here are some of my favourites:

if i’m not mistaken, the kopi is also called Kopi Medan, I’m assuming they use beans from Medan. There are lots of people from Medan in Muara Karang neighbourhood.

My dad’s favourite meal, he can eat Kwetiau for every single day of the week and not get bored.

After a decent breakfast, we usually have a look at the market and see some interesting things.

These funny looking meat is one of life’s simple pleasure, pork intestines. Though not everyone’s favourite, but it is very popular in some chinese background cultures. Cooked with sweet soya sauce and spices, these are best eaten with a warm porridge for breakfast.

One of my childhood favourite savoury snack, Cha Kue. Crispy hollow bread usually eaten with mild chili sauce over the top. Comes in a pair and it is very fun to watch them fry the bread.

This somay is definitely a must for takeaways!

Even though it can be quite hot and packed in the weekends, we always love to go to our local market, even if we are not buying groceries. Now, you know why.

=]

I googled gelati and I found out the difference between gelati and ice cream is the absence of eggs in gelati mix and has less air compared to its counterpart. Thus, the texture is less creamy in gelati.

Outside this old shop, some savoury snack vendors stand by to serve sate ayam, asinan and others.

My personal favourite is this kerupuk kuning also known kerupuk mie or kerupuk asinan. Poured over with their sauce. Mantep!

Jl. Veteran I no 10
Jakarta Pusat
+6221 3849 123

=]

Everyone probably has their own story about eating seafood at Jimbaran overlooking that big orange sunset on pinkish clouds. Some kids running around and playing with the waves, some tourist is trying to take picture of a silhouette and put the sunset on their palms. Some are taking pre wedding photos with balloons in their matching polo shirts and khaki short… (oh wait.. that’s me.. hehe)

Anyway, everyone knows menega and always full with people enjoying the seafood accompanied by the one and only live accoustic music band. So, i’m sure you can imagine what it’s like there.

Everything is grilled there, and mostly with one sauce. My favourite menu is the shellfish and they are the yummiestest… unfortunately the photos are soooo dark cos sunset was gone a while ago.  At least you get to see what you eat tho.

hm…. i can smeelll thee sea… and the sound of the waves… while the band are playing … “fly me to the moon …..and let me be among the stars…” complete with the coconut!

Menega Cafe - www.menega.com/cafe.html

=]

Bali is famous for their Nasi Campur. Here in Jakarta, we are able enjoy the nasi campur that is very similar to the one in Bali.

Steam rice with three different pork styles. One is pork sausage, one is pork chopped thinly mixed with vegetables and there is pork satay. You can also see the crispy pork skin on top of the steam rice.

Sambel Matah is the traditional sambal from bali, made with vegetable oil, cut red chilli, very fine lemongrass, and finely chopped onion. I love sambel matah, it is very nice. The best sambal matah i had was the one from bebek bengil.

Warung Tengil in Muara Karang tries to immitate the ambience at a local balinese warung with lots of bambu and checkered fabric. One thing though, they don’t have teh botol, which is very weird I think.

I will come back for more. It is very nice nice campur and very similar to the one in bali.

Muara Karang, across Sedap Malam.

=]

kwetiau

Originally uploaded by ooooooohhh dear…

Kwetiau Sapi – Pasar Muara Karang

The kwetiau is nice but probly nicer the first time i tried it. Best if comboed with kopi susu medan. The coffee is not bitter but the flavour is strong. Because it is very hot at the market, i do suggest ice coffee rather than hot coffee. it’s cheap too, only 15K for the kwetiau and 8K for the coffee.

This humble breakfast food is enjoyed by many people especially by local residents around the market… including me.

=]

tahu kipas

Originally uploaded by ooooooohhh dear…

Tahu kipas – Pandan Bistro Pluit

This is a branch of Pondok Laguna from batu ceper. The owner of pandan bistro is the son or the daughter of the owner of Pondok Laguna, which is very famous for its tahu kipas.

Crunchy on the outside, with prawns on the inside and the trade mark is the black hairy thing which i have nnoooooo idea what that is… taste good tho. I can never have only 1 tahu kipas if i eat there.. usually it’s with ikan bakar, kelapa muda, cumi goreng and others…

The photo is not bad at all.. wow.. hehehe very proud of myself. ehheheeheh

=]

nasi campur

Originally uploaded by ooooooohhh dear…

Nasi Campur – Pangeran Jayakarta

hohohohohoh, I forgot to take picture of the bakmi kepiting which is so much nicer than this nasi campur. Damnit, i’m hungry now because i upload this photo.

This nasi campur is nice because the pork is sliced very thinly, then the acar is crunchy, the rice is soaked wet from very fragrant sauce (which, according to boim use lard and some cinnamon as well)

the place is called “kaki lima” or more like hawker centre, the food is cheap and they have been in business like 20 years or more… i remember coming here when i was really young. ok next time i promise to take photo of the bakmi kepiting… 4 thumbs up for the bakmi kepiting.. to be continued.

by the way, if u want to go there and taste this food, it’s pretty hard to explain, so you would have to message me personally and ask me to go with you.. hehehehehhehee i’ll be more than happy to…

“yuuuuk….”

=]

ikan bakar

Originally uploaded by ooooooohhh dear…

Sedap Malam – Muara Karang

This fish was the best dish out of all 3 i reviewed.
The skin is crispy, the meat oh the meat is so tender, then the lime juice on top of the crispy skin…. then you pour two drops of soy sauce and you watch them absorbed by the meat… and then you use your hand mixed it with rice… *gulp*

then you have  the crab with rice… then you peel the prawns, dip it in soy sauce… then the fish again.. occasionally the kangkung, hm…. you know what’s in my head when i eat now….

do i need to write more?

=]

udang goreng mentega

Originally uploaded by ooooooohhh dear…

Udang Goreng Mentega – Sedap Malam Muara Karang

see my kepiting lada hitam for the restaurant. I’m not a big fan of prawns simply because i used to eat them a lot when i was younger and i kinda have enough of it. However, i eat udang goreng mentega and it is one of my favorite dish. Mom makes really nice udang goreng mentega if she ever cooks.

the sauce is soury from lime, smooth balance of the margarine and soy sauce, the prawn is still juicy just the right time the chef took it out from the pan (you know if they overcooked it, the prawns are just like rubber).

this menu is fixed if i eat seafood with my family, anywhere.

=]

kepiting lada hitam

Originally uploaded by ooooooohhh dear…

Kepiting Lada Hitam – Sedap Malam Muara Karang

hohohohohoh, gwa ga makan kepiting kecuali telornya. now, like i said before, i am blessed with low cholesterol, so usually if i eat with my family, i eat the whole telor part… and my family eat the rest.

this place is just a typical seafood family restaurant, service is mediocre, atmosphere and the place is not necessarily the place you choose to hang out and chat with your loved ones. people come here for the food…

so this kepiting is sooo nice. lada hitamnya pas bgt, ga tralu asin ga tralu pedes ampe pait. kalo makan sama nasi, enak seih. lebih ok nya dish yg di pilih di resto ini tuh barengan ama ikan bakar, udang goreng mentega, kangkung belachan terus minum kelapa muda yg masih di batok, masi tender gitu kelapa mudanya.

hehehe asik buat balik lagi.

=]