Dinner @ Soi 38

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Tum Thai Kai Kem
Larb Tofu
The food is so good, I totally forgot to take pictures of the rest of the meal. No wonder people turn out in droves to eat in this literal parking lot – they are finally moving out though after 10 years.

Kwetiaw Sapi Jangkung and Siomay on the side

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While I didn’t partake, booze was also available at the drinks stand, a rarity for food courts in Indonesia.

It doesn’t look like much, but this does jog memories of my childhood, especially for the Siomay (shu mai). I used to take Kumon maths classes (I hated it) after school, and I remember the Siomay stand being a mainstay right in front of the Kumon building as I waited to go home. Can’t remember the price, but it was definitely crazy cheap, and you get a plastic bag of fresh steamed Siomay, doused in spicy peanut sauce. You press the bag to push a piece up to the bag’s opening and munch away. It’s something that’s quite unique, one that I haven’t seen served at any restaurant while living overseas.

The kway teow was less about the taste (it’s delicious), though I did miss eating out being super cheap. I’m pretty sure this huge portion cost less than 5 US dollars, while a menu I’m looking at as I type this bills the Char Kway Teow at 16 US dollars. I guess in at least this way, I do miss living in Indonesia.

For those who are wondering, this was at a food court at Pluit Village Mall. They also have an awesome Cow Play Cow Moo arcade, albeit not having any Taiko no Tatsujin machines.

Lunch @ Picca Steakroom

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Another viral new restaurant in Jakarta, and I was pleasantly surprised to be able to walk-in, as they happened to have an empty table for our group. The largest concern was the tiny dead grub on our Caesar Salad, to which they graciously replaced. While I’ve had steaks just as good at a lower price point (this is Indonesia after all), their bottomless seasoned chips and pomme purée made up for the cost difference. The tiramisu was decent, albeit missing the traditional lady fingers, however the escargot was delicious, and the mocktails were refreshing (no alcohol though, sad).

All in all, definitely a place to sample if you have the money to splash, and either the time to make a reservation in advance, or the luck to walk-in without a huge queue.

Tulips @ Tesselaar

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A spring-exclusive. Come for the tulips, stay for Australia’s largest clog! They’re on until Mid-October.

Wedding Dinner

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Menu presented by Chef Yvonne Yuen.

Jackpot!

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I remember when I played at a game arcade back when I was little, I was fixated at this grown man who’s hunched over a game machine where he pushes a ball at just the right power to land at a jackpot slot practically every time. Many years later, I realised that there is a strategy to profiting while having fun at a game arcade. Sure, it’s a very narrow strategy, limited to specific games while exploiting more favorable winning probabilities, but having exploited Power Roll machines to win 2 Nintendo Switches at market price, I’d say the planning is fun in and of itself, and having perfected a strategy, you get to experience the joyful “jackpot” moment over and over again.

I Queued For 2 Hours to Eat African Chicken

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Lunch Spread
Mediterranean Salad and Mushroom Soup
African Chicken with Caramelized Bananas and Special Sauce, served with Garlic Bread
Baked Tilapia with Roasted Potatoes, Cherry Tomatoes and Green Beans
I was in the area when the Gabon restaurant opened just last week, so I decided to have lunch here. Their virality may have worked a little too well, as I faced a 2-hour queue to get in, with no reservations available to get around. The buy-one-get-one-free opening special turned out to be a a buy-one-get-half free (as you get an extra quarter chicken for buying a half chicken), and they seem to have tripped the circuit breaker multiple times, which plunged the restaurant into darkness for a few minutes.

The food is definitely tasty, but I do find myself wanting more in terms of portions, particularly for the mushroom soup and quarter chicken. Might consider visiting again once the hype dies down, but in the meantime, I’ve had similarly good African grill without the hassle of waiting an eternity, or the (in my opinion) mismatched French bistro aesthetic.