May 15 |Lang Viet

3 weeks ago after attending a batik exhibition held at Jakarta Convention Center, we planned to have lunch at Warung Tengil - Kelapa Gading. But due to my sore throat, SC decided to postpone it and we went to Lang Viet instead. From what we've heard, the place serves quite authentic Vietnamese dishes. So we ordered pho bo (large) 44K to share, fresh goi cuon 25K and lemon grass tea 20K. In my opinion, this is one of the best pho I have ever tasted, but I'm not sure about the goi cuon as the rice paper that wrapped the goi cuon was a bit sticky, though the dish still tasted OK. Their hot lemon grass tea was so delicious, while the cold lemon grass tea was a bit tasteless. We will be back here again to try their other specialties. Btw there's a sing sing ramen in this complex too :)

Lang Viet
Flavours of Vietnam
Wijaya Grand Center, Blok F36/B
Jl. Wijaya II, Kebayoran Baru
Jakarta 12160

ph. +62(21) 7206774(hunting)
fx. +62(21) 72790341

email. langviet@cbn.net.id
www.langvietcafe.com

Posted by jeny at 07:30 PM | Comments (3)

Apr 25 |RM Saji

I read about this place on Jalansutra mailing list about 2 months ago. Several members said that Saji serves up decent and very reasonably-priced Thai cuisine. So one day, along with some colleagues, we went there for lunch. The restaurant is located in a shophouse in Sudirman Park Apartment area. The interior is very spartan, just like a cafeteria with a bit of Thai accent in the corner.

The menu turned out to be a combination of noodle selection (mie ayam,mie bakso, mie goreng, lomie etc), rice (nasi goreng, nasi capcai, nasi goreng ikan asin, nasi goreng hongkong, etc), chicken (ayam goreng mentega, ayam goreng ala thai, ayam kungpao, ayam kuluyuk, etc), beef (sapi lada hitam, sapi panggang thai, sapi cah jamur, etc), prawn (udang mayonaise, udang cabe garam, udang tauco, etc), fish (gurame asam manis, gurame tahu tausi, etc), veggies (kailan polos, kailan cah sapi, bayam taiwan polos, etc), and some other common chinese dishes.

There's no specific heading for Thai dishes, so we just picked several dishes that have Thai sounding names or are well known Thai dishes: Tom Yum Kung 22K, Ayam Daun Pandan Thai 20K, Cumi Cabe Garam 25K, Udang Goreng Cabe Garam 30K, Kangkung Belacan 12K with Thai ice Tea 7K. Overall, the meal was not bad. I especially love their udang & cumi cabe garam. The Tom Yum Kung, though tasty and aromatic, was not my favorite as it was not hot & spicy at all.

RM Saji
Sudirman Park C/32
Jakarta
ph. +62(21) 32302363

Posted by jeny at 07:24 PM | Comments (0)

Apr 10 |Tom Yum Mama Kitchen

Two weeks ago we were at Mangga Dua doing some errands, and I'm taking that opportunity to try the famous Tom Yum at Mama Kitchen ITC Mangga Dua. The stall was quite crowded at the time we arrive, but we still managed to get a seat. They served only tom yum, from tom yum kung super, seafood, with noodle/kwetiaw/rice to tom yum fried rice (with salted fish, prawn & pinneaple, seafood). So I ordered a bowl of tom yum seafood (very hot) with rice 20K with ice tea 2K. After waiting for a while the meal came, the soup color was so tempting, range of orange to red which could only mean one thing : the soup is super hot, with fresh seafood topped with cilantro makes this meal irresistible. I'm not sure if this meal was the authentic Thai cooking, but It surely delicious. :)

Tom Yum Mama Kitchen
ITC Mangga Dua Lt.II Blok B No.15
North Jakarta 14430
ph. +62(21) 6017129

Posted by jeny at 06:18 PM | Comments (9)

Jan 6 |Jittlada

Two weeks ago we had dinner with several friends at Jittlada Thai Cuisine - Senayan City. Since it was Saturday night, we made a reservation first and asked for the non-smoking section. When we arrived a little after 7 PM, the place was already full with customers, and they saved us a table in front of the restaurant (I don't know whether inside the restaurant was designed for smoking customer). After studying the menu, we start to order : for starter we choosed Yam Ma Muang (green mango salad mixed with chili and lime juice) 15.5K and Som Tam (papaya salad with cherry tomatoes, string beans, peanuts, chili and dried shrimp) 15.5K. We also ordered their Tom Yam Kung (famous Thai spicy and sour soup with prawn) 25.5K and Tom Kha Kai (chicken soup with coconut milk and Thai herbs) 15.5K. For main course we ordered Kai Yang (grilled whole chicken marinated with Thai herbs) 55.5K, Poo Nim Tod Krob (3 pieces fried soft shell crab with spicy and sour sauce) 55.5K, Kung Tod Kratiam (deep fried prawn with garlic and pepper) 59.5K, Kung Op Wonsen (house special clay pot prawns with glass noodle) 69.5K, Khao Ohb Nam Liaeb (house special olive rice with minced chicken, chili and Thai parsley) 39.5K, Pad Ma Ke Yao (sauteed eggplant with garlic, soya bean and oyster sauce) 25.5K and for dessert we ordered Man Cham (famous cooked tapioca in syrup topped with coconut cream) 15.5K and Khao Niaw Mamaung (sweet ripe mango with glutinous rice) 18.5K. Overall the meal was delicious, although the portion was small. I especially like their Tom Kha Kai and Khao Ohb Nam Liaeb, their Yam Ma Muang taste so fresh. The service was quite good considering it was during peak hours.

Jittlada Thai Cuisine
Pondok Indah Mal 2, 3rd Floor Unit 334B. ph +62(21) 75920867
Senayan City, LG Unit 08B &08C. ph +62(21) 72781396

The Jittlada Royal Thai Cuisine
Jl. Sultan Agung No.10 Jakarta 12980
ph. +62(21) 8296126
www.jittlada.com
email. info@jittlada.com

Posted by jeny at 11:35 PM | Comments (2)

Dec 26 |Suan Thai

Last week, we had dinner at Suan Thai Bangkok Restaurant Pluit. When I google this restaurant, I found out this is the oldest Thai restaurant in Jakarta. I guess the place in Pluit is their new branch (besides The one at Cideng Timur 58 & Bulungan I no.64). When we entered. the place was quite spacious, light and warm, although I'm not really like their interior. The menu list was quite impressive, we ordered Kaphrao gai (minced chicken cooked with basil) 35.8K, Poo Tod Kra Tiam (deep fried crab with chilli, garlic and shallot) 66.8K and for dessert we ordered Kao niao Durian (Durian served with sticky rice and poured with coconut milk) 17.8K. Usually I like to eat Pad kaphrao Kai width sticky rice (ketan), but there's no sticky rice on the menu, so we ordered jasmine rice 5K. Overall the meal was delicious, although not as spicy as I wanted. but they put slices of bird eye chilies in the chicken which makes it so delicious (SC feel's so miserable). The crab was also not bad, we even have to add another portion of rice to finished the meal :)

Suan Thai
Bangkok Restaurant
Jl. Pluit Putra Raya No.16
North Jakarta
ph. +62(21) 661 6057, 661 6058

Lunch: 11:30-14:30
Dinner:18:00-22:00

Posted by jeny at 09:58 AM | Comments (4)

Apr 4 |My Hanoi House

Last Friday, we had dinner at La Piazza - Kelapa Gading. This time we picked My Hanoi House. As the name suggests, they serve Vietnamese cuisine. The interior is only so so and I don't like the huge LCD TV they installed at the corner. Another minus point is that there is no separation between smoking and non-smoking section. They did offer us to sit at the front section of the restaurant since the back section belongs to the smokers, but that doesn't make any difference. Anyway, we found our seats, they gave us a menu and a waiter came and explains what we should order before we asked. I guess they're just trying to be helpful but I find it quite annoying.

We ordered their "pho bo" (beef noodle soup) 33.5K for SC, "crab noodle soup / mien cua" (cellophane glass noodle soup topped with crab meat) 37.5K for me and lemon grass tea 8K. SC said the "pho bo" tasted musty (bau apek) and the beef broth tasted more like salty water with a little hint of beef flavor. He didn't finish his meal. When he asked the waiter about the musty taste, they said that it's natural for the rice noodle to taste like that and suggested to add all the condiments so the taste would be better. We both didn't believe that explanation. My crab noodle soup was actually good, it tasted a bit sour but not too hot. Overall it tasted like tom yam noodle soup, I mean you can make that easily by adding tom yam paste, noodle, plus throw in some bird eye chillies, lemon grass, lime, kaffir lime leaves etc. They did offer us a complimentary dessert/appetizer as a service recovery attempt, but we're in a hurry so we have to refuse that. I don't think we will return to this place unless they improve their food quality.

My Hanoi House
La Piazza Lantai I/8
Jl. Bulevar Kelapa Gading
Jakarta 14240

ph. +62(21) 438 64963
fx. +62(21) 438 64963

Posted by jeny at 06:40 PM | Comments (17)

Feb 13 |Pho' 2000

I've heard about this place so long, not really want to try it (I don't like restaurants that selling their food using a gimmick like 'pho for the president'). That night after "pepperlunch", we stop by "Pho 2000" at Senayan City for a drink. I was hoping I could get a glass of "lemongrass ice tea" but they do not have that on their menu,( so I ended up ordering a glass of ice tea and 1 lemongrass stick (smashed), not really satisfy though :( My friends ordered a bowl of their 'pho bo' (beef noodle soup : which the noodle was overcooked and the soup not very tasty) and 'cha gio' (crispy spring roll : too oily). Overall I think vietopia or do an are more authentic than this place.

PHO' 2000
Pondok Indah Mall 2. 334A
Jl. Metro Pondok Indah
South Jakarta 12310
ph/fx : +62(21) 7592-0730 Senayan City lt.5-48
Jl. Asia Afrika
Central Jakarta
ph/fx: +62(21) 7278-1500

Posted by jeny at 11:53 PM | Comments (6)

Jan 26 |Raa Cha

Last weekend I visited this new hotpot restaurant at Mall Kelapa gading III. From the restaurant name & interior, I can guess that this is Thailand style suki & BBQ restaurant. What makes it different from other hot pot restaurant is their serving system: after get a seat, we pick the ingredients to cook in a long row like a minimarket style, the price is differ from the food label: white 2K, red 3K, green 5K, salad 5K, fried items 3K, dessert 6K, chicken (BBQ) 8K, beef (BBQ) 10K, there's several type of meatball at 2-3K each, wonton, fish cake, several type of mushroom, vegetable, noodles, vermicelli. So we picked what we want ant put it in our tray and then pay it. after that we return to our table & put the ingredient we purchased in the pot filled with chicken broth (they only had chicken broth, not tomyam). Overall the meal was good, plus they served 6 type of Suki's chili sauce. The pot it self was very unique but in my oppinion it was too small, btw they put a logo of MUI HALAL certification on their brochure :)

Raa Cha
Suki & Barbeque
Mall Kelapa Gading III (Pintu Utara)
Jakarta

Posted by jeny at 08:56 PM | Comments (6)

Dec 5 |Tom Yam "Family"

Several weeks ago, SC & I was happen to be around Taman Palem housing complex when I suddenly spotted a restaurant name "Tom Yam Family Cabang Mangga Dua", I couldn't help myself to enter that place and ordered a portion of Seafood Tom Yam with a plate of rice 20K. I don't know if this place has the same owner as the one at ITC Mangga Dua or not, but it surely taste delicious, the soup just taste right, enough spicy and sour with extra chili and cilantro. and they also served "Badak" (sarsaparilla soft drink that came from Pematang Siantar, North Sumatra) 5K :)

Tom Yam "Family"
ITC Mangga Dua lt.4 B54 ph. 70559633
Ruko Permata Taman Palem D1/66 ph. 543-69927

Posted by jeny at 05:38 PM | Comments (6)

Mar 31 |Siam Restaurant

Last Wednesday, I had lunch with LH at BEJ. we choose to eat at Siam Square Restaurant. We ordered Tom Yam Soup with Shrimp (18.2K), Pandan Chicken (19K), and Tofu with Spicy Basil (13.5K). When or meal came I was really disappointed because the portion was so small, the tofu appearance was not attractive, nor the taste. The tom Yam tasted OK but too small. really not worthed. From the brochure they said the restaurant won the 3rd place for best Thai Restaurant in Jakarta.. hhmmm I don't think so.

Siam Square Restaurant

Jakarta Stock Exchange Building
Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 52-53 Tower 1, 1st floor
Jakarta 12190

ph. +62(21) 515-5557
fax. +62(21) 515-5557 Cilandak Town Square
Jl. TB Simatupang 1st floor Suite 137
Jakarta 12430

ph. +62(21) 75920247
fax. +62(21) 75920247

Posted by jeny at 04:35 PM | Comments (13)

Mar 20 |Anoi

Last weekend We had lunch with my high school friend : Soi and her hubby at ANOI, a small yet cozy Vietnamese restaurant located at TIS square Tebet. Before we start eating, we ordered Khai Vi (appetizers) first :Goi Cuon (shrimp, chicken, and vermicelli with vegetables spring rolls served with anoi signature peanut sauce) 17.5K, Cha Gio (fried shrimp and chicken spring rolls served with sweet and sour fish sauce) 19.5K, Chao Tom (shrimp mousse on sugar cane served with sweet and sour fish sauce) 23.5K. For main course we ordered : Bun Bo Nuong (barbeque AUST beef served with vermicelli) 38.5K, Dac Biet - tai, nam, long bang, gan (house special combination pho - Vietnamese beef noodle soup with for cuts of beef, chuck eye roll, short plate tripe and tendon) 35.0K, Com Bo Xao Xa Ot (sauteed beef with lemon grass and chili served with rice) 32K. they also served Thai food, so we ordered : Kai Phad Krapau (minced chicken and basil leaves served with sticky rice) 27K.

In my personal opinion the food was not bad, good service. But i was quite disappointed they didn't served : lemon grass ice tea :( the appetizer portion were too small, but the portion of the pho was acceptable hehehe.. the bowl was so big :)

Anoi
vietnamese kitchen & bakery
TIS Square
Jl. MT. Haryono Kav. 8-9
South jakarta 12810
Indonesia

Ph. +62(21) 8295548
fax. +62(21) 8293932

Posted by jeny at 12:31 PM | Comments (0)

Feb 23 |Thai Express

Last week we had lunch at Thai Express (From their name, I guess they served Thai food in an express way) Mall Taman Anggrek. Decorated in nice and clean ambiance, the kitchen is visible from the dining room, there for everyone to see. They offer various type of Thai Noodles, Thai Curries, Thai Express Rice, Thai BBQ, Thai Salads & vegetables, Thai Laksa, Thai Soups, Thai Popiah Wraps, Bangkok Street Favorites and Favourite Thai Dessert.

After studied the menu for a while, we ordered : Mee Sua Kaeng Chued Gai (Thai longevity noodle in double boiled chicken broth) 15.5K, Kaeng Kari Gai (Yellow Chicken curry with potatoes) 22.5K, Khao Phat Supparod Talay (Thailand's pineapple rice fried with seafood)25.5K, Khao Kluk Kapi Kung (Fragrant shrimp paste fried rice with prawns) 27.5K, Overall its not bad and the portion was quite generous. :)

Posted by jeny at 05:18 PM | Comments (3)

Feb 20 |Do An

Last Friday we had dinner with some friends at "Do An - vietnamese experience", its a small but cozy restaurant at kelapa Gading. that night we ordered : Goi Coun (vietnamese fresh spring roll with chicken & prawn) 22.5K, Bo La Lop (grilled beef wraped with wild betle leave) 18.5K, Pho Bo (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) 36K, Bun Chao Tom (rice noodle salad with sugarcane prawn with Vietnamese sauce) 33.5K, Com Ga Xao Xa Ot (stir-fried lemongrass chicken with rice and salad) 29.5K, Com Tam (Vietnamese combination rice) 35.5K and Com Sot Ca (tomato rice) 9.5K.

Do An
vietnamese experience
(near TOTAL Fruit Store)
Jl. Bulevar Raya CN3 No. 26
Kelapa Gading Permai
North Jakarta

ph. +62(21)4584-5525
email: doan@cbn.net.id

Posted by jeny at 10:51 AM | Comments (7)

Nov 29 |Thai & I

I'm meeting some friend for dinner last night at Plasa Semanggi, we picked a small place at level 3a called "Thai & I" the place wasn't very crowded and have a nice "bale-bale" & pillow to sit :).

This time we ordered Yam Ma Muang (Mango Salad) 13.5K, Tom Yam Thalai (Sour Seafood Soup) 24.5K, Gai Phad Kapi (Fried Chicken with Thai Sauce ) 17.5K, and stir fried kailan (kayle) with Garlic Sauce 11.5K, and for dessert we ordered Manciam (Candied Cassava with Coconut Milk) 6.5K. In my oppinion the food were delicious and with a very reasonable price too :)

Thai & I
Plaza Semanggi Level 3A no.16
Jl. Gatot Subroto, Jakarta

Posted by jeny at 08:49 AM | Comments (6)

Nov 8 |Vietopia

Last Monday 31/10 SC & I joined some friends for dinner, before that we already have a marvelous dinner at SC's home, so we didn't planned to eat much there. When we arrived at the restaurant, they already start eating, so we only ordered drink "Ice lemon grass tea"(12K), and then tasted a little bit here and there... :)

Below are the list of what we tasted that night (if I'm not mistaken ya :P) : for appetizers : Goi Cuon (fresh spring roll filled with shrimp, chicken, egg and vegetables 18K), Chao Tam (shrimp paste rolled around sugar cane, grilled to golden brown 22K), Cha cua (crab cakes 20K), Bo Du Du (green papaya and beef salad 22K). For the main course, we tasted : Bo Nuong Xa (Barbeque NZ beef ribs grilled with caramel & lemongrass 45K), Pho Bo (beef noodle soup served with Australian sliced beef, brisket, vietnam basil, corriander leavers, onions and scallion 37K), Pho Ga (chicken noodle soup served with chicken, onions, orange leaves, corriander leaves and scallion 30K). For desert, we tasted : Mango Sticky Rice (17K), Banana Crepe (served with a choice of chocolate or vanilla ice cream 17K), Creme Brulee (12K). One of our friends bought a box of J.CO Donut, so we tasted it too :) hehehe after that, i feel very full ... in my oppinion all the meal at vietopia were delicious, I especially like the lemon grass ice tea (very fresh), creme brulle, all the spring rolls... hehehe worth to try :)

Vietopia
Jl. Cikini Raya No. 33
Jakarta
Telp: (021) 391-5893

Posted by jeny at 02:31 PM | Comments (19)

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