New Wanderbites (Happy Three Years Anniversary!)

I still couldn't believe its already three years since Wanderbites.com first gone live. It's probably one of the longest commitment I've ever made for something and I love every moment of it. Here are a few highlights of what has happened in the past three years:

I've written 271 posts, that's 2 post/week and also countless amount of fat stored in my body due to mindless eating.

More than 2000 comments, that's a lot! For the kind words, praises, and criticism. I take them all, thank you. These are the conversations that made me kept going.

More than 1000 photos posted. About the same amount of hours spent photographing and editing. (Read: serious-serious backpain problem)

More than a million views.

But beyond these numbers, there are greater stories. Wanderbites has gone beyond just a blog to me.

From Wanderbites I've grown into a professional food photographer, a career I've never thought of before. Serving clients from the likes of Nestle, Paulaner Brauhaus, Kempinski, and so much more.

From Wanderbites I've met fellow foodies who became friends. Some even become business partners. We create great stuff together. Some become traveling mate. Some I hold dear as my close circle.

From Wanderbites I get to meet renown chef, restaurateur, editors, business owners, bakers, people who are extremely awesome in their field and we're all connected to one single passion: food.

For the love of food (and travel), I decided to crank it up a notch and revamp Wanderbites for a more enjoyable reading pleasure. If you open Wanderbites.com in a few days it will be the new one, or Wanderbites 2.0 as I would like to call it. A lot of things will be better. Just the presentation itself is new. And as I have always been heavy with photos, I'll continue to make you drool with large images. So pardon if it takes a while to load. Give it time, good things are worth the wait. Go and experience the new site yourself. As to when it will go live, hmm, you just gotta have to keep going back to check. Haha.

But that's not even the big announcement. Here comes. One major change that would happen is I'm opening up Wanderbites to everyone with the same passion. Yes, you can contribute and I will curate the stories. One of the things I learned in 3 years is the beauty of collaboration. I believe in making great things together.

So have you got a story? Restaurant you want to review together? The weird yet interesting people you encounter on your last travel? Email me at wanderbites@gmail.com and we'll take it from there. Who knows you'll have the chance to be featured.

Wanderbites is now a collective blog about food and travel. Real stories, real everyday people.

I will leave the blogspot account on until I complete house-moving. =)

Kunstkring Menteng : Afternoon Tea Time With Kue Bluder

Before And Now

Many of us heard of Kunstkring as the ex-Buddha Bar without knowing further what is this tongue-twisting place has got to offer. As I get curiouser and curiouser, life handed me the lemon. That was the opportunity to meet and chat with the owner. Without hesitation, I made a lemonade out of it and I got myself hooked. So when one of the most influential food blogger, Inijie, made it to Jakarta, I can't help to show him Kunstkring.

Built in 1914, this building is made to raise the art scene. A place for Dutch artists to gather, exhibit their works from painting to musical performance, and also to learn their craft. At its golden years, it was once a host for world class paintings such as Van Gogh's and Picasso's. You can imagine the importance of it back in the day. However as the world moved on, the building went through a few different episode of adaptation. Once it was an immigration office, then it was idle, then a bar, and another idle years. 

Back To Its Origin

Tugu, the same group that brings us Lara Djonggrang, Dapur Babah, and Shanghai Blue took over the management of Kunstkring and decided to repurpose it back to its original mission. It is now a restaurant, a cafe, an art exhibit, and also a function hall for all things art.  

The restaurant is separated into three main areas. The Diponegoro Room, the main dining area that displays a 9m painting of the time when Diponegoro got arrested. The Suzie Wong Bar, is a more dimmed, lounge theme area to chill. Inspired by the popular British American movie in the 60's, they took the original movie painting (the one they hang in front of cinemas) and let it shine in one of the walls. Last, The Bread & Coffee Corner. The name kinda explains itself. 

Tea Time

Since it was afternoon and they have their famous Roti Bluder in stock, we decided that tea would be a perfect companion. What makes it interesting is that this particular bread is still hand made in Blitar and flown to Jakarta daily. 

The bread is so fluffy soft that you just want to tear it with your hand and stuff it in your mouth right away. Have it warm and you'll notice the smell that reminds you of home cooked pastries. It comes in two flavor: chocolate and cheese. For me personally, the chocolate rocks better than the cheese.

As for the tea, a selection of leaves from German dominate the menu as well as the classic ones. We shared the Christmas Punch as we were looking for something that's more masculine with that classic, fruity, spicy twist. Don't miss out on the butter cookie that comes with it. It's one of the best I've ever had. 

Verdict

Both food and drinks made quite an impression for me. Added with great hospitality from the staffs, and the green surroundings, tea timing at their al fresco area is definitely something I'd look forward to again. 

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Tugu Kunstkring Paleis

Jl. Teuku Umar No.1 

Menteng, Jakarta

Ph: 021-3900899

E: kunstkring@tuguhotels.com

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