St. Germain by Cacaote

I love how everything is getting more reachable these days. Like this one, the opening of St. Germain by Cacaote in Grand Indonesia. Now I won't have to fight the traffic all the way to Senopati just to enjoy Cacaote's cake! (It was quite a let down that they don't have my favorite eclair here though :( But hey the choux is probably just as awesome)

Look-wise, just like Cacaote, St. Germain has this fancy look and ambience. It has an open kitchen concept so you could see the chefs working on the (mouthwatering) dishes. 

Let's jump to the thing we love most, the food.

Brioche French Toast - Rp 75k

Caramelised banana, rum, crunchy nuts, butterscotch ice cream

Some would probably like this dish, but I didn't. Because.. the toast was too soggy and soft for me. I always prefer my toast a bit crunchy. The banana also lacked in taste (despite being caramelized) and I couldn't really taste the rum :| Thank God there is still the crunchy nuts to make this dish enjoyable (for me).

Crispy Pork Belly - Rp 140k

Pork croquette, pancetta, rhubarb, star anise jus

Well, this was a plate loaded with great things. My favorite was the croquette! A bit hefty on the price, but if you are a "quality over quantity" type of person, I think you wouldn't regret having this dish.

Dark chocolate and hazelnut - Rp 45k

It is actually a good cake. Not too sweet, has a balanced texture and everything. But for me, personally, it just didn't have the kick to get me craving for some more. Sorry to say but I honestly got bored with this cake after a few spoons.

Sorry that I forgot the names of the drinks! But they were both good and refreshing :D

Well, my first St. Germain experience was definitely not a mind-blowing one, but I am intending on going back for their other menus, especially their Reuben sandwich! Reaaaally regret my decision not to order that thing :( And I also haven't tried their choux yet!

So I guess it's a see you soon, St. Germain!

St. Germain by Cacaote

Grand Indonesia Shopping Mall, Upper Ground level - East Mall

Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 1

Jakarta Pusat 10350

021 - 2358 0018 / 0812 1863 6100

Mix Diner & Florist

MIX diner & florist is a small stall in SPBU bestindo mampang. Recently it got quite famous for their "Mie Mirip", which is basically Indomie served exactly like the picture on the package. 

Pardon me for (again) forgetting to take pictures of the venue. The concept is basically a vintage american diner, you can take a look on their instagram (@mixdiner). Let's just jump straight to the food pictures, shall we?

Indomie Goreng Mirip - Rp 19k

They serve the package alongside the "Mie Mirip". It does really look like the picture on the package, no?? Even the plate! Hahahha taste-wise, well, only a complete fool would make a bad Indomie right? The shrimps were kinda unfresh but the rest tasted real good, especially since I haven't had Indomie goreng in a long time and I was kinda starving.

Indomie Kari Ayam - Rp 20k

Another perfect look alike! Hahahah and I'm sure you all know how Indomie Kari Ayam tastes like :P

It was a fun experience! The waiter is friendly and they have a buy 1 get 1 promo for hot/iced tea.

*They are closed on Mondays!

Mix Diner & Florist
SPBU Bestindo Mampang
Opening Hour:
-Tuesday-Thursday & Sunday (12:00-22:00)
-Friday (13:00-23:00)
-Saturday (12:00-23:00)

LIMA

Last Saturday I joined the Photoshop for Bloggers Workshop by Smithies (instagram: @hellosmithies). To be frank, the main reason that I decided to come was the venue. It was held in LIMA, a restaurant in PIK area that I have been wanting to visit for some time. Actually the workshop took place on the second floor which is a communal art space called RUANG. 

                                      

The place is really cozy. It was not as spacious as I thought it would be, but I like the place. I really wish I took more photos of the place but unfortunately this is all I got :( Should really head back here soon!

The workshop itself started at around 11. We had Evan Fardoni, the co-founder of Endless Creative Lab, teaching us the basic of photoshop, including all the basic tools and some basic technic and tricks we could do. Here's one of the tricks we learnt: making "dreamy" pictures hahahah

Then, it's lunch time! All the participants got to choose one from the following dish for their lunch: 

1. Potato Scrambled

2. Spaghetti Aglio Olio

3. Fettuccine Alfredo

4. Chicken fried rice

And the drink choices are:

1. Ice coffee americano

2. Homemade lemon tea

3. Blueberry passion tea

I chose Potato Scrambled for no reason and Ice Coffee Americano because I was getting really sleepy. Of course I paid nothing for the dishes as it was included in the workshop fee (Rp300k) but I googled the price for you guys!

Potato Scrambled - Rp 44k ++

hash brown, scrambled egg, mushroom, sausages, melted cheese

Since the lessons got longer than scheduled, lunch time was suspended. And the result is, of course, cold food. That's such a let down for me because I would really prefer to eat the melted cheese on my potato scrambled while it's still hot. 

However, it was still a nice dish. Generous portion, and thank God the hash browns are still crisp. 

Ice Coffee Americano - Rp 28k ++

Well.. it's iced coffee, alright. (What can I say?? Hahaha)

I really can't judge too much and I would really like to come back for other menus (and the place itself), especially their signature Rosti Burger. 

As for the workshop, it was worth Rp 300.000,00 to me. Beside the food (and the lesson and acquintances), we also got a goodie bag, a cup of pudding, and a small succulent.

So, yeah, I would say it was an afternoon well spent :)

LIMA
Ruko Gold Coast No.5
Pantai Indah Kapuk
Jakarta

Gandy Steak House Menteng

This one is a classic and I guess most of us have been here at least once. I personally haven't had much visit to this place and my last one was like years ago, so I was excited to be back here :D

Stepping into this place was like stepping into the past. The place is so nostalgic and I could really imagine how it must had been a really fancy place back in its era. I mean, just look at the stairs, hanging lights, and grand piano!

They also play the golden hits from the 90s era which really makes me feel like I were in the 90s. They have this "Song Request" card on the table which (I find) really cute. Unfortunately, my visit was during lunch time and I guess the live music is just for dinner time.

Complimentary Bread

I like the bread. It's so soft and it smells really nice! You could ask for some more if you want to :D

Steak Ala Gandy - Rp 87k ++

The side dishes: The default side dishes are vegetables and french fries, but all members of my family opted for mashed potatoes instead. They are okay, nothing special.

The meat: My sister thought it was "daging cincang" because the cutting wasn't really like regular steak. But my dad said it was actually "khas luar". Well, personally, whatever kind or part of meat it is, I think it was cooked right. It was kinda hard to cut it into pieces but not that hard to chew. I like mine just fine. But, well, a food has to suck so bad for me to say it is bad. On the other hand, my dad has got a really good taste and he could really differentiate good food from ordinary and bad ones. Unfortunately, for him, this belongs to the ordinary group.

The sauce: We had black pepper and mushrooms and I prefer the black pepper!

One more thing! They serve the food in a really "fancy" way like they push it to your table on a tray table and then they pour the sauce for you and everything. 

Avocado Coffee Special - Rp 29k++ and Gandy Iced Cappuccino - Rp 27k++

We asked them to serve the sugar separately for both drinks and ended up not using any sugar for both. But they tasted just fine. The ice cream is enough to sweeten up both drinks. Hmm nothing mind blowing but they were good.

Overall, I gotta say visiting Gandy is more about the vibe than the food for me. You could probably find better steaks in many places all around Jakarta, but I'm not sure any other place would make you feel like you were back in the 90s era as much as this place. 

So if you are planning for a trip to the past, Gandy could be a nice destination!

Gandy Steak House Menteng

Jl. HOS Cokroaminoto no.90

Menteng, Jakarta

Iga Bakar Panglima

Such a joy for a broke student like myself! You will find them on the left side of Gandaria traffic light (the one where you have to turn right to get to Gandaria city).

Unlike many street hawkers in Jakarta, they are open during the day. The only food they offer in their menu are Iga Bakar (Rp 75.000/500 gr) and Sirloin Steak (Rp 50.000 / 200 gr). The only side dishes they serve are french fries and corn. But hey, they do what they do well!

Let me tell you more about their Iga Bakar!

No side dish is included but you can have corn or fries for an additional Rp5k. We did have the fries. It was just okay. BUT the ribs is so delicious!! They have 3 kinds of sauce, original barbeque, black pepper, and (if I remember correctly) hot lemon. The waiter suggested original so we went with it. It was sooo good. The meat was tender and seasoned well. I don't really know how to describe it but it is delicious. For such price, it was not bad at all!

As for the drinks, I had Iced Tea for Rp 2.000,00

So, for all students with limited money out there, I recommend you to try out Iga Bakar Panglima :D

Iga Bakar Panglima
Jalan Gandaria Tengah 2 no.30

Warung Halo Niko!

Another greek restaurant review! Hahahah just got back from Greece last week and am still not over the cuisine yet, so yeah :') 

This one is owned by a married couple. The husband is Greek and the wife is Javanese. They serve Greek-Javanese cuisine and is located in the complex of Ace Hardware Pejaten. So if you are trying to find them via any GPS application, simply type in Ace Hardware Pejaten as your destination to ease the process (I typed in their address at first and got a bit lost)

The place was not too big but feels homy. The staffs are really friendly too. Okay straight to the food (and drink)

Pita Skepasti Lamb - Rp 105k

Grilled lamb meat wrapped in handmade pita with tomato sauce, mozzarella &cheddar cheese served with fried yam and tzatziki sauce

The waitress actually recommended the souvlaki menu, but we (me and my sisters) have had enough souvlaki back in Greece so we decided to go with something we haven't had before, and this one is our choice. 

They are really generous with the cheese! The pita is slightly less crispy than my liking and the tzatziki is just good but overall I like this dish alright. 

Mama Mousaka - Rp 65k
A blend of eggplants, yam, minced beef, milk cream sauce, mozzarella & parmesan cheese

Just okay. It tasted good, but not the best mousaka I've ever tasted. And personally I would prefer it to be a bit more creamier.

Bugatsa - Rp 45k
Greece's world-famous milk cream pie

To be honest, this one was quite a disappoinment :( The filling has this not-smooth-texture and lacks in taste. The good thing though is that the pastry is crisp and flaky enough. If only the filling is fixed, this would be a great dish!

 Ice Coffee Frappe - Rp 25k

THIS is my favorite thing on the table that night. SOOOOO GOOD! And they serve it with a free bottle of mineral water. It was thick and fragrant and not too sweet and just ... so delicious. You could add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top for 10k. Recommended!!

Whether you want to get a your first taste of Greek cuisine or in love with it already this is a place you can visit to get your fix. They have a lot of choices in their menu so this review couldn't really represent  I guess.

Go ahead and pay them a visit :)

Warung Halo Niko!
Parkiran Gedung Promanade (Ace Hardware Pejaten)

Jl. Warung Buncit Raya No. 98 Pejaten, Jakarta Selatan+62 21 79191227 Instagram : @warunghaloniko

Chicory European Patisserie

Chicory is a hidden little exquisite pastry shop in Menteng area. Walking in, I found the place simple yet somehow elegant. 

Chocolate tart

I actually forgot the price but I think it was around Rp50k. It was worth the price though. Nice tart, with (serious) dark chocolate. 

Fruit Boat

Again, forgot the price. Around Rp45k if I'm not mistaken hehehe. Love the custard! They were also rather generous with the fruits. Delicious!

Overall, I would say this is the place to go if you want to have an exclusive tea time. Better be prepared about the budget though. AND! They are quite strict with some rules. You can't take picture of their showcase and no outside food/drink allowed (seriously! this is based on personal experience hahah)

Would really love to try more of their products, surely someday when I have the money :')

Chicory European Patisserie

Jln. Sumenep no. 9

Menteng, Jakarta Pusat
021-31925799

Opening Hours:
Monday - Saturday : 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Closed on Sundays