fancy clubs and bars with its beautiful crowd and loud pumping music, opened until wee hours. But I found that most places nowadays are either too loud (and too wild) or closed too early.

One of my favorite place, Samarra, only opens until 1 a.m. on weekends. Not late enough for many of us (1 a.m.? The party’s just getting started!). The ones opened for 24 hours only sell coffee – no complaints on this though, being a caffeine junkie who likes to hang out, I’m an avid supporter of any 24 hours coffee places. Point is, when it comes to a cool nice venue to just chill out (and get a bit light-headed), the options are sadly, rather limited.

That is, until there is Cork&Screw.

Those of you who missed Manna Lounge, back in its early years before it was transformed into the RnB club, Manna House (now closed and received a facelift into Public), do rejoice and celebrate! Here’s a wine lounge/restaurant that could really meet our standards.

Not only does this place is opened until quite late, though not really until the wee hours (well, it is still not a club), but it provides us with a wide array of wine options – supplied by Vin+. Price wise, we could select from the fancy cheap to the (inexpensive) fine vintage. The selection is also diverse in terms of regions, from Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, and (of course) France.

My friends and I, being price conscious connoisseurs, would usually go for the cheap Australian (ranging from Rp. 130K/bottle and up). But my favorite is the sweet cheap and chic dessert wine, Moscato d'Asti (sold for Rp. 160K/bottle). With only 5% alcohol content and its sweet taste, it’s my perfect partner for a laid back night. Heck, I think I finished a bottle by myself last time.

If you’re not into popping any bottle, you could always opt for the cocktails. The Sangrias, red or white, are recommended. I couldn’t say that I fancy it very much, the fruit combination is not as good as that of Samarra's, but it is stronger in taste, which means you get what you deserve for the price that you pay. And everyday, starting from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m., you can enjoy a (truly) happy hour: guzzle down two selections of reds and two selections of whites for only Rp. 150K.

What’s more, not only can this place quench our (undying) thirst, but it could also satisfy the epicurean in us. The food here is superb. Being a wine concept lounge didn’t make them forget this important part that would make up for that perfect 5 stars. The kitchen is run by Koi restaurant, a name very well known for its excellent food, especially European food.

Cheese Souffle with Tomato Cream Sauce

A must try is the snails in puff pastry with mushroom cream sauce, delicious bite size morsels perfect for sharing with friends. The cheese soufflé was outstanding. Made with 2 kinds of cheese (one is emmenthal, the other I forgot) and served with tomato cream sauce and toasted baguettes, this creamy creation is truly an ultimate must-try for cheese lovers.

They also (surprisingly) did a good Pad Thai (with a good price and a very generous portion too). For dessert, baked apple tart with vanilla sauce is just yummy -- not too sweet and slightly crisp, and it comes in a pizza-like shape and size so you could share with friends. The home-made sorbets are also pleasure for the tongue.

My only complaint of this place is their music. For a place intended to be a venue to meet, greet, mingle, and chat, the ambiance music is just way too loud. How was one supposed to strike a good conversation on top of that loud noise? Unless I’m in a club then it’s understandable, the louder the better. But this is a lounge/restaurant, the music is supposed to serenade us through our conversations, not compete with it. And it’s supposed to build up a good mood, not ruin it.

And as it normally happens to all ultra-cool places in town, this place is always jam-packed. It gets heavily crowded almost every night. On weekends, if you hope to get any place to sit – be it a sofa or a table – it is strongly recommended that you make reservations in advance, sometimes for 3 days ahead. Yupe, that’s how hip this place is. Not a surprise, considering this place could cater to all the wine connoisseurs in us, no matter what size is our bank accounts. Thus, it entices us to keep coming back for more.

Now everyone can drink, and cheers to that.

Cork&Screw

Wisma Kodel GF,

Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav. B-4

Jakarta 12920

+62 21 52902030

* Originally posted in Multiply, July 19, 2007. Some changes have been made on the place recently, including the menu and interior. But rest assured, the quality's still the same and I still enjoy visits to this place every once in a while.

Weighing in on Nabe or Sushi at Kiyadon Sushi

2009-08-21T14:39:00.012+07:00

Kiyadon has been a familiar name for many of us Jakarta epicurians. And I’ve always been one of the many fans of its udon and donburi dishes –the dishes they’re most well known for.

Recently, they’re expanding their business and entered the sushi competition by opening Kiyadon Sushi. I first saw this restaurant at SenCi. It looks very nice from outside, with its warm ambiance and unique private dining areas. But I was never really tempted to try it out because other restaurant options there seemed more inviting for me. But one day, when me and my mum were craving for some sushi, but were kind of bored with Sushi Tei, I decided to give this place a shot.

The first experience was quite impressive. We ordered two types of hot soupy dishes. I missed their Nabeyaki Udon (around Rp. 65K), so I ordered one. And then we saw this dish called Tofu Chige (Rp. 38K), which looked tempting with its red soup (me and mum are chili-holics), so we got ourselves one of that too. We didn’t order any sushi at all, because when we looked at the small plates moving pass us on the conveyor belt, they didn’t look tempting at all –either from the presentation or the color, they didn’t look really fresh.

Nabeyaki Udon: udon cooked in a hotpot with veggies, beef slices, and poached egg, with a slightly sweet soup – a bit like sukiyaki. It’s very yummy, esp. when eaten hot. Tofu Chige: tofu cooked with beef slices, eggs, and onions, simmered in spicy red soup. This one was a hit! The soup’s not too hot/spicy (for me), and has a balanced sweet and salty taste. The eggs are cooked into flower eggs, not poached. Soo nice! A new favorite for me and mum.

After reading a lot of good reviews, I finally decided to try their much loved aburi salmon roll on our second trip there: D.I.G. (Rp. 50K) –don’t know what it stands for, I should ask the staff later hahah.. I want to make a comparison with the one at Sushi Tei, which I love so much. We can choose whether we want it spicy or not, so of course we opted for spicy. From the conveyor belt, we took a plate of maki sushi (Gold plate, Rp. 15K) and a plate of cured jellyfish (Red plate, Rp. 20K). I was tempted to take one plate of tobikko-inari gunkan sushi (my fave back when Daisho was still open in Sogo Supermarket), but in the end decided not to, since we’ve ordered too much food already -- we got the Tofu Chige again, my mum just love it so much.

The maki sushi that we took was filled with kani stick, cucumber, tanuki (tempura batter), and coated with tobikko. The taste wasn’t really appealing to me. Besides the fact that I don’t really like tanuki in sushi, it was mostly because the rice was overcooked and was not dense enough. Made me wonder what will the D.I.G. look like… But the jellyfish was good. Not as sweet as Sushi Tei’s and doesn’t smell fishy.

The ‘star of the show’ or the D.I.G. finally arrived. Their version of aburi salmon roll only used kani stick and cucumber for the filling (Sushi Tei added soft shell crab tempura inside), and used chicken floss instead of tuna floss for topping (a bit strange for me actually). And the spicy sauce was just spicy mayonnaise. Well, they are more generous for the sauces (unagi sauce and mayonnaise) and toppings (the floss and tobikko). The unagi sauce was literally soaking the sushi (which is actually not really good.. why? I’ll explain later).

That was just the look, so what about the taste? Like I thought, the rice was overcooked and the roll wasn’t dense enough. And after being soaked in the unagi sauce, it crumbled as soon as I picked it up with my chopsticks. Tsk! I hate it when I get this kind of sushi, it’s a sign that the chef's not really good. The overall taste was actually not bad. The chicken floss was crunchier than tuna floss, so it added some character. But still, for me, the taste of chicken doesn’t go really well with salmon and kani. But I must admit, the salmon was cooked better here than at Sushi Tei, more evenly done and burnt. For me, that was the only winning point.

Overall, I still prefer the hot dishes than the sushi.

Kiyadon Sushi

Senayan City LG #L23

021 72781778

* Originally posted in Multiply, May 24, 2007

Moroccan Enchantment at Maroush

2009-08-21T14:27:00.015+07:00

A few weeks ago, I went out for a girls' night out with my pals to Maroush, the stylish new middle eastern restaurant & lounge, which also positioned itself as the first champagne lounge in Jakarta (with Veuve Clicquot champagnes).

We just came to chill at the lounge, grab some small bites, and chat over drinks. I had been reading and hearing a lot about this new place and was very eager to check it out myself. And of course what intrigued me other than the sleek design, are the champagnes.

We arrived at the place around 11 p.m. Too bad we missed the belly dancing show (it's on every weekend). As soon as we entered the place, I was mesmerized. The hall that connects the entrance to the dining room was dark, illuminated only with dim lights, and lined with trees. The walls and floor are decorated with the 'Hands of Fatima' symbols. Though I must say that the ceiling was a bit too low. I imagine someone tall should duck a bit to went through it.

The dining room is heavily decorated, a la middle eastern of course. Loads of geometric patterns, vibrant colors (mainly red & orange), beautiful colored crystal lamps, along with lavish tapestries and paintings. Again, the 'Hands of Fatima' is everywhere. It was believed to ward off evil. It works I think, since the place looks heavenly. I regretted not having a short tour to see the private rooms (namely The Red Room & The Green Room). They were said to be really lavish & exquisite (I only saw them on tiny pictures in magazines). Well, maybe next time..

Now on to the menu. Kitchen was closed when we arrived but they were nice enough to let us order some appetizers from the menu. They actually offered the tapas/bar food (menus look nice too) but we wanted to have some bread and dips. So we got ourselves Baba Ganoush and chose Moroccan bread to accompany it (Rp 38K). For drink, I ordered Disaronno Mimosa (Rp 120K). It was a mix of orange juice & champagne (mimosa), but they twist it with a hint of rum (if I remember correctly). My other friend opted for one of the specialty cocktails, Milky Way (Rp 55K), a Bailey's based drink. While another opted for the house pouring champagne, the Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin (Rp 110K). After that we were given small plates of bar snacks to go with the drinks: green olives, black olives, raisins, & peanuts.

The food was good. The Moroccan flat round bread was so soft and chewy. The Baba Ganoush, which is a mix of eggplants, tomatoes, herbs, and olive oil, was just yummy. We dig in and finished the small bread in seconds. So we ordered additional bread, choosing a pita/kebab bread (Rp 10K) this time. It was light, thin, and very soft. Very nice.

The drinks were equally wonderful. Or at least mine was. My mimosa was beautifully presented: a layer of OJ with orange fruit pieces, covered with bubbly champagne. All served in a tall champagne glass of course. I loved it! Though I must say, I winced at the price (but I was rewarding myself after I got my paycheck, so a once-in-a-while over-indulgence is OK, I think). My friend's drink, the Milky Way, came in a big glass. It was very sweet and creamy, not my kind of drink, but she seemed to be OK with it. My other friend who ordered the champagne was unsatisfied, said it tasted like beer. Well, I'm no expert (at all) when it comes to champagnes, but I think it tasted like, errr.. champagne. But she's always more into wine than champagne so she asked me to finish her glass. Of course I couldn't say no.

Total damage for the night (incl. tax & service charge) was Rp 402, 930. Was it worth it? I could say so, but just for the occasional once-in-a-while indulgence. Would I be coming back? Most definitely.

Maroush
Middle Eastern Cuisine & Champage Lounge
Crowne Plaza Hotel Jl. Gatot Subroto kav. 2-3, Jkt 12930
Tel: 021. 92901313 / 92601313 / 52892431

Picture of venue is courtesy of Maroush.

* Originally posted in Multiply, April 13, 2007

Kinara: a Taste of (Royal) Indian

2009-08-21T14:14:00.010+07:00

It was Monday afternoon and I was slouching off on the comfy sofa somewhere inside a café above a bookstore at Kemang, chatting with my friend while browsing the net with the free wifi. Down at the street, through the wide window, we saw cars passing by. The sun is setting, the lights inside the café were being switched on and the candles were being lit.

Dinnertime was approaching, and my stomach was beginning to act funny.

We decided to leave the place to get dinner elsewhere. My friend suggested going to Kinara for dinner, and I couldn’t agree more. It’s been quite a while since I ate (proper) Indian food – last time was at Eastern Promise on the New Year. And I’ve always been tempted to try Kinara since long ago, but kept postponing it, simply because none of my friends are into Indian food. So it was just right – I finally found a new partner to venture out (on dining).

Kinara has been around for quite a while and was voted as ‘The Best Indian Restaurant’ a couple of times by Jakarta Java Kini magazine. Plus, I’ve been reading good reviews in various medias and saw pictures of its exquisitely designed interiors. That was enough to seduce me to go there. Like I’ve mentioned (so many times), I’ve a weakness for beauty –in any form or shape.

The restaurant was designed to resemble a Maharaja’s palace. With the gate (which was said to be a 400 years old gate from Rajashtan), the pillars, the ancient artifacts. The ceilings were decorated with mural paintings, the plaster walls painted brownish-orange. Add in the wooden floor and the small fountain.. Just nice. The lightning was dim and warm (a great spot for that romantic date, guys). I especially love the glass ceiling in the middle, with the view of the sky – if only we could see stars, then it would be perfect. The ambiance music was great – Indian (or Arabic?) chill out tunes –it build up just the right mood.

Service was great. We were assisted along the way. They were helpful, recommending some favorite dishes to us, and very informative as they have good product knowledge. We were given two sets of menu –one was the standard menu (listing the food from appetizer to dessert), and the other was the additional special menu (one page only). I decided to order a fish curry dish from the special menu –snapper fillets cooked with tamarind paste, and my friend ordered the lamb curry dish from the standard menu (sorry, I forgot to write down all the names of the dishes). We opted for the vegetable rice (Bazabata) and added cheese naan to accompany the curries. For drinks, I went for white wine because I was eating white meat, and my friend went for red wine because he was eating red meat. Following the rule for wine/meal combination. =P

Before the meal, we were given a basket of warm Papadums (very thin flat dough, baked until crispy –I call it the Indian kerupuk or nachos). They were served a bowl of with mint sauce and mango chutney sauce. I loveee papadums. They were very crispy and light.

The food arrived in small brass pots, which were very cute. The lamb curry was thick, creamy, and fragrant, but not spicy. The lamb meat was very tender and soft, and there was no trace of that distinctive (lamb) smell. Just nice. The fish curry was not as creamy as the lamb curry, and not spicy too. It has that distinctive sweet sour taste of tamarind, and the fish was fresh and tender. Again, just nice. The rice was my favorite. Long grained (Basmati?) rice cooked with spices and vegetables. The rice was cooked just right for me, not too soft but slightly over half-cooked so you could still feel the texture. Yummy. The cheese naan was OK – nothing special –and we were already too full after the rice and curries so we couldn’t finish it. And no dessert, we were about to explode.

Overall, I had a great dining experience. The food, the service, the ambiance, and well, of course, the company.

Would love to check out the lounge (Fez Lounge) next time and try the cocktails. And I’ve checked out the website and saw the rooftop terrace (Chand Garden) –looks fabulous!

Kinara
Cuisines of India
Jl. Kemang Raya 78B
+62 21 7192677
www.kinara.co.id

Business hour
Lunch : noon – 2.30 p.m.
Dinner : 6.30 – 10.30 p.m.
Friday & Saturday : 6.30 – 11.00 p.m.

Picture courtesy of Kinara. I actually took pictures of the food but I don't know why I can't open it again via Multiply even though I originally posted it there, and the original files have been deleted. Bohoo.

* Originally posted in Multiply, June 16, 2007

Experiencing food from Babah's Kitchen

2009-08-20T17:35:00.015+07:00

Finally. It’s about time that I check out this place. I’ve always been so clueless when it comes to memorizing streets and finding directions so I always hesitated to look for it. I’d just go to Samarra, to make my life easier.

Turned out it was on the same street as Ragusa Ice Cream and Rive Gauche. But the sad thing was that I didn’t really pay attention to the road because I didn’t know we were going there. So I’m still clueless, more or less.. I just remember it being somewhere near Cikini. Hahahah..

The ‘eldest’ amongst other Tugu Group restaurants in Jakarta (Lara Djonggrang / La Bihzad came next, followed by Samarra & Waroeng Shanghai Blue 1920), Dapur Babah is well known for its authentic Babah cuisine, a combination of Chinese-Indonesian and Dutch cooking. They have a variety of selections, from the simple everyday dishes such as rawon, pecel, and pindang, to the more elaborate such as Dutch steak and Huzaren Sla.

Just like its siblings, the look of the place is very rich and brimming with cultural touch, though not as elaborate as Samarra. From the wood flooring, the antique chairs and sofas, the ancient artifacts and old paintings used as decorations; all made us felt like we were transported back into the colonialism era, inside an old Babah and Nonya’s house. This uniquely rich cultural ambiance is one of the reason why I love Tugu Group’s chain of restaurants and bars.

Skimming and reading through the menu proved to be an entertainment too, as they use old spelling, i.e. nasik, petjel, sajoer, ajam, tjumie, etc. Simple descriptions are put under each menu’s name, and one particular description about Pindang soup made me giggle. It said, “Kind of sweet and sour soup…”

After much contemplation and consulting the staff (which were very helpful n informative), I just settled for Toemies Pakis Cakalang (stir fried fern leaves with skipjack tuna), and chose Nasik Pandan (pandan rice) for accompaniment. My friend ordered Nasik Piendang Tjoemie (a ‘one pot’ meal consisting rice, a few other dishes -- such as pepes, satay, sambal teri, etc. -- and crackers). For drinks, he ordered white wine by glass, and I asked the bar to impress me with their version of Sangria.

And they did a very good job.

I told them that I want it to be (more or less) like Samarra’s, with the fruit bits and all. So they mixed it up just for me cos it wasn’t on the menu list. I asked for white wine based Sangria. And when they asked me which mixer I prefer, ginger or sprite, and I opted for ginger. The drink turned out to be wonderful. The yellowish color of white wine + ginger ale, decorated with pieces of red strawberries and Sunkist oranges, it was so lovely! It was light and fruity. And I’ve a berry fetish, so it’s just perfect for me.

My friend’s food came, it looked nice n well prepared. Rice and its condiments, nicely arranged and served in a small rattan basket with banana leaves, except for the pindang soup that was served on a small bowl on the side. But eating it straight out of the basket was quite a hassle cos the basket was quite tall, so he transferred it to a plate instead. I didn’t taste it but he said it was good. My stir fried fern with skipjack tuna was good too. I’ve never eaten fern before so I was quite curious, the taste was actually kind of similar to that of pumpkin leaves. The pandan rice looked very nice with its green color and wrapped in banana leaves, it was so fragrant.

We didn’t order any dessert as we felt so full after the meal, so we just ordered another round of the drinks and chatted the night away. I loved my Sangria so much that I ended up having 3 glasses --the last one was actually a mistake made by the waiter, cos I asked for a clean empty glass for water but he came up with another glass of the fruity drink.. Oh well, couldn’t really return it so I drank it anyway.

With my stomach filled with good food, my eyes spoiled with rich ambiance, my mind stimulated with good conversation, and my head a bit light from the colorful concoction; I was truly happy for the rest of the night.

Dapur Babah / Tao Bar
Jl. Veteran No. 18
+62 21 3855653

*Originally posted in Multiply on May 24, 2007

Pilot

2008-10-03T05:02:00.002+07:00

Finally, a real blog.

I've been holding back on making yet another blog to concentrate on Multiply but found that the thought of having a more personal and professional looking blog that specializes on food always lingered around and is a tad bit too enticing.

So I gave up and succumbed.

Not much to be said though. I'll be importing some of my favorite Multiply foodblog posts here first. After that, hopefully, some readable new entries on weekly basis.

Bits & Pieces About Me

2008-08-26T17:55:00.005+07:00

Drink too much coffee. Chocoholic. Obsessed about my weight. Clueless. Indecisive. Perfectionist. Daydreamer. Writer wannabe. Seasonal poet. Amateur cook. Epicurean. Novice wine connoisseur. Hedonist. Party animal. Crazy about green color. Junk collector. Can never keep my place clean & organized. Pessimist. Optimist. Cynical bitch. Sarcastic ass-kicker. Blabber. Babbler. Reckless driver. Social butterfly. Traveler. Hopeless wanderer. Would bottle up the sound of the sea if only it's possible. Moody. Shop too much. Read a lot. Think too much. (A bit) insomniac. Can never stay put at home. Idler. Lazy. Loves watching sunset with a flute of Bellini in my hand. Never have enough shoes or clothes. Can't get enough accessories. Only turn on my TV to Discovery Travel & Living. Want a tattoo. Addicted to Huize Van Wely's dark chocolate gelato & Samarra's sangria. In pursuit of happiness or trying to just be content (I haven't made up my mind yet)..

Just a small girl with a restless mind, an ever wandering soul, and a big appetite. ;)