Indonesia Food

Jakarta - Going out for Lunch can be a big hassle because of the heavy traffic jam especially along Sudirman Rd.   Finally we reach Pacific Place - this is a classy mall with Ritz Calton Hotel beside it.  Ritz Calton has 2 luxury class hotels in Jakarta - One is located at Mega Kuningan district called Ritz Calton Jakarta (which got bombed by terrorist) and the other at Pacific Place.   The Ritz Calton Hotel and JW Mariott located at Mega Kuningan is around the Embassy street.

I just checked the price for Ritz Calton Pacific Place and it's around USD 300 per night - wow very expensive.

Lunch was at the Linkway half way between Pacific Place and Jakarta Stock Exchange Building - a Sundanese restaurant - Dapur Sunda - B1 # 17.   I like Sundanese food and enjoyed it very much - Gurame Goreng, Gurame Bakar and Kangkong chili.  One of the best known restaurant in Jakarta and have many branches around Jakarta.

One of the dish was 'pete' which is Soya Bean but this is raw and I did not like the taste.  I prefer it cooked like Edamame (Japanese soya bean pods boiled in water with salt) - taste so much nicer.

For Dinner, we went to Plaza Setiabudi for Japanese food and the restaurant is Takigawa.  Takigawa restaurant website states Japanese fusion.  From my experience, there are few Japanese restaurant outside of Japanese that meet the stringent quality and taste.   I am very particular when it comes to food.   Since it was suggested my another vendor, I just went along  but very sceptical.   The photos on the menu does not look apetitizing and there were few choices that I would choose.    So, I decided to go for the same dish which hardly any restaurant should get it wrong - Tenzaru Soba - Japanese cold soba noodles with Ebi Tempura.  'Sorry Sir, this dish not available - no prawns for today.' 

So I chose Japanese Cold Soba and Unagai (Eel) - the dish was OK.   My other customers ordered Sushi, Volcano (Fusion sushi -  salmon, scallop, crabstick, prawn, carrot, glazed with the house special sauce and tobiko) and Katsu.  

The Sushi has a strong vinegar taste on the rice.
Volcano - when it came does not look appetizing but I still tried it and that will be my last time.   It has a weird combination.
Katsu - I love Katsu and it is always the dish I would eat when I arrive in Tokyo but it's pork.  In this restaurant, pork is not allowed so they replaced with tuna and chicken.   The chicken meat is too tough and not juicy - it was unprofessionally done as if I would have done it at home.  lol....

In Japan, the Katsu - when you bite the pork katsu, the meat is still succulent and juicy.   I was told by Terry that there are lots of preparatory work that goes into making a very good Katsu - the meat cannot be frozen and it has to be chilled at a right temperature.

My experience proves me right....