Bakmi Lontar Bangka : Jakarta's Noodle Kind of Breakfast

Ever had one of those hungry days when all you ever wanted was resorting to familiar-easy-to-please kind of food? Those foods that you know for sure won't disappoint you? That.

Bakmi Lontar falls in that special shortlist. Comfort food that you can rely on. It doesn't mean it will suit every tongue though. But I have a sense a good amount of noodle fans will enjoy this as much as I do, especially those who are more inclined to small thin noodles. Yeas, I'm in the #thinteam. Reasons are many. One of which is that I don't like hard to chew, rubbery kind of noodle. Plus the thinner it is the less guilt of having heavy dose of carbs in the morning. *burp* 

As shown in the foodporn above, spread on top are crumbles of grinded chi-pork. Yes, that's my personal ultimate blend of chicken and pork, the best of both world combined.

What I would recommend you to take the maximum pleasure of Bakmi Lontar is to eat half of it without any additional seasoning, and then slowly pour in sambal tauco at the amount of your liking. At the beginning you'll get to enjoy the original salty-savory dominated dish, and when you let tauco comes to play, you'll have all sweet, salty, savory, sour, and even spicy. In short a party of flavors in a bowl.

If one noodle is not enough to fulfill your hunger, I'd suggest you to take Tahu Kok as your second main course. Not that it is the best one in town, but more to have a better variety of what Bangka original cuisine is like. The broth is light in form but tasty in flavor. If you noticed the tofu is coupled with a layer of fish cake. Stood alone the dish not particularly special, but again when sambal tauco come to the rescue, it suddenly raised to another dimension. Much much better enjoyed together than apart.

Further, to have all Bangka goodness in full circle, why not take home a pack of kemplang as souvenir? It is unlike any other crackers in Indonesia. Its hard to chew, takes a few extra gum muscles, but its worth the extra munching energy.

Are you a noodle lover as well? Let me know if you're into #thinteam or #thickteam. ;)

Indonesian Food FTW!

Fellexandro Ruby 
Food Conversationalist

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Bakmi Lontar Bangka
Jl. Lontar Timur Raya No. 15 (Tanjung Duren)
Jl. Muara Karang Blok O-6 Barat (Just across Permai School)
Telp: 021-92920901

Tsurukamedou Ramen : Late Bloomer, Yet A Strong Contender

Ramen, they come in waves.

First, it was the little known pioneers. Then came the game-changer. Then came the followers to piggyback on the success. Then came the late bloomer, the very few at the long tail that intend to add value and ideals to the almost saturated market. A market where the customers are tastewashed (as in brainwashed) that a 'delicious' broth is the one that is insanely porkish, super thick and oily.

Tsurukamedou is one of the idealist. Sticking to what is true. Authentic original Hakata as they differentiate themselves. You'll find this spirit embodied in many ways.

First and foremost is the ramen itself. The broth is cooked in long hours to bring out the flavor, similar to many others. But if you pay attention, it is less oily. Also if you let it breath for a while, the broth does not separate or break, it stays cohesive. A feature that marks quality. I presume the soup is made from scratch here, while many others have the soup imported partially done, tweaked with few flavor enhancer and cooking resume afterwards.

I singlehandedly savored the pork soup until it was too thin to scoop it with the spoon. You know what that means. Size wise it is very fulfilling, especially with the generous amount of chasiu. Three thick slices, all are well prepared. Nicely barbequed outer skin and have you seen the neat combination of juicy meat and tender fat? Oh my ...

Super Strong Tonkotsu Ramen (IDR 45K)

Look at that thick slice of juicy meat and tender fat. Oh my!

Second, is the noodle. I love the fact that it is thin with a nice texture. The taste is almost neutral, letting the broth and the neighboring ingredients: bamboo shots, nori, and tamago to stand out.

Third, you'll find no extra garlic or extra chopped chili (rawit) here on the table. They will provide if you asked for it. But they strive for the patrons to have it as it is before being experimental with their tastebuds.

Last but not least is the menu. It is downright simple. Either pork or chicken based soup. Three variation of each and that's it. The additionals such as chahan, karaage, and gyoza are more complimentary than a substitute to the ramen. It is purposely orchestrated to let the ramen be the hero of the ramen-ya. At least that's what the culture they want to impart from Japan to here in Jakarta.

Pork Gyoza

Ebi Chahan (IDR 30K)

The chahan though, is worth an extra paragraph because of its goodness. Well cooked rice, fragrant, with a wholesome portion of chicken, pork, and ebi. It's far superior to the one I had at Yellowfin some time ago.

All that being said, will I return? Definitely. And I must say, it is a strong contender to those in the earlier waves, the pioneers, the followers, and even the gamechangers.

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Tsurukamedou Ramen
Jl. Ratu Kemuning Raya
(Just go straight from Greenville, its near Papa Mama Bakery)
T: @tsurukamedoujak

Pho Hoa - Wisma Metropolitan : Vietnamese Noodle Fling

Who believes in love at first sight?

I don't really, but I do believe in love at the first taste. The latter is much less complicated compared to the earlier. Ehm. Let's not get drifted away. 

Pho, this Viets-pride noodle has been on the top of my mind lately. "Rubs, what would you want for dinner?" ask a colleague and instantly my nervous system will react "I'm feeling for something soupy." Didn't know how the thought manage to park herself in the subsconcious real estate of mine, but she's slick. In the past two weeks I've savored as much as four bowls of pho goodness. 

Pho Hoa here was an adventurous attempt. Hearing its reopening from a friend of a friend of a friend who knows the ... You know where this is going, scratch that. Plus when I tweeted it, a few friends confirmed that it was once a hit in Jakarta. Google maps still put its previous location in Barito, Wijaya, and BEJ. They are now reopening Pho Hoa in Wisma Metropolitan I, Sudirman. 

I like how the menu is presented. Straight up, no hassle. Your eyes will be directed into the selections of pho, from the simplest (IDR 45k) with just meat, to the ones with the most variety of toppings (IDR 55k) with meat, tendons, and whatnot. You can pretty obviously guess which one I put my choice into. 

Yes, the top of the line. Pho with steak, brisket, tendons, tripes etc. 

Pho with Beef Brisket, Beef Steak, Tendon, Tripes (IDR 55k)

As I sipped the broth, there's this slightly bitter taste that gets annoying after a while. Adding a few aromatic basils helps to distract it, but not for long. The only way to get away was to munch in the extra sweetness from the beef together with pho and soup. 

Jamie Aditya Graham was dining a few table for us! =D

The Fling. Sexy isn't it? But sexy is just barely what we want right?

Physically I enjoyed the meal. But mentally, I couldn't help to compare it with Will Meyrick's pho at Mama San. It was as if it has a few layers that waited to be uncovered, and with every addition of ingredients, it gets better and better. I know it's probably a different playing field here, but I need to point out that once you've tasted the superior the other becomes mediocre. It is human, and I'm sure you've had that moment too at least once for one particular food. 

Should I admit my love to pho? Absolutely. For this particular one though, I'd say a mild liking is probably at best. Or for the lack of a better word, ehm ... a fling? ;)

Cheers, 

Fellexandro Ruby 

Food Photographer / Storyteller

Snack on my tweets @Wanderbites for #Livebites and more food / travel stories ;)

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Pho Hoa

Wisma Metropolitan I

Office Tower 

Jalan Sudirman Kav. 24

(Left side of the road, heading Blok M) 

Ph: 021-5228970

Opens weekdays only. 

Sengoku Noodle (PIK) - A Ramen War Of Its Own

It was only a few weeks ago that I tasted the increasingly popular Ikkudo Ichi. So popular that even my pastor went all the way to PIK to try it. That is something! In case you missed out, you can read my review of Ikkudo here. Continuing the ramen wave, recently I paid a visit to Sengoku Noodle who happens to be nearby.

My first impression of Sengoku Noodle was a bit displeasing. The poorly design menu was a major turn off. Printed on a piece of carton paper, laminated, with fonts that resemble the work of amateurs. I'm sorry I'm judgmental when it comes to this. A food photographer's holy discontent. Haha. But hey, I've seen worse and yet the food turn out amazing. I decided to give it a second chance and ordered myself a bowlful of Tampopo Ramen.

I suppose I was in a sentimental mood, and the name reminded me of one of my favorite food-movie, Tampopo. A lot of lessons learned from that movie, but let's keep it straight on the food this time.

Clean broth yet flavorful aroma. I can easily sniff the meat stock. Intriguing.

Two huge slice of pork in parallel with two piece of soft-boiled eggs. Spring onions overflowing. Seaweeds swimming on top.

Curly noodle that appears 'al-dente'.

It's the moment of truth. One bite and the record is set. It is a rather calming type of broth, with not much excitement going around. A safe version of ramen I would say. Not to be mistaken as poor ramen, it was actually quite enjoyable, especially after the second munch on the pork. I was just looking for more lively kind of ramen. The kind that would make you "oohh" and "aahh". The kind that makes you grab the bowl with both hands and literally drink the broth until the last sip.

That was not it.

Well, I still think its too early to judge Sengoku Noodle from one bowl of ramen though. There should be more in store for something that is licensed all the way from Seattle. It is a part of the emerging Samurai Noodle. The name Sengoku was given to appreciate the Japanese warring era and great advancement that marked the height of Samurai's reign in Japan. I heard they even flew some of the cast to Jakarta to help around for the first few months.

For a two months old foodplace, they are doing well. Don't close just yet, I'll come back to taste some more.

Until then, I hope this post helps you ramen-lovers out there. If you do, send some loving on Twitter @Wanderbites. Feel free to poke.

Cheers,

Fellexandro Ruby
Food Photographer & Conversationalist

Mie Ayam Abadi - For Those Who Likes It Rough!

I've seen Mie Ayam Abadi Muara Karang reviewed at Jenzcorner long ago. Read all the praises in the comment section and how it has satisfy many bellies out there. As nearby Pluitans, its funny to have missed this well known foodplace, but I guess that's what makes us human. We tend to overlook things that are close to use. In my case, it took my lifetime buddy to introduce me to this Asian delight.

It was a rather quiet Saturday, not a lot of people inside the place. I took the chance to raise my appetite by seeing how their bowl of noodle is made. Was surprised how I got my order in a short minute or so. That includes cooking the noodle in the boiling water, draining it, chopping the chicken and pouring the extra bowl of soup. Now that I think of it, it is not that surprising, considering these guys has been cooking noodle all their life, it is almost an autopilot every time they do it. Fancy for our common eyes but rather boring for them I suppose. Let's be pessimistic and say he serve 100 bowls a day, that's 3000 a month, 36000 a year. There's no magic in it, only practices.

Anyway, back to the food.

Bakmi Ayam Abadi - 23k

On my first bite, it was rather thick and took quite an effort to chew. Having raised in Bagan Siapi-api with slim thin kind of noodle, my teeth refuses. But after adding extra chili sauce, my appetite beat it and I finally swallow the whole thing. The chicken for me is generous! Well cooked, well seasoned and complimentary to the meal. Another plus moment is the fresh veggie in an additional soup.

The place itself is a typical Chinese food place with the owner / cook in a tall bar corner with his calculator handling all the cash. An ambience that comes with the food. Oh, and here, there's an additional side show: pirated DVD's. Haha. The seller will wait until you finished your meal and shove it in front you then. How smart that is? They understand that timing is everything. Although I ended up buying none, he got me checking them out even though I don't need them.

To sum up, Mie Ayam Abadi has not up to par with my favorite noodle. A lot of it is because of the texture of the noodle. Nothing wrong, but rough noodles are just not my kind of thing.

What's yours?

Let me know on Twitter @Wanderbites

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Mie Ayam Abadi 
Jl. Muara Karang Blok O8 No. 63
North Jakarta
(In the same street with Eaton Muara Karang)

Experiencing Brunei Darussalam For The First Time (Ep. #1)

Visiting this country is probably the last thing that ever occurs in my mind, and yet here I am, as God allows, I have just spent an exciting four days trip on a photo assignment. I couldn't reveal that part yet, but I'm happy to share my very first visit to The Green Heart of Borneo.

Be mindful that booking a CGK - BWN flight is not exactly free of hassle as with coming to other countries. Not only that there are only Malaysia Air and Royal Brunei serving that distance, there's only one flight per day at a very unreasonable hour, and unreasonable price. With so little option, off we go with a 5 am Royal Brunei flight.

On the plane, the attendants wanted to be helpful but inconsiderate in my personal opinion. It did not occur to them that a 5 am flight, means us passengers have to wake up at least one and a half hour earlier to get ready and drive to airport. This led to their unthoughtful action of waking me up in my much needed power nap. For what? To ask me if I cared for a fish or chicken. I put on a straight face and see if he gets my message. Guess what? He did not! And kept poking my shoulder as I tried to regain my sleepymood.

End of drama: I spent the two hours flight with eyes open and we arrived with a slowly building up excitement. =D

We went straight to the hotel and was surprised when our kind driver, Akbar said that "Oh, Times Hotel, sebelah aja itu." Indeed, he really meant 'sebelah' as in next door. I suppose everywhere in Brunei is considered close, especially with the little traffic. In less than 5 mins we were there already. Nice, clean, less-than-a-year-old hotel, yet somehow still feels old fashioned through my eyes. I guess overall this country is a little behind in most things related to design. I noticed more and more confirmation to my hypothesis as I walked in to their relatively new mall which probably one-tenth the size of Senayan City with interior resembling that of Blok M Plaza.

But then again, as a poet once said: "One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things"  I embarked on my new findings with fresh eyes. Memorizing each moments with my unconscious passion for travel. Taking each step of small adventure with enthusiasm, until ... my belly calls out for food! =p

It was about the right time for lunch and off we go to our very first food place called De Olde Cottage Cafe & Restaurant at Batu Bersurat, Gadong.

It is a cute little cafe with about twenty tables or so and an atmosphere resembling a country side cottage as the name suggested. Brick walls, wood panels, and handcrafted items are common sightings inside the cafe. Great mood for a breakfast, lunch, or even dinner.

Having the strong will of trying local food, I went straight for something sounding foreign. And the choice goes to these three. Kolomee, Laksa, and Teh Tarik. The first one was very similar to hokkian egg based noodle minus the savory taste. The second was quite bland for Indonesian tongue, the broth was quite thick, but lack of taste. The drink however was quite satisfactory. A further research reveals that the ones I tried was actually of Kuching origin, but then again, as it shares the similar Malay roots, I guess it's still counts right? =p What's important is that I've tried something new and added a new story to share with you biters.

Kolo Mee Pork ($2.5)

Laksa - Kuching Style ($5)

Teh Tarik ($ 1.5)

I did not notice this post has become so lengthy. I guess I'll have to catch up with another post soon. One that will have more travel shots, I promise to show you the beauties hidden in this small country. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy this post and have a great week everyone.

-- To be continued

Will travel for food!


Fellexandro Ruby
Food Conversationalist & Photographer

Snack on my tweets @Wanderbites

Mie Naripan Bandung - Word of Mouth or Worth of Mouth?

Who would have thought that a quick trip to Bandung will eventually end up as one joyful day of food discovery (and shopping of course =p). It was a very well spent Saturday. Having nothing on our plan, Mie Naripan was the first pit stop that we decided to venture out. I guess it's a no-brainer with so much praise about this place heard from a friend of a friend of a friend of a ... well you get the idea. I even emptied my stomach since morning only to prepare my appetite for it. Did it live up to my expectation? Has it worth the long drive and the sacrifice? We'll see.

What you see in the opening photo is their signature savory pork noodle. And underneath was the accompanying bowlful of tripes, meatballs and dumplings soup.

Tripes, Meatball, Dumpling Soup w/ Noodles (37k)

Noodle Factory Line

It hurts for me to say that despite of all the word-of-mouth, I did not find it special. Well, the tripes soup is something unordinary, but I've tasted tastier one in Pademangan. As for the noodles, they should thank the chili sauce for bringing out the flavor that it lacked off, and for helping the chopped meat to stand out. It was for me, not a bar higher than ordinary. It was good, but not to the point that would make me wanna drive another two and a half hour for it.

I'm still curious with their sweet yamie though. Anyone has a comment on that? Please don't tell me I just made a serious disadvantage ordering the savory noodle instead of the sweet one. But still, fire away the truth if you have tasted both.

Now, here's a little sideway attraction that I found quite satisfactory. The fried meatballs. Dip it in the sauce and its a feast on the tongue, especially for those who fond of spicy food.

Fried Meat Ball

Another attraction for me is the history. I can feel the cultural ruins of this place and how it made its mark among Bandung citizens. Being named after the street it's on is one. The Mister / 'Ngko' who's still cooking behind the noodle factory line is two. And the endless crowd of people coming in is three. My take is that, Mie Naripan has been a part of the community as the people grew along, hence eating there is now more of a nostalgic experience, instead of a culinary feast. On the extreme, it might be a similar case to Zangrandi ice cream in Surabaya. It's not a top notch ice cream we know, still we love coming there for the love of the experience, not particularly the taste I reckon. Well, one visit might not do the justice, I'm still up to dig some more from this place. But as for now, this is it.

Typical Interior of A Chinese Noodle Place - Calendar, Calendar, Calendar

One more Bandung adventure is coming. O wait! Two more! And it involve a recently opened joint. So tune in, eat up, and live large!

Cheers,

Fellexandro Ruby
Food Conversationalist & Photographer

Snack on my tweets @Wanderbites
Munch on my instagram @Captainruby



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Mie Naripan
Jl. Naripan No. 108, Braga, Bandung
Ph: 022 - 4205516
Also available in:
Jl. Bulevar Barat, Komp. Ruko Kelapa Gading Square, Italian Walk Blok B No. 48B

Bakmie Bagan - Noodle To Die For!

This is not an exaggeration. In my personal opinion (and thousand others who visited this place daily), hands down, this is one of the best bakmi (noodle) I've ever tasted among a very few special others.

The name itself is simply what I call them, because they have no brand, no logo, no banner or anything whatsoever to label themselves. Bagan is a short for Bagan Siapi-Api, the little town in Riau, about 5 hours by car from the nearest airport, Pekanbaru. In its local language though, they are called "Wan Than Mie".  

I have no idea where it came from or what it means. If I translate it in parts, Wan Than = hardwork / hard-knock-life, Mie = noodle. In one piece, they might mean a bowl of noodle coming from hardwork, or maybe a meal for the hardworkers (labors / bluecollars)?

Word on the street, they were very popular in their hometown and as the family migrate in search for better days, they decided to start from zero in Jakarta. In no time, people, mostly Chinese and Baganese who lived in Jakarta became their regulars. This joint flourish simply from mouth to mouth, tongue to tongue, one person sharing their secret to their friends and acquaintances. Exactly what I'm doing right now for you Biters.

They're an epitome of traditional Chinese family business, serving only one kind of noodle. Straightforward. Hassle free.

If you notice, the size of this home made noodle is considered thin, even thinner than instant noodle I suppose. That makes the very first differing aspect in the mouth. And texturewise, its in a good balance between soft and somewhat elastic. Topped with a good amount of savory chasiew (barbequed pork) and fish meatballs, Bakmi Bagan is one bowlful of pleasure for your tastebuds.

Me, myself I love to pour a lot of chili sauce to add flavor. Something mesmerizing happen in my mouth when salty, sweet, oily, porky, and spicy-hot melt in one bite. Their chili sauce is one a kind too. They grind and formulate their own chili sauce, that's what makes it special. Its hard to find one that equals to their taste. I think they are quite proud with this that they become really generous with their chili sauce. Every table will have one full can of chili, and a spoon as big as a soup spoon.

Just don't expect the place to be crystal clean. Its basically a small humble office/house (ruko). They make a living downstairs and live upstairs. You'll find it messy most of the time, with plastic chairs, fans, a huge red table, and religious incense on it as a means of praising the gods.

I find all those stuff exotic. I mean, I once considered taking this upscale, putting it in malls and food courts, but after a few thoughts, it will lose its romance. I also find that the harder, the more uncommon a foodplace is located, the more effort to get something, the more you appreciate it, and in turn the higher amount of satisfaction ended in your face. Don't you agree? Imagine if you can easily find Pia Legong in any malls in Jakarta, would it taste as good as it is now with three weeks advance order and many other hassle?

In that spirit, I'd like to keep the location of this place in partial secrecy. I'm not going to publish it here. I'm not going to slip the map to you that easily. Just as the name of this noodle suggest, you just have to find your way. Be creative!

Oh, they have delivery too. But, naah, I'm not giving you the phone number. Make an effort will ya? And also guess how much they priced each bowl of Wan Than Mie? 12k. A very affordable price for a happy belly.

One final thing. Here's a little local Baganese language to help you order in a fancy way.

"Wan than mie, ...... ua ya." 
Fill the blanks with the amount you like, one = ce, two = neng, three = sa, four = si, five = go, six = lak, seven = chit, eight = pue, nine = kau, ten = cap.

Waiting for you to get creative. Cheers.

Fellexandro Ruby
Food Conversationalist, Photographer, and a Proud Baganese

Now Cooking - Hakata Ikkousha (Rumah Bahagia Pertama)

Having lived around Pluit area have a counter effect on me. I probably know less about food in this area that most Pluitans. Its the thought that "I can always come back whenever I want to since its very close" that hinders me from trying many new places. That includes Hakata Ikkousha or Rumah Bahagia Pertama (literally translated as First House of Joy). Only after passing through this place for more than a month that my curiosity finally builds up.

I love everything in this place that mimic a Japanese atmosphere. Starting from the woody interior, the low ceiling, the real Japanese staffs, up to the lousy translation written on their T-shirts. Oh, a little hint for you Biters, the chefs are those with blonde colored hair. The owner is the one who go and talk to everybody.

I, myself had a pretty interesting interaction with him. When I took out my camera and start taking photos, he came up to me and said "Hey sir, you like photography? My two Japanese friend over there said that if you can take their photo naked, which would you choose?" I laughed right then and there. Probably they don't actually welcome cameras, but I like how they convey it in a fun un-condescending way.

We continued chatting, and when the Tam Tam Pork Ramen that I ordered finally came, he suggested me to go take a quick photo and eat right away. He said that food are best enjoyed hot, and he want me to taste the best of their ramen.  And he also against ta pao / take aways. He said, the taste would be ruined once you opened it at home. He prefers people eat on the spot. So here's the only shot I took.

On the first bite, I fell in love with it. A very thick broth is probably the main reason for my liking. You can actually taste the rich meaty flavor resulted from long hours of heating in constant temperature. This makes any other ramen I tasted like skim-milk and this one is full-cream milk.

You get the idea right?

From what I learned, they lift up to what to my expectations. Hakata ramen is originated in Hakata city, located north west of Kyushu. Its distintive feature is the white thick soup made from pork bones. Also added to their specialty is the thin noodle characteristics.

Not stopping at that, I also liked the texture of the soft-boiled egg. It is quite rare to find a restaurant that serve and cook eggs in this particular way.

I simply couldn't waste any of it. It reminded me of a scene in the movie Tampopo. It says that to respect the chef, if you like the ramen you should finish the soup as well. So, as a respect to them, I ended up drinking all the soup and left nothing behind. Haha. It was so so goood, I can't stop tweeting about it.

It also came to my attention that they pay respect to local taste as well. In most tables, they will serve a small plate of chopped chili (cabe rawit potong) for Indonesian tounge who likes it spicier. Additionally, you can also add a splash of garlic using the table garlic press available on each table. I tried adding it nearing the end of my meal and it was flavorsome. Dang, I should've added it from the start. That's a lesson for your Biters.


Now enough of these mouth-watering talks. Go and taste them yourself. Make your belly happy. A happy belly will lead to a happy mind. =) And when you do, share it with me here.

Arigato Gozaimasu,

Fellexandro Ruby
Food Conversationalist & Photographer
Munch on my tweets at @Wanderbites


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Hakata Ikkousha (博多一幸舎)
Jl. Muara Karang Raya No.85
North Jakarta
ph. +62 21 66600255
fx. +62 21 66670588