Koultoura Coffee : Power Brunch on a Lazy Saturday.

It's Saturday.

The sun is playing hide-and-seek amongst the clouds. The clouds looks awfully bored in pale grey and broke white. No little drops of water from above, but the residual cold atmosphere is enough to keep you glued to bed. If you could you would put Bruno Mars' Lazy Song as the morning's soundtrack, but then again, you're just too lazy to do that.

You go back to lala-land for another hour or two until your belly growls for food.
Too late for breakfast, too early for lunch. It is the perfect time for yet another power brunch.

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Koultoura is my new destination for brunch after Antipodean.

A new joint in Taman Ratu, Jakarta Barat sets itself apart from its surroundings. It creates a world of its own, really. From the facade that brings fresh color to the neighborhood, to the sort of food it offers. From its sophisticated hang-on-the-wall water purifier to the geeky-level coffee. It's almost as if it packed in a whole new culture to shine, just like the name suggest. This place bleeds hipster, coffee, and passion.

I had The Hangover Cure (IDR 45k) and Croque Madam (IDR 45k) as recommended by the cheerful lady behind the counter, Kinsky.

Hang Over Cure (IDR 45K) - Taken w/ Samsung NX300

Croque Madam (IDR 45k) - Taken w/ Samsung NX300

Both dish were surprisingly enjoyable and we didn't need any flavor enhancement of any sort. No salt, no chili sauce, no pepper. It was all in good balance for our palate. My hash-corned beef-egg was a treat, the only complain was the rather small size. On the other side of the table, my belle looked like taking quite a delight on the rack of burnt toast, melted cheese, ham and poached eggs. Plus point: the home made looking bunch of wedges / fries. Minus point: it gets mushy real quick.

Life's a Journey Indeed. - Taken w/ Samsung NX300

Don't you just love the cups? (Taken w/ Samsung NX300)

On the drinks, I would recommend its Ice Chocolate (IDR 25k) if you're a sweet tongue. The Chai Latte that we had was worth trying too, although le belle did mentioned it wasn't as strong a 'chai latte' as she preferred. She likes it bold. A little longer on brewing the chai would easily solve it out though.

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The big question: Would I come back to Koultoura?
Answer: Hell yeas, in fact I'm going back there today. ;)

Sunlight & Shades. Love this corner right here. (Taken w/ Samsung NX300)

I personally enjoy the energy of this place. I can imagine sitting in one corner, catching up on my readings, or working on one of my blog post. It sorts of feed you with enough creative trigger as well. The artworks spread all over the walls, the magazine selection, and most importantly the choice of songs. Rest assured, no Sabrina here.

More than a brunch place, this could easily be my work spot. Try it, and let me know what you think on Twitter @wanderbites.

Cheers,

Ruby 
Food & Travel Storyteller / Photographer

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Koultoura Coffee
Jl. Taman Ratu Raya Blok AA2 No. 33
(If you can find Saung Greenville, you can find this near the Pizza Hut)
Ph: 021-29520310
T: @Koultoura

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

Martabak - Everyone's Favorite #1 : Sinar Kiat

Martabak.

I drool just by the sound of it. And I bet a name and a place come up in your mind as you read this line. Right? It appears that everyone has their personal favorite. Usually it's somewhere near the place they live. And just as interesting, more often that not there's at least one popular martabak vendor in a particular area.

With this in mind, I tweeted yesterday and ask friends in my timeline to name theirs, thus the hashtag #MartabakJuara. Within a few minutes a lot of replies came in, and the conversation lasted for almost half a day. There's one in Rawamangun, two in Pecenongan, one in Sunter, one in Muara Karang, one in Meruya, one in Cibubur, one in Tebet, one in Karawaci, and many more. In fact, I'm kinda overwhelmed by the replies, but I'm happy that at least, I can partially conclude that my hypothesis is true. And most importantly, a lot of people can relate to Martabak.

The next question is "Which martabak?"

If this were biology, I would classify them into two different genus: Martabak Manis (sweet) & Martabak Telor (savory). Each would then spread into different species variety. You'll find martabak manis durian, martabak manis pandan, martabak telor with chicken egg, martabak telor with duck egg, and other creative incarnations of toppings. But let's not go too far.

For now, let's stick with what our kind friends on Twitter have recommended. With the kind of cravings I had yesterday, I couldn't help but pick up my bestfriend and force him along to a culinary adventure to Jalan Jelambar Baru or mostly known as Borobudur. Right in front of Permata Bank there are three different martabak vendors, I hesitated as I turn on my radar. With a few Sherlock Holmes' kind of deduction, I concluded that Sinar Kiat is the #MartabakJuara that Jenzcorner was talking about.

The Bangka looking guy dressed in polo. The striking red cutting sticker on the cart. And most importantly the long queue of people. The last being the most important clue.

I leave no time to spare. Off with camera in hand, I started taking pictures. Shutter after shutter, documenting the process. Here they are as I experienced it.

Verdict

The advantage of having your friend with you is that you don't have to drive. Yes, I get to eat right away as he drove to our next destination. I must admit that the Wijsman butter made all the difference. Laid on the outer skin, it gives the buttery smell & enough oil to fuel your saliva. The choice of Kraft cheese is worth noting. Probably the only cheese that fitted well with martabak manis. On the other hand though, I find that the condensed milk does not complement the overall taste well enough. I might be biased, but it's a different kind of sweet. Still, this is one delicious martabak. I ended up finishing half of the pack by myself.

Trying it further with the chocolate martabak, I couldn't go more than two bites. The chocolate is off putting. It might be the meises or the fact that it lacked peanuts.

I would come back just for the cheese martabak or the durian, which unfortunately unavailable yesterday.

What's Next?

The quest to try and discover more martabak vendor goes on. Hopefully I will get the chance to try your favorite martabak that you have suggested. However, with all the butter, cheese, and fat juices that late in the night, pray that I'll have extra strength to do my morning jog to burn them off the next day.

In the mean time, let me know your favorite martabak in the comments below.

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Location

Martabak Sinar Kiat
Jalan Jelambar Baru (Borobudur)
Turn left after SPBU in Latumenten, vendor is right accross Permata Bank

Super Suikiaw - Mangga Besar

Having nowhere to go on Sunday, I figure I should get away from malls and fancy restaurants once in a while. I decided to venture out Super Suikiaw after hearing a lot of happy-praises from too many friends. Also credits to Selby Food Corner for successfully drools me into coming here.

At the first sight, the signage was a clear hunch that I was about to enter a strangeland. But I did not expect that until I set foot inside and started to see faces that looks like my second cousin from another great-grandfather that sailed right away from Mainland China. I'm exaggerating of course, but I need to so that you can visually see and hear the Mandarin / Hokkian that was being conversed fluently by one patrons to another.

The red lampion hanging from one end to the other end of the hall adds a strong Chinese flavor to the room. Not too mention the Buddhist praying table hidden at one corner.

This is a good sign though. I sense originality.

And without further adieu, there came our boiled & fried Suikiaw. I must admit, the fried one is a notch better that the boiled. I suppose when it's fried, the flavor of the fillings (shrimp, pork & garlic chives) was better released. Even without the addition of dipping sauce (vinegar, soy sauce & garlic) it tasted super! But for those of you who prefers a hint of spicyhotness, dip it in!

Suikiaw Rp. 40.000 / Portion (12 Pieces)

Fried Suikiaw - Rp. 40.000 / Portion (12 Pieces)

Siao Lung Pao / Xiao Long Bao - Rp. 28.000,- / Portion (6 Pieces)

Believing that we would not be satisfied with one portion of Suikiaw, we had an extra portion of Siau Lung Pao that turned out to be a disappointment. Pork fillings were not seasoned enough, soup was rather mild, and the worst of all the super-thick skin. The ideal kind of Siau Lung Pao in my mind was the one that you have to carefully pinch with your chopstick to avoid being torn because of the super-thin-slick skin. But that dream was shattered. Good thing it wasn't that pricey.

Putting all the pieces together, I suppose by now you know what to order and what to expect right?

For me, it was a wonderful afternoon. Trying out new food always put me in a good mood despite of the taste, and most importantly for the joy of having a great company, who shared a liberal view on things, food, and happens to be an awesome stylist / hand model as well. Haha.

Anyways, by the end of this experience, I felt so Chinese that I think I'd stay away from anything remotely related for a while. I'm afraid if I keep coming back and eating this, I'd turn more and more into Stephen Chow as I've been warned a lot for the past few years. Or maybe not. ;)

Cheers,

Fellexandro Ruby
Food Storyteller & Photographer


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SUPER SUIKIAW
Jl. Mangga Besar Raya No. 3B
Ph: 0815-7464-8999

39, Private, Drinks & Fun.

I'll give you time to connect the dots.

Get it? Nope? Alright, I'll lay it down for you. 

I was abducted one afternoon by a friend whose name I cannot disclose. There were three of them, one oil-taipan and her majesty, one swagmaster with smooth taste and one silent driver with the look of a Hongkong mob. My eyes were not shut but I had no idea where we were going.  I can only recall Marvin Gaye's Lets Get It On in the background, looping on repeat, and that we were going central north. I toned down my voice as I started to feel drowsy. Less than half an hour later, we were at a tall building which look like an oasis in the midst of uncertain neighborhood that surrounded it. 

Empty building. A few stories high. Out in the yard were the trained securities dressed like coming out MIB-II. Would that make me the aliens in weird voice? Sort of. I'm alien to this place indeed. 

Astounded as I have never been to see a great selection of brandy and other sort of liquor, those that are rather hard if not impossible to find in Jakarta. Yes, they were all imported or brought over from overseas at cost for personal consumption. 

It was a little late afternoon, but somehow the mood to drink was right. And swagmaster who happens to be quite a barista / mixologist himself took the chance to show us what he's got. The appetizer of the night was Guinness Draught. Unlike the usual Guinness you found here, it contains lower alcohol content of only 4.8%, while the taste is somewhat light and classier. I wasn't a big fan of black beer until I was introduced to it. Only a big fan would go as far as bringing the agitator needed to prepare this Dublin-made thirst quencher into a true draught. And the swagmaster has it! Including the UK pint! 

Take a look at the video to get an idea of what this awesome thing did to the beer. 

Not stopping at that, the swagmaster was determined to keep his private guests 'afloat' and made us his signature drink, The Chocolate Birthday Cake. Drink it with your eyes closed, and I swear it was as if a chocolate cake was turned into liquid and actually tasted good. 

Chocolate Birthday Cake & Veuve Clicquot Champagne

From there conversations has gone ballistic from the talk of business, to men's ears only, but I suppose it was only natural with the amount of alcohol consumed. The fun & happiness level is in parallel increase to the amount of drinks we had. We broke Thomas Maltus & David Ricardo's theory of diminishing marginal return. Screw economics! In fact, it can only goes up when a little while after, the swagmaster took out the 'green fairy'. Yes, it is none other than La Fee Absinthe Parissien. Once was banned in the US, this particular drinks was popular with Parisian artist, from the likes of Van Gogh. It was a very strong drink (considering the 68% alcohol content), with an intense flavor of wormwood herb and anise. 

La Fee Absinthe - Halfway prepared.

Super. It was. Turned into Yoda, I have. Awesomeness. 

As with a great appetizer, we ended up with a fine closure. He served us this fine bottle of bubbly champagne, the orange label, the one and only Veuve Clicquot. 

I don't usually mix drinks. You know what happened the morning after when you forced it. Good thing I managed to keep my sanity, and control what goes into my mouth. Even with that, I ended up with a very early sleep at about 9PM. It was a total black out after that. The next thing I know was morning, and that I have to go on my running jog. 

And jog, I did. Still Yoda. I suppose the side effect is still there. 

From the underground, I'm bringing you the one and (might be) only review ever made on this private bar. Location still undisclosed. But you're allowed to get creative. Hint: Lounge 39. 

Cheers. I mean it really, grab your drink. Cheers. 

(All photos taken & edited using iPhone4).

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Twitter: @Wanderbites

Instagram: @Captainruby

Now Cooking - Krispy Kreme Doughnut Cafe Central Park

 Before we start, I'm gonna set this right. I've never been a big fan of doughnuts. When everyone's hyping about J.Co all I did was sit and stare at the strange sudden increase in people's liking toward something that has been there for years. Its the same thing with a tweak on fancy names, added with a couple of downlight in the room to create enjoyable atmosphere, an extra free wifi and bingo! You've got a whole new crowd lining up behind you.

With that in mind, when an invitation came to the so called "VIP Opening Party" at Central Park, I was quite intrigued to see what's more there to offer. What innovation could possible be made in the already saturated market. Which additional market segment they can target now. Would they be the first to successfully alter my doughnut indifference a step forward toward 'liking'.

And so I went.

To my surprise, I'm not surprised. Well, of course the new colorful and cozier interior helps in boosting the mood. Of course the outdoor open space looks inviting especially for smoker. Of course the addition of new menus adds curiosity. But is that it? I kept questioning but stayed expectant. I should hold my director's commentary until I get the taste of the new menu, Baked Creations.

After a long queue, me and fellow food bloggers finally have Baked Creations in hand.

1#, Pull Apart, which is another name for a doughnut like sweet bread with four selections, Pepperoni Pizza, Double Cheese, Sausage & Cheese, Smoked Beef & Cheese.

2#, Kruffins, which simply means muffins with a hole. It comes with a few different flavors: Triple Chocolate, Apple Streusel, Blueberry and Chocolate Banana.

Up to this point, I'm still not surprised. The Pull Apart series is something I would let you try just to cool off the curiosity and that's it. I didn't find anything special. The Kruffins though is worth several try. As I'm a good consumer of muffins, well my opinion is bended, I enjoyed most muffins, particularly the ones that are served hot. Too bad, that night they weren't as freshly baked as I expected but still worth the bite.

For the doughnuts, they only served the original glazed that night. I might have to pay another visit to assemble opinion and find which is acceptable for my liking. A visit, that might be delayed into another week, another week or even a year. I'm still as indifference as I was toward doughnut. They are still a bunch of pricey piece of bread with a hole and a junkful of calories and sugar that I don't need.

That's just me. How about you, Biters?

One thing I know they surely look drooling.

Cheers,

Fellexandro Ruby
Food Conversationalist & Photographer

Munch on my tweets @Wanderbites

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Krispy Kreme Doughnut Café

Central Park Mall -
Ground Floor - Tribeca Park
Jl. Let. Jend. S. Parman Kav. 28
Jakarta

Now Cooking - Nuzzys Resto

"Nuzzy's is a casual concept dining. Serving Europian cuisine from Napoli, French, and Spain. " 

That's how they introduced themselves in their website homepage here. Yup, right to the typo. =p Funny thing is, when I asked the waitress what are their Spanish cuisines, she didn't know which is which and simply answered "We have mostly Italian". And that is true if you looked at their menu, maybe a handful of Spanish menu and that's it. They even have one page dedicated for Asian menu. HA! They should write that down in their website homepage.

I was a bit upset feeling a bit misled into coming to their foodplace. But I reckon, might as well give it a try. And so I ordered the following.

Gratin Escargot as appetizer.  

 
"Snails sauteed in wine garlic and gratin smooth hollandaise served on puff pastry".

Yep, they're as tempting as the menu description. I like how the buttery hollandaise sauce & the tomato burst out a differing taste with the snails. On a side note, it would be so much nice if the puff pastry was actually 'puffy'. Oh well, they're not a patisserie, what do you expect. 

Moving on, and here I must acknowledge the importance of speed. Restaurateur, waiter / waitress, you all should know that  when people ordered an appetizer and a main and a dessert, he expects to be pampered. He wants a joyful enough amount of minutes to savor each menu. And he wants each menu to come in time. Meaning, warmly flavorfull right off the oven. Meaning, you don't pour out all orders at once!

So the Smoked Beef Green Fettucinni came when I was halfway through my appetizer. I hate rushing one meal to quickly go to the next one before it goes cold. Good thing I had a nice ice cold Strawberry Lychee ice tea to cool down my nerves (a little too bland though). There you go, another input for you to learn, dear Nuzzys.

 The pasta was cooked just right for my taste bud. Not too rigid and not too mushy. Plus point.

The fact that is green also make it interesting. I reckon it has a mix of healthy veggies in it, thus the color (the reason). It gives a good show of color on my plate and I like it (the actual reason, green is my fav color), especially when the generous amount of red beef bacon and the brownish mushroom rolls on plate. Also, DO YOU SEE THE CHEESE TOPPING?! Love it when food is as scrumptious on the eye as it is on the tongue. I would recommend this, spice it up with some dried chili and voila!

Priced at 35k on the Escargot, 45k on the Pasta, and 19.5k on the drink, this is not your particular everyday lunch, especially when they topped another 7.5% service charge above the 10% tax. The problem is not on the amount, in fact I gave extra tip on this visit. The problem is one, whether what you charged is up to par to your service, and second, I think tipping for service is up to one's personal choice and on-the-spot experience. And this goes for all foodplace. A little something for you to consider.

Cheers to an awesome weekend,

Fellexandro Ruby
Food Blogger & Photographer


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Nuzzys Mousse & Resto
Tribeca, Central Park Mall & Flavor Bliss, Alam Sutera
Phone: 021-83838201
Twitter: @nuzzysresto