That one Saturday afternoon, I was doing some errands in Pondok Indah area when I found this restaurant, located almost hidden in Pondok Indah Plaza 2.
You can instantly tell that DON! DON! is a Japanese restaurant just by looking at its door. They placed a menu board outside the door so potential guests can have a peek at their menu, and that’s exactly what I did.
One of the things that me and my colleagues have in common is our love for food. Since I moved to this team of 9, I’ve had countless of culinary trips in between meetings or during lunchtime.. and we also like to order food to be eaten together during work 😀 Last Thursday, one of my friends discovered Dough Darlings on Instagram – an online bakery based in North Jakarta – and she quickly gathered some of us to order a dozen doughnuts together. Since not all of us are fond of doughnuts, only 6 decided to order it, hence each could get 2 kinds.
We went to their website to check their menu. They have a selection of flavours which looks very tempting, it felt like I want to buy them all! Really! Plus, their instagram feed is also as tempting. At first it was hard to decide.. but then I finally got a decision – I ordered 1 Red Velvet and 1 Nutella + Graham doughnuts. My friend organised the order to be delivered the next day – Friday.
With the help of Gojek, our order arrived safely at the office shortly after lunch, just in time for dessert. The packaging looks promising and I could not believe what I saw when I opened the box!
JUST. LOOK. AT. THOSE. GIANT. DOUGHNUTS!!!
Don’t you think they look tempting?Look at how big it is.. almost as big as my face! Lol :)))))
So how did it taste like? I had to wait a little bit longer before I got to try it.. because one of my colleague/fellow blogger – Redo wanted to take a picture first. He’s a better food reviewer than I am and unlike me, he takes his pictures very seriously.. just look at this picture I took on candid while he was directing us how to pose with the doughnuts! hahahaha. (P.S check out his blog here)
So yeah, after a while I finally got to try it. Verdict? It was really good!! I gave it 4.5 out of 5! It may not be that special if you compared it to doughnuts in the U.S, but it was the closest to U.S style doughnuts that you can get here in Jakarta. The dough were moist and fluffy, the toppings were delicious – I have to say I’m a satisfied consumer and will surely make a repeat order. Give it a try and let me know what you think! 🙂
Phone: 081286869082
Line: doughdarlingsjkt
Open: 9AM – 5PM
That Tuesday was not an ordinary one. I had two meetings in two different locations; each far from each other. Knowing Jakarta and its traffic, you must imagine that it was not a pleasant day for me. At first. Not until I managed to reach Jl. Wolter Monginsidi despite its dreadful traffic to eat at this newly opened restaurant.
Yep, Holy Smokes is located at the corner of Jl.Wolter Monginsidi, very close to KFC. With the undergoing construction, that road is hell-ish during weekdays, especially dinner time. It took me 2,5 hours to get there from Gatot Subroto area. Crazy right?
So, I arrived there feeling cranky and very tired. I greeted my friend who have waited an hour for me (sorry!), and she told me to order at the cashier counter. I was then greeted by a friendly staff and browsed the menu.
My choice that night was Brisket and Ribs Dinner combo for IDR 150K. It includes 1 slice of brisket, 1 piece of rib bone and 2 sides. I chose Mac & Cheese and Homecut fries for the sides. I also ordered bottomless softdrinks for IDR 22. Overall it was a quite pricey dinner for just myself, but I decided to give my bank account (and tummy, of course) a break that night.
They told me to wait at my table and come back when my food’s ready, so I did, with high expectation. In between waiting an chatting with my friend, I managed to snap these pictures:
Finally, after around 15 minutes of waiting, my food was ready!! I was called using a remote buzzer and made my way to the pick up counter immediately after it buzzed. I was so excited! (mainly because I was hungry hahaha).
Judging only by the looks, the meal looked very promising. The meat looked tender and juicy. Even the sides looked appetising. Guess what, MY MEAL WAS BOMB. Sooooo goood! Like predicted the meat was juicy, perfectly smoked. The BBQ taste was apparent in the perfect amount. Not too heavy, not too soft. So far the best BBQ joint in Jakarta, a decent substitute to Phil’s BBQ in California.
Holy Smokes
Jl. Wolter Monginsidi No. 27
Jakarta 12180
(021) 722 1795
*opens daily from 11:30 am to 10:00 pm
I am currently sitting in Benedict – a newly opened restaurant located in Grand Indonesia. Yes, it is still working hours, and yes, it is a Wednesday. But my client had to postpone our meeting to later this afternoon and I suddenly found myself having an hour free time.. so I decided to sit down and have some “afternoon tea time” while waiting.
Before going to India, I was not much of a fan of Indian food. Even my knowledge of it was limited to Chicken Tikka Masala. Continue reading “My newly found love – Indian Food.”
Last week I received an invitation through this post to visit a newly opened Cafe in Kemang area called Komunal 88 Cafe Market – to try their Croissant. Since I am a self-proclaimed Croissant enthusiast, I decided to visit the Cafe last Saturday!
When I arrived, I was greeted by a friendly waitress by the name of Agustina and she showed me around the cafe before I got seated. As you can see, Komunal 88 is still on Soft Opening period, she said that they still don’t have a complete menu. But since I came there for the Croissant, I did not give too much of attention to the menu.
I loved what I saw. The cafe looks sleek and modern but at the same time comfortable. I can imagine spending time here to work or simply hanging out with my family or friends. Since I came there for brunch at around 10 AM, I also saw that most guests besides myself were expat families.
Okay, let’s talk about the Croissant now.
The Croissant (70 gr), is priced at IDR 12.000. I think the price is reasonable, judging by the size. I was intrigued to have a bite the moment I saw this lovely bunch! Soooo tempting, right?
The croissant (and all bakery items, for that matter), are baked fresh daily. No wonder it looks so tempting. As much as I like that they take quality really serious, but I could not help but wonder about the taste. Is it the kind of food that’s only pretty but not that delicious to be eaten?
Of course not! I hope my pictures can do the justice, but the croissant is so good! It’s definitely one of the best croissants I’ve had in Jakarta. It has the prefect golden color, showing that it was perfectly baked. It’s crispy on the outside – that crispy, you know when you chew it, you can hear yourself crunching. BUT, it has a moist and fluffy filling inside, making it so chewy at the same time. OH-SO-GOOD! I give it 5 out of 5 stars for price, appearance, and of course – taste.
Moving on, I spent a good 2 hours in the cafe. While I was there I actually finished some blog post drafts, hehehe. Of course, I also got to try their other food and drinks in addition to the croissant. First, I had a portion of Parmigiano Puffs (IDR 15.000) and Flat White (IDR 40.000). While Flat White is self explanatory (it tasted good, for sure!), Parmigiano Puffs is a unique to me because that’s the first time I had one. Translated literally it is a cheese puff, a bit like choux, with apparent cheese taste. I think it’s the perfect nibbles.
Then as I was thirsty, I asked for another drink. My waiter recommended me to try their Black Lemon Coffee (IDR 35.000). It was described to have a strong lemon taste, making it fresh, but with a taste of coffee at the same time. Sounds interesting, right? When I tried it, the description I was told was true! It is a unique drink, giving you a fresh feeling plus a delicious taste of coffee. Perfect for a hot afternoon.
So far I’ve told you about the food and drinks that I had – all delicious and beyond my expectation. What I also love about Komunal 88 is that they are very serious in everything that they do. Like how they sell merchandise – but not ordinary ones. All are nicely designed, plus with a good cause. Like the tumblers, for example. It’s meant to reduce plastics, and every time you buy a drink with the tumbler for takeaway, the drink will be half-price.
Oh, another interesting fact – Komunal 88 also adapts an old Italian custom – Suspended Coffee. Whenever you feel like doing something good for others, buy a cup of suspended coffee (or water/bread) here and it will be given to an anonymous after you left.
Did I enjoy my visit? Will I come back? Of course 🙂
When you are in Kemang area, don’t forget to pay a visit! Have a great week and stay safe, fellow Jakartans!
Komunal 88 Cafe Market
Jalan Ampera Raya 5-6
Pejaten Barat
Tel: +62 21 7197000
Christa Bercerita 