Semarang Trip -- Cafe and Restaurant Hopping

 First post in 2015! Hi everyone, if you're following me on instagram, you would know that I just got home from a culinary trip in Semarang recently. The trip was fully sponsored by OpenSnap, a new mobile app for foodie developed by the well known food website, OpenRice. They're holding lots of exciting competitions and promotions every month, and this time me and my friends happened to be the winner of their Semarang trip competition.

The prize consists a 2D1N trip to Semarang, with the accommodation and transportation fees fully sponsored by OpenSnap. This is my first time being to the city of Lunpia, and I was so excited to try as many food as my stomach could bear. This is the first part of the story, in this post I will share about the Restaurants and Cafes we visited in Semarang. But don't worry, more excitement (read : STREET FOOD) will be coming up next.

TOKO OEN

Address: Jl. Pemuda, No.52, 50138, 50139, Indonesia

Phone:+62 24 3541683

One of the icon of the city! This colonial style restaurant has easily won my heart with their old style Dutch influenced bakery and homemade ice cream. Looking at their display was such a temptation, I want to try all the bread and cookies they have. We tried one of their old style bread from their display called "Roti Telur / Egg Bread", Poffertjes, and also Rum and Raisin and Tutti Frutti Ice Cream. Everything was incredibly good! Must must must try when you're in Semarang.

PARIJS VAN JAVA

Address: Jalan Singosari Raya, Semarang, Kota Semarang, Jawa Tengah 50242, Indonesia

Phone:+62 24 8311938

This place is such a feast for the eyes. It is decorated to look like a vintage European house, with lots of vintage furniture, floral pattern, and uber cute ornaments. Every corner is photogenic! Even better, they serve various good food here. My favorite is their Nasi Bakar Parijs Van Java. The rice is so fragrant and rich, and it is served with crispy and juicy fried chicken. Totally one of the best Nasi Bakar I've ever had.

KOENOKOENI CAFE GALLERY

Address: JL.Tabanan, No.4, Candi Baru, Jawa Tengah 50231, Indonesia

Phone:+62 24 8415454

This is just the place if you want to enjoy the true essence of Semarang. Not only because the cafe is taking form of the traditional semi outdoor Joglo House, it is also strategically located at the peak of Semarang city. You know, I always love to see the skyline of the city or the city lights at night whenever I travel. If it's a modern city, I'll find their best rooftop bar. But coming to a traditional city like Semarang, I think Koenokoeni is just the perfect place. Too bad their food wasn't really outstanding, though, but the view and the ambiance are worth it.

KABUKI JAPANESE RESTAURANT

Address : Jl. S Parman no. 56, Gajah Mungkur

Phone : (024) 8509866

When you're craving for Japanese food in Semarang, Kabuki will come to the rescue! They're serving pretty much all kind of Japanese food, from sushi to ramen and Japadog, but they are specializing in Teppanyaki. And I must say that their Teppanyaki taste could even compete in Jakarta. Tried their Dynamite Teppanyaki, which consists shrimps and squids with their signature dynamite sauce, and it was awesome!

FLORIAN ICE CREAM

Address: JL Letnan Jenderal MT Haryono No. 571-A, Karangkidul, Semarang, 50241, Indonesia

Phone:+62 24 8412070

I'm glad we did make it to Florian before our flight back to Jakarta. Love love the place, it was decorated in pastel colors, and lots of cozy sofas. I could imagine spending hours here if only we had more time in Semarang. Their ice cream was quite pleasing too. Some of the fruit flavors were too sweet for me, and kinda taste like syrup, not real fruits, but the chocolate and mocca flavor were rich and yummy. And the waffle, it was da bomb! Probably one of the best waffle I've tasted, it was buttery fragrant and moist.

So that's all the cafe and restaurant I visited during my Semarang trip. Some of them was scheduled by the OpenSnap team, while the others are found by googling and asking some of my fellow bloggers (huge thanks to them). Anyway, the street food post will be coming up next. See you!

[Bali] Rock Bar at Ayana Resort

I got some spare time today but I haven't got anything new to post since I've been busy lately, so I'm diggin' up my old photos and find this beautiful place that I've been wanted to post since forever! And I'm kinda missing Bali right now, so here goes.

Rock Bar at Ayana Resort has been known for ages as one of the best spot to watch sunset in Bali. Hanging at the edge of the cliff at around 14 metres above the Indian Ocean, Rock Bar is definitely offering a different experience to enjoy sunset. And not only the sunset, you can also enjoy the sunny weather, the sound of the waves, and the mesmerizing view of the surrounding cliffs and the sparkling ocean.

The place opens at 4PM everyday, but usually people have started lining up since 3.30, so if you wish to get a good spot, you better come early. On my first visit about two years ago, I arrived here at 5PM and ended up missing the sunset, because the place was already full and people usually not leaving their table until the sun is set. So in my second visit last year, I came earlier.

Rock Bar is serving various cocktails and mocktails, and also light snacks and desserts. There are no minimum purchase per table here, but every person has to purchase at least a glass of drinks. Well since this is an old photos, I've lost the bill and can't remember the name nor the taste of these cocktails that we ordered that day, so I'll just share the photos :)

Potato Wedges, Curly Fries, and Pita Chips (IDR 50.000)

It came with three kinds of condiment: Ketchup, Hummus, and Curry Mayonaise. I was quite satisfied with Rock Bar's light snacks so far, they served it hot and fresh, and all of them tasted really nice.

Chicken Pop Corn served with Herbed Olive Oil and Spiced Dukkah (IDR 85.000)

This chicken pop corn is also a nice dish. The chicken are thick and tender, and the seasoning was really good that we didn't need to dip it to the condiment at all. 

In the end I realize why people keep coming to Rock Bar. Because not only great place and mesmerizing views, the food and beverages they served here are also nicely done that people could really enjoy the views with nice enjoyable food and drinks. Anyway, enjoy the sunset!

Rock Bar
AYANA Resort and Spa Bali
Jl Karang Mas Sejahtera, Jimbaran
Ph. +62 361 702222
Web. Rock Bar
Opening hours: 4pm – 1am

[Puncak] Cimory Riverside

 

Some weeks ago on the weekend when I visit Nicole's Kitchen and Lounge, I also got the chance to visit Cimory Riverside for the first time. Yeah I've never been to Puncak for that long that the last time I went to Puncak, there's still only one Cimory Restaurant.

Cimory Riverside is one of the must-visited restaurant when you're going to Puncak. It's located on the right side of the road if you're heading there from Jakarta. The place is a spacious semi outdoor restaurant divided into some different levels. Below the restaurant area is the Ciliwung river, which visitors could see closer and have a riverside walk when the skies are bright. Too bad it was raining hard when we arrived there that we could only see the river from up above.

From left to right: Strawberry Milk, Chocolate Milk, and Mocca Milk (IDR 7.500 each)

Well one does not simply went to Cimory and not buying their milk, so here are ours. My favorite would always be their plain and mocca milk. It's too bad they're only serving their milk in cold temperature, because I'd love to have a cup of warm milk in such a cold day.

Zuppa Soup (IDR 26.500)

Since we failed to get a glass of warm milk, we decided to order this warm soup instead. As expected of zuppa soup, it comes with crunchy layers of pastry and creamy warm soup. The soup also came with generous fillings.

Nachos

Nachos is our comfort food, we almost always order nachos wherever we go. Cimory Riverside's nachos comes with generous tomato salsa and mozzarella cheese toppings. Love the tomato salsa, it was sour yet refreshing.

Assorted Sausages (IDR 44.900)

Five mini sausages served with potato wedges, mini salad, and BBQ sauce. I read somewhere on the internet that one of the sausages was supposed to be a cheese sausages, but this portion has no cheese sausages. I don't know if the sausages is different in every plate or we just got the wrong sausages in our plate. Anyway the sausages tasted good, but I enjoyed the potato wedges more. It got the crispy outer skin and seasoned just right. Perfect combination with the BBQ sauce.

Cimory Riverside also got a chocolate shop called Chocomory. The place is cute, the chocolate here are freshly made from their own chocolate factory. A nice place to buy souvenirs for your loved ones :D

Cimory Riverside

Jl. Raya Puncak KM 77

Puncak-Bogor

Ph. (0251) 8257 888

[Puncak] Nicole's Kitchen and Lounge

It's been a long time since my last visit to Puncak. In my childhood I used to go to Puncak almost every weekend, meet my big family at my grandma's villa, and play with my two favourite cousins there. At that time Puncak was always very crowded in weekend, but I think it's popularity  began to fade when the Cipularang highway built. People would prefer to go to Bandung for there is more choices of food and leisure there, so like every other family, we began to abandon our Puncak weekend routine.

But then lately the name of Puncak often be heard again thanks to Nicole's Kitchen and Lounge. Located at the same area with Brasco Factory Outlet, Nicole's has brought a new concept for people to enjoy the beauty of Puncak. The rooftop lounge is a real beauty, for sure. It's designed all white, and it has glass roof and sliding windows all over the place, allowing the bright sunshine and breezy wind to enter the room. The outside area has a lot of rattan sofas and gazebos, a really nice and cozy place to spend a quiet holiday.

The food they serve was quite various, they have Western, Asian, and Indonesian food selection. The pictures below are what we had that day,

Sate Kambing (IDR 48.000)

Fish and Chips (IDR 42.000)

Beef Black Pepper with Rice (IDR 48.000)

Chicken Cordon Bleu (IDR 55.000)

My dish that day is the Fish and Chips, and I didn't try the other dish other than mine. The Fish and Chips came in generous portion, the fish fillet was thick while the batter was thin and crispy. Too bad the tar tar sauce didn't compliment it well, it tasted just like plain mayo. In the other hand, we were really impressed by the presentation of the Sate Kambing. It's beautiful, and according to my friend, it tasted good too! The Chicken Cordon Bleu was another decent dish, while the Black Pepper Beef with rice was too watery for my friend.

In conclusion, the food were all pretty standard, they're quite good but not the one that leaves you craving for more. But the place itself was more enjoyable than the food. Would love to come again to spent a nice afternoon outside with a cup of tea and snacks, maybe?

Nicole's Kitchen and Lounge
Kampung Brasco Factory Outlet
Jl. Raya Hanjawar no.1
Cimacan, Jawa Barat

[Singapore] Song Fa Bak Kut Teh

My encounter with Song Fa Bakut Teh wasn't planned at all. Actually, I've never had any interest towards Bakut Teh. Although I've never seen it before, I always thought that Bakut Teh is some kind of herbal soup that taste like some sort of medicine. Well Song Fa proved me that I was wrong, and I shouldn't be judging food foolishly just by it's name.

That day we were walking down the road looking for our hostel, when we passed by a crowded restaurant at the corner of the street. And yes, that was Song Fa. It was fully occupied and there were a bunch of hungry customers lining up even though it wasn't a proper meal time. Drawn by curiosity, we were up early the next day to give it a try.

Song Fa at 8 AM in the morning was a lot different than the day before. The place was not overcrowded, there's only a plenty customers enjoying their breakfast calmly and having friendly conversations. I'm glad we came early.

The menu were quite various, but most of them are organs. Since I'm not eating organs, I ordered the safest yet the best seller menu, the Pork Ribs Soup (Regular size, S$ 8) and also a plate of Xiao Ba Cai in Oyster Sauce (S$ 3.5) and rice. The soup was far from what I thought as herbal and medicinal, it was rich and garlicky and peppery and so heavenly, while the pork ribs was tender and seasoned well. And the best part is, the soup is refillable! The Xiao Ba Cai was another great dish to accompany the soup. The vegetable was fresh and it has strong flavor of oyster sauce.

Later I found out that Song Fa is one of the most popular Bakut Teh place in Singapore. It's been around for more than thirty years, and people still keep coming. Well that explains. If only I had another day in Singapore, I wouldn't think twice to get my breakfast there.

Song Fa Bakut Teh
11 New Bridge Road #01-01
Singapore 059383
Bussiness Hours : 
07.00 AM - 9.30 PM
(Closed on Monday)
Ph. +65 65336128

Also Available at:
UE BizHub East
6 Changi Bussiness Park
Ave 1 #01-38 S486017
Ph. +65 66948098


By the way while we're on this area, the hostel I stayed near Song Fa is called Bunc@Radius at Clarke Quay. For the price of S$ 35 a night, you'll get a clean shared room and bathrooms and they're air conditioned well. The service was also flawless, breakfast is provided, and there are free water, milk, and oranges all day. And it's less than 5 minutes walk to Song Fa. That could be a great choice if you're traveling to Singapore on budget. It was my first hostel experience, and I am really a satisfied customer.

[Bali] Finn's Beach Club

If somebody asks me what's my most favourite part during our trip to Bali last month, I would certainly say that it was the afternoon we spent at Finn's Beach Club. Hidden deep behind the sturdy southern cliffs of Bali, the venue is surely a perfect hideaway from daily routines.

Let me take you for a quick tour to reach the venue. After a long ride by car, following GPS and signs on the road, we finally reach Semara Villas at Uluwatu. Finn's reception desk is located at the right side, so we went there and register our name to get the ticket. The ticket is IDR 250.000 per person, but that amount could be use to purchase food and beverages at Finn's. 

After purchasing the ticket, we need to walk down the stairs to the cable car station, ride the cable car down the cliff, and take another steps down the stairs before we finally reach the venue. It was quite a long way, but it was paid when we saw the beautiful sparkling ocean from the cable car. And even more worth it when we stepped at the soft wet sands and the cold water of Indian Ocean.

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The beach club itself couldn't be more relaxing. Semi outdoor bamboo structured restaurant, beanbags, sunbeds, umbrellas. PARADISE, that might be the perfect word. Even better, Finn's Beach Club is limiting their customers everyday so the venue wouldn't get overcrowded. Our privacy is their priority here.

And the best part is, Finn's Beach Club is providing Kayak, Stand Up Peddle Boards, and Snorkeling Masks for the customers, and its FOR FREE! And also FREE WIFI, so you could still connect the outside world if you wish. Oh there's just too many best part of Finn's that I'm getting confused which one is the best of the best.

Anyway, no matter how beautiful the venue is, it's still goes down to the food. So here's what we had that day.

Classic Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken (IDR 120.000)

You know I'm not a big fan of Salad, but I found that this Caesar Salad fresh and tastes nice. Vegetables were crunchy and nicely dressed, even more better to combine it with the grilled chicken, bacon, or the egg.

Ebi Spring Rolls with Sweet and Sour Sauce (IDR 90.000)

Served hot, generously filled, and that tangy sauce that could certainly raise your appetite, this menu has made it to my favorite at Finn's.  

Home Made Hummus with Toasted Pita Bread (IDR 75.000)

Well this is my first time trying hummus. Hummus is a Middle Eastern and Arabic food dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. Didn't expect that peas could taste like this after mashed. Quite nice, I wouldn't mind ordering that again next time.

Balinese Pizza (IDR 150.000)

Thin crusted Italian Pizza topped with Chicken, Mushrooms, Chilli, and Sambal Matah. There's a lot of restaurants in Bali selling Balinese Pizza, and Finn's Pizza wasn't the best, but it was still decent.

Nachos (IDR 90.000)

Their Nachos were served with Grilled Cheese, Salsa, Sour Cream, and Guacamole. I looove that it was served hot and the amount grilled cheese was generous.

Well there's one more thing that deserves another paragraph: Service. It was flawless. All the waiter were very kind and serve us well from the table to our sunbeds. Maybe because of the fall of their neighbor, Nammos, which I heard keep losing it's customers because their service is poor, that Finn's waiter and waitress are trying hard to win their customers heart. And they have win mine. So if you're planning your visit to Bali, don't forget to put Finn's on your schedule. You know you won't regret it.

Finn's Beach Club

Semara Luxury Villa Resort
Jalan Pantai Selatan Gau, Banjar Wijaya Kusuma,
Ungasan 80362 Bali, Indonesia

ph.+ 62 (361) 848 2111 // + 62 853 3941 1907