Seirock-Ya at Serpong

I've always been curious to try out Seirock-Ya signature chicken broth ramen ever since the Japanese brand opens its first branch at Radio Dalam. Randomly when I was visiting AEON Mall I saw Seirock-Ya near the corner within the Ramen Village area of the mall. Excited to try it out, I finally sat down by one of their benches and began ordering. Unfortunately their signature toripaitan chicken broth were out of stock! It was only 3.00 p.m. so I guess the restaurant really were not ready with their ingredients in amidst their business which is very disappointing. The only ramen option available were the Tokyo ramen, the Hokkaido ramen and one of the spicy version of their ramen. Aside from the toripaitan menu, the gyoza, tsukemen and even their signature orange drink were also not in stock :(

Tokyo Ramen (IDR 42.000)

I personally ordered the Tokyo ramen and it comes in a very subtle broth with hints of shoyu and glazes from the chicken stock. This old school ramen were presented nicely and the toppings were filling and includes a strip of chicken, quail egg, scallions, nori and mushroom. I really liked the texture of Seirock-Ya particular ramen as it is chewy and very smooth. Taste wise it was delicious but not beyond the ordinary.

Hokkaido Ramen (IDR 42.000)
With similar topping as the Tokyo Ramen, this Hokkaido ramen comes in a clearer soup that has a more hitting chicken flavor and its base can be seen as a shio ramen; while the Tokyo-style is served by a shoyu base flavoring. This is my brother's order and I like his ramen in comparison to my own; yet he said the opposite and preferred the kind of ramen broth I ordered instead.

Devil Ramen - Level 1: Angel Pedas (IDR 59.000)

This devil ramen came in a pretty thick broth and very hard-hitting spiciness from chilli seeds. We only ordered the one in its lowest level but the spiciness were already pretty hot. This will make you a bit on the edge of tearing up, but not too spicy that you cannot taste the flavor. If you choose to order the Devil Ramen in its highest level that is Level 5: Devil Pedas, youll get a card as a complimentary award for the challenge as a 'Pedas Master'. But it's just a card so.... yeah, we weren't interested to bet our stomach just yet for that. The other level for this spicy ramen is the intermediate spiciness broth,  the  Level 3: Monster Pedas.

Karaage (IDR 23.000)

The menu calls for four pieces of chunky chicken coated in a batter, fried until golden brown and served hot along with a side coleslaw. The batter were pretty peppery but I think it is what makes the karaage special. The karaage can also be ordered as an add-on for the ramen, priced at IDR 9.000 for two pieces (even a better deal!).

My first visit to Seirock-Ya has yet to satisfy my curiosity since I still want to try out their Toripaitan ramen, their gyoza, and their fresh orange soda served in its own orange rinds. The dishes were overall pretty nice and I'm convinced to go back to its Radio Dalam branch to have plenty of the menu that I missed! Hopefully I can try those out soon and shall it blows my expectation.

Seirock-Ya

AEON Mall

3rd Floor (Ramen Village)

BSD Raya Utama

Serpong, Tangerang

+6221 29168115

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Ayam KQ5 at Mayestik

It was around 7 p.m. at night that my brothers alongside with his girlfiend and my friend went here after a long tiring day spent at Dunia Fantasi. After all the crazy queues and spinning rides, we finally decide to enjoy some humble plate of dishes served here in Ayam KQ5. Despite the questionable name of the restaurant, KQ5 has been my family favorite when it opened in Cipete Raya; however the restaurant in Cipete Raya has now been closed and then moved to this particular location near 19 Junior High School. As we arrived, I immediately ordered my longtime favorite.

Paket Ayam Penyet (IDR 23.000)

With such value, you will get a piece of deep fried chicken in spices, fried tofu, fried tempeh, rice and   a side of lalapan greens. The frying process is done in a really hot oil that you can hear the sound of the oil scorching from the kitchen. The meal is served alongside with sambal korek to complete the idea of a plate of 'ayam penyet' drenched in chili. I requested chicken leg to go in the plate and it is served alongside with the chicken feet which I really appreciate since we would usually have chicken thigh only alongside the drumstick. The whole dish were great as it were all crunchy, umami, and super spicy due to the amount of chili and garlic within its sambal korek. I had two glass of sweet iced tea to counterbalance the spiciness!

Paket Bebek Lombok Hijau (IDR 29.000)

I've never personally ordered duck from KQ5 nor tried the lombok hijau sambal but apparently my older brother really liked it since he almost always order this particular menu in the restaurant. This is also served alongside with fried tofu and tempeh with a steaming hot rice.

The seating in this establishment is divided onto two: with chairs and without (lesehan). The restaurant will be easily spotted with its signture bright green walls. I would definitely recommend the meal served here since the flavor has always deliver! Ayam KQ5 also has numerous branches around the western Indonesia (see here) so it is proven that the food were a favorite amongst many. Order it and have some delicious Indonesian delicacy executed simply yet delicious for I believe I would have numerous other visit in the future.

Ayam KQ5

Jl. Bumi No. 46

Mayestik

South Jakarta

+6221 7262808

Ied Mubarak 1436 Hijri!

 

After a whole month of fasting during Ramadan, eid fitri finally comes around! One of the two grandest festivities amongst muslims and greatly celebrated around Indonesia with abundance of promotions and hecticness due to the traffic caused by people going back to their hometown, whereas my family spend the day at home in Jakarta by eating and gathering amongst our extensive family members that visit our house during the day. The perks of being born and raised in Jakarta and lacking a 'hometown' in its definition means that I also got to enjoy the town free from traffic (but not really this year) and get to hang around my family amongst the festivities in a kind reminder for the blessings after the test we've been put throughout Ramadan. A bit of moneybags given here and there doesn't hurt, too ;)

Rice cakes: a mix of both ketupat and lontong.

Gulai nangka, a coconut and jackfruit broth topped with krecek or puffed cows' skin.

Pange' Bawang Balado, a spicy traditional Padangnese beef dish.

Dendeng batoko', a beef jerky kind of dish with green chilis all over!

Petai balado

Jengkol balado

Shrimp balado with skinless petai.

Chicken fried in ginger and turmerick spices

Beef rendang

This post presented several of the Ied dishes I had at home and it was all said to be delicious! I personally did not try all of them due to my preferences (I've never eaten a whole jengkol my whole life due to the odor it has and also causes) but it was certainly dishes worthy for the celebration.

To end this post I would wish you all a

Happy Ied Mubarak!

May we all stay well, blessed, grateful, and enthusiastic for all the things that come up within the future in a new spirit and graces. Apologies for any fault or harmful intentions, for this is the time we shall all forgive and forgave. Have a great time and enjoy the rest of your days off ;)

Platters for Iftar in Sederhana at Tebet

In the midst of Ramadan, many invitations for collective iftar or buka bersama were thrown amongst friends and families. My father's side of the family which came from many areas of West Sumatra would always most definitely held their event in a Padangnese restaurant of such. Sederhana as a grand Padangnese food empire of its own is surely a definitive favorite -- especially their particular branch in Tebet, right across 115 Junior High School and minutes away from Kota Kasablanka, which to us have the best flavor and menu ranging from many Sederhana franchises around Jakarta. Around 5.30 p.m people had started to gather and since this is a large gathering, our family booked their whole upper floor available for 100 approximate seatings. In its true setting, with the dishes coming out in small plates similar in concept to what a tapas or rijstaffel is, you can pick your own selection of side dishes to go along your plate of rice. You pay for what you take and you got to enjoy i until you feel bloated and sinful from its rich goodness.

My favorite menu is definitely their Ayam Pop (literally translates into 'Pop' Chicken) that is firstly steamed in a sea of coconut milk to then later be fried and served in its glossy goodness. The chicken does not come out crispy during the frying process but meant as a way to infuse more of its flavor. Typically ayam pop is served alongside with a special type of sambal sauce added with tomatoes among other spices but I like my ayam pop as it is, alongside with steaming rice and cabai hijau or green chili peppers. Delightful!

What is the meaning of a Padangnese restaurant without a decent plate of Sate Padang or grilled beef in skewer added with ketupat or rice cake that is drenched in spicy sauce consisting of ginger, chili, lemongrass, beef broth, shallots, and kaffir lime leaves. Sate Padang is one of my absolute favorite Indonesian food and the one served in Sederhana Tebet really delivers. Menu such as Sate Padang and Soto Padang has to be ordered by its own and separate from the rijstaffel style of food that is served in a Padangnese restaurant. 

The Ayam Pop sauce.

The Ramadan feast ads up extra touch from Sederhana as they serve ta'jil in forms of sweet beverages such as cendol and kolak to sweeten up your day right after the hours of fasting. This time they also serve kue klepon which is a panda-flavored mochi-like rice flour cake that is filled with brown sugar that pops in your mouth. The klepon they serve here were really the highlight of iftar before the pre-dinner goodness from all the rest of the food.

The particular event is fun and always is, no matter how big the family is people always come together and spent hours and hours talking while all and all reminded us to be thankful for the gift of blessings that we had, especially in the eves of Ramadan. Good food and good people really is one of the truest essence of living to remind us to stay grateful. Happy Ramadan for all of us, may you all have great times within the month of blessing!

Big Ramadhan Box from Pizza Hut Delivery

It's been halfway through the holy month Ramadan and I've practically been spending my days either sleeping, going to the gym, and managing an on-campus event. I did not had the chance to go out some more since eating became restricted most hours and the road nearing the iftar time is crazy in traffic, food delivery then seems to be the most feasible option. A fast food junkie, this time I tried out ordering the newest Big Ramadhan Box promo from Pizza Hut Delivery, often shortened as PHD, that slightly differ from its main franchise. The box itself consists of: your choice of pizza, PepChiz, Boneless Chicken Thigh, SilverQueen Soft Cookies, and Chicken Green Rice (instead you can also opt for the Katsu Rendang Rice). As I ordered it online, I got a free bottle of Coca-Cola alongside with two free pannacotas.

Big Ramadhan Box (IDR 160.000)

The Big Ramadhan Box is a twist to one of PHD menu, the 'Big Box' itself. The original offering of the menu offer the Java Satay Pizza instead of the meaty classic topping we had that day; the Chicken Green Rice were another option to the Rendang Katsu Rice.

Thicker than the usual pizza you'll have in Pizza Hut, PHD offer its pizza similar of a pizza bread is since its dough were puffy and thick. The toppings were aplenty and the crust were beautiful although there were no contrast in texture of the crust to the pizza bread base.

I wish I would've stick with the Rendang Katsu Rice instead of the Green Chicken Rice. The particular menu consist of curry rice and citrus chicken. Its overall flavour were really weird! The verrrrry sour chicken seemed grilled but then the skin were so fatty, soggy and oily. The rice itself were okay, but no significant flavor added but the mix just doesn't go well :( However my parents really liked the menu, so I guess taste really is different for everyone.

PepChiz is a play on the word 'pepperoni' and 'cheese' rolled inside of a bread dough, that is later fried. It is accompanied by a salsa sauce that were pretty decent despite the obvious hit of tomato regardless of its name supposedly being a salsa bawang merah with plenty amount of shallots.

5-pieces of Boneless Chicken Thigh in spicy sauce (the options is similar to the Chicken WingStreet menu which are: honey mustard, cheese, barbecue and spicy sauce). It was spicy, but there were a hint of spice that sits a bit bitter. I would rather opt for the barbecue sauce. The reason we didn't pick either the honey mustard and cheese sauce were actually due to the fact that we did order the 10-piece Chicken Wingstreet alongside with the Ramadhan Big Box!

SilverQueen Soft Cookie were nutty, it is served warmed and chewy which I liked. The cookies were fragrant and its texture were good. However the richness might be overwhelming so take control of your portion with these sinful delight!

The two panacotta I got for free were the Choco Smooch Pannacota with rich chocolate mixture topped with slices of Beng-Beng wafers and the Vanilla Kiss Pannacota is topped with a slice of peach. The texture of this pannacota is a bit firmer than your ideal but flavor wise I liked it since it was not too sweet and were delightful when served cold. The vanilla were my favorite out of the two.

10-pieces Chicken WingStreet (IDR 60.000)

A slight price change, the chicken wingstreet were as good as ever. Fried chicken wings drizzled in your choice of sauce. Juicy, sinful and delicious -- the real reason why I would bother ordering PHD in the first place is because of these bad boys, especially in honey mustard sauce.

Imagine how giddy me brother were when we got this label on our Coke bottle.

Happy Ramadhan everyone,

try on this very package and enjoy the promotion while it last!

Pizza Hut Delivery

1500 600

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