Ismaya Catering Cafe

Ismaya Catering Cafe is a concept store brought to you by the famous Ismaya group. Established in 2009, Ismaya Catering Co has been one trusted catering service in Jakarta. Famous for bringing a unique, fresh concept of a cafe, Ismaya definitely nailed it again. I love the brown-red ambiance with dimmed lights and casual atmosphere of this cafe. Here's a sneak peek of what the cafe looks like.

 

On Feb 28, 2013, Ismaya Catering Cafe launched new menus to satisfy Jakartans' appetite and crave for good food. Easy bites, heavy bites, sweets or just cold drinks, the choice is yours. Let's start, shall we?

Nachos with Beef Chili Con Carne (45k)

The classic nachos topped with beef chili con carne, jalapeno slices and served with tomato salsa, sour cream and guacamole. It's a classic Mexican dish, which has been really famous throughout the world. I love Ismaya's version of it, the nachos were crispy and crunchy, and the beef chili were generous. Do not be afraid as it was not too spicy, so you can eat them and not having your stomach hurt. The tomato salsa was another hit, sweet-sour tomato dices were perfect as the nachos dip. The other two dips were just okay for me. I do think it looked really pretty, don't you agree?

Mexican Cheese Quesadilla (48k)

Another famous Mexican dish, tortilla skin filled with mushrooms, pepper, onion, coriander leaf and melting cheese, topped with jalapeno and red chili slices, served with tomato salasa, sour cream and guacamole. Ismaya's version of quesadilla is vegetarian version, so you'll find no meat there. A good choice for you, who is on a diet. I love how light this dish was, which made it a perfect starter, just enough to tease your taste buds.

Nasi Goreng Kecombrang (45k)

Moving on to the heavy bites, first we are served with nasi goreng kecombrang. Kecombrang or 'torch ginger' is one of Indonesian traditional spices, usually used as chili mixture, to create a unique taste. The taste was rather indescribable, as you need to experience it yourself. I think it's a bit spicy with a really strong both smell and taste. I have to say that I love how the kecombrang taste among the fried rice and chicken chunks, though I don't think it will be everyone's favorite. Served with sunny side up egg with runny center and pickles, I am missing kerupuk to make it more Indonesian. Be careful that there are chili chopped mixed in the fried rice as I find it a nice surprise. The rice used, however, was too mushy as it was newly cooked rice, while the thumb rule for cooking fried rice is to use yesterday's rice to create the perfect texture.

Soto Tangkar with Jasmine Rice (45k)

Soto originated from Jakarta, cooked with coconut milk, filled with beef dices, potato, carrots and lots of shallots, served with warm white rice and emping. The soto was too salty, even after eating it together with the white rice. Fortunately, sweet soy sauce came to rescue the day. After adding few drops of sweet soy sauce, a spoon of chili and lime juice, the soto tasted so much better, spicier and tastier.

Singkong Belanda (32k)

Fried cassava chunks with caramel sauce and grated cheddar cheese. Served hot, it was Indonesian meets Western kind of sweets. I love the soft texture of cassava, mixed with sweet caramel and salty cheese. Personally I think it's perfect for a coffee companion.

Molten Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream (40k)

One of the most famous dessert in the whole world, warm chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, presented beautifully with fresh strawberry and chocolate sauce. This dish was too common, that I do not taste any difference compare to others. Unfortunately, our chocolate cake that night did not have that oozing chocolate sauce, which made it kinda lose the true meaning of molten chocolate cake.

Red Melon Berry Refresher (35k)

A drink made of watermelon and strawberry will never go wrong. Both taste strong, without overpowering each other. 

Virgin Apple Mojito (35k)

My favorite apple mojito, made from green apple slices and lots of mint leaves added with lime juice. I love how refreshing this drink was. Love the sour green apples and this is my thirst quencher.

Overall, a nice dinner at Ismaya Catering Cafe. So much in love with their cafe looks and delicious food. Gonna come back soon. :)

Ismaya Catering Cafe

Grand Indonesia Shopping Mall

5th fl, unit ED2-12A West Mall

Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 1

Central Jakarta

Ph.: 6221 - 2358 1157

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Elicxir Nitrogen Gelato

It doesn't really matter what the weather is, for me everyday is a good day to have some ice cream. I am one blessed girl knowing that Jakarta is flooded with the new, uprising liquid nitrogen gelato. So what is this infamous liquid nitrogen gelato? Well, apparently science, through this chemical thing called liquid nitrogen, has made it possible to froze ice cream from 4-5 hours previously to less than a minute. This has made it possible to have the so-called freshly made ice cream. And you can watch the science take their place as the ice cream/gelato is made upon your orders. Exciting, eh? 

Elicxir Nitrogen Gelato, a home to various delicious gelato, are releasing their latest innovation. And I was so lucky having a chance trying them.. Prepare to drool, people! Elicxir Nitrogen Gelato introduced the Classic Hand-Blended, which differs from the Classic Gelato in the way of making, as the toppings are blended by hand to keep the good, crunchy shape.. It will cost Rp 60k per 5 oz cup..

wait a minute, your gelato will be ready shortly

Nitrogen Gelato in the making

from Ambon to Netherlands

This one instantly became my favorite. Banana cream gelato made from fresh Ambon bananas, served with Hollan honey gingerbread cookies. Oh, how I love the smooth texture of the gelato, and the Ambon banana taste really stood out. The gingberbread cookies were pure joy. Never thought I would fall in love so easily to Ambon banana, but this surely not to be missed! 

everything about Marie

It's something that we all have been familiar about, our classic Marie Regal biscuit made into gelato. What's not to love? The slight sweetness from the old, classic Marie Regal biscuits meet the smooth gelato texture then topped with real Marie Regal biscuits. Talking about a child's favorite.

toast my jam

This is Elicxir's flavor of February. French toast gelato with a shot of srikaya jam. Love it to the max! It's like having your favorite breakfast in a gelato form. The sweetness level was just right, which made me able to finish the whole bowl all by myself. Yes, I'm quite stingy when it comes to food. The srikaya jam was a darling, and together, they are all you need to survive a bad day :)

love on top

Celebrate the Valentine's day with your loved ones with red rum gelato topped with strawberry milk gelato (heart shaped on top), cream cheese foam and love velvet cookies. Feel the love, already? Do not be afraid as the rum has been flambe to remove the alcohol. Love the red rum gelato though I think I'll go only without the strawberry milk gelato. The appearance of this cup is definitely full of love. I love you too, dear Elicxir.

a closer look of gelato texture

So overall, it was a pleasant experience in Elicxir. I love the place so much, the decoration and wall paintings. I enjoyed watching those guys prepare our gelato. Science rocks! Moreover, I fell in love with the smooth texture of the gelato. Thank God for liquid nitrogen gelato!

Elicxir Nitrogen Gelato

Plaza Indonesia Extension Lv5#019

Jl. M.H. Thamrin Kav 28-30
Jakarta 15350

Ph.: 6221 2992 3717

www.elicxirgelato.com

Ninety Nine

I love February. It's my birthday month and the same month everybody celebrates love. This year, another number has been added to my age and I couldn't be more thankful to the Lord. I am blessed with so much love and I couldn't be happier.

On my birthday, a very good friend of mine took me on a birthday dinner date. As I got the priviledge to choose our dining venue, I decided to pick Ninety Nine in Pesanggrahan area. The reason is quite simple, it's close to our neighbourhood so we will avoid any unnecessary traffic and I love the ambience. Located in the 2nd floor of Ranch Market building, the eatery is very homey and cozy. Dimmed lights and wooden furniture with vintage tiles are enough to keep me coming back. 

When we arrived, the eatery was quite crowded, butt we managed to get a table quickly. The menu is quite extensive with selection of Asian, Indonesian and Western cuisine. But that night, we decided to go Western. I was having sor throat so I decided to have a cup of hot honey lemon to warm my body. As for the main course I went with dory fillet. My company chose mushroom cappuccino to start and picked her favorite vegetarian aglio olio fettucinne for dinner.

My honey lemon was hearty. It was warm and sweet, perfect for that rainy Saturday night. The mushroom cappuccino is actually mushroom soup topped with milk froth, so it looks like a cup of cappuccino. The soup tasted just okay but we wished it was a little thicker. However, I dislike the milk froth as it tasted a bit weird. Her vegetarian aglio olio fettucinne consiste of sundried tomato, garlic, olive and spinach. I didnt't try it, but it's her favorite, so I assume it was fine.

My dory fillet looked very appetizing. A plate of pan-fried dory in crumbs served with tomato rice and sauteed green veggies. I love dory fish, it was fresh and tender. I prefer not too much crumbs though as they retained too much oil. The tomato rice was a nice surprise. Tasted a bit sour from the tomato, the rice was pretty much my favorite. It went well with both the dory fish and green veggies, which tasted a bit bitter. 

Overall, I had a nice dinign experience in Ninety Nine. I love the ambiance so much and the service was also satisfying. Moreover they have a 20% off neighbourhood promotion, which means you can get a 20% discount if you're living nearby. I cannot mention any price tag as this was a treat and I'm not allowed to look at the price tag. 

Ninety Nine

Ranch Market Building 2nd Floor

Jln. Pesanggrahan Raya no.2

West Jakarta

Ph.: 6221 5830 4797

www.ninetynine.co.id

Ayam Suwir Si Kentung

Jakarta has been one hell of a busy city.. We, Jakartans, are challenged to juggle between our jobs, hobby and sneaking some gym time to maintain our health.. Not to add the horrible traffic we had to face every day.. Each day we are required to get up earlier just to avoid those time-consuming journey from home to office.. And I think it's my main reason that I cannot prepare my home-made lunch.. I have woke up too early and I cannot afford an earlier schedule to sneak in the lunch preparation.. Excuse, you may say, but I bet I'm not alone haha..

To my difficult situation, I was introduced to Ayam Suwir Si Kentung, ready-to-eat, freshly cooked shredded chicken packed in 250gr plastic bag, cost only for 30k each plus delivery fee.. It's enough for four meals of a single person.. 

Now what is in those plastic bag? Like I've mentioned above, it's filled with 250gr of spiced, cooked ready-to-eat shredded chicken, available in original and spicy flavor.. All you have to do is put them up in the microwave or heat them up on the stove for a while.. Serve them on top of hot steamed rice.. And voila.. Your lunch is ready! Life is so much simpler now.. I can easily brought the package and steamed rice to office then heat them up in office's microwave..

How about the taste, you ask? Well, it's delicious! I am a fan of their original flavor.. The spicy one was really giving kick to your tongue.. You can see chili chunks here and there.. So for you, who do not fancy spicy food, please have their original ones.. Moreover,the fact that it's shredded chicken, makes it easier for me to eat with no dirty hands involved..

I had a nice, healthy lunch with Ayam Suwir Si Kentung.. Do not worry about the hygiene and freshness of the chicken as they were cooked right before delivered to your door.. Good food, great taste and smart price are the perfect combination for a hearty lunch.. I heart you :)

Ayam Suwir Si Kentung

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Ph.: 62852 8226 4560

Blackberry PIN: 293515DA

The Holy Crab

Calling all seafood lovers! Be prepared to get your hands dirty for these finger-licking good crabs! Brought to you directly from Alaska, prepared in Louisiana style, this is a hit definitely not to be missed.. Located in the hustle Senopati area, The Holy Crab has come to satisfy your hunger for delicate seafood.. The eatery is schedule to be opened on Feb 3, 2014, managed under the Ersons Foods which has brought you the famous Santouka Hokaido Ramen.. 

Stepping in to the newly established restaurant, I can feel the strong ambiance of Southern American influence (those I saw in Hollywood movies).. Decorated in wooden, red furniture with of beach accents, it's just so homey.. Not to mention the bright lights, which made everything seems more cheerful.. They even paint 'The Dummies' Guide to De-shelling' for those (like me) who have limited clue  on what to do with the crabs.. How considerate :)

I actually read those guidance when I'm dealing with my crabs.. They're helpful!

Start slow with their appetizers to wake your taste buds up.. First up is fish and chips crispy fish finger 60k and cajun fries 25k.. Deep fried dory fish in a bite-size cut is the classic American dish.. The tender and silky fish texture combined with the crunchy coating are the best American classic.. I love the fresh fish texture, but found the seasoning a tad too salty for my palate.. Their cajun fries is a darling, though.. Well-seasoned crunchy shoestring fries are my favorite! I know how many calories they contained, but I just could not resist to have some more.. Just a little bit more, please?

Next up is house deep fried chicken wings 45k.. Chicken wings drenched in generous BBQ sauce.. I used to think that chicken wings can only be delicious at certain level, then nothing more.. I was so wrong.. This, my friend, should make to your must-try list! Those juicy-chicken-wings-in-lots-of-BBQ-sauce are to die for.. Go grab yours!

By now, your tummy must be ready for the star.. The main reason why we all came to The Holy Crab, the CRABS! *crowd cheering* There is no plates whatsoever for the crabs.. They are delivered to your table in a plastic bag, then you can pour all of it to the paper-covered-table.. Then get your hands dirty by eating those directly from the table.. New, exciting way of eating.. Before we go further, I need to equip you with some weapons in this crab war, just to ensure you get the best of it..
1. The Holy Crab's plastic apron.. It's to keep your clothes from the devilish, delish sauce and succulent crab meat..
2. Shellfish cracker shell opener (crab zipper) and wood hammer.. The important tools to ensure you get all the meat from the poor crab.. Especially the crab zipper, I adore whoever found this magical tools!
3. Lots of tissue.. Because you're eating with your hands and it's just not polite to clean your fingers by licking them, you're an adult and you have to be classy, right? Well, screw this! Just lick your fingers!

Ladies and gentlemen, here come the best part.. Let me introduce you to the mighty Dungeness Crab.. Imported directly from Alaska, exclusively by The Holy Crab, it is one of the most popular crustacean in the culinary world as one-quarter of their weight is meat.. Now that's considered a lot of meat for a crab.. Spoil your eyes with the food porn ahead..

I did not use that wood hammer though, it's photo props.. I simply follow the guide for dummies.. All you need is pull up the shell to open the crab then break the remaining part into two pieces.. Continue with breaking each crab leg, then unzip it using the magical shellfish cracker shell opener.. Voila! The delicate, succulent crab meat are all yours! Or if you are too busy to read, simply ask the waiters.. They are more than willing to help you.. Loving the service here :)

Way beyond my expectation, the crab meat is heavenly! Nice meat texture with a slightly sweet taste.. I have never tasted anything like this before.. The crabs were very fresh and you won't find any fishy smells whatsoever.. Add more to the goodness by dipping the crab meat into the superb Louisiana chili sauce.. It is a match made in heaven.. I finally understand the meaning of finger-licking-GOOD!

Second is the snow crab legs.. It is named so due to the sweet, delicate, snow-white meat.. Also brought from Alaska to your dining table, this crab legs are another recommended menu in The Holy Crab.. Attention peeps, another food-porn ahead..

Those are surely gigantic crab legs.. Snow crabs are served in a plastic bag, drenched in The Holy Crab's secret chili sauce.. Actually, The Holy Crab offers one type of chili sauce for the seafood selection, only the hotness level is ranging from mild, medium, spicy and Holy Moly! Mine was medium and I, as a chili-holic, found it not spicy at all.. I think I probably should try the Holy Moly! some other time in the future..

How to eat those gigantic legs? I broke the crab joints then again, unzip the crab leg shell using the magical shellfish cracker shell opener.. I was just so stunned with the way this tool works.. Opening a crab shell has never been this easy.. In the below picture, you can see the crack in the crab leg as the result of the shellfish cracker shell opener.. Oh, and of course, the sweet, delicate, snow-white meat.. Do excuse all the chaos in the back, you just can not eat crab neatly..

Other than crabs, The Holy Crab also offered lobster, shrimps and clams.. Too bad I didn't try any other menu.. The shrimps looked very appetizing though.. Pretty, eh?

The imported crab and lobster prices are seasonal, so we all have to pray for our luck.. The shrimps are priced 28k per 100 gr, while clams are 20k per 100 gr.. To accompany you eating the crabs, The Holy Crab offers various sides selection, from sausage, sweet corn, cajun fries, and even steamed rice, ranging from 15k to 25k.. But if you are looking for something light, grab their snacks selection, which includes calamari, fish fingers, chicken strips and chicken wings ranged from 25k to 50k..

The Holy Crab will be opened for public on February 3, 2014 5:00 PM sharp! Overall, it was a (more than) great experience I had in The Holy Crab.. Thanks to Executive Chef/Owner Albert Wijaya and Willy for being such a nice, helpful host.. Wishing you more success in the future and cheers to the opening of The Holy Crab!

quotes in a wooden board, placed in the restroom wall :)

The Holy Crab
Jln. Gunawarman No. 55
Senopati, South Jakarta
Ph.: 6221 2923 6155
www.theholycrab.co.id
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