It's Christmas Summer at Outback Steakhouse

It's the end of the year and we have a lot of celebrations in line. In a few days we'll be celebrating Christmas with the whole family, sharing table and warm conversation. Well, special occasion calls for special meal. This is when Outback comes in handy. Among the dynamic eateries in Indonesia, Outback is one of those who had stayed faithfully, serving large portion of our favorite meat and ribs dishes. 

It's not the first visit to Outback, and definitely not going to be the last. We even knew Outback before we knew each other.
R: My first visit was probably back when it was first opened in Pondok Indah. My dad is big on steak and Western food, so we'll go there as family.
F: I forgot when was my first visit. It was a long time ago at the Ratu Plaza branch. But I eat at Outback often, especially after visiting the gym.

Well, we might not remember the details of our first Outback visit, but we do remember our favorite meals, and are more than happy to share them with you. It's Christmas after all!

Noizu Toku Toku Unique Ice Cream Mix

You usually meet your ice cream already pre-made, lining up in different flavors ready to be mixed with toppings and served. But Noizu Toku Toku is making them fresh to order in front of you. Wanna try?

Our delightful lunch journey brought us to West Jakarta, at an ice cream corner called Noizu Toku Toku at Mal Puri Indah. Located right outside the West lobby, facing the extension, this handmade dessert is offering a wide range of flavors and toppings. Practically endless creation. So, where do you start? Monica from Noizu Toku Toku suggests one of the popular creations: Karameru Koranchi (Rp42k). Caramel ice cream mixed with dark chocolate and crunchy granola toppings. We agreed right away. And this is where it gets interesting.

Instead of scooping the ice cream from a tin, the ice cream maker poured a thick milk-shake like liquid on the ice pan (up to -10 or -20 Celcius). He then started stirring and chopping the slowly crystalized ice cream until it turns creamy. Setting that aside, he started again with the melted chocolate mixture. 

        

Final result: Karameru Koranchi 

"You get more texture with this kind of process instead of the usual pre-made ice cream," Monica explained. An Asian concept (wiki said this ice grill technique is commonly found in Thailand), Noizu Toku Toku adapt it into local invention with house made recipes.

We're about to pick the second bowl to share and were torn between Kraffelicious and Cafe Brownie. But Monica mentioned that younger customers love to innovate their own ice cream. So, we ended up taking the challenge. Plain is more to vanilla. Avocado is unique. What we have in mind is a sweet and bright concept called "Candyland," so we ordered another caramel ice cream (Rp33k) and added marshmallow jellies (Rp4k), marshmallow teddy bear (Rp4k), fruit loops (Rp4k), M&M Choco (Rp5k) and Popping Candy (Rp5k). Surprise!

Welcome to Candyland

But once these ice cream are on your hands, eat them quick because the change of temperature will melt them quicker than the regular ice cream.

As you have probably guessed, the name "Noizu Toku Toku" comes from the noise heard when the spatula chopped the ice cream and bumping into the ice pan, as well as the bumping noise when the ice cream is thrown down to the ice pan. It takes a couple minutes to have them ready, but we enjoy every second as we watch the mixture solidify into the dessert we know. 

If you're creating your own, use this "cooking" time to pick your toppings which is varied from cheese cheddar, almond flakes and Loackers to fruits and jelly. If you're a cereal fan, Koko Krunch and Fruit Loops are there to accompany your "breakfast". Extra sauces (chocolate, strawberry, caramel and salted caramel - each Rp3k) are recommended for those wanting extra kick. Waffle cups and cones (Rp5k) are nice to have because after all, the ice cream we're familiar with is served on edible cones.

It's like being involved in a science project with a sweet edible ending.

Where is this?
Noizu Toku Toku
Puri Indah Mall, Lantai Ground, 

Jl. Puri Indah Raya, Puri Indah, Jakarta

Benedict Jakarta

When a new spot called Benedict opened at Grand Indonesia a while ago, we had determined to go there someday. Both Ruth & Fiona are big fans of the egg so there are no reason not to visit what seems to be the hottest eatery in Jakarta today.

Benedict is a restaurant under Union group which has two private dining chefs, Fernando and Ivan, on its lead. Both chefs, previously known as Good For Eats (G48), decided to opened an all-day breakfast restaurant. A concept much welcome to the busy Jakartans. Settling down for restaurants, both chefs, who met during their college days in New York, admitted they don’t want to settle for something too ordinary. Seems like a fair trade for their unique private dining jobs.

This is what we order:

• So, having the opportunity to talked to both chefs on an occasion before, Ruth decided to go for the Mexican called Huevos Rancheros (75k). Still on her mission to find the best Mexican dish in town, she enjoyed the mix Chorizo con Carne, Avocado Ceviche, Sunny Side-up, Grilled Corn Salsa and Tortilla. Churizo was good and even though it comes only in small slices, the avocado was satisfying.
• Fiona ordered Florentine (85k) which is a benedict dish with dill-cured salmon, sauteed baby spinach, tobiko, hollandaise, challah bread. It was tasty overall although more lemon on the sauce is preferred. And she would rather have English Muffin with her eggs.
• MJ (instagram @TritaMJ),  you might remember her as the dessert fan from our previous post, ordered Classic (80k), an Egg Benedict dish with Picnic Ham, Pickled Red Onion, Hollandaise, Curred Tomatoes.
• While Emy, another co-worker who has inexplicable hatred against all kinds of onion, garlic and shallots, ordered Steak and Eggs (120k). She had wanted something from the dinner list but it was unavailable until later in the afternoon. The dish comes with Shishito Peppers, Fried Eggs, Salsa Verde, Patatas Brava.

Huevos Rancheros

Steak and Eggs 

Florentine 

Classic 

Emy: Can we have this egg well-done?
Ruth, Fiona, MJ: What???
Emy: If you're pregnant you can't have eggs like this.
Ruth: But you're not pregnant...
Emy: I'd still want it well done.... (calling the waiter, ignoring her friends protests and amazement)

In case you're still wondering, Egg Benedict is an American breakfast dish consist of English Muffins, Ham or Bacon, Poached Eggs and Hollandaise Sauce. The classic dish sees variations of ingredients over the decades including he Florentine and Rancheros.

Needless to say, we liked the food. Even Ruth liked the Chai Latte she ordered. They had brought the American taste of Chai to the glass. The only problem is that the restaurant is quite pricey. Our bills came out higher than we thought it would be. Although for a restaurant in Eastern part of Grand Indonesia, the amount is probably an acknowledged standard. We would come here again for sure.

Despite our determination, this visit was rather spontaneous. We didn't have anything else in mind on where to eat within the two-hour lunchtime we have from the office. When the decision brought us to Grand Indonesia (again), we jumped for Benedict right away.

Where is this?
East Mall, Grand Indonesia Shopping Town, Lower Ground Floor,
Jl. MH.Thamrin, Jakarta Pusat
(021) 23581238

Dinner Date at JJ Royal Brasserie

Hello this is Ruth,

When I heard about JJ Royal, what came to mind was coffee, from Robusta to Arabica and Luwak lining up on my supermarket shelf. But here I was, sitting at a brasserie (a small French café with relaxing ambiance) called JJ Royal at Lotte Shopping Avenue, Jakarta one night, ordering dinner and dessert.

Chipotle Burrito

The benefit of tagging along with a Lotte Shopping Avenue expert called MJ is that we know the best offer around the clock. MJ is one of our co-workers who is also a food (mostly dessert) enthusiast and a frequent third person in our lunch-dates. (Psst... you can find MJ on her instagram @tritamj) We arrived right at 8 PM when the buy 2 get 3 dessert promotion started. The waitress suggested we picked the three sweet items right away before they ran out for the night. Knowing that the mall is lacking sweet shop, dessert at JJ Royal Brasserie is apparently quite popular. 

Left to right: Success, Heavenly Cheesecake and Hello Pretty

“Cronut is highly recommended,” MJ said. Unfortunately they ran out of cronut for the night. Bad luck, but we moved on and selected 3 desserts: Success, Heavenly Cheesecake and Hello Pretty originally cost 39k each. Success was my picked and MJ selected the last two. She’s a huge fan of cheesecake and Hello Kitty. Success is a very thick chocolate and hazelnut blend. Despite its delicious taste (thankfully not as sweet as its look), it’s hard to finish this dessert because it’s filling. I would order this other time with a black coffee. Heavenly Cheesecake is topped with berries, and Hello Pretty (actually almond tart, white choco mousse and fruit jam) is too pretty to eat.

Enough of the dessert, we’re moving on to the main courses. Browsing to the menu, I was tempted to try their burrito (been craving for Mexican for a while). So I ordered Chipotle Burrito (75k) while MJ chose Fettuccine Chicken Broccoli Alfredo (70k) from a section called “Cosmopolitan Flavors”. Surprisingly none of us ordered coffee, probably because it’s too late.

Fettuccine Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

JJ Royal Brasserie has manga-inspired interior with modern and colorful indoor seating. The restaurant also has outdoor terrace, facing the busy Dr. Satrio street. At late night, the place is popular for hangout. Next time, because there will be next time, I’ll visit during the day, ordering their coffee break set or simply just enjoying their outdoor section.

Where is this?
LOTTE Shopping Avenue LG Floor, A01-02,
Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio Kav. 3-5, Kuningan, Jakarta Selatan,
(021) 29888980
Opening Hours:
Sunday - Thursday: 10:00am - 11:00pm
Friday - Saturday: 10:00am - 12:00am

Breakfast Menu at Pepper Lunch

Once upon a time, Pepper Lunch arrived with its unique concept: food served on a hot plate (260 Degree Celcius), mixed with secret ingredients that makes food even more delicious. Recently it introduces a breakfast menu, saying "It's never too early to enjoy our hot plate."

Early Bite is the latest breakfast menu from Pepper Lunch, perfect to start your weekend. Breakfast is served every Sunday from 8-11 AM at Pepper Lunch fX, Cilandak Town Square (citos) and Kota Kasablanka.

So, what’s on your bite?

Cheesy Omelet & Sausage
Soft and cheesy omelet with extra sausage, [buncis] and corn. Served with mashed potato and gravy in a large enough size for your power breakfast.

Hamburg Steak & Sausage
One other favorite is Hamburg Steak, served with special melted butter on top. Added to the mix are sausage, [buncis], vegetables and mashed potato. Apparently this Hamburg isn’t only great for lunch and dinner but also for breakfast. Sounds like a great idea.

Pepper Lunch first opened with the concept of DIY Japanese Teppan, giving the guests a chance to cook their own food and mix the sauces according to their personal taste. Melted butter and crushed pepper soon becomes their tasty signature. Operated under Boga Group, this restaurant is using imported ingredients from Australia, Taiwan, Norwegia and USA. Today, Pepper Lunch isn’t exclusively for the Jakartans but also opens its doors to Bandung, Surabaya, Medan, Bali, Yogyakarta and Makassar
For us, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. What do you have for breakfast?

Cheesy Omelet & Sausage 

Hamburg Steak & Sausage

Popolamama for Pasta

One of the reasons we love Popolamama is because of its charming interior, which is perfect for friends, food and laughter.

Passing through the Grand Indonesia skybridge, you’d notice this restaurant right away. It has one of the best spot on the bridge. Grand Indonesia is one of our sanctuaries from regular office food served at our canteen. 

Eating here, we always start with pasta and dough balls with garlic and butter on the side.The dough balls came first (the’re appetizer anyway) and they are great, not too chewy not to hard. The fried garlic and melted butter are also great. 

The yummy appetizer

Ruth: So, yesterday I had Popolamama for lunch. One friend wanted to try.
Fiona: Yes, I remember Popolamama, it’s the restaurant we had dinner once with everyone from the office, right?
Ruth: Yeah, the one at Grand Indonesia. What did you ordered?
Fiona: I think it’s too oily.
Ruth: I ordered the Chicken Aglio Olio and it’s surprisingly spicy and sharp. Thankfully I ordered Ice Lychee Tea for the drink.

Chicken Aglio Olio

The pasta has no obvious sauce and is covered in green. So, when another coworker ordered a different kind of Pasta, it looks similar to the other ones on the table.

The waiter suggested pizza in the beginning, maybe we should have gone with pizza instead. They look great and they now come in personal portion in case there’s no one else to share. If you’re worried about the price – which can be a little high for some pocket, try the set menu which comes with drink, mini salad and ice cream. Guaranteed will make you happy.

Where is this?
Grand Indonesia Mall, Lantai 3A, West Mall
(021) 2358 0415
Twitter: @Popolamama_ID

A Dill Kind of Lunch

We're stuck with no idea what to have for lunch when a friend tag us for a short trip to Plaza Indonesia because she needed to get her bag from the laundry. Then we remember about Dill.

Serving a combination of sandwiches, pasta and Asian rice dishes, Dill is also home to various good-looking desserts and pastries. Ruth ordered Chicken Ranch Sandwich Set, which includes fries and coffee for additional Rp15k. The sandwich is tasty although the crispy bread made it a little messy to eat. Fiona's Spinach Mushroom Egg is too runny and the sauce is not as creamy as preferred. 

Fiona: How's your Americano?
Ruth: It's okay. You can get this taste anywhere though. Is that your latte?
Fiona: Yes... I thought it was a hot chocolate. I was expecting some latte art. *cry*

      

We went with two other friends, each with their own perks and favorites. So here's what on our menu:

Blushing Ice Tea (29k)
Chicken Ranch set (48k)
Korean Spicy chicken (34k)
Roasted Duck Noodle (60k)
Spinach Mushroom Egg (55k)

We spotted people working on laptops and having meetings at Dill. With its homey place, hidden under the escalator on LB level of Plaza Indonesia, no wonder many opts for this place for business meetings. Overall it's a great place to visit with friends. It's pretty for pictures too. ATM is nearby which was usually one of our reasons to go out at lunch that day.

We still have to try the dessert.

Dill Interior

Where is this?

Dill
Plaza Indonesia LB F43
021-29924512

Eat.Art.Loud

Eat.Art.Loud 

Brick City 

October 2-5, 2014 

Grand Indonesia Shopping Town Level 5

The bazaar gathered over 100 brands in culinary, art, home, toys, hobbies, gifts, accessories, photography, food, snacks, ice cream and more. Divided into two parts, the first is the cute little things you can buy (although some of them aren’t too tiny) including Polaroid cameras, and android/smartphone/iphone case. The second one has all the cute delicious things you can eat: organic juice, yummy nasi gemuk, adorable eggettes, popcorn, desserts and chilli in a container.

Our favorite booths:

1. Kite Design Studio
Decor your room in "Pinterest"-way. There's that 3D cardboard deer head that we had our eye on. You can get it from Kite Design Studio. But the booth offers more than just various 3D animal heads made of cardboard. Check out its customized wooden utensils, big signage and wall decor.

2. Oh Prep!
Oh Prep! has various item you needed for preparing a party. From metallic character balloons to paper straws. Everything from decorating the backdrop and paper tableware. So adorable and affordable from 10k. So ready to have a polka dot party later.

3. Del Mare
Del Mare caught our attention the most, with its crunchy fresh seafood, it has no MSG and no transfat, no preservative so we don't have to feel guilty about eating them. Choose from dried shrimp (original, sour cream&onion and balado) or calamari (original and balado), all in vacuum sealed pack (Rp25k each).

4. Nasi Gemuk Citra
Need to spice up your lunch? Cadas (Cakalang Pedas) dan Nasi Bakar Cakalang from Nasi Gemuk Citra should be on your lunch order then. Their Nasi Gemuk is to die for with generous filling and affordable price, but don't stop there, check out the other dishes and find your own favorite.

5. Kelasi
We'd say you're missing something if you haven't tried the well-known dessert, Kelasi. When you can enjoy your selection of various topping with coconut ice cream in a half coconut shell. Their Ketan Hitam is a must-try!

6. Mamago HK Eggettes

Mamago is actually the second eggetes stand we passed by, this time we decided to stop by. Ordering the choco-cheese-choco (which are among their best seller list), we're happy to fill the empty tummy.

When the local shopping center offer a one-hour escape from your desk routine, take it and have fun!