Fat Shogun Independence Deal

Do you remember Fat Shogun? The Japanese-Peruvian restaurant returns with this awesome line up to celebrate our independence day.

This is Fiona, giving freedom a taste.

When Fat Shogun contacted me to try their Independence Deal meal, I said yes right away. I've been to Fat Shogun a couple of times and it's been on our favorite list ever since. I celebrated Valentine's day here too and would recommend this restaurant for your special occasion. The unique flavor of Nikkei keeps you coming back for more. It challenges the freshness of each ingredient, uniqueness of the sauce and toppings, in presenting you with the mix of the flavors. Definitely my kind of food. Let's see what the menu has to offer.

Ceviche With Acar Dressing
Snappers, red onion, tomatoes, acar dressing.

It's summer for sure! The spicy, sour dan fresh snappers will fulfill your longing for summer in the end of August. It comes with pickles and real chilli, if you like more spicy sensation. For me, this is more than enough. It's a good introduction to freedom. It's hard to stop and this is just the beginning.

Red White Tiradito
Seabass, tuna, mango ginger salsa.

Fresh seabass is one of my favorites, especially Tuna. But the highlight of this meal comes from its sauce: mango ginger salsa. A dominant ginger flavor which is combined with a sweet touch of mango. So it's not overpowering the fish while you still can taste the freshness.

Chicken Roll and Cod Misoyaki

Cod Misoyaki is a familiar dish, so having this included in the menu gives a homey feeling to my palate. This is my must-have menu in Fat Shogun and I'm excited that they decided to include this on theit special menu. For those who aren't familiar with the Cod Misoyaki, it's a buttery cod with crispy vegetables on top. I always ask for crispier veggies. The Chicken Roll reminds you of sushi, but instead of seaweed, Chicken is used to "wrap" the sushi. Inside is super yumny tamago. If you're up to different kind of sushi sensation, try this.

Ceviche With Acar Dressing

Red White Tiradito

Chicken Roll and Cod Misoyaki

Yuccamochi
Cassava cake and crumble.

I can smell cassava when the dish arrived in my table. Surely delicious, according to my nose. The cake is real moist (makes me wonder) plus the vanilla ice cream and crumble pair, makes this a perfect dessert. I really appreciate that the vanilla flavor doesn't overwhelm the cassava sweet ending.

Yuccamochi

If you haven't gone to Fat Shogun then this is a good time to try their dishes. They simplified their menu into these four dishes. The idea is using different ingredients in every plate so expect different range of flavors from one plate to another but still feel the Fat Shogun rhythm along the way.

The package is only 400k ++/ pax and it's only available exclusively for two days on 16 - 17 August 2017. Book today (before the 16th) and get those meals only for Rp375k++/pax.

Where is this?

Menara BTPN - Retail Tower, Rooftop Level, 

Jl. Dr. Ide anak agung Gde Agung Kav, 5.5 - 5.6 

CBD Mega Kuningan, Jakarta Selatan.

Fat Shogun's Rooftop Romantic

Win a special girl’s heart with a unique and lavish dinner. That’s probably what we brought back from this year’s Valentine’s Day. It’s all started with Fiona’s Valentine’s Day celebration at Fat Shogun.

Hello, This is Fiona.

I’m not celebrating Valentine’s Day with flower and chocolate, but a nice rooftop (romantic) dinner is hard to resist. Fat Shogun is located on the rooftop of BTPN building. There’s this simple Fat Shogun sign, dominated by the gold and black colors and the city lights reflected on the large windows. A bar is located on the corner. Needless to say, this place is romantic. 

Their inspiring set menu only adds on to the sweet ambiance. Called "Epicurian Of Nikkei," a romantic dinner journey related to Nikkei history. Nikkei is a combination of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine. So, set aside the thought of complicated stock exchange when you taste each meal. Its origin can be traced back to late 1800 when the Japanese worker immigrated to Peru, to work on railroads. Some of them stayed and the cuisines blended into what’s known today as Nikkei.

Fresh Fusion At Wilshire

The name Wilshire reminds us of one of the main roads of Los Angeles. But the Wilshire we discovered at Senopati is a comfy bar and restaurant located on top of a cake shop. Its street-facing window gives the much-needed romantic atmosphere, perfect for your Valentine’s Day.

Fiona is enjoying a nice chit-chat on a cool rainy day at Wilshire.

We found out that the name was indeed inspired by Wilshire Boulevard. And it translates to the cuisines. The foods combine local flavors with international cuisines, and are meant “to liven up Wilshire experience in Jakarta by made several fusion dishes,” said Cla Lisca as General Manager of Wilshire as quoted by the press release. The famous boulevard itself is a melting pot of different cultures which settled down in that side of California. Staying true to its name, well, we know Los Angeles is one lively place, the restaurant also provides extensive wine and liquor collection. Wilshire’s Executive Chef, Dolly Chia, is a University of Southern California and Le Cordon Bleu graduate. And I’m lucky enough to taste the following:

Spice by Chris Salans: An Ubud Taste for Share

Ubud has never disappointed you. From art to food and the combination of two, there’s always something to discover in this part of Bali. On her recent visit, Fiona stopped by to taste another masterpiece of Chris Salans, the man behind Mozaic. A place called Spice.

Hi, this is Fiona!

Chris Salans is known for his signature cuisine which infuses local Balinese flavors with French cooking techniques. I had been eyeing on this restaurant since my last visit to Ubud, but it was full. This time I arrived with my fiance and he apparently is the perfect man to share the moment and the flavors. 

Located in the center of Ubud, this bright spot, unfortunately isn’t available for reservation, so we arrived early to choose the table we wanted to. My choice was the one by the massive glass window that allowed us to see the life of Ubud. It’s a warm-welcoming place with laidback atmosphere and delicious dishes. The chef, American-born Chris Salans is also the owner of Mozaic, which offer equally unique gastronomy experience through its ever-changing menu. But this is Spice, and we’ve yet to discover the taste.

A Night At Sudirman Street Bandung

Sudirman Street popped out out of nowhere when I stopped by to approach my favorite Martabak stall on Jl. Jendral Sudirman. It was back in December when the place was only opened for a few weeks. I revisited the place again a few months later, dining in inside this time.

This is Ruth’s family weekend-getaway in Bandung.

It was like a deja vu because we’re staying in the same airbnb house and went on technically the same itinerary. This time, we determined to try Sudirman Street for dinner. Parking a few minutes away from the Jl. Jendral Sudirman entrance, this food court was packed by sundown. Last time, we figured this place is only open for dinner, but Google search showed that some stalls opened for lunch as well. Bandung’s mountainous breeze makes outdoor dining possible at lunch, even without sitting inside an air-conditioned restaurant.

We finally found a table near the entrance. In between a fried meatball and noodle stalls. Settled down, I got up first and took a look around. The first thing I noticed about Sudirman Street is pork. Almost every stall serves pork, including the Pinky Porky Martabak stall on the side which use pork meat instead the usual beef. Across the street from the Martabak is a pork satay stall that gathered a lot of crowds and smoke. Looking at the satay shape, I decided to order that first.

The pork martabak has quite a line. When my brother ordered one, he was given a queue number, just like when you’re ordering bubble tea. The cooking took a while so when it’s done, we’ve tried almost half the food in Sudirman Street. We decided to have it at home, just in case somebody get a midnight craving. The martabak is delicious, a little salty and well, it has pork. Some people believes that pork in a dish changes the taste, and it really does on this particular martabak. Needless to say, the box was emptied a few minutes after we reached home.

The satay arguably was the best one I’ve ever tasted. It’s sweet to the inside, the meat is thick and grilled to the right tenderness. So this one is highly recommended for those dining at Sudirman Street. There is also a bloody drink stall next door, which sold everything from Baymax blood to Smurf blood. Those are sugary drinks with different flavors. Wasn’t my preferred thirst quenchers but these interesting drinks are well-loved by the young children.

Walk to the other end, near the Cibadak entrance and you’ll find a nicely decorated wall, perfect for photos if the place wasn’t that packed. I would recommend strolling through the alley first before placing an order. Choose wisely because you’ll be full and realize that you haven’t tried this and that. But of course, tomorrow is a new day and you can always return to try on different stalls. If you’re a pork-fan, this place is pretty much heaven.

A few tips: (1) Came early to beat the night crowd. Especially if you’re here on weekend. We arrived around 6 PM and it was packed. (2) Watch your belongings. Sudirman Street is an open food court and it’s always wise to be cautious. (3) Prepare cash. If you haven’t got any, the mini market nearby has an ATM machine. (4) Order right away after you decide. Some stalls are popular and would run out of food even before the end of the night. (5) Watch your kids if you’re dining with them. Several stalls like the satay cooked in the open, so you might want to pay more attention to your curious toddlers.

But our visit isn’t complete without a stop at the Martabak stall which started the culinary journey. My family had always ordered sweet martabak and thin crispy ones whenever we’re in Bandung. It dated back to our childhood days. The thin-crispy martabak, called Tipis Kering or Tipker, is arguably the best I’ve ever tasted and stayed true for around 20 years. So that’s why we kept on returning to this simple stall over the years. This time, the stall introduced us to a whole new dining experience called Sudirman Street.

Indonesian Fusion of Temoe Bistro

There’s a new hotel in town and it means there’s a new eatery to try. Temoe Bistro at GranDhika Hotel at South Jakarta area is a perfect spot for friends, co-workers and a dine-in with your loved ones.

Entering GranDhika Hotel, you’ll find Temone on the left side with a line of friendly servers. It seems a little dim at first, but when you stepped it, this place is homey. Our attention goes to the graphic rug under the table and the complementing decoration on the ceiling. There’s also a large, comfortable sofa that makes you stay for hours. There’s a semi-outdoor section here, wrapped in large glass windows which would be awesome during the day (too bad it’s dinner time when we’re there). The semi-outdoor space is for smoking and Acoustic jazz live band on weekdays.

Let’s talk about food.

Pan Seared Foie Gras is seriously delicious. Crunchy toast brioche bread meets the melt-in-your-mouth seared duck liver with onion marmalade. It’s not easy to create this kind of foie gras because it’s 80% fat. This one is pan-seared and a must-try for foie gras fans because the onion marmalade adds on to the superb combination.

Pan Seared Foie Gras

Wagyu Soto

Wagyu Soto is still your traditional beef soup, but with a few upgrade like wagyu 5+ quality beef. Cooked medium (surprise!) and served separately from the broth so you can easily mix it accordingly. We prefer having it dipped in the soto broth. Chef Hariyadi wanted to create a new twist of Indonesian food, while keeping the rich herb soto broth. Let’s say he exceeded expectation. The dish is served with steamed jasmine rice, emping cracker, sambal and pickles.

The classic Quattro Formaggi Pizza is to die for. We can safely say that the chef is an expert in Italian dishes because the 4-cheese topping pizza is something we would like to order, take home and enjoy it in front of the TV with a bottle of soda and a bunch of good friends.

Quattro Formaggi Pizza

Dessert already? No way. But the Cherry Clafoutis Crumble did make a sweet ending to our first date at Temoe Bistro. The baked cherry cake crumble served with mascarpone cheese is a must-order for dessert lovers. It’s real cherry made as compote and combined with crunchy crumble. Then comes mascarphone cheese to complete the trio. This dessert makes you want to order another plate.

This Bistro is rather impressive, especially for a new place inside a new city hotel. They have a wide variety of quality menu and the place is super comfortable for those who just want to stop by after hours. It’s also a good stop for those who enjoy jazz and wine. Even for those creative worker who simply need a place to sit and well, be creative, this one place is recommended too. We got a glimpse of Salmon and Scallop in Gulai Sauce on the menu, another interesting concept for Indonesian fusion fans. Our advice, go through the whole menu and find the one that jump at you. The bistro is good at composing Indonesian fusion food, so don’t skip the chance to taste them.

Where is this?
Hotel GranDhika Iskandarsyah – Jakarta
Jl. Iskandarsyah Raya No. 65 Jakarta
021-2912 7788
Opening Hours:9:00 AM – midnight (Sunday-Thursday) and 09:00 AM – 01:00 AM (Friday and Saturday)

Trip to Industrial Southbox Prapanca

Let’s admit it, an open-aired food court with industrial look may be tempting. Located on Prapanca, the outstanding place called Southbox can be a little tricky for the first-time visitors. Yes, it stood out from the elegant-looking buildings nearby, giving the vibrant feel without entering the roads of Kemang. Lunch or dinner, Southbox can offer you with exciting options.

Hello, this is Ruth and her Friday night random escapade.

I visited the place on a Friday night and it was full. If you arrived by car, parking is done by valet (Rp15k). Seating isn’t that many, and larger group may have trouble finding a place to sit down. But overall, it’s a fun place to mingle – and on Friday night they have HBO screening on the main food area. Not that you’d go and watch, but it’s something nice to have. 

A Mix of Surprises at Gran Mahakam

Believe it or not, this is our first visit to Gran Mahakam, a European style 5-star boutique hotel putting forward warmth and comfort of its guests. Yes, we’re here because of food too.

After saying hello to Debby Setiawaty, Director of Public Relations and Sheryll Angelina, Senior Public Relations Officer at the dining room with a big round table, we got a sneak peek of the food. The party started with an introduction of the hotel’s two restaurants: Le Gran Café and AOKI Japanese Cuisine. Le Gran Café serves International cuisines as well as time-honored Indonesian dishes which means there’s something for everyone. AOKI prides their authentic Japanese cuisine, refurbished to cater the earthy and natural palette.

“Blind Food Tasting” Mini Game

Hello, Fiona here, participating in this TV Show-like fun game.

Blindfolded, while tasting different food and trying to guess what’s on it. The first dish is served on a small bowl (or plate?) and is eaten by spoon. But once I smelled it, I know what it is because it’s my favorite Indonesian snack: Putu Mayang! The second dish feels like mayonnaise and nori. Sushi? I put it inside my mouth and the wasabi explodes. I’m not a big fan of wasabi, so I’m aware of its strong taste. The last one is sorbet because it’s cold and of sour flavor. After opening the blindfold, we’re asked to write the name and the ingredients of the three dishes served. Wish me luck!

Gado-gado Padang 

The Real Feast
Appetizers are Gado-gado Padang and Fresh Crab Hand Roll. The Gado-gado (Indonesian mix vegetable salad) is accompanied with super thick sauce and (surprised) yellow noodle. It reminds me of rujak juhi (without the juhi). I love this kind of Gado-gado. The roll is basically, crab meat wrapped in soy paper with fresh tuna on top. Soy paper instead of nori is a new challenge to everyone’s taste bud. Love this one too!

Fresh Crab Hand Roll

Soto Padang served as soup is irresistible. West Sumatra’s signature soup consists of angel hair, potato and jerked beef, topped with red crackers. Kudos to the amount of salt they’re using as well as the quality of the meat. Rice, anyone?

Soto Padang

Moving on to the main course, Nasi Daun Jeruk (Rice with Lime Leaves) comes with ayam masereh (shredded chicken with chili sauce), mixed vegetables with anchovies, squid with green chili sauce, jerked beef, satay, dried potato and our signature peanut brittle. This dish is arguably the most famous of Gran Mahakam and attracting loyal customers to return. People usually avoided young jack fruit in dishes but this one is good enough. But my vote goes to the squid; it’s so vibrant and tasty. 

Nasi Daun Jeruk (Rice with Lime Leaves)

Truffle Beef Bowl comes next. Japanese slices marinated beef sprinkled with the finest Truffle sauce and scallion served on steamed Japanese rice. The smell of Truffle is heavenly, the meat is soft and rice is moist. Another perfect dish. It’s gonna be hard to choose between the two main courses.

Truffle Beef Bowl 

Everything that starts out nice should end with a glam. So the two desserts better be unforgettable as well. Es Tape Hijau is a mix of tape ketan, tape singkong, kopyor, kolang kaling with milk, coconut milk and syrup. Tape is fermented dish, sometimes from cassava, others have them from rice or sticky rice. Ice shavings aren’t my thing but the fillings are tempting and I felt like digging up treasures. Mochi Ice cream, another Japanese touch on the feast. Japanese confection made from mocha (pounded sticky rice) with green tea ice cream filling. Yummy! Can we have more of them?

 Es Tape Hijau and Mochi Ice Cream

Last Surprise
Full stomach (after an array of great food) is always satisfying. So while we let that deliciousness down, the answers from previous games were revealed. The last one was raspberry sorbet. Whoa! Every participant jotted down different names and none of us were correct. The next surprise is me being named the winner of the game (really?). I just can’t believe it!

A big thanks to Gran Mahakam and Code Hunter for this Dolce Gusto Mini Me Machine, something I’ve been dreading to have this past year. Well, if you want this machine too, go download Code Hunter at the Appstore or Playstore. I’m not giving up mine. Ruth is gonna be jealous. Haha.

Where is This?
GRAN MAHAKAM HOTEL
Jl. Mahakam I No 6 Kebayoran Baru
Jakarta 12130 - INDONESIA
Tel : + 62 21 7209966
www.granmahakam.com

For The Love of Steak: Tokyo Skipjack

This restaurant believes that everyone loves steak. Looking at the food they served, it seems like they may be right. Change your mind about how steak should always be fancy.

So, one Monday, when Fiona is sick and off work, Ruth went with MJ to an after hour dinner. Entering Tokyo Skipjack, which is located near the small runabout in Blok M area right across the street from Bulungan Sportcenter, you will expect this restaurant to be different. While the outdoor is nice, it’s packed with smokers. So we decided to step in where the tables are sharing places with a Japanese Supermarket. The AC was having a problem that night, but it didn't bother us. I ordered iced Ocha and problems are solved.

The interior of the place is quite unique, sporting popular American comics like Batman, but in Japanese edition on one side of the wall. One corner of the restaurant is a shelf full of comic books.

Our order: NZ Sirloin 200gr (well done - just because I rarely eat uncooked meat) with Japanese Chimichuri sauce (Rp85k) and Grilled Chicken with White BBQ (60k). Each main course comes with two side dishes, which make the price worth it. Choose wisely among mashed potato, corn, Japanese Green Salad and French Fries.

The steak is tasty, the sauce makes it special. Had no idea of what to choose among the list of sauces, the waiter recommended Japanese Chimichuri. Chimichuri is an Argentinean steak sauce made of chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano and white vinegar. Some modification of this sauce added cilantro or bay leaf to the mix. The search on Japanese version of this Argentinean sauce showed Shiso (Perilla) included in the recipe. Whatever it is, the sauce tasted great and refreshing.

 NZ Sirloin 200gr with Japanese Chimichuri

Grilled chicken is good too. A great pair with its white BBQ sauce. Both of us ordered mashed potato and for me, it was he best decision ever because it came in generous portion. MJ ordered Japanese Green Salad (another good thing, even for me who doesn't eat leafy vegetables) and I ordered corn. They have affordable dessert - MJ ordered Tiramisu but I was too full to add some more on my plate. 

Grilled Chicken with White BBQ

This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t go indulge ourselves on perfect steak on a romantic setting. But, hey, there’s nothing wrong with alternative version!

Where is this?
Jl. Bulungan No.16, Bulungan, Blok M, Jakarta Selatan
(021) 99725000