Gyoza Oriental Cuisine Restaurant at Menara Anugrah Kuningan - Jakarta

When you read the title of this post, you must have thought that I am going to post a review of a Japanese Restaurant. Well don't judge the book by its cover because even though the name of the restaurant is Gyoza, this is a Chinese restaurant.

This restaurant has been around for at least 25 years because I have been a regular ever since I was a small kid. The restaurant was located in Blok M Area before they closed down around 12 years ago. Since my big family has been a regular of this restaurant, we kinda felt sad when we knew they were closed down and we thought they are closed for good. However, around 8 years ago a relatives told us that the restaurant reopened around Kuningan area and we have been a regular again ever since.

Whenever we go to this restaurant, usually we just ordered the same dish over and over again.

Sambal Mixture My Way (Free)

So the way I mix it is adding a fair amount of garlic, top it with the chili sauce, add a little bit of sesame oil and voila. Some people add a little bit of vinegar but I think my sambal mixture is the right amount of everything. You will use this mixture as dipping sauce for gyoza, mantau, or pouring it over your noodle works too.

Mantau Steam (IDR10K++/mantau)

So basically they are tasteless mantau but they serve as a wrapper for the ayam jamur, cap cay and sapi tumis.

Ayam Jamur (IDR105K++)

One of my favorite dish ever! This dish does not have any special quality and surely it taste like home cooked food, but  anyone who tried this dish will go back for this chicken. Combine it with mantau and sambal mixture and it will be fiesta. One of the thing that I miss when I was in the US.

Cap Cay (IDR 105K++)
Stir Fry Combination of veggies, seafood, and chicken meat. The taste is very light so if you like stronger taste, just dip the cap cay into the sambal mixture.

Sapi Tumis Bawang Putih dan Daun Bawang ( IDR 125k++)
If you like garlic, onion, and spring onion, then you will like this dish. They taste quite okay, and the more you eat it, the more you like it.

Ca Jiang Mien ( IDR 90K++)
If you like salty stuff, this noodle is made for you. I used to call it Chinese Spaghetti because the way to consume this dish is quite similar to spaghetti. I do not really like this noodle as it is, and I will add a lot of sambal into this dish to make them taste better. But combined with the sambal, this dish is one of my favorite stuff in the world.

Gyoza Goreng (IDR80K++/10pcs)
I think this dish is more like kuo tie compared to Japanese Gyoza. The skin is very crunchy and the filling is super juicy. They taste really nice but beware because it is very hot when it just come out of the kitchen. One of the best kuo tie/gyoza in town.

If you read my review, you might think I am very biased towards this restaurant. It might be true, because I grew up with this restaurant and I have consumed the food served in restaurant ever since I was a kid. But lemme tell you that you are missing one hell of a restaurant if you do not consider giving a try to this restaurant. During the weekend, you will spot a lot of families having their family Sunday lunch in this restaurant and during the weekdays, this place is packed with Japanese and Mainland Chinese.

This restaurant offers many other food and I have seen a lot of people order their hotpot, but for my family, throughout the years, the food that we order stays the same.

Gyoza Oriental Cuisine Restaurant

Address: Menara Anugrah

               Kantor Taman E 3.3, Unit C7

               Jl. Mega Kuningan Lot 8.6-8.7

Phone   :(021) 57942290

Tom Tom Restaurant at Grand Indonesia (Jakarta)

Can you imagine the convenience of working in an office that is located just above Grand Indonesia? Well, I couldn't until I started working in my current workplace which is located in Menara BCA. On the positive side, you are pampered with a lot of good stores and restaurants but the downside of having such convenience is, if you are eating out in the restaurants everyday, it will cost you a fair share of your salary. 

Thank God they have cafetaria in the building which serve much cheaper food compared to the one in the restaurants. But I guess once in a while, having lunch in the restaurants does not hurt, especially if you are bored with the variety of food that is served in the cafetaria.

Today I am going to review Tom Tom, a Thailand Restaurant that is located in Grand Indonesia. Just to give you some additional information, the owner of Tom Tom is related to the owner of Suan Thai so some of the dishes taste similar.

Tom Tom Thai Iced Coffee (IDR30K++)

The coffee taste really strong. In my opinion it has the right amount of sweetness but the coffee feels little bit too acidic for me.

Honey Garlic Crispy Chicken (IDR50K++)

A must have if you are going to Tom Tom. Crispy in the outside, juicy on the inside, the seasoning and the sauce taste really nice. My favorite dish in this restaurant. However, talking about inconsistency, the chicken was not as crispy as usual during my last visit. But still, it taste really good.

Neah Yang (IDR78K++)

The beef taste really nice. And if you like a kick of spiciness, pour the sauce on top of the beef or if you want to play safe, simply dip the beef to the sauce and enjoy it. I think the beef taste much better without the sauce though.

Pad Thai (IDR48K++)

If you are eating by yourself, please be aware that the portion of rice and noodle dishes in Tom Tom are very big. I went to eat with a friend and we had a hard time finishing the Pad Thai because it was too much for the two of us. The Pad Thai taste okay, although I think the noodle is too wet and they clumped when we tried to mix it.

Overall, I think Tom Tom is a really good place to eat. And in my opinion, if you are low on budget you can just order the rice and noodle dishes and share it because the portion is a little bit too big for one person. However, there might be some inconsistency when it comes to the quality of the food. One time, the Honey Garlic Crispy Chicken was so hard and I had to send it back to the kitchen. Thankfully they did that and the replacement was so much better.

If  you are in Grand Indonesia and you are in Grand Indonesia, consider giving this restaurant a visit for its Honey Garlic Crispy Chicken.

Tom Tom

Address: Grand Indonesia Shopping Town West Mall 5th Floor

               Jl. M.H. Thamrin No.1

               Jakarta Pusat 10310 

Phone   :(021) 23580412

Taichan Ramen at Plaza Senayan Jakarta

Earlier today, I had to attend a meeting with my client in Senayan area. Given the meeting was finished at around 4.30 pm and the traffic outside looks terrible, I decided to take a stroll in Plaza Senayan and had early dinner in one of my favorite restaurant, Taichan Ramen. 

To tell you guys the truth, Taichan Ramen is not an authentic like some Japanese Restaurant like Kimokawa, Ryoutei Aoi, or Sumire. The food itself is not so terribly good but it has some kind of comfort food quality that will bring you back to dine in this restaurant. When I studied in the US, my brothers often teased me by taking picture of Gyuniku Miso Itame, one of my favorites in Taichan and I was quite pissed because I know I will not be able to get it if I do not go back to Indonesia.

Gyuniku Miso Itame Set (IDR98k++)

One of my favorite things in the world. The thinly sliced beef is cooked using some kind of bean paste and chive. I am guessing they are using aka miso (red miso) because the sweetness associated with this dish. I tried replicating this dish numerous time but I failed. If you like sweet bean paste, you will love this dish. Enjoy them with warm white rice.

Regular Chicken Ramen (IDR50k++)

The ramen taste very good. It is not very original though. The taste of the broth is combination between chicken flavor, a little bit of dashi, soyu sauce, and sesame oil. The noodle much chewier than ramen at Ikkudo but I still like it because the chewiness gives the noodle some texture. 

  Chicken Gyoza (IDR38k++)

The gyoza might be hit and miss for some people. For me it is a hit because I like garlic and ginger and the aroma and taste of this gyoza is super gingery and garlicky. But in my opinion the gyoza is delicious.

So overall, the food in Taichan Ramen never disappoints me. Even though the food is less original compared to other more expensive Japanese Restaurant, but they taste very good and for me the dishes offered in this restaurant will bring me back to this restaurant. If Kimokawa and Taichan Ramen has similar price tag, I will be gladly choosing Taichan Ramen as my regular dinner place.

Other than the food I had today, the curry and the Ebi Fry is very good too. As far as I know, they were one of the first Japanese Restaurant in Indonesia which served Ebi Fry with proper tonkatsu sauce. If you have not got the chance to try this restaurant out, please consider doing so because you are missing a really good and affordable restaurant.

Taichan Ramen

Address:   Plaza Senayan Lt. 3 Unit 312 C, 316 C 

                 Jl. Asia Afrika No.8 

                 Jakarta Pusat 10270  

Phone   :  (021) 5725262

Liberica and Hakata Men-Oh - Tangerang (AEON Mall)

So everyone, I was quite busy last week and today I will be writing about my dining experience in AEON Mall BSD. Last Thursday I had to visit one of my clients in AEON Mall BSD, a chance I was gladly taking because since I live in the center of Jakarta, I will not bother going to this mall if it is not because of job related matter. Some friendly advice, if you cannot stand some crowd, please give second thought about visiting this mall in the near future. Although it has almost been a month since their opening day and it was weekday when I went there, AEON BSD was still crowded. I thought it will be just the supermarket area, but I was proven to be wrong because almost all the restaurants were full.

Since some of my friends were close by that day, we decided to hang out when I was done with my meeting. The meeting ended quite early and I was a little bit sleepy so I decided to stop by at Liberica and put some caffeine into my blood stream

Hot Classic Latte (IDR40k++) 

I am quite surprised with the latte because usually I am quite skeptical with the quality of coffee product which are served in a coffee shop chains like Liberica. But I was proven to be wrong because I think my coffee is just the way I like it. Not too acidic, not too creamy.

When I was done with my caffeine filling activity, my friends arrived and we moved to the ramen village on the third floor because the all of the restaurants on the first floor were full and packed. Because everyone was so hungry, we chose ramen shop with the least amount of waiting lines which was Hakata Men-Oh.

Pork Curry Rice (IDR74k++)

Mediocre and overpriced. I am pretty sure the curry sauce are made from Golden Curry. Very disappointed with my curry. If you want to eat good curry rice, you had better go to Coco Ichibanya or Taichan Ramen.

 Chasu Ramen (IDR 79k++)

And I thought the ramen will be better... The chasu is okay, the noodle itself is quite acceptable although not good, but I really hate the broth. Did not even bother finishing the ramen.

Pork Gyoza and Grilled Chasu (IDR 40k++ for each)

I thought they should be served as side dish or appetizer but seems like for our case, they were served as dessert. Our meal had ended for like 15 minutes and the gyoza and grilled chasu was just served. The taste is mediocre just like the other dishes.

I do not know whether my palate was at fault or the food itself was so bad, but I really do not like the food that they served. Just a suggestion, if you like ramen, Ikkudo will not disappoint. If you like gyoza and curry, go to Taichan ramen as they will not disappoint as well.

If I am given a chance to visit AEON Mall again, I will try other restaurants because Hakata Men-Oh certainly let me down.

I will go to Liberica again though since imho the coffee was really nice. And to my surprise, Liberica got more crowded as the night continues. I left the AEON Mall at approximately 10PM and Liberica was still full of people. I wonder if the visitor does not work the next day.

I will just write the address of Liberica since I do not think Hakata Men-Oh is worth mentioning.

Liberica Coffee

Address:   AEON Mall BSD 

                Jalan BSD Raya Utama

                BSD City, Serpong, Tangerang

Gandy Steak House at Menteng Jakarta

Man, I have not been to Gandy for so long. Gandy was my favorite restaurant back when I was still a kid. Many years ago, Gandy was one of the few steak houses (and the only one I knew) in Jakarta because there has not been many other steak houses back then. Looking back, I think Gandy has been in Jakarta steak industry for more than 20 years.
I am more than delighted that they have not changed their decors since there are many sweet memories in Gandy for me. Other than that, the food is really good too. Although the food is not mind blowing, but certainly you will miss it after a while.

Complimentary Dinner Rolls and Gandy Special Salad Bar (42k++)

Lemme tell you that Gandy has the best dinner rolls in town. The bread is so soft and tasty. My favorite way to consume the bread is to dip it into the salad dressing. The dressing and the croutons is one of my favorite things in Gandy.

Gandy Beef Package - Steak ala Gandy (128k++)

Don't touch the plate because it is very hot. The waiters will pour their sauce into your steak and the sauce will sizzle and create a really nice aroma to please your nose. It comes with french fries, soup of your choice, mixed veggies, and pickled shallots.

   Combination Steak Package - Gandy Steak Combination (128k++)

It consist of tenderloin and chicken steak. Both are nicely cooked. Same as Gandy Beef package, it comes with french fries, soup of your choice, mixed veggies, and pickled shallots.

I am glad the food still taste the same as I have remembered because dining in this restaurant really brought back some good childhood memories. The food is really decent, but please do not expect the steak to be cooked as nicely as fine dining steak house like Angus House. After my visit today, I have decided to go here more frequently because it is quite affordable for a decent steakhouse and the food and service is really good too. I might try their other food next time because I think I keep ordering same dishes every time I go here.

Gandy Steak House

Address:   JL. HOS Cokroaminoto No. 90, Menteng 

                Jakarta Pusat 10310

Phone   : (021)3102542

Bistro Garcon at Plaza Senayan Jakarta

Turns out the my dinner at Unacho did not take as long as what I have thought and I still have some time to enjoy some dessert so I rushed to Bistro Garcon to enjoy some dessert. I ordered Chamomile Tea to tone down the sweetness of the cake.

Babel (40k++)

Just like the name, this entremet is towering high with chocolate sponge and banana mousse as its base and macaron on top of the cake. I should say this cake taste really decent but does not give any wow effect. You will like it, but imo, this cake is not really that special in terms of flavor combination.

Plaisir Sucre (40k++)

If you are comparing this plaisir sucre to Pierre Herme, then you can say it taste similar but there is something you cannot explain that distinguish Plaisir Sucre at Garcon and Pierre Herme. It taste really good though. But just like Babel, it does not give me any surprise in terms of flavor combination.

Bistro Garcon is one of the best cake shop in Jakarta and I should say the quality of the cake is top notch. But once you have tried Sadaharu Aoki, Pierre Herme, Laduree, and some renowned world class pastry shop, the cakes at Garcon is pale in comparison to them. Do not get me wrong though, the quality of the cake here is top tier for Indonesian standard and I really like their cakes a lot. My recommendation on their cakes are Rocher Monaco, Gateau Au Fromage Blanc Passion, and all of their choux products including Eclairs and Religiuse

Bistro Garcon

Address:  Plaza Senayan Lt. 4  

                JL. Asia Afrika No. 08 

                Jakarta Pusat 10270 

Phone   : (021)57900140

Unacho Hitsumabushi at Plaza Senayan - Jakarta

So... I had a very late dinner today because I had to help my mom making this kue landak and send them over to my aunt who lives around Hang Lekir area. Since I am craving for unagi and Plaza Senayan is just nearby, I decided to stop by Plaza Senayan and had dinner at Unacho.

Unagi Hitsumabushi Single Layer (185k++)

I am a fan of unagi and I assure you, unagi hitsumabushi at Unacho is super delicious. The eel is very thick and so meaty unlike thin unagi at most Japanese restaurant in Indonesia. The unagi is seasoned beautifully with eel sauce and the taste is not overbearing. Do not let the picture fool you, the portion of Unagi Hitsumabushi at Unacho is literally very big. You are supposed to divide the hisumabushi into four equal portions and eat them four ways (as it is, with broth, condiments, and you can choose one of the previous method as your last method)

 Close up of the Unagi Hitsumabushi

Does not look all that small in portion right? The unagi is charred and the caramelization of the sauce gave a hint of but not overbearing sweetness towards the unagi.

Salmon Carpaccio (68k++)

This taste just okay. Maybe I should have listened to my intuition that this restaurant is called Unacho for a reason. I will just order unagi dish on my next visit.

Overall, I really like the unagi, but the Salmon Carpaccio does not do the trick for me. Other than the hitsumabushi, Unacho offers many other unagi dishes and I am definitely coming back for more. Next time I go here, I will order one and a half layer unagi and omit the carpaccio.
Oh I almost forgot these cute little cakes/cookies that I helped making earlier.

Kue Landak

Filled with durian, coconut, and some nuts. I do not like them but I find them cute. Makassar people loves them though. You can usually find them in Makassar Restaurant.

Unacho

Address: Plaza Senayan Lt. 2 

JL. Asia Afrika No. 8, Senayan

Jakarta, 10270 

Phone:(021) 57906080

Ryoutei Aoi at Le Meridien Hotel Jakarta

I am surprised at how much Indonesia has developed at a very astounding pace. I will pick the availability of Japanese Food as an example. Twenty years ago, the only Japanese Restaurant that I knew were only Hoka-Hoka Bento and Japanese Restaurants which are located in 5 Star Hotels. Today, I will be very surprised if you do not find Japanese Restaurant in any shopping malls in Indonesia. The authenticity of these Japanese restaurants is however questionable. Even the most popular ones, Sushi Tei is not considered authentic by many Japanese Food enthusiast.

Today, I am going to share my dining experience in my favorite Japanese Restaurant in Jakarta, Ryoutei Aoi at Le Meridien Jakarta. My family has been a regular at this restaurant for at least 13 years and up until now, the food and service has never been disappointing.

 Dragon Roll (150k++)

This dish is not included in the menu since it is considered as Japanese Fusion but you can order it from the waitress. As a Dragon Roll Lover,  please trust me, Dragon Roll at Ryoutei Aoi is by far the best Dragon Roll I have ever tried.

Gindara Teriyaki Set (265k ++)

The Gindara Teriyaki does not look appetizing, but do not let the appearance fool you. Out of all Gindara Teriyaki I have tried in Indonesia, in terms of taste, Gindara Teriyaki at Ryoutei Aoi is the most similar to the one in Japan.

Aoi Kaiseki Bento (295k++)

This is my staple dish in Ryoutei Aoi. Beautiful in appearance and taste really good too. The tempura is crispy and is not soggy at all, the Salmon Teriyaki is cooked beautifully, the side dish also taste really good too. 

My favorite dish was this dish called Gyuniku Ishiyaki Gozen but sadly, they do not have it anymore. Please heed my warning and do not visit this restaurant during dinner time since just like many other Japanese Restaurant, the price of the food is much more expensive on dinner service. The price tag I included here is lunch price.

Overall, this restaurant is one of my favorite restaurant in Jakarta. If I ignore the price tag, I will visit this restaurant more than once a week but since it is very expensive, I usually just go here once in a blue moon. If you do try eating here, ask to be seated in their tatami room because the ambiance is very nice.

Ryoutei Aoi

Address: Le Meridien Jakarta 

JL. Jend. Sudirman

Jakarta, 10220 

Phone:(021) 2513131

Pecel Madiun and Sate Ponorogo - Jakarta (Cikini)

Growing up in Indonesia, I, just like many if not most Indonesian, am in love with this dish called satay (sate). Sate is very popular in Indonesia and it is one of the "must have" dish for Indonesian Restaurants. There are many variation of sate all around Indonesia, but the most common way to serve sate is grilling the sate and coating the sate with peanut sauce, which is one of the reason of my addiction towards sate.  

Today, I am going to share you my favorite Satay Joint. I have always been referring to this place as Sate Ponorogo until my friend corrected me a while back. The real name of this restaurant is "Hadir" and it is located in Cikini area. I have been a regular to this restaurant since 2001 because it is close to my house and my school.

The restaurant's specialty is their pecel madiun, sate ponorogo, and rawon. I usually just order their sate ponorogo and pecel madiun simply because I do not like rawon.

Pecel Madiun
I am biased towards anything with peanut sauce so I am not gonna comment too much on this one. Speaking from nutrition though, since it is full of vegetables I assume it is healthy.

Sate Ponorogo

One of my favorite variation of sate. The sauce is little bit sweeter and creamier compared to Sate Madura and the sate itself is so tender, juicy, and full of flavor.

Other thing I like about this restaurant is the cost of the food. Earlier this week, just before the fasting period, and my food only cost me Rp.60k++ for Pecel Madiun, Sate Ponorogo, and tea. Very affordable if you are tight on budget. Please note that sate ponorogo is made entirely of white meat, so it can be an alternative sate for those of you who are on diet. Sate ponorogo is good by itself and if you think the peanut sauce is too high on calories you can just consume the sate by itself. 

This restaurant is very clean but it does not have air conditioner and is very modest in appearance. If you prefer to do takeaway, as of lately I have seen many Go-Jek officers doing takeaway for their clients from this restaurant so feel free to do so.

Rumah Makan Hadir

Address: Jl Rp Soeroso No. 34, Gondangdia 

               Jakarta Pusat, 

               Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 131140 

Phone   : (021) 3106792

Amuz Gourmet Restaurant - Jakarta

Hello, everyone. Last month was my parents' wedding anniversary and to celebrate this special day, we decided to have a fancy dinner in a restaurant called Amuz.
The restaurant is located in Energy Building, SCBD and the building itself (except for the parking area) is very fancy.
As expected, the restaurant itself is very fancy and since it was Sunday evening, there were just 4 groups who dined in the restaurant including my family.
The waiter is very knowledgeable about the menu which left me wondering if the water have tried every single item which was included on the menu.
After some deliberation, we decided to go with the degustation menu (5 course for the parents and 6 course for the kids).

        As usual, the meal began with complimentary bread which are surprisingly good
                                           

  Amuse Bouche - Breaded Fish, Cuttlefish, and Shrimp Ball

Grilled Honey Balsamic Quail

 1st course for the 5 course menu, seasoned well but I find the meat a little bit chewy which is quite a let down for a restaurant of this level. 

Marinated Yellow Finn Tuna, Sweet Juicy Heirloom Tomato Nicoise

1st course of the 6 course menu. Beautifully plated and taste really delicious.

Grilled Duck Liver Foie Gras

2nd course of the 6 course menu. Needless to say, one of my favorite dish that evening. The pistachio biscotti, plum jelly, red wine plum, and of course the duck liver itself is soooo good. 

Crispy Seared Tasmanian Salmon

2nd course of the the 5 course menu. One of my least favorite dish since the taste is a little bit bland.

Crispy Roasted Duck Leg Confit

3rd course of the 5 course menu. Who doesn't love duck confit? Crispy and juicy at the same time.

Crispy Roasted Fega Barramundi Fillet

3rd course of the 6 course menu. If you taste the fish by itself, the taste is a little bit too salty for my palate. Try eating them together with the pepper, shallots, and  parsley juice and I think the taste is just right for my palate. 

Pan-fried French Veal Onglet

4th course of the 6 course menu. One of my favorite dish that night. It is Veal Onglet, what can I say about this dish? Tender, juicy, and very flavorful, even though I find the addition of green onion a little bit overbearing. Just omit the green onion if you don't like it.

Pre-Dessert

Perfect for a transition dish between main course and dessert.

Guanaja Chocolate and Mocha Ganache Gourmandise

Dessert for the 5 course menu. Beautifully plated and taste super delicious.
I just love frozen kahlua.

North Sumatra Passion fruit Parfait

Dessert for the 6 course menu. This dessert also taste superb.

Overall the dining experience was really superb, the waiters were really friendly and the service was top notch. The dining service took around 3 hours and the food was served on the right timing so I did not feel stuffed and bloated after dinner.

The downside was the price tags which are quite high. The 5 courses cost around 650k++ w/o wine and the 6 courses cost around 725k++ w/o wine.

If any of you guys wants to try the lunch set, the 2-4 courses lunch cost around 250k-350k, a very good deal for a French restaurant.

If you are French Food enthusiast, you might want to put Amuz on your to-eat list.

AMUZ Gourmet Restaurant

Address: Jl. Jendral Sudirman Kav 52-53

               The energy Building 2nd Floor

               Special Capital Region of Jakarta 12190

Phone   :(021) 2505064

Welcome

Hello everyone,

My name is Edwin and just like you guys, I like to eat.

Trying out new food and spoiling my taste bud is one of my hobbies.

This hobby of mine was developed when I was studying in the United States, where it is very easy to find good and reliable reviews over a website called yelp.

When I went back to Jakarta for good, I was very much disappointed with the lack of information of good restaurant here in Jakarta. 

There is no website where I can just search a name of restaurant and find reviews or menu of that restaurant.

Based on this situation, I decided to open this blog to share some insight about the restaurants I have visited.

Once in a while, I might post some recipes that I have tested myself.

Stay tuned, will start posting some reviews soon.