Loewy : Something classy

 Breakfast is the most the important meal of the day, they said

Well, for me, breakfast is the only thing that could make me leave my beloved comfy bed.

Yeah, I love breakfast that much.

 Unfortunately I'm not really a morning person, I have my own breakfast time, it is around other people's lunch. I find myself enjoying having my breakfast at 11 am.

Luckily, many cafes offer the-all-day-brunch on weekend.

It was a hectic Saturday, Jakarta's traffic was quite heavy. But still, a reverie of a great brunch was such a jolly.

My first impression of Loewy, it was a combination of something bright, something spacious, and something classy. The idea of open area was brilliant, but the hot ambiance was quite an annoyance. I would really recommend to sit near the pretty window, enjoying Jakarta's light breeze.

It was packed on weekend, so reservation was highly suggested.

Platter of Escargots (40k), served with garlic butter and baguette slices.

It was a bit dry, sad to be said.

Calamari Asiatique (70k). It was everything I could ask from an appetizer. Deep fried squid sauteed with chili padi and garlic. It was crunchy, an ease in every bites. The seasoning was just great, contributing the rich flavor in it. But some people could find the chili was too dominating. 

Steak and Eggs (75k). A plate of tenderloin steak (you can have it your way) accompanied with  rosti hash browns and egg any style. The portion was generous! The steak and omelette was just fine, the rosti was quite enjoyable with its crispiness.

My old time favorite : french toast (60k).

I had this little chemistry with this kind of bread., this was surely my own indulgence.

I loved Loewy's for its fluffiness, the combination of the egg-y bread met the sweetness of maple syrup was such a pleasure. Served with choices of sausage or beef bacon and fresh fruits. The sausage was fine, something to equalize the sweetness on my plate.

It was quite a memorable one, although it would be much better to be seated near the window. The food was fine, but their brunch menu was pleasing me. I could really go back for it!

PS: Where could I find any great french toast? Your suggestion could really help! ;)

Loewy

Lingkar Mega Kuningan E 42 no.1

Jakarta Pusat

(021) 25542378

Rocca and Co : An afternoon breeze

A perfect lazy afternoon is the one accompanied by dessert.

But I was not in the mood of slices of pretty cakes, or my favorite apple crumble, I just wanted something new. Something ticklish to my tongue. A thing I won't easily get everyday.

The building easily caught my eyes. It was not big, but I could sense the humble atmosphere inside. The huge window was really a comfort, offering the bright sunlight through the room.

Rocca was surely one of those cozy place.

A cup of hot Thai tea (23k). It was warm and sweet. I was expecting something more condensed, though.

They did not have wide variety of dessert, but Rocca Smores (29k) was their recommendation. I was not a fan of chocolate, but I really need something different this time.

It was pretty. Basically it was a bowl of chocolate fudge with marshmallow on top. The chocolate fudge was something between hot-and-cold. It would be much better to have it colder. The sweetness from the fudge met the gooey marshmallow was just overwhelming. A few bites and I was done.

It was not exquisite, but they had many selections of pasta, pizza, and many more. Too bad I was too full to try their main course. It could be my reason to come back next time!

Rocca and Co

Jl. Praga no. 16

Bandung

(022) 4205664

Plan B : A glimpse of Spain

I always wanted to visit Spain.

I was imagining myself sipping sangria, enjoying an evening at the wonderful city.
I could really dreaming of trying those tapas in every different bar.
Saw the amazing architecture around the city.
Well, back to reality, the closest thing I could get was a Spanish lunch.



Located in a hidden area around Senayan, it was quite famous with its authenticity. Plan B started their service in 2012 under the Spanish chef Oskar. It was not fancy, just a humble little restaurant.

Squid in black ink sauce (35k). The squid was well-cooked, the sauce was tasty. Maybe it would be better if it was a warm one.

Mushroom in Bilbao style sauce (32k). Tender mushroom, the sauce was just fine. Not a real fan of mushroom, but this one was quite entertaining.

Broken egg, potato, beef corizo with red pepper sauce (35k). My most favorite tapas! The sauce mixed well with all the components, a really pleasant one. I could not stop digging the plate!

Salmon salad (35k). Loved the freshness served on the plate! Roman lettuce, fresh salmon, cherry tomato, red onion, croutons, accompanied with a glimpse of honey mustard dressing. Everything was just right.The color was pretty, and the taste was real good.

A plate of beauty. Salmon fillet served with sauteed mushrooms and the apple compote (83k). The sauce was sweet and it was such a pleasant one. The salmon was well cooked, but it was nothing special.

Beef entrecotte (100k). Australian sirloin with Roncal blue cheese sauce, served with potato and vegetables. It was tender, great sauce, fresh vegetables and fine potato. A luxury on a plate.

Seafood paella (160k). A pan of traditional Spanish rice with seafood on top. It was really big, enough for 3-4 person. It was quite famous and one of their customer's favorite, but I did not find it palatable for me. The seasoning was too bold to my taste. I did order Meat fideua (135) and it was much better than this one. Fideua was kind of macaroni used as a substitute for paella.

They had many variations of cakes and they were appetizing! I ended up with Spanish creme brule with burnt cinnamon on top (28k). It was a good closure for my Spanish lunch.

It was a good little restaurant, but it was not my favorite. Maybe I was not into Spanish food, it was a bit plain. Would come back for their dessert though!

Plan B restaurant

Rukan Permata Senyan, Jl Tentara Pelajar Blok D25

Jakarta

021 57940821

Mie Naripan : One hearty meal

Sometimes you did not need any appetizer to start with or any dessert for a sweet ending.

Just a bowl of hearty meal.

A bowl of warmth and modesty.

A simple thing which could brighten up your morning.

Mie Naripan was known as a legendary noodle in Bandung. Those crowds just loved the originality of the noodle. For some of them it was their weekly routine. For me, it was my curiosity which brought me here. It was packed all the time, they said. 9 in the morning and I was lucky that it was not full, yet.

A bowl of Yamien (25k) was right in front of me. Fragrant and mouth-watering. I just couldn't wait to grab a full-bite of it!

It was chewy, sweet, and salty. I was hoping it could be any sweeter, though. The minced chicken was well seasoned, which was really tasty.

My highlight of the day. A crunchy-outside-and-gooey-inside fried meatballs (6k each). It was heavenly when the crunchiness met the rich flavor of it. I did not really into fried food, but it was surely my exception! A must try!

*contained pork

It was a satisfying breakfast. Yamien could be my new favorite breakfast. Any suggestion for other good yamien?

Mie Naripan

Jl. Naripan No. 108

Cibeunying, Bandung

(022) 420 5516

E & O (Eastern Oriental) : A perfect duo

16,8 km away.

This journey took me 1,5 hours in Jakarta's messy traffic.

Is it worth the wait?

Okay, here's what happen when the creator of those renowned restaurants meet the famous chef of Bali's eminent Sarong and Mama San. It was beautiful. They are unique. A Thai-Vietnamese cuisine is really a winner in the middle of Jakarta's boisterousness. 

It was something between Loewy and Union, I could say. The bright sunlight came through those pretty big windows, contributing the classic beauty of it. It was spacious, but I could imagine the rush in their busy days. 

It was pretty, could I say it again?

Anyway, most of their menus are mean to be shared. It was generous!

Som Tum (50k). What a presentation of green papaya salad they had here! A generous bowl with all those freshness inside served with fresh vegetables. It was beautiful and everything was well balanced. I could feel the sweetness, the sour taste, and the savory in the same time.

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Barramundi Green Curry (140k) served with wild ginger, baby corn, and Thai basil. My highlight of the day, my favorite one.

The curry was awesome, the best one I could find in Jakarta so far. It was rich, savory, and tasteful. The fish was very tender. Everything in the bowl was just right!

Crispy Soy Chicken (120k). A plate of beautifully presented crispy chicken with soy tamarind and chilly sauce. I looked forward for a bite of crunchy chicken skin, but turned out it was not. It was quite good, though. A well cooked one!

I ordered Durian Pannacota but unluckily it was out of stock. So I was having black sticky rice with mango ice cream for my dessert. A spoonful of mango ice cream was really contributing the delicious taste!

I was fulfilled. It was not just one of those pretty restaurants, they really offered the quality of a star. I would really come back for another pretty and tasty meal!

E & O

Eastern Oriental

Menara Rajawali, 1st Floor

Jl. DR Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung Lot#5.1, Kawasan Mega Kuningan 

(021) 29023418