Shammah: JS Luwansa's Mediterranean Jewel...

Having been questioned by the five stars hotels, JS Luwansa, a newly opened four stars hotel, promptly had the honor to welcome our President, Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, after just being publicly accessible. Not only being strategic due to the location in the midst of Rasuna Said Road, which is one of the office spheres in Jakarta, it is also promising excellent and sincere hospitality services.

Credits to Ellyna from Culinary Bonanza, I had the courtesy to try out a few of their menu in one of the hotel ala carte restaurants, named Shammah. Deriving from a Hebrew biblical word, it has both the meaning of Christian transliteration to be present, which falls into ‘Jehovah is there’ for a more detailed context and one of the names of King David’s mighty men.  Despite its spiritual context, the restaurant serves exotic Middle Eastern dishes with Asian and European fusions.

Able to be observed from outside, due to being located right next to the lobby and having a majestic see through pillared glass wall, the restaurant has a yellow tone warmth with the dominance of minimalist interior, bright with orange colour. It has successfully accentuated both comfort and simplicity without too much hassle.

Blue napkin ring represents the iconic colour of JS Luwansa Hotel...

Shisha, anyone?

Since it was hosted in the Ramadan month (yes this is such a late post), we were served with Ramadan Set Menu, which was a compilation feast of the favorite dishes in Shammah and new dishes that haven’t even been listed in the regular menu.

I was actually quite glad that we shared all the main courses as they were all family style main courses. Talking about a huge lobster in a plate, a thick slice of beef medallion, yeah, you get the idea, right?

For starters, we had Duo Ahi Tuna (60k) and Country Pea Soup with crispy Pancetta.

  

A combination of sesame seared tuna with ginger soy dressing and spicy ahi poke with seaweed, shallot, scallion and bits of chili. As much as I enjoyed the approach of cooperating the same element in two different styles, I found my tuna too salty compared to other's. Aside from that, I was very much impressed with the freshness of the raw fish and the balance between the mild heat from the ginger and chili, the alluring fragrance of sesame oil from the ahi poke and the sesame seed from the seared tuna. The sesame seed outer layer and seaweed itself gave a bit of a crunch for the benefit of texture.

Classic pea soup with croutons and crispy beef pancetta. Grainy as a result from the peas blended into this bowl of smooth silky broth. I have never been a fan of pea soup as I have never been a fan of their natural sweetness in liquid form. The others seemed to enjoyed it, whilst my bias continued to cloud my perspective. 

Forwarding to the main courses...

Surf and Turf : Baked Lobster and Mushroom Crusted Medallion with Baby Kailan, Potato Risotto and Red Wine Sauce.

Not just combining meat and seafood as a requirement of a surf and turf, this version came with a more higher standard and a rather peculiar Asian fusion peek-a-boo. A thick slice of tender beef medallion (also known as fillet mignon) and moist lobster, so far everything seemed normal and very western. Then came the kailan and potato risotto, where one comes with a strong Chinese background and the latter sounded like a classic Italian modification. Don't get me wrong, I love the potato risotto, I think it's phenomenally creative. Instead of using risotto rice, the chef substituted it with roughly mashed potatoes. But why the kailan? It has made the impression of putting a half-hearted effort to make it looked fusion. Broccoli makes much more sense.

Braised Rosemary Lamb Shank(128k) with garlic mashed potato, vegetables, and sauce from the braising process

Despite its gigantic size of the shank itself, the enormousness also came from the flavor. The natural thick sauce from the braising process enriched the meat itself. Perfectly tender, moist and exceptionally gorgeous. This has been the guests' favorite order and there's no question in matters to that..

Paella Mixta (120k) : Seared, Braised, Simmered in a Shrimp Saffron Broth with Peas with Beef on the side.

 I was hoping for a 'ready to eat from the pan' paella but this one wasn't such a letdown. Bright orange from the saffron made the paella looked so appetizing.

Mahsawi Mushakala: Selection of grilled tenderloin, lamb chop, and chicken with grilled tomato, eggplant, paprika and rice

 As one of the requirements of a Mashawi plate, they got to have barbecued meat and poultry. Only tried a bit of the tenderloin, though. I was quite amused by the effort of the chef making this dish more Arabic. Instead of serving the meat in skewers, he served the veggies shish kabob style.

Mashawi Bahria : A selection of grilled lobster, prawns, and snapper with grilled tomato, eggplant, paprika and sayadieh rice

Same as the previous Mashawi, only with different types of proteins and rice. The Sayadieh rice has a strong hint of clove fragrant, making it significantly Middle Eastern. 

Green Tea Crepe Cake

Creamy green tea crepe paired with citrus mango sauce. A sweet ending for a sweet tooth, indeed. Though the cream was a bit heavy and too thick for my preference, this slice served its justice rightly.

The night was a round up set of good meals. The prices are soon to be advised and it approximately ranges from Rp100.000-200.000 for the family style main courses. It is advised to make prior call before dining in as Shammah is only available for dinner.

Shammah Restaurant
JS Luwansa Hotel
Jl. H.R.Rasuna Said Kav. C-22
Kuningan, South Jakarta
(021) 29543030 ext. 6699

LIN Artisan Ice Cream: Frozen in Less than 5 minutes

I guess the first simplest thing that I love about LIN Artisan Ice Cream is the fact that you can walk in anytime of the day to have your own little teenie tiny experience of Molecular Gastronomy. Though it's old news to some other countries, Molecular Gastronomy still sounded peculiar to most of Indonesians' ears. Remembering that there is only one Indonesian MolGas chef in Indonesia, it is still considered pretty new.

How many Indonesian people that you know have tried MolGas dishes? Mine was less than 10. I, myself, find it difficult and also, expensive, to have a MolGas experience (Though I have tasted a plate of MolGas dessert by Chef Bodin for free ;p). The most troublesome problem, according to me, is that you can't just have a walk in for a full dining experience. You have to arrange a group reservation for the chef to serve you.

But once again, that's not how it goes in LIN Artisan Ice Cream cafe. The first Indonesian cafe that uses liquid nitrogen to freeze their ice cream. Not only it is made fresh by order, you get to watch the freezing process, which took less than 5 minutes..

That little corner is where all the scientific magic happens!

Minimalist furniture with an industrial urban touch to it..

The outdoor space is definitely more masculine compared to the indoor area.

See? I still think it's a bit cute and chic inside...

Now, now.. Let's get to business. The process :

1. Blend all the natural ingredients into a batter. This one below was the banana sorbet and they really use fresh bananas.

2. LIN is the short form of Liquid Nitrogen. It is basically way cooler than ice. It freezes at -210 degrees and boils at -196 degrees Celsius, how about that? It was kept inside this tank because as soon as it's released to open air, it will immediately boil and evaporate. 

3. The earlier batter was later put in this food processor and in go the liquid nitrogen while the machine is still on. All that smoke is actually the liquid nitro evaporating due the room temperature. Less than 2 minutes later, it has frozen completely. They only have to make sure that it's all mixed together and repeat the process for a little bit while.

"My formula is soon to be perfect.. MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The banana sorbet(36k). No food coloring so it's not yellow. It really tasted and smelled like real bananas. Although this one is supposed to be a sorbet, it tasted a bit creamy. 

Lemon Sorbet (36k) with little bit of lemon zest. Compared to the banana flavor, this tasted more like a sorbet. Better hurry gobble this one up cause it melts easily!

Smiley Baileys (69k). If you are a fan of baileys, well here you go. It's creamy, dense, and the best part, it has that baileys scent and after taste! 

All of the ice creams were much smoother compared to traditional ice creams, as liquid nitro makes smaller crystallization process. It contains less air than the store bought ice cream which definitely makes it more dense, squishy in a way, a little more chewy I guess. It's a no wonder that the price is significantly different if you compared the store bought ones with these. Also the fact that they use real fresh ingredients for each flavors. I just hope they make new flavors to come!

Note on safety issues : As long as the vapor is gone, it's safe to be eaten. However, I happened to feel a little frostbite sensation on my tongue. It's like having the sensation of drinking soda, but only concentrated on one focused area. I believed that it was resulted from a part of the ice cream which was not properly mixed. I remembered it was a little bit paler compared to the other parts. It was gone after a while and my tongue was unharmed. This means :

I will definitely come back to try out the other flavors. I am very intrigued with Vanilla Choc Rice, Frozen Expresso and the Beer Pong flavors! At least this can be my start before having Heston Blumenthal's bacon ice cream. (Yeah, right *roll eyes for my wishful thinking*)

Flashback :
Remember 10 years ago, when mobile phones were as thick as soap bars? When the only way connecting to the internet was through the phone line? When having a box of floppy disc actually meant something?

Present time:
Now look at what we have. Smart phones with touch screen features in different shape and sizes, WiFi in cafes is a must, and that little teenie tiny SD card which can store up a few gigs of data. It took only 10 years for us to make such vast progresses and human's continuous inventions never stop us from being awed.

This has a lot more to do with not just technology, but also other subject such as MolGas itself. I guess human's curiosity won't just limit themselves to stop there. For another 10 years ahead, for another 10 years of innovation, for another 10 years of food appreciation!

Lin Artisan Ice Cream
Jl. Taman Kemang 1 No. 6
021-71794393
Opening hrs : 11.00-23.00
www.linicecream.com
@linicecream

E&O: The Foodgasm Duet by Chef Will and Chef Palm

That night has turned into more than just a lovely night, the night when I was invited to Eastern and Oriental, which short-named to E&O, a Thai - Vietnamese restaurant. Meeting the other fellow bloggers compiled with reputable and warm hospitality from the host have always been a perfect combo!

How do I say this? It was another ordinary night cramped with Jakarta's traffic. Obviously, I arrived late due to the inevitable circumstance. It was my first time going there and I was instantly enchanted with the dimmed yellow tone which came from the small triangle lamps encompassing the place. It was a no wonder that, although slightly a bit different, it has its own similarities to Loewy as E&O is basically under the same group, also collaborating with Sarong Group owned by Chef Will Meyrick himself. The semi open glass doors/windows, the ceramic walls and ceilings, the eye-catchy bar on one side of the restaurant and the wooden furniture with leather sofas are the distinctive resemblances. What allured me the most was the beautiful table setting. The dark grey streaky plates accompanied by flickering light reflections from a full set of wine glasses, it was almost magical to me as I furthermore got absorbed to the enchantment..

My arrival was also welcomed with three tasting canepes. From this point onwards, you have to tolerate the photos you'll see as they don't share the same amount of lighting and ambiance. It was dark and as far as I am concerned, it was a photo hunt jungle war between the other bloggers and myself. Without a doubt I was a no winner (with my almost average photo skills and unsturdy hands).

Also, the portions served that night might not be similar to the usual portions served on the restaurant as this event was a friendly gathering. The choices of food given to us were plentiful and I am glad some of the dishes were served with smaller portions. *My belly isn't getting any toner*

Pork Belly with Tamarillo and Tamarind Sauce served with Nam Pla Prik (thai chili and fish sauce) - 190k. The others have been eaten and I was left with four of these. I gobbled up the whole thing at once and the flavors literally burst in my mouth. Salty and fresh over the succulent fatty pork belly, yum..

Betel Leaf with Galangal, Dried Shrimps, Roasted Chillies, Coriander and Salmon Roe - 32k/pcs. The betel leaf served as edible spoons for individual portions.

Chicken and Prawn in Egg Net with Peanuts, Lemongrass, Mint and Pickled Cucumber and Shallots Relish - 65k. Again, my mouth was full in an instant gallop as I struggled to chew in all the goodness. On the left side, it was Pineapple Coriander Margarita (90k), but I ordered mine to be virgin. So far, all the things that went inside my mouth was a complete balanced proportion of sweet, salty and sour.

Moving on to the sitting dinner... Eight menus for one night, divided into seven courses. As if it wasn't enough, the food kept on arriving one by one. Each has a significant taste and uniqueness that left you either mesmerized or wanting more.

Selection of Northern Thai Relishes : "Nam Prik Ong"(chicken), "Nam Prik Goong"(dried shrimp), "Nam Prik Num"(eggplant) and Crispy Tempura Vegetables - 125k. I always think that Indonesians can easily adapt to Thai food. All of the Nam Prik relishes mimicked Indonesian sambal, minus the chicken. One has a saltier taste, one has a spicier hint, and one has a more subtle approach..

Grilled Beef Salad with Green Mango, Shallots, Peanuts, Mint and Nahm Jim  - 90k. The beef was pan seared but the chef also mentioned that it was slow cooked. When put inside, it literally melted after a few bites. Its tenderness amazed me. The sour mango salad alone gave you a kick of freshness. I must say, again, everything was perfectly balanced!

(Southern Thai)Hot & Sour Soup of Fish with Tamarind Leaves, Turmeric, Chillies, Lime Leaves and Coriander - 80k/140k (half/reg). The chef talked a bit about their adventure while traveling South Thailand. Their journey was what inspired this bowl of soup. At first sip, I could feel the warmth streaming through my throat and it stayed there. Not in a burning sensation kind of way, more like a warming gingery-after taste. 

"Choo Chee"(curry) of Crispy Barramundi with Chilli and Thai Basil - 170k. I have to say that this was the star of the show. Despite the fish's average size, the over-all taste was nowhere near average. Explosions from the chili was tangible completed with a hint of sweetness. Let alone the sauce, I think I could be satisfied by the fried fish itself. It was definitely fresh as I sensed no fishy smell. We ate it along with Jasmine rice and Roti Canai(Indian influences). Not exaggerating, the imported Jasmine rice really has jasmine fragrant (I have no clue how the Thai planted their rice).

Massaman Curry of Slow-Braised Lamb Shank with Cardamom, Shallots, Pumpkin and Tamarind - 170k. Rich Rich Rich. That would be my first three words describing this dish. The thick sauce was rich with distinctive flavors from the spices, competing to satisfy your taste buds. The tender lamb shank itself was big and generous with succulent juicy meat.

Twice-Cooked Beef Short Ribs with Sweet Fish Sauce, Cucumber and Nam Pla Prik (thai chili fish sauce) - 220k

Fortunately, I am a big big fan of coriander (I think I ate all the coriander garnishes). There was a reason for the plating of this dish. As you can see, there are two small bowls of condiments. One is ground chili, one is the fish sauce. The short ribs itself was caramelized, therefore has a pungent sweetness. The chef explained, to eat this, you must combine all the elements on the plate. So squeeze the lime all over the ribs, take a fork, pulled the strands of meat, dip it into the fish sauce and ground chili. VOILA, epiphany, ladies and gentlemen.. Pure awesomeness of foodgasm epiphany..

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. That night was no exception. As all the fun was ending, we were prepped with desserts! Jackpot!

Cocoa Ganache with Peanut Butter Palm Sugar Ice Cream and Honeycomb Crumble - 50k. One scoop to the bottom of the glass and you'll end up having all the three elements.

Durian Panna Cotta with White Sticky Rice - 50k. I love love love the panna cotta. As you chew the velvety smooth, not forgetting creamy, pudding-like consistency, the taste grew. Yes, it left a delightful after-taste as if it was growing itself in your mouth. The durian sticky rice was also fulfilling!

Even though Chef Will is no Asian, I can vouch that he knows what he's actually doing. You can definitely see the passion as he talks about his cooking, his love for what he is doing. Let's just say, it won't be the end for this comical super friendly chef. As for Chef Palm Amatawet, who is more shy compared to Will, I would say that he's the perfect side-kick. If Batman and Robin fight evil crimes, Chef Will and Chef Palm continuously make delicious food (yeah, you get what I mean) 

Additional random info : I actually took a photo with both chefs, but it was in Icha's camera. I'll upload it to my instagram once she has the time to send me the picture. 

E&O 

Menara Rajawali 1st fl.

Jl. Mega Kuningan lot 5.1

South Jakarta

Ph. +6221 29023418

Opening hours: 11am - 1am

http://eandojakarta.com 

Hawaiian Bistro : Native chef serving authentic Hawaiian delicacies

Don't you just love that feeling of visiting some place new? The experience of absorbing all the details that lies upon you. That certain "oh, that's so cute; that's so nice" kinda comments you keep to yourself, maybe you share with a friend or two. Or just simple long conversations with someone you just met. Well, all of what I just typed happened to be my private cognizance when I first visited Hawaiian Bistro (the second time as well).

The eyes tell it all..

I really appreciate all the beach decorations, from stacking 15 years old trunks (perfectly straight 15 years old trunks, just imagine how tough it was to find those trunks) as foundations and wall decorations; putting hays on the ceiling (which made it felt like we were actually in a beach house); putting paintings of dancing lei Hawaiian ladies; till hanging the eye-catchy orange lifebuoys. The wooden vintage furniture with a touch of aquatic colors compliments the whole ambiance, which is another plus point!

I first visited the place at 9 p.m on a weekday. I was tired and sleepy but forced myself to keep my Canadian friend a company. The thing was, at night time, the dim warm yellow tone from the lighting really accentuates the coziness of the whole place. If they put a hammock in the middle of the second floor, I would gladly sleep there soundly. 

On my second visit, which I got the chance to talk with one of the owners, Michael, and the chef, I accidentally lost the sense of timing. We talked almost everything about the restaurant, the food especially. Never have I really put any thoughts about Hawaiian food and never have I been so wrong in my life. At first, I thought the menu was Japanese fusion menu (since the native chef is actually a Japanese-born Hawaiian). Let me save you from all the unawareness. Being an archipelago itself, Hawaii has been a melting pot for visitor's customs. That explains the reason of Japanese, Portuguese, Chinese influence in their food. And that is just to name a few. So if you encountered nori in a spam musubi (pictures below), well, that's just how the Hawaiian originally eats it.

Another thing I like and just discovered on that day was how they also included the little details of Hawaiian culture in the plating. They will serve you with two scoops of rice and one scoop of salad per dish which is actually how the Hawaiian usually serve their carbo. They are also very close with the terms of sharing food. Thus, you'll meet a selection of big plates combos of half and half. Meaning, half of chicken, half of pork, half of beef and it's all based upon your freedom to choose. The Ohana (family) nature is definitely embraced, as I shared all the meals with Michael as if we were related. Lol! (besides, I didn't have to capability to finish all the meals he ordered)

Signature 'Kalakua' Ice Tea (32k), at last not another lemon tea. This signature drink has that fresh new kick from the pineapple sorbet. Refreshing for a hot day indeed!~

Spam Musubi (22k). With a touch of teriyaki sauce in the middle. You can say it's the Hawaiian onigiri. 

Makaha Mochiko Chicken (32k). Fried battered chicken smoldered with a balanced sauce of sweet and savory.

Now, this intrigued me. I was aiming for the traditional dish, other than Loco Moco. So, enter Ko'olau Kalau Pork (52k), another traditional Hawaiian dish. The salty shredded pork was full with intense smoky aroma. Conventionally, they cooked it underground for seven hours. Well, since ain't nobody got time for that, the chef cooked this baby for four hours on the stove and VOILA, same thing! Hah!

Half and Half of BBQ chicken and dori katsu with pineapple curry sauce (58k) with green salad. I personally prefer the macaroni salad (happened to forget to take the picture) which has tuna spread in the mayo dressing, yummy. 

The pineapple curry sauce was definitely something new. You can smell the hint of pineapple scent, but a bit weak on the taste.

Coffee Jelly with Kahlua and Vanilla Ice cream (25k). I shamelessly gobbled this to the very last drop, even after all the ice cream has melted, even when the chef was talking to my face, even when my friend kept calling me to pick her up. LOL. The slightly bitter coffee jelly was a perfect match to the vanilla ice cream. "Mix it altogether", ordered Michael when these babies were put on the table. I hesitantly obeyed (I didn't want to demolish its layers), but OH DEAR LORD, NOT A SINGLE REGRET HAVE BEEN GIVEN ON THAT DAY! It was the perfect dessert to end the day. It was actually the chef's creation and has nothing to do with Hawaii, but this is just one of the simplest thing you got to try, just to make yourself smile..

A fresh taste to taste. Every menu that I tried on that day was a new thing to me. It is definitely a rare thing to see a Hawaiian restaurant in Jakarta, right? Since I have never set foot in Hawaii, this restaurant gave me a glimpse of what's happening on that island. To be able to learn, to know and to exchange information about, not just Hawaiian authentic food, but also Hawaiian cultures really fascinates me on our curious nature as humans.

It may looked simple but going back to the very first paragraph of this entry, I guess, we (or at least I) will never stop learning or encountering new things to keep ourselves fascinated.. That's the real deal of living, isn't it?

Hawaiian Bistro

Rukan Garden House St.

Blok A No.25

Jakarta Utara 14470

P : 29033185

website : www.hawaiianbistro.com

P.S: I would recommend you to go for the authentic classic dishes. Challenge yourself to have something new, taste something different! Your choice might fascinates you as they have fascinated me..