Red Hot Soldier Of My Heart

X    X
XOXO   XOXO
XOXOX XOXOX
XOXOXOX
XO
X
X

Red is Red,

and always be red.

Brave and Strong,

no matter the form was,

the Glare of Glory,

will be remain.



Not like some of my friends, i've never treat red colour as my favorite one, in fact, i think red is totally over the top, sugar-high personality, fire-up ego, and stuff. But, as the meaning of red itself, bravery, i found this red to be match some of my characteristic. Yup, the colour of Gryffindor, (red/gold combo) which happens to be class of chivalry, top-notch talents, and up-going/active people from HP, someone like me, if i'm not too sound like a jerk (this time). I'm not 100% red-gal i think, because i rather tend to be calm, quiet/peaceful person if i'm need to (depends of situation), but if i'm on my 'autistic', 'hyper-excited' mood, yes, i'll be proud to be called red-gal.

My stuff up there, not just represent red-gold glory moments, but also some of my favorites too. The tin-soldier (that i wished to be a nutcracker, but it's not!), is a memorabilia when i visited Singapore toys museum (MINT) on Seah street, almost three years ago. I love oldie mechanic toys, just twist the tin-key behind and he's walk, and play drum too, really eco-friendly i'll must say, despite the tin material, you don't need energy (battery/re-charge), just a simple efforts of finger-twist, cool. The other stuff, well...the name spelled itself. If i want instant calmer (in Nigella Lawson's voice), i just re-stock the double-chocolate macadamia cookies, the Famous Amos specialities of goodness. The cookies tin-case actually heart-shaped, so it's properly if i said "My dear soldier, the keeper of my heart" without too much gag-reflex from you, I HOPE!

Spare my soul in your shining swords,

as my blood will shed over,

my bravery will kept in my vein.

The greatness of fury,

never bury me down,

grave is not my place,

the golden field will take it's place

forever and ever.

XOXO

XOXOXOXO

XOXO

XOXOXOXOXOXO

XOXOXOXO

XOXO

XOX

XO

X

Slurping On Dissolutes Prairie

i'm not that late brit-murphy ramen girl,

but i'm feeling kitschy about the big

bowl of goodness slurp as background.

I wonder if the big bowl of goodness slurp

will make a perfect touch as phoenix-tail-prop.

I'll be satisfy as some of Moulin Rouge gal if that

sort attachment happens though.

As for ramen, despite the kikkoman overload,

miso laden, and thinly sliced beef, i love the 'lightness'

of the broth, truly. Again, japanese really know

how to market their food strategically. I wonder

if we can promote our "Bakmie Godhog khas Jogja", or

should i say, Jogjakarta, Central Javanese style

chicken noodle with duck-egg-and-garlic broth,

i bet we'll win the noodle war, i guess.

As for my clothing thrifts; prairie.on.navy dress from

ITC Mangga Dua, greywolf legging, Singapore

Botanic Gardens eco-bag, b/w stripe skinny belt,

and Giordano Ladies maroon-quilt ballet flats.

Location, Ramen 38 "Sanpachi", Pondok Indah, Jakarta.

Well...who said that food and fashion cannot make it

together, it's two of most essentials livings.

Just don't make me start a architecture + fashion

combo though, that would be epically gore-ish, PERHAPS!

Addiction Allert : Lust And Gluttony Part 1

After several prides of mine, it's time to resurface my own paradise, the earliest one. I know that some of you will think lust as a'lusty', personally i found the word lust just to be fiery enough. But, it doesn't always to be like that, lust somehow was just a comfort (plus bio-organ), and not so 'down-there' only. In my country, lust can be irritating/taboo to begin with; why? Porn (degrading), Horror-Porn (lame and cheesy), Ripped-Of-Artist Porn (give-me-a-break dumb fest), yeah that holy grail concept, thanks for that a something called lust never ever achieved a redemption here. Maybe because our nation reputation that so 'religious', our people (esp. the lack-knowledge) eyes won't be popped-out.

Okay, L.U.S.T vers.1 of mine;

Okay...definitely not the text book, are you kidding me?

All my teacher will be like: "Oh...Really?"

Cotton buds; yeah orgasm-to-my-ears, don't get me wrong here,

okay? I loved these since childhood. And for now, i can rubbed

these to my earlobe three times a day (or more).

I've the most clean earlobes i guess, there's no 

wacky earwax you'll find, i promise!

Feels like when you scratch your most longing itch, it's total

comfort. This is better than every danger average

addiction, just made your ears clean and fresh. I can re-stock these for weeks, cannot imagine if it's out of stock, miserable.

Then, here goes the G.L.U.T.T.O.N.Y part;

Okay...i love the suggah'n'butta-crusted-bread, usually with

the choco-chip as filling, this is the way to make-my-day breakfast, with accent of latte. Don't made the 'home-made' 

logo fools you though, because i believe this is 

more like home-factory rather than home-artisan bread. The taste

yum of course! I found it very tasty as gives me the instant

carb-itamine and comfort too.

{Err...don't forget to spot the 'Home Alone' shtick, it's quite fun!}

PS: Right..., this is not-so-final of my kitschy moment, well, this blog was made from addictions, BTW!

Technicolor Bite-Sized Fantasy

Trivia Starts NOW!

It's sweet.

It's grainy.

It's chewy.

It's colorful (naturally off course).

It's coconutty.

It's palmsugary.

{oh boy can we just legalized the misspell already!}

It's light.

It's comforting.

It's portable.

It's 100% Indonesia.

It's traditional.

It's dessert.

It's vegan.

It's healthy.

It's dairy-free.

It's natural.

It's preservatives-free.

It's cheap.

It's made from scratch.

It's freshly made.

It's tea-friendly.

It's coffee-friendly too.

It's diet-friendly snack.

It's addictive.

It's not play-doh.

It's beautifully packaged

It's shareable.

It's even greater to eat just for yourself.

It's lightly fragrance.

It's not 'saccharine' taste.

It's bite-sized wonder.

It's easy to chow-down.

It's  not french patisserie.

It's not thai-dessert.

It's not even malay.

It's cultural legacy.

It's indonesian, yes, i typed it twice now.

It's my family favorites.

It's deep in my heart.

It's deep in my stomach.

It's essential to me.

IT'S COLORFUL "CENIL"-BLACK/WHITE GLUTINOUS "LUPIS" COMBO

WITH  JAVANESE PALM-SUGAR SAUCE AS COMPLIMENT, AND SHREDDED FRESH

COCONUT AS THE TOPPING

~ PURE GUILT-FREE ENJOYMENT~

Oh Pesto You Just So Damn Good

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$Handful of Basil$$$$$$$$$

$$$$$$Handful of Pine Nuts$$$$$$$

$$$$$$$$Cloves of Garlic$$$$$$$$$

$Spoonful Extra Virgin Olive Oil$

$$Grated of Parmigiano-Reggiano$$

$$$$$$$$$$Salt/Pepper$$$$$$$$$$$$

$$$$$$Portion of Fettuccine$$$$$$
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

The fragrances, semi-vegan (well...the cheese) green sauce laden pasta, is the only exceptional green-food that i've found very addictive to tasted it. I never believe that some food without any single meat (beef/chicken/fish) can be delicious/savory enough in my mouth, well the "Fettuccine con Pesto" will works for it though. Yeah... i think the sauce itself, the "Pesto" is the magic word isn't it. But the magic never works without great stuff behind it, let's talk about the quality then. What i know, and everybody does, some home-made/high quality ingredients/organic will conquer the 'store-brand-jar-thing'. Same as pesto, if the restaurant uses only good ingredients to make the sauce, administer by hands, not let's-open-the-bottle/jar, you'll get the essence of pesto-nirvana, you bet!

As for the cheese-factor which made this dish not qualified as whole vegan, it'll be succeeded if we uses "Parmigiano-Reggiano" one. It's not some snobbery's brand or something, it's just the italian kind of parmesan cheese, which very highly regards from it's origin Parma and Reggio Emilia area in Italy. Different than store-brand parmesan, it has a nutty, faint bitterness, and decadent aroma. It's not your everyday cheese, especially in my country which more familiar with cheddar, this parmesan is a splurge cheese, and it's expensive too (250 gr for almost 350.000 rupiahs, it's like 35$).

I want to make it my own pesto, someday, i'll save a money for it. But, the whole ingredients just intimidate me a little bit, the gourmet cheese, olive oil, dry pasta, and pine nuts, yes, the binding agent, which make the pesto taste so savory, it's a rarity here, expensive indeed. So, to experience my kind of addiction, i'll just eat-in at decent restaurant. Yup, job done, with 3-4$ a plate of "Fettuccine con Pesto" i'll be just fine. The fragrances, herbal(y) note from basil is the 'kick' that corner out the hardcore laden of extra virgin olive oil and the cheese, so...i can eat this like everytime my wallet allowed it, yeah...well...minus the green bits that stay in your teeth, err...fabulous?

{This lovely "Fettuccine con Pesto" shoot i took from Amadeus, Fx Sudirman, Jakarta, lovexxxaddictedxxxforever!}

Oh...i just want to share the magical "Pesto" recipe (i hope i'll try this sometime/someday/somecentury) that i found from this blog, cool!

Brown Colored Food Spelled Yum-Tastic Part 1

No kidding, every brown food always tastes delicious, unlike the green one (except, matcha flavored stuff!), ironic much, the earthy colour has contradicted meanings against each other. Back then i'm not a veggie person, regards my childhood, i've always in fighting-mood when my parents forced me to eat my veggies. Well, veggies always had a bad reputation for me, you know; bitter, slightly rancid, grassy smelled, and stuffs, no wonder i'll choose to be meaty person; for now, chicken, beef, and fish, yeah...savory one. Brown food isn't always be meaty and deep-fried, there's one thing works like magic, chocolate. There's no way i'll stop eating chocolate, the good-mood-saviour. People who hates chocolate, i think must be suffered enough to enjoy the great tasted, pity, in my humble opinion.   

Growing up, i'm eating veggies just because to enhanced my body to be err...healthy? skinny? beautiful? yeah...for self-image purposes, i'm not going crazy like some of hypocrite lunatics that say anything but fair about eating meat, health-concerned people who preaches to everyone about how bad eating good/comfort things like; junk food (which happens to be my all-time favorite), fatty/sweets things (come on! Everyone needs them to be happy) and soda/alcoholic drinks (it's the advance culinary invention, it's not a sin you hypocrite losers! We have self-control you see, we're not robotics!). Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmern, Adam Richman, and off course my dearest Nigella Lawson, always be my constant heroes (yes, i'm TLC freaks), they're really humanize the meaning of gastronomy, not some kind 'patronized/Mr.perfectionist/utterly bullshit' one (HAHA*fill-the-blank*HAHA), they're really enjoyed/appreciated/created their food for REAL!

For the first part, i want to shared my brown food haven that traced from our culinary legacy, one of them, it's from the TeSaTe restaurant, located in Plaza Senayan, Jakarta. It's a traditional indonesian food for real experiences that usually you've got from our street hawkers but with the chi-chi-but-not-expensive a.k.a snotty environment, not like fussy 'hotelier-ized' one, still keep the real tastes and method. So, let's started now then;

So this is a brown drinks, a traditional indonesian quencher; "Es Kunyit Asem" it's iced drinks consists of; tamarind, turmeric and palm sugar. It's refreshing, and not forget, the compliments that you'll see in the silver spoon, it's pair of "Ting-Ting Jahe", it's a cashew-ginger candy, perfect companion with the sooth-herbal concoction. The pandan leave over there isn't just an accent, you may stirred your drinks before you slurped it for the aromatic effect. This drinks which i called legacy has many potential healing factor; to energized the body, to cured body odour, to cleansed the toxic for menstrual woman, and also to enhanced our appetites, indeed.

Yes, the meal speaks the restaurant's name and speciality itself, "TeSaTe" means a shout from Satay Man hawkering around to sell the stuffs, like "Satay...Tay...Satay!!!", oke...it's not Satay, it's Sate, the meat-on-the-skewer things originally came from Madura, East Java, Indonesia. This version on the shoot up there is "Sate Ayam Ponorogo" the chicken satay (skin, meat, and egg) with the special creamy/chunks cashew-peanut sauce, from Ponorogo, another East Java quarter speciality, also famous with "Reog Ponorogo" art performances. The sate came in iron-n'-charcoal pot to keep it warm, the meat itself stay moist too. I do like the chicken skin sate, yeah, it's fatty-karma, but it's sinfully good, the unforgivable taste noted from the cashew peanut sauce with the hint of "Kecap Manis" (again, our sweet soy sauce legacy). "Kecap Manis" made the sauce even savory without 'sarcastically' sweet. The chili and shallots bits extra acted as 'cuts' that gives you spiced-up in your tongue

TeSaTe restaurant not just like a 'traditional' restaurant in the making, it has modern-chic conceptual interior, before we entered the main room, we'll encounter something like this. The menu was excellent variety and not too expensive (a person's complete meals wil comes around 10-15$) from appetizer to dessert, and comes in english too, the service is pleasant, but do make reservation 'cause it's always packed when in lunch time. So...that's my first brown food experienced, i'll post about it again, soon enough, because brown food never dies, veggies is okay, but savory will wins at all causes, BROWNISSIMO!  

The Art Of Repeating Stupid Mistake Part 3

Making mistakes for so many times to some so-called-wise-guy is a degrading, wasting time, and irresponsible as 'properly' human being. But, what if we never do anything wrong, always right and be perfect in our whole life? Is it normal? Is it the proper life? Well...being myself who making mistakes all the time, for my point of view is a part of learning, learning my own life. Even stupid mistake, which i love to make each part like a experience episodes, 'cause i'll remembered and remind myself to always aware about that. So...mistake for me is a life-coaching device, never be something i'll regret (try not to).

For this part, i want to shared my experience about buying trend stuffs. First, my local indie music. In my country everything that came from western world, become as 'standart' of trend. Like fashion (NYC, London, other Europe), something labelled as 'cult' fashion, usually marked as a highly-praise design, individual item (err...'limited'), and comes with very damnnnnnnnn expensive prices (cursed our corrupt tax policy!), really ironic, 'cause the label used to be not that high from their original places. As for music, 'indie' label usually patronized from; swedish-swing, electro-daft-punk-wannabe, bjork wannabe (puh-leazee...!!! They try to be so smarties, but ended as dorky), 60-70-80's (give me a break), and many idea-pretenders imaginable. I mean come on, we're not even swedish, their music capability was some kinda garage experimental something, but their fashion style & attitude (some of them) well..., SNOB ALERT! (PS: You guys only lasted 2 albums maximum OKAY!). I've only had 3 kinds, one of them is Dear Nancy, okay...they're not a snob, i don't know them in public (TV/Celeb/Gossip views), they're really nice on friendster (yup...it's been a long time period). I buy their lovely/chic-carton-covered CD in Aksara, our 'cult' lifestyle store located in Kemang, South Jakarta. It's not considered as an album, it's extended play (ep.) so it's more like a short project. Dear Nancy "My Little Story" ep. in my opinion, is a sort of music that we always play in our high-school band sessions. It's simple, doesn't have cool sound effects (even include synthesizer). The good point is, it's cheap, our local indie music' CD comes around 2$-3$ (20.000-30.000 in indonesian rupiahs), so...it's not a ripped-off stuff. But, i won't even try to buy again anymore, three-times mistakes is enough for me.

The other stuff i don't want to repeated to buy again is Krispy Kreme doughnuts, 'cause i always found the doughnut is slightly too sweet for my liking. I'm Dunkin Donuts person. Krispy Kreme becoming a 'saccharine' trend in my town, the green-red dot appeared almost in all mall/market, side-by-side with various doughnut contender (J.Co, Dunkin's). But i love the Krispy Kreme paper hat though, it's retro-fun! I'm even think about taking the free paper hat only if i'm visiting the stall next time, Heh! It's not stealing, right? I wonder...

Can you spot a stuff that not comes from this  stupid-mistake part?



Clue 1 : It's a childhood toy.

Clue 2 : It's 3D-feel-n'-touch experience.

Clue 3 : Cute and comfort to hug with (okay...i'm disgusted myself by mentioned it).

AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH, IT'S DEFINITELY NOT A MISTAKE.

Unforgettable Gift From Extraordinary People Part 1

If there's something that i really liked, and gives me a heart-melted experiences, is no other than a gift from a special person; school/college friends, family friends, relatives, events promotion, and even from some good strangers. And it's not about the material value, it's about how deep the meanings from it. Some people that i knew, value the gift based how luxury/chic/expensive they're, well...that's the basic ego human being i supposed. For me, no matter how the gift looks/value it's all valuable in thoughts.

As a gift from unforgettable people #1 right now, i just want to shared the emotional value. It's from our big family, my Mom-side, considering as one of my Aunts, from East Java. She is a incredible woman, had been a single fighter for now after several bad marriages, and she's never ashamed about that. She's really honest, and knows how to give it up. Some people don't know how to stop, so the mistakes always comes around like crazy wheels, but my Aunt knows, and she's happy now. I hope all the best for her, she's just a one hot/cool Auntie. 

She give a special cake for us, the dutch-colonial-legacy, "Onbyekoek" (well...this is a indonesian-ized name as i don't know the real-dutch name is). Onbyekoek tasted like your typical ginger cake, minus the gingery heat, because instead of ginger, they used "Spekoek", the indonesian ground-spice-mix consists of; cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and cardamom, usually made for making layer cake, and Onbyekoek. It tasted lovely with company of latte or tea. And...don't forget to layered with butter, the tasted will improved.

The Onbyekoek came from "Anugerah" (spelled "Grace"), a traditional-home-made Onbyekoek maker from Malang, East Java. It has retro feeling in the package, and funny enough, it just look like this; LEGACY, LEGACY, LEGACY!





This "Gunungan" (Opening scene on "Wayang Kulit", indonesian shadow puppet) courtesy from here.

=====================================================

"Happy ending doesn't always started smoothly, so please enjoy your

up and down in your life, it's only a game for us to play with."

xoxo

IRS INITSUGA

To Be Choux Or Chewy Your Tongue Decide

I love cream puff / choux, i don't know why, to me it's a sugar craving diva extraordinaire, the queen of all. Calories packed, oh yeah, must be. It's pastry, you know, french-butter-laden pastry, filled with creamy-luscious-milky-goodness, but why not? It's good. I tasted (a hundred, less maybe) type of cream puff, from the ghetto latex-gum-consistency starch laden faux cream, the cheapest one, to the snooty french classy one it's great adventure of a taste buds. From my grandmother legacy to the mass production, they're unique one by one, and not necessary 'advertisement' tasted like doughnut, it has characteristic.

And, just like every food-evolution, cream puff has developed into interesting new form right now, take a look from Chewy Junior. Yes..., it's another Singapore's great invention (also at franchising) of the cream puff evolution. I found this cool idea back from my last trip, and i've must say i'm falling in love at the first bite, i'm serious! And, thank goodness, they're already franchised here, at my country, and had me full respect than the ever-booming coffee hawker stuff (zzz...snore).

Chewy Junior had revolutionized the concept of cream puff / choux, not just a form, but also tastes. The original form of cream puff has a airy, smooth-egg-n'-butter consistency, with the half heavy half light cream on the filling. So tasty when it's fresh, BUT, the downside are when we try to keep it remained, at freezer, ha! It's a big no-no, most of puff will remained for couple of days, after that, it's not lovely anymore. As for Chewy Junior puff, well...the first experience you can feel in your tongue is from the texture itself, it's chewy. I don't mean chewy like bubble gum, but more like macaron minus the hardness. I bet they used more white egg in the dough. The founder, Mr. Kevin Ong has married two nation in his chewy puff recipe (mmm...French and Japan, i guess?), and i think he's done it perfectly. And not just unique, the chewy point has made the puff long lasting in the freezer (even improving the taste), how appropriate isn't it. 

For my personal choice, i love the mini-version one, the Chocolate Junior. I took the photo above, when it's untouched, freshly made one, and i'm in a good patience. It's interesting how they packed the mini puff, in a retro-chinese-delivery-box (red/yellow is the sign of LUCKY!), with the straws (as chopstick impersonated) to pick it (in case of unwanted mess). The mini puff, has fitted to one bite (err...my mouth personally), with light chocolate cream filling, and glazed with chocolate ganache, it's addictive snack-cum-dessert. I can eat them all, full box (consists 6/8 mini puffs, forgot!), in just less than 15 mins, and still wanted more, more, AND MORE PLEASE! 

It's My Patriotic Act Over Slice Of Srikaya Toast

These days singaporean-coffee-hawker-theme became popular in Indonesia. No offense, but it’s just insanely ridiculous. It’s not i’ve anything against that, no. But, Indonesia has many good things to made as trend, ironically, we just copy-copy-copy from others culture, it’s insane. From ‘gaudiesque’ non-contextual architecture, so-called-indie-fake-band-and-other-stuff, even the europeanism frikkin' snobbery  traits on celebrity and socialite, horrible! Coffee hawker is just one tiny example, it started when the popular Singapore’s coffee hawker brand, Ya Kun Kaya Toast had placed their popularity in Jakarta, and it was booming.  I love the kaya-toast, teh ping, and soft/runny boiled egg combo though (as my Dad favorites combo too), but it’s just an ‘okay’, not wonderfully good. The Ya Kun always packed of peoples, especially on weekend, the concept was smart-ass approached, i don’t mind about it. But for me, there’s one contender that can beat those Singaporean cool franchises, its Kopi Lay, the North Sumatran (Medaners) version of true coffee hawker, located at Eat & Eat Food Court Concept, Mal Kelapa Gading 3, Jakarta.

The history of coffee hawker it’s not originally came from Singapore. It brought by the chinese immigrants, hokkien spoken/Southern Fujian, Taiwan descendants, that have been recited around Singapore, Malaysia, and Medan (North Sumatra, Indonesia) for centuries. So no wonder, there’s a lot of franchised/ghetto/modern version of coffee hawker amoba-ized everywhere. It‘s just the same as “Warung Kopi/Warung Tegal” in Jakarta, and else here, it’s essentially a place to hang out (usually for workers/salary man) after hard days labor, drink a couple of solid-black coffees with easy snack, discussing reality of life, then get relax. Just easy like that.

Now, back to Kopi Lay, i’m always have a regular combo from there, consists of; “Es Teh Tarik”/pulled-iced milk tea or “Milo Dinosaur”/iced Milo with full drenched with sprinkled, well... Milo. That refreshing drinks doesn’t come plain; they dressed in vintage glass, perfected by small tea plate with the complimentary of finger biscuits, nice! The meal itself; “Toast with Gula Melaka”/dark brown french toast, tasted comforting, with the retro-thick-sliced-home-made bread. And for the egg (there’s no proper coffee hawker combo without soft/runny boiled egg combo, damn right!), and Kopi Lay excelled that by using “Telor Ayam Kampung”/free-ranged egg. Take that Ya Kun guy!

Yup, that guy just making my order, "Es Teh Tarik". As you can see, the stall was retrotastic! The vintage plank/canister, old owner's family portrait, F&N creamer can, and...the "Selai Srikaya"/indonesian version kaya jam on a plastic jar, okay...it's not like Ya Kun, singaporean version which pale green, it's more yellow-pale-tan colored (as they aren't contained "Pandan" and "Suji" leaves).

The chinese folkore pin-up right there just one of the props from Kopi Lay stall. The rest, well, there's vintage knick-knacks like; "Fan Bo" beauty powder, Carnation condensed milk can, and so on. Overall, it's pleasant experiences to lingering the place itself, food and drinks are very affordable, and such a relief matter to escape from all-things-singapore booming in Jakarta for a while, BREATH!

Onde Mande...! The Fantastic Of Real Padang Food Part 1

Just because i start to maintained my body-image lately, doesn't mean i lost my addiction to food. Food is my obsession beside art and travel. And when i just too lazy to go to restaurant/cafe/eating spot, or got enough over junk food delivery, i choose the fast (still delivery), the traditional approach, and still pretty tasty, well...it's Padang food. It's not malay/singaporean influences, it's the original thing, the indonesian, West Sumatra ultra delicacies. I'm talking about the succulent "Rendang", finger lickin' "Gulai Kepala Ikan", quire/mild taste of "Gulai Otak", even milder taste "Ayam Pop", and so much more. It's not a dietic food, it's hi-calories packed, but what the heck! At least it wasn't artificial, flavor-enhancer, hormonic junk food, it's nature at the best.

Before i taking further about the ever-wonder of great Padang Food, i started by the basic of them all, the rice, and for the real Padang Food, they take it very...very...seriously. The rice, especially when i got from delivery, not came like the usual speed-pack standard, you know, styrofoam, plastic, carton, and else, not at all. They have very indigenous way, wrapped in fragrance's banana leaf, then with the wrapping paper as final layer. It's genius for just simple gesture. Wrapping a rice in banana leaf, not just making it fragrances, but also keeping the rice's moisture, even when it's stored in fridge. It's a revolutionized solution from every Padang restaurateur. The people behind it, not an Einstein, not came from Harvard/Oxford-iance just nature-based instinctive people. Really cool fact by the way.

PS: After the banana leaf, here comes the final wrapping paper with the "Sederhana" restaurant's logo, then sealed with rubber band, ERGONOMIC!

My Taste Bud Know I Want To Break Free

After my angsty-pre-emotional post, i just need a relaxing break, and the nearest thing i could think/feel of, it's by remembering my favorite place to satisfy my taste. Different than "Pondok Kuliner" that i mentioned in the earlier post, this is more little restaurant formed, located in Pondok Indah, Jakarta, called "Resto Ngalam". This interesting eating spot, side-by-side the well known massage parlor institution "Bersih Sehat" (It's Clean and Healthy!), just served the traditional culinary sensation from East Java (Surabaya & Malang) specialities. 

I just remember my first visited, it's from last month, and the only time i took the photos. The interior it's simple, modern twist with a little of pop factor. I don't take the interior photo but more of the meal of the day shoot, the food itself very represented the restaurant theme. For example, i took the entree, the dessert-like-sweet "Perut Ayam".

Yup, just like the name and it's form, "Perut Ayam" literally translated as chicken intestine. This sweet spiral thing, it's the indonesian version of doughnut. This made from mixing the simple batter, consists from; plain flour, egg, and liquified Java's palm sugar, and then you deep-fried (with the spiral-ing tech from the egg-skin-holed) it with a lot of palm oil. For just an entree, this "Perut Ayam" really kicked out your taste bud, it's not heavy, not-to-sweet, and the crunchy-outside-moist-inside effect just so amazing. It's yeast-free, bread-improving-free, topping/filling-free too, just simple as a snack, but more healthier.

As for the main course, my light-but-refreshing meal are; "Soto Gubeng" East Java speciality of lightly herbed meat broth, accompanied with hard-boiled egg, rice, and kick-ass sambal. The meat broth was lovely, the herb was blended well, and delicate in taste (it wasn't like curry, okay). The sambal just made a zingy factor to cut the savory/meaty consistency. And...for the perfect ending, just drink a glass of "Lime Squash" and your sanity shall be relieved. And it's not even a diet meal ever, the culinary of Indonesia was essentially healthy, made by grinding a fresh herb, lightly choice of meat, not heavy ladden in fat and dairy products. It's a veggie wonderland, if you know how to choose, and the best of all, it's damn cheap food mecca compared with most of other asian countries, PROUD!

Revolutionary Approach To Seduce Your Stomach

Let's walk around our neighborhood! It's fun, doesn't need any vehicle running around...at least for me, as the car-less person. If i just lazy enough to take a bus for self-travel around the city, well...easy, just walk. My neighborhood, Kemang Pratama I, Bekasi, near the great city of Jakarta, just a friendly, quiet housings with a few cool public facilities. There's groceries, restaurants, cafes, sport club, reflexology/massage parlors (oh yeah!), and the awesome "Pondok Kuliner" or culinary garden, it's a clusterized open-aired restaurant, almost like hawker center in Singapore.

It's a new 'guerilla' institution though, this public effort has been hailed from savings the huge amount of hawkers due the super sucks hawker-free birocracy in our housings. Usually, the private house owner's open their field to let the hawkers stays, with much less taxes. It's a new social revolution in culinary world that must have sort proud of achievement. I love this concept, most because i hate the snobbery for just simply act as 'eating-a-food'. I don't blame any luxury actvities, i like and enjoyed that, but because the 'overrated' act that people these days made it, luxury became dumber and dumber.

I have a lot of favorite "Pondok Kuliner" around my neighborhood, but the most visited (also the nearest from home) is the place called "Sweet Mayo", and it's not all mayonnaise-based i'm afraid. I became regular fan of their "Bubur Ayam Sukabum", Indonesian/West Java speciality of chicken porridge. Different than Chinese version, the porridge has a dense intensity, which i prefered best than runny/watery texture. And the "Krupuk Kanji", crunchy-goodness savory cracker perfecting the meal itself. As for this pic, it shows the "Soto Ayam Wonogiri", traditional faintly-herb chicken broth based soup, true Indonesian food which gained popularity beside satay and fried rice. I don't really savour it much, well...personal taste choice.

  

PS: It's early in the morning, so it's not open yet, love the empty-ready-to-occupy space, CALMING!

You're So Delicious, You Shrek-Pale Mini Creatures

Love for food, i mean, completely out-of-mind love to eat some food a.k.a addiction would be called a gluttony. Judged by some wiseguy. I don't or won't buy that bullshit called seven deadly sin. What sin? Do they know definition about sin, a true sin? Doubt it. Whatever they called, love for food with proper control is a great uses of love. At least for me. Because i've found some people, err...women and girls, grew some hatred towards food, regarding to their body images. That's sucks! Okay...if you afraid to get fat, just eat, then exercises. Eat responsibly, we talking about portion controlled here, crime solved! Jeez...and i'm very happy to acclaimed myself as food lover.

Talk about sweets, i don't like all kind of those, i'm picky manor, for examples; i hate candy, i rather choose chocolate, way better, i hate fancy cupcakes, that's a sin to me for degrading a delicate taste of simple cake, what the hell is icings anyway? It's useless, that's why fancy girly-girl adore cupcakes, they think it's cute, yeah seeing not eating is guiltless act. Well, i'll eat that damn cupcakes if it's drenched in all chocolatey goodness. Chocolate is the true sweets, king of sweets and desserts.

As for cheesecake, i found it's rather personal taste, this unique dessert traced their history from Ancient Greek to American Jewish Community (as the proud founder of New York Cheescake) so it's really the old grand'daddy recipe, nice! Not all kind cheesecake i can munch, and i don't like fruity jewel crown one, the favorite one for all holiday present my family always got from neighbors. It's not that i want to be ungrateful, but like i said before, personal taste is all about. So, my taste is the simple, not overly powered cheese batter, not super hard, only the creamiest. As one of my favorite, Maqui's, japanese style cheesecake, fly from beautiful landscape, Kobe, Japan. Yup japanese love simple things, they simplified everything, even cheesecake, job done! I love the green tea, and rare cheese one, they came in mini-size, almost like cupcakes. The green tea one, tasted like solidify version of green tea latte, and it's good, it's personal, not everyone's cup of tea (it's green tea okay!). While the rare cheese tasted just the faint cheese with creamy consistency, it's lighter version of New York Cheesecake. I'm addicted to them, really, it's my post-stressed comforting snack beside chocolate, 'cause sometimes chocolate just bored me though.

PS: It's an Ogre, it's the Incredible Hulk, no idiot, it's just a cheesecake, GET IT!

The Art Of Repeating Stupid Mistake Part 1

Do you ever did a stupid repeatable mistake? I mean really stupid like order a wrong choice of food, that you must to finish eating it as your responsibility. Yes i did!!! For example, like i did in Mos Burger, it's kinda stupid though. I recognized Mos Burger fever when i read one of my favorite CLAMP's manga, Magic Knight Rayearth, one of the character, Umi Ryuzaki mentioned about this, how she missed her favorite burger joint when all the suddent she's trapped in a mumbo-jumbo world for a long whacking time.

I remember when we must hunted Mos Burger (outside Japan off course) at least to Singapore (nearest from here), and at last, at the first time, i tasted it. I'm ordered the Spicy Beef Teriyaki Burger. It's good by the way, i think because the spicy note, between the sweet teriyaki sauce. But, honestly, it's not that great. Why? First mistake accomplished, I'm ordered a wrong choice  one! And if you think i could be smart enough to pick the right choice after that...well you're just try being nice to me. Thanks!

Second chance must be better eh...? Mos Burger finally landed in Jakarta, made a huge follower here, yes! why not accepted new trend then? As for second mistake, it's when i'm ordered a package for lunch from Mos Burger, at Pondok Indah Mall II food court. I remember that i ordered Chicken Teriyaki Burger, sounds nice huh? it must be healthier than beef version because they're using skinless chicken breast, with a slosh of sweet teriyaki sauce, a pair of lettuces, within a bun. The verdict? Yuck!...sorry, but there's something wrong about the teriyaki sauce that bathed on tasteless chicken breast. It's saccharine taste, you know, over-faked-sugary-sick taste. Yes it must be the teriyaki's fault, it's total failed with chicken, i hope it's more because the lower grade teriyaki sauce they've used. But, i finished it anyway, with a grudge, and regret...much...much...regret. I should stick on Mc'D Fillet-O-Fish then, it's a million times better. Or, i should try the other choice, maybe? finger crossed.

PS: So... if i put the rank on, it would be like this; Chicken Teriyaki Burger (Poor), French Fries (Good), Iced Green Tea/ Ocha (Excellent), IRONIC!  

Fluffy, Sweet, Coconutty With A Splash Of Storm

Right...talk about food, especially desserts just made me happy, really trully happy...

When i'm thinking about starting a blog, i've lot of pre-concept just made off, is it about food, fashion, art or just sharing your life lesson. Yes i've lot of interests, hobbies, favorite things in my life that couldn't described in one page, OFF COURSE! that's why a blog really exist right? It contain all your life, passion, opinion...in one big smart memory keeper that i called BlogRAIN (get it?). Blog is a superficial memory treasure, a time capsule that aired everywhere. Yeah...at least if there's connection wired available somewhere. So...my blog consist not just one theme preffered, it's simple, it's all about things that i liked (and i hated, just to be insult, which i like too).

This time when the rainstorm thundered, some sunny people will get sorrow, pout, cries (please...), and me, i got merrier, happier, why we have to hate rain in this tropical climate land anyway??? some bubbly-sunny freakin people just lost their marble i think. Why i love rainy day than bright hot one? it's cooler, dark sephia environment, sleepy mood aura, increase my appetite, make me saving time and money too (stay at home, no shopping, no gossipping, no sweaty air). In fact, i just dicovered that with perfect dessert at home, rainy day will getting so much better. For example, "Bubur Sumsum" that i got from Bakmi Simpur restaurant near my house. It was heavy rainning, post-salon hair treatment, and just waitting for rain to get lighter. So why not getting myself into restaurant next to the salon then?

"Bubur Sumsum" is just one of Indonesian traditional speciality dessert. It's a coconut custard, steamed in banana leaf, with the Javanese palm sugar and thick coconut milk reduction as the sauce. Taste result? Full comfort in your mouth, it's fluffy, light golden custard that sets perfectly, sweet not too 'saccharine' aftertaste, just "Mondo-Mondo" a.k.a slightly note, and coconutty flavouring married well to the palm sugar. Yeah right, trust me, if you eat this in the middle of glaring sun, it's called sugar-struck. Higher blood sugar level, plus heat stressed all over your body after, that's not good, you need the  proper aid from otherside, ice cream, baby! Lesson learned, next time the storm calling your neighborhood, don't bother yourself in mourning, find your "Bubur Sumsum" kind of comfort then, it's a hella great combo for dummies!

PS: How sexy your dessert look can be, just zoom it, auto-focus, shoot, and don't forget to drool, SLURP!