Charlie's Pizza, Canterbury

Lunch for less than a fiver? You bet. Load up on Lebanese pizza, pies and breads at this Canterbury secret, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it bakery tucked into an alcove of shops on Canterbury Road.

The locals are in on it. There’s a passing parade of tradies, mums, school kids and hungry teens traipsing through here all day. On-site parking is a bonus too. The ovens start cranking way before dawn

Jakarta Fashion and Food Festival 2014: Kampoeng Tempo Doeloe

It's another year and that means another 'series' of the Jakarta Fashion and Food Festival (JFFF)! Even though technically it's the part of the Jakarta Fashion and Food festival, but I am just going to talk about the food part, barely any fashion on this post, just in case you desire, you might be on the wrong blog.

Just like Festival Jajanan Bango, Kampoeng Tempo Doeloe has been on the scene for quite some time, years to be exact. Technically they both serve the same 'menu', which is Indonesia's culinary scene (and trust me it's one hell of a fun ride) but the thing with FJB, overall the food was more affordable but space and range wise, Kampoeng Tempo Doeloe was bigger, I heard there were over 500 booths, but one thing for sure: both was SUPER HUMID! Do not dress up like you're going to a wedding reception, that's just silly.

Kampoeng Tempo Doeloe took place in the same venue they have been for the last few years: La Piazza, Kelapa Gading Mall Jakarta and will be held from May 9th-June 1st 2014. Okay, to be frank, I am not a big fan when it comes to the northern area of Jakarta because the traffic sucks! Actually almost everywhere in Jakarta has awful traffic, it's just that I don't find the northern area as exciting as the southern (exception to PIK) and it's like everything on the northen part of Jakarta is available not only the south but on the west as well (where I live), PLUS both south and west have better shopping malls! Please don't take this seriously because I am just being honest here OK! but for this one I would, sometimes culinary hunting could be challeging with a spoonful of heart!

Before I start showing you the photos, I want to personally thank Cita Cinta Magazine for giving me IDR 500k top-up cards to shop till I drop here! And if you're wondering, yes you're going to have to change your money to 'cards' to shop on every booth (except the wine and cheese where you're paying with cash!).

Look at that crowd! I was having freaking hot flesh! FYI their theme of this year is PASAR GAMBIR!

I must say that they were good with the decoration, it did feel like I was in a market, but it was a fun fun fun and filled with filthy delicious food!

FAVORITE! Martabak Kubang Hayuda (IDR 35k)

Tahu Isi (forgot the name, but it's on the same line as Tahu Petis Yudhistira) - IDR 7k each, they were pretty good!

MUST TRY - Sate Ayam Madura Blok S, they were so addicting, the sauce was just perfect and the chicken was tender and juicy with just the overall perfect balance of savory, nut flavor and that smoky aroma!

Martabak Kubang Hayuda (Haji Yusri Darwis)
IDR 35k
You can't say no to this Martabak Kubang and this one was a total must try! It's located just near the entrance. Technically it looked like normal Martabak, even smaller actually but what I love about this Martabak is that I could hint some spices I never really experienced on other Martabaks before plus you could hint some sweet notes, guessing it's from the beef, and oh don't forget how generous they were with the beef filling! One portion consist of the vinegar sauce but I simply like it just how it is or traditional Indonesians, with chili sauce! Yum!

Mie Ayam Dahlan
IDR 18k (with meatballs and dumplings)
To be honest I was not convinced of the flavor, I was just ordering this because I love noodle but how good noodles can be, and surprisingly this was a little more than how I expected. The noodle had this soft-chewy texture with decently seasoned chicken, I must say they're pretty generous with the chicken chunks but what really live up the flavor was the chili! I saw the cook put only a little chili (probably half tea spoon) but it was so freaking spicy!!!

Bakso Rusuk
IDR 28k
If the previous dish surpassed my expectation then this one honestly was below my expectation, I was expecting that savory beef broth for the soup but turned out the soup was more like a 'soto' soup for me, the rusuk however was quite tender and the meatballs were fluffy and chewy.

Nasi Goreng Babat

IDR 35k

One of my personal favorites of the day is this dish, the fried rice was cooked almost perfectly along with the spices (tasted very close to Kebuli) and the babat (beef tripe) was given generously and I adore how they managed to cook the tripe to be very soft, lean, in a way like juicy fats! One thing missing, if they serve it with one sunny side up then my score for this will be 9.5!

Nasi Ayam Goreng Mercon
IDR 24k
The presentation and the 'elements' of this dish might be simple, deep fried chicken with rice but the main highlight (and supposed to be) was the Mercon chili, it's called "Mercon" or in english, firecrackers, because it was so spicy and hot it explodes like firecrackers and boy it was! I am not a big spicy food person but I love getting into the challenge and this one turned out surprisingly good, no matter how spicy the bloddy chili was, it wasn't overpowering the whole meal.

Seblak Basah
I still don't get this food, it's the first time for me trying Seblak, Aline ordered it and she told me it was actually crackers or keropok, I honestly thought it was kwetiau just like how I honestly think you think it was right? Admit! Turned out it did had that kwetiau texture and tasted like one! The flavor was in between savory and spicy, you could also add in 'kencur' if you want :).

Hainan Bebek Panggang by Bebek Sedap Wangi
IDR 38k
Another favorite alert! The duck was cooked to perfection with crispy coating, tender meat and seasoned lightly. The rice was cooked in chicken broth and it was also pretty good in both flavor and consistency.

Sate Padang Ajo Ramon
IDR 28k (+5k for cassava chips)
This food probably needs no more introduction as it's probably one of the most famous sate padang in Jakarta, but if you haven't heard of this, then say hi to Sate Padang Ajo Ramon! The meat was so tender but the overall dish won't be a shit without the sauce! That yellow-red sauce was the key to delicacy, I could hint spices like turmeric, cumin and they all were nicely balanced! Having this with their cassave chips was even a smarter idea as it added contrast to the whole plate.

Lontong Kikil
IDR 35k
Omagaaaasssh this one was super to me! The soup man, it was just one hell of a perfect beef-bone soup with lovely seasoning and the kikil was soft, smooth, juicy and chewy (FYI kikil is the soft-bone part of cows legs). A little observation and this one was actually very simple dish but deadly delicious. I really want you guys to order this for the goodness sake!

Es Roti Panggang
Initially wanted this but eventually skipped this because of the long queue and forgot at the end!!! So mad!

Es Jelly Pluit Sakti (Es Acen)
IDR 30k (depending on what you order)
Looking at the long queue I was wondering how this tasted like and I was in need of something cold and fresh on the freaking humid day. Okay, this was a total savior because it was cold, freshing, fruity (fond of the soup) and sweet but to be completely fair, it was nothing THAT special for me, just something I would buy on a very hot day but probably not something that I crave for.

Es Duren Sakinah
IDR 30k (large)
I am a sucker for durian and there's no way I would skip this (plus the durian aroma suffocated me in a good way) and boy I didn't make a wrong choice, this was really good, prefer this to Es Acen actually, the Durian was generously given to the coconut milk and milk soup, typically I don't like milk but they managed to make the milk on a mild level while leaving the durian flavor to stand out! The fruit itself was creamy, some they already made on this 'cream' texture...addicting!!!

Teh Botol Sosro
IDR 3k
Short to say, quick refreshing recharge!

Night view of the Kampoeng Tempo Doeloe, shit I wanna go back here if I have time :(.

Captured these lovebirds, they just got married.

Apparently 500k might be just a little too much, especially if you go alone, but thankfully I have my dear blogger friends to share these blessings with and in total, we didn't spend as much as we get and we're full before we're bloated! Talk about gratitude. I would say to really be 'full' and if you're a family with two children, then IDR 300k-IDR 350k should be enough.

Valuable tips you might want to consider: DO NOT WEAR BLACK (like those two above LOL!), do not wear thick outfits or sweatshirts (again like those two above, JUST KIDDING LOL), wear something comfortable, wear sunscreen if you care about your fair white skin, prepare more cash (if you want to shop for wine and chesse or if in case you're planning to surf more), be patient and learn to be one! If you love taking photos like me, then bringing your camera won't hurt, especially so many interesting items to shoot here, esp. the food!

You might want to come before lunch time to secure yourself from the insane crowd or if you really care about sitting down while you're eating.

No matter how humid the place was, the packed the venue was, it was sincerely an AMAZING experience seeing so many people's enthusiasm when it comes to Indonesian food, it might be tacky, but it honestly did touch me, especially looking at the crowd during the night from above, just when I realized there was indeed so many people supporting local food, sometimes it's not about the business, it's about the excitement, the love, and the support for your root that counts...and I'm happy :').

I HOPE KAMPOENG TEMPO DOELOE WILL BE HELD EACH AND EVERY YEAR. It was such a rocking event! I LOVE THE FOOD, I LOVE BEING THERE, I LOVE BONDING WITH THE CROWD AND I LOVE THAT I DON'T HAVE TO SPENT ANY MONEY!!! Jokester.

Thanks to you, whoever was the founder behind this genius idea, you will be loved! and again, thanks to Cita Cinta for the vouchers!

Kampoeng Tempo Doeloe at Jakarta Fashion and Food Festival
La Piazza, Kelapa Gading Mall Jakarta
Sentra Kelapa Gading, Jl. Boulevard Kelapa Gading Blok M
Kelapa Gading, Jakarta Utara 14240
021 - 453 1101
Opening Hours: 10 AM - 11 PM
Price Range: IDR 18k - IDR 50k
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email: eatandtreatsindo@gmail.com

Map for La Piazza at Kelapa Gading

Stomachs Eleven dinner party: One kilo of sea urchin roe

Sea urchin roe. The Japanese know it as uni, and it's one of the greatest indulgences when it comes to seafood: rich, creamy, buttery and briny all at once. One or two pieces is all you'll usually find on a restaurant dish so when Pig Flyin' sent me a photo of one kilo of uni for a upcoming Stomachs Eleven dinner party, I cleared the diary. Stat.

Tonight's sea urchin is purple sea urchin (also

Open Door Jakarta

Just a few days ago, I came to attend bloggers luncheon with the newly opened Open Door, yes, another door has opened and to be fair, if you knew and had been to Midtown Owl before (now doors closed), then Open Door's marking its "welcome sign" on the exact same spot and location, with pretty much the same interior but this time, different brand.

Was greeted with this! Exclusive much!

I love sunflowers and I love the fact that they have these on the setting, feels like greeted with some cheerful spirit!

Yes!

The interior of Open Door rang minimalist, clean, comfortable, simple and homey, it's just a pretty decent place to chill and relax or simply to have your own me time, the restaurant also provided a mini bar if you desire a more relaxed chilling while sipping some of their signature cocktails, also two alfresco (outdoor) dining areas if you prefer sitting closer to the earth (NOT), actually it's if you want to smoke freely without interrupting others.

Won't have enough of sunflowers!

Grapefruit Mojito
IDR 32k
Pretty refreshing but maybe a stronger hint of the grapefruit could be more unique.

Orange Cooler
IDR 28k
Might be very simple and easy to execute but surprisingly I was really fond of this one! It was fresh, fruity but frank, I didn't think they're using natural squeezed orange extract, more like orange flavored syrup.

Crispy Baby Calamari
IDR 40k
The calamari was deep fried and seasoned with spicy seasoning. They're doing a pretty good job with the temperature of the frying state and the seasoning was pretty good too.

Curry Dust Chicken Wings
IDR 39k
I have high hopes for this dish because I was curious about how well the chicken would blend with the curry flavor but unfortunately this one tasted more like deep fried chicken with curry powder all over it, and it didn't even taste like curry, the seasoning wasn't really blending and infused but I must admit that the chicken was depe fried perfectly tho!

Tom Yum Fried Rice
IDR 50k
I also had high expectation for this particular dish, first, it's Tom Yum, which is like one of my favorite all time dish as well as flavor! Second, it's freaking fried rice (not much to say), but I was kinda let down by the fact that the fried rice was way too plain, it didn't even close to taste like Tom Yum and the color should be a little more red to be honest (personal standard). In a way, this one was vegan material because I couldn't notice any meat given.

Grilled Spring Chicken
IDR 80k
To cut things short, my favorite dish served on the lunch! I love how tender and juicy the chicken was, the coating was smoky and everything was nicely executed! Must admit, they're very good in cooking the chicken dishes, the potato was also cooked nicely and the cream had this savory but in a sense, sweet, this simply was one of that dish you just want to try even though you might find this kind in many restaurants.

Let me put it this way, if the chicken fails, then everything else must fail even worse.

Kalbi Kimchi Burger
IDR 60k
This one was unique and it was my first time to experience having Kimchi Burger. As you know, Kimchi is traditional Korean fermented vegetable side dish, I thought this was going to be salty, sour and spicy but apparently I didn't have those expected, their version of Kimchi was not bad, it was actually more savory and guessing since it already had that juiciness from the beef, the Kimchi had this infused beef aroma and flavor. It's supposedly going to be fun experiencing how Kimchi and meat blended in a bun and in a bite.

Es Campur Pannacotta
IDR 32k
They're just very unique with their menus, not done with the Kimchi Burger, they also had "Es Campur Pannacotta" or Pannacotta with Indonesian ice dessert. Presentation wise, pretty, flavor wise... GOOD! I was pleased with how they managed to make the pannacotta to have this silky texture with milky creamy vanilla flavor (without overpowering everything), and I love the idea of putting palm sugar on the portion, for me, this wasn't overpowering sweet because each material balanced each other, it was just smart!

Tokyo Banana Dessert
IDR 42k
I have love and hate relationship with their Tokyo Banana Cake dessert. I love the presentation and the overall flavor, but I just wasn't a huge fan of their texture without the ice cream, I guess it was just tad dry and less moist comparing to the Tokyo Banana you usually have, well clearly doesn't have to be the exact same, but I guess that's the regulation of the common sponge cake. I personally am not a big Tokyo Banana fan, it's good but I didn't find it out of the world good, but yes it's addicting. I love the idea of giving vanilla flavored ice cream, made everything better. If only the sponge cake was moister, this could simply be stunning.

In a nutshell, I had a good lunch on Open Door, might not be all great but still ok. Open Door is simply a place for when you're looking for somewhere to hangout with pretty affordable prices, good food, nice ambiance but I guess if they want to make it big on the competition, they should be more unique and better on the food quality control, when it comes to the game, mainstream is not an option my dear.

...and again! Needs to end this post with another pic of sunflower LOL!

Open Door

Royal Mediterania Garden Residence Lobby

Jl. Letjen S. Parman Kav. 28, Podomoro City

Jakarta Barat 11470

021 - 2942 7007 / 06

Opening Hours: 11 AM - 11 PM (daily)

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

FIND ME HERE

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email: eatandtreatsindo@gmail.com

Map for Open Door Jakarta. It's just beside Central Park Shopping Mall Jakarta, across if you're taking the side entrance. Very noticeable.

*this post is brought to you by Open Door