Prince House

Last week, it was a little after 10p.m. that my cousins suddenly wanted to hang out. There were not so many options for late night snack in Kelapa Gading area. Our favorite was Prince House, and so there we went. They have killer waffles! The only downside was there were A LOT of mosquitoes, there were times that we did not go there, even though we wanted to because of it.

The dummy waffles!

The first thing I noticed whenever I went there was this showcases in the middle of the room filled with delicious tempting looking waffles. Little did I know they were only dummies! They look so cute, right?

Nachos - Rp 15k

We were there for late night snack, and at that time, they usually only offered waffles. However, we managed to order the nachos. Well, it was a bit disappointment since the tortilla chips were actually (we believed they were) Happy Tos! There were no cheddar cheese as promised in the menu as well. It was just Happy tos and salsa, which they claimed to be homemade but we did not buy it. pshh...

Lemon Tea (Rp 11k), Dark Chocolate Gelato Shake (Rp 26k), and
Strawberry Italian Soda (Rp 14k)

The Chocolate Gelato shake was sweet, my cousin loved it. However, it was a bit too milky to my liking. I ordered the Strawberry Italian Soda and it was also sweet, I definitely can taste the strawberry flavor in it. But on a second thought, it tasted like soggy fanta, less soda and wayyy sweeter than normal fanta. Then my cousin, who ordered the Lemon Tea, and I realized that our drinks was a bit too sweet and had almost no ice, so we asked for more ice. It turned out that they ran out of ice!!! They should have warned us when we ordered, or at least told us when they were about to make it. Another disappointment here that they decided to fool us. It was not a big of deal tho', but stil....

Tiramisu Cappucino Deluxe - Rp 28k

For the waffles, we got the Tiramisu Cappucino Deluxe. Deluxe set means we got two waffles and one scoops of gelato. Tiramisu Gelato included 3 toppings, which were chocolate tiramisu sauce, chocolate cappucino sauce, and topped with chocolate rice. For the gelato my cousin insisted on picking the durian gelato. The waffles were great. They were a bit crunchy yet soft. The durian gelato also tasted great. It was smooth in texture and the flavor was not too strong, but you can definitely taste the durian.

Cinnamilk - Rp 8k

We also ordered Cinnamilk. The waffle was basically covered with white chocolate sauce and sprinkled with brown sugar and cinnamon powder. I am actually not a fan of white chocolate because it can get too milky and sweet. However, I love this one. They have enough sweetness, and the cinnamon took over the milky taste. Loved it!

Prince House
Jl. Boulevard Raya Kelapa Gading Blok WA2 No 12
Jakarta Utara
Ph: (021) 9829 9537

Bakerzin

After a movie in Plaza Indonesia tonight, My friend and I decided to grab some snacks at the not-so-newly opened Bakerzin. Bakerzin Plaza Indonesia had just been relocated from the Basement to the Ground floor, exactly next to Kichenette. It still has the elegant aura but I like the new one better since they really separate the smoking and non-smoking zone with the kitchen and cake showcase in between them.

Bratwurst with Sauteed Potato - Rp 45k

We ordered the sausage and it was heavenly! We were not hungry but we wanted more of these.lol The sausages were fat, tasty, and tender. They was not too fulfilling so they left us wanting more of them. The baby potatoes were also delicious. They were soft inside but crunchy on the outside.

Mango Sparkling Fruity Tea - Rp 27.5k

I ordered the Mango Sparkling Fruity Tea for the drink. It was mango tea mixed with Sprite, if I'm not mistaken. I really loved this! It was sweet and refreshing.

Grand Marnier Souffle - Rp 47.5k

For dessert, we got the Grand Marnier Souffle. I am a fan of their Baileys Souffle, but this time around my friend suggested the Grand Marnier one instead. I still preferred the Baileys Souffle over this one, but I quite liked it. However, my friend did not like it at all. She said it was too milky. I actually felt the same, but I didn't find it disturbing tho'.

On a side note, I would like to say that I like their menu with beautiful photographs of its food.

Bakerzin

Plaza Indonesia, 1st Floor E17

Jl. MH Thamrin Kav. 28-30

Jakarta Pusat

Ph: (021) 2992-3715

http://www.bakerzin.co.id

Pizza Marzano

Pizza Marzano has just opened a new branch in Mall Kelapa Gading. My friends and I decided to give it a try. As expected from a newly opened restaurant in Jakarta, the place was full and we had to wait for a few minutes for our table.

Garlic Bread with Mozarella - Rp 28k

We ordered Garlic Bread with Mozarella for appetizer. The garlic bread was not like your ordinary toasted garlic baguette-like bread. The bread was lightly toasted. Thus, it still managed to have some tenderness but with melted mozarella on top. The bread itself was a bit on the sweet side. I really loved it!

Bruschetta Picante - Rp 28k

We also got the Bruschetta Picante for another appetizer. The bread was the same as the Garlic bread. However, it supposed to come with several other toppings, such as tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, beef bacon, topped with grana padano and mozarella. Well, I did not spot any jalapeno peppers but oh well...It tasted okay. I preferred the simple garlic bread.

Quatro Carni - Rp 77k

We decided to ordered 2 pizza and 2 pasta to share. However, the waitress missed one of our pizza order :( So we just got our Quatro Carni. It has chicken ham, pepperoni, spicy beef, and chicken. However, they did not distributed the toppings evenly, as you can see from the pictures. I tried to pepperoni and it was okay. The pizza crust was thin and I liked that I can taste the generous amount of melted cheese.

Maccheroni Al Forno Alla Bolognese - Rp 65k

For pasta, we ordered Maccheroni Bolognese and Penne Carbonara. The Maccheroni was my favorite! It came with bechamel sauce, bolognese sauce, mozarella, and grana padano. The dish was rich on cheese yet I did not feel overwhelmed by it. It might be because they have the perfect combination of bechamel and bolognese sauce!

Penne Carbonara - Rp 60k

The waitress claimed that its Penne Carbonara was the house's favorite. However, I thought it was just okay. Nothing's special in the dish.

For drink, we ordered Ice Blackcurrant Tea for Rp 25k each. It was refillable.

Overall, I really like the food here. They were tasty and affordable. BUT the service was beyond mediocre! The place was super busy yet they just had very little super rude waiters, not to mention that they were not helpful either. I tried to understand the rudeness of the waiters was because they were overwhelmed by the amount of customers they had to serve, yet they were not many of them. But still, it got to my nerve, to the point that I did not enjoy my dining experience there. They did not smile even for just once; it took them a very very looonngg time to bring out the drinks, while all they need to do was just grab a glass and fill it with the already-made blackcurrant tea; whenever we requested something, they just either ignored it, made us wait for a super long time, or said "sorry, I am busy," and bluntly ignored it!!

Note to management, please pay attention to the number of waiters and expected customers, and the quality of the waiters. I am sure, we were not the only disappointed customers, and we did not spot any restaurant manager while we were there.

Pizza Marzano

Ground Floor, Mall Kelapa Gading 3

Jl. Boulevard Raya 

Jakarta Utara 

http://www.pizzamarzano.co.id

Canteen

I went to Canteen after a movie in Plaza Indonesia. I forget when it was, bit it was a weekday night, and the place was not busy. We usually have to wait in line in weekend. I always found that Canteen was quite comfortable, but during peak hours we could smell strong smokes when passing by the smoking section.

Baked Nachos with Guacamole - Rp 40k

My friend and I were there only for small meals this time. We decided to ordered Baked Nachos to share.  We really love the generous amount of melted cheese on top of the tortilla. The salsa was not my favorite; it was a bit too sour and too watery. I prefer chunky tomato pieces in my salsa.

Classic Caesar Salad - Rp 50k

We also ordered the Caesar Salad for sharing. I like it, but there was nothing special about it. The croutons came in bigger pieces than ordinary croutons.

Ice Chocolate - Rp 30k

I was sleepy that time, and being sleepy brought out my inner childish self. Thus, I ordered the Ice Chocolate just for the sake of my childhood time. Well, I love to have a cup of chocolate milk every now and then :p The Ice Chocolate was rich in well, chocolate. But again, it was just okay

Canteen
Plaza Indonesia, 5th Floor
Jl. MH Thamrin Kav. 28-30
Jakarta Pusat
Ph: (021) 315 6537


Pacific Place
4th Floor
Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav 52-53
Jakarta Selatan
Ph: (021) 5797 372

http://www.canteenjakarta.com/

The Goods Cafe

The Goods Cafe is located inside The Goods Dept, a department store that specialized in Indonesian ready-to-wear label, in Plaza Indonesia. My friend and I did not intend to have dinner there actually. We just checked out The Goods Dept, then I felt hungry, so off we go to the cafe.

It was full tonight, but since there were just the two of us, it was easier to get a seat. Oh and I feel like I have to mention a traffic report on a side note, Jakarta's traffic tonight was super friendly. I believe most of its citizens had gone mudik or on holiday. Thus, there were just the two of us, since most of my friends had gone on holiday as well.

Classic Burger - Rp 50k

We decided to share the Classic Burger. You can add blue cheese or gruyere cheese for Rp 10k each. We didn't add any of the cheese. And it was greaaaaaat! We really liked the burger, we even loved the potato wedges with shredded parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. The beef patty was perfectly grilled and it was juicy. The only thing that we hate was the bitter leaves in the salad. I didn't dare to touch it. yuck

Caesar Salad - Rp 40k

The Caesar Salad looked simple with grilled chicken, oven roasted tomato, avocado, and parmesan. You can add poached egg for Rp5k and/or bacon for another Rp 15k. We didn't add anything to it. And again, the salad was good. We cleaned the bowl in minutes!haha..

Baileys Caramel - Rp 50k

When I looked at the Shakes section, I got overly excited that they offered Baileys shakes :p The waitress suggested Baileys Milkshake, and I initially ordered that. However, I could not get over the thought of Baileys and Caramel, both are my favorite!, mixed together, so I changed my order to Baileys Caramel. It was basically Baileys Milkshake, which were Baileys, scoops of vanilla ice cream, and milk, mixed with caramel. It was beyond wonderful! I really really love it! However, my friend said it was too sweet, but it was perfect for me :D The only downside was the price. It was the same price as the burger O.O! but me likey..

I heard a lot of good reviews about this place but I didn't think it would be this good! I really like it, definitely will come back ;)

The Goods Cafe

Plaza Indonesia Extension, 4th Floor

Jl. Moh. Thamrin Kav 28-30

Jakarta Pusat

Ph: (021) 2992 3628

Ayam Penyet Jakarta

I passed by this newly opened restaurant a lot since it was close to my office. My coworkers and I had always wanted to try it but they were always crowded. During this Fasting month, some of us (who did not fast) thought it might be the right time to try it out. Even so, the restaurant was full, so we got seated on the second floor.

The food towers!

What attracted me is the towers (piles) of food in the display case.

Nasi Gado Ayam Penyet - Rp 13k

To be honest with you, I do not really get they idea of smashed _ _ _ (fill in the blank), like smashing ribs, smashing chicken, etc. They do NOT look smashed whatsoever, in fact they always look appetizing and neatly still intact to their bones. In this case, the chicken was actually fried though. I ordered the smashed chicken with gado-gado (Indonesian salad), and it was good! The meat was juicy, tender, and easily fall of the bone. The Gado-gado was so so.

Kripik Kentang - Rp9k

We also ordered the spicy potato chips for share. Needless to say, a portion was not enough for the five of us. We had to fight for it.lol It was great. The chips was thin and crunchy. Furthermore, it was not too spicy that I was able to enjoy it :)

Tahu Tempe Goreng - Rp1k each

Yes you read it correctly, it was only Rp 1,000 each! They were okay..I am not a big fan of tahu tempe, but my coworkers love it.

Orange Juice - Rp 7k

The orange juice felt soooo refreshing since the restaurant did not have any  air-con.lol

Ayam Penyet "Jakarta"

Even though the name was Ayam Penyet Jakarta, they actually first opened in Medan, and this was their first branch in Jakarta! Overall, I really liked the food and will come back, IF I'm in the area. However, if you live far from the place and have to specially drive there, I do not think it's worth it.


Ayam Penyet "Jakarta"
Jl. Raya Cilandak KKO No. 9
Jakarta Selatan
Ph: (021) 7825-641

Smoking Joe's BBQ and Lounge

Last night I hung out with some friends at Smoking Joe's. As it is a newly open hip restaurant in Jakarta, it was packed. Luckily we had made a reservation in advance.

Pork Ribs in 1/2 (6 racks)
with corn on the cob and sweet potato fries - Rp 199k

I ordered the Pork Ribs. A friend of mine reminded us that the ribs were soooo big compare to the one in Tony Roma's. Therefore, we ordered the 6 racks and shared them among the three of us. And yes, the ribs were really thick! The thickness caught me off guard, and I just realized when I was about to eat it that 2/5 of it was fat, 1/5 was bone, the rest was the meat -.-'

The description said that the ribs were rubbed with Smoking Joe's Famous St. Louis Rub and slowly smoked until the meat is falling of the bone. Well, the meat was not too tender, and did not fall off the bone too easy either, it was just okay. The ribs were served with three kinds of BBQ sauce: regular, spicy, and I wasn't sure about the other one, but I think it was BBQ sauce mixed with mustard :s I like the regular one the most. I actually kind of like the ribs, but it was not too special. There are a lot of rooms for improvements.

The ribs came with two side dishes. We picked corn on the cob and sweet potato fries. if one need an additional side dish, it would cost Rp 22k. They were alright.

Bubble Crushed Tea - Rp 30k

For the drink, I ordered Bubble Tea. However, the waitress let me know that it would come with no bubble. I was glad that the waitress mentioned it, or else I would be surprised when the drink came, because it was not like the regular bubble milk tea. It didn't come with bubble, and it wasn't the regular black or red milk tea. It was green, so probably it was blended green milk tea? It was okay

Skillet Baked Toll House Cookie,
 Just Like My Mom Used to Make at Home - Rp 72k

For the dessert we got the Skillet Baked Toll House Cookie, Just Like My Mom Used to Make at Home. Talking about a long name, pheww....My friend joked that in multiple choice questions, the longest one was usually the right answer, and oh boy was she right. It was one of the best desserts I've had ever had! Served in a skillet pan, the cookie was still hot and taste like freshly baked cookie. You can dip it in the coffee sauce and vanilla ice cream.

To be honest, I wasn't really impressed with the food. However, just for the cookie itself I would definitely come back there! Oh, and as the night set in, they had live music. I enjoyed the music a lot, and the cookie (I just feel like I need to mention it again :p )!

Smoking Joe's BBQ and Lounge
The East Tower
Mezzanine, 2nd Floor
Jl. Lingkar Mega Kuningan Kav E3.2 No.1
Jakarta Selatan
Ph: (021) 5795-8148
http://smokingjoesindonesia.com