Confirming The Rumors @ PEPeNERO

Our Table

A little birdie told me that the Chef at one of the PEPeNERO branches in Jakarta was a good looking Italian. So good looking that this little birdie's friend often frequented the restaurant in hopes of a glimpse of this Chef. Interest piqued, I went to investigate with M to the Menara Karya Branch.

The inside

I felt right at home the moment I entered Menara Karya Lobby, on my left hand side the restaurant had some tables outside with warm lighting and plenty of plants.

The outside

It was easy enough to get a table for two, it was Monday night after all. While we peruse our menu, we were given a basketful of 4 types breads. Then they also gave us the special complimentary appetizer, a couple of bruschettas.

Bread Basket

Complimentary Bruschetta

For drinks, we both got the Iced Lemon Tea. For mine, I asked that the sugar is separated. After deciding to get one pasta and one pizza to share, I ordered the squid ink pasta with salmon cream sauce. M ordered the pizza, I forgot which one it was but it was one with Italian sausages.

Iced Lemon Tea with Liquefied Sugar

We devoured the breads while waiting for the main courses, my favorite was the bread sticks: crispy and crunchy and less carbs? I wish. So while we ate and waited for our main courses, we had our eyes and ears opened. After all, we were there on 2 mission: to confirm a certain rumor and to eat. We saw a foreigner guy gliding around the room, checking the tables and the booking list. However, as his hair was blond-ish, he wasn't the Italian chef we were looking for. The description sent by my source was: dark hair, Italian looking, and wearing a chef uniform.

The kitchen door opened..., alas not the Italian chef. The waitress were carrying our main courses. I love my squid ink pasta. I don't know how a squid ink should taste to tell you the truth, but I enjoyed that pasta. It was well cooked, firm and chewy with delicious sauce. The cream sauce was pinkish from the salmon pieces no doubt. Not too creamy yet rich.

Squid Ink Pasta with Salmon Cream Sauce

The pizza was thin crusted. Another plus, for me anyway. Crispy on the edges and chewy soft in the middle. The Italian sausages were crisp which reminded me of bacon. Yummy though as it gave the simple pizza it's kick. While we devoured our main courses, we saw someone opening the kitchen door and walking towards the diners' table. Someone wearing a chef uniform with dark hair. I had to assume that this was the Italian chef as M wouldn't let me asked any of the waitress. Was he cute? Yeah, he was kinda cute. So the rumor was confirmed. The Italian(?) chef at PEPeNERO is cute.

Italian Sausages Pizza

Up Close and Personal

For dessert (Ladies, do I still have your attention here?), we ordered Creme filled Crepe with nutella. We asked the waitress if we could have it extra crispy, but unfortunately it wasn't possible because the crepe was the cold kind. It was prepared earlier and was chilled waiting for someone to claim and eat them. We ordered one anyway and we liked it, though once was enough. The crepe was soft on the savory side while the nutella balanced it by being sweet.

Nutella Crepe

As we finished our meal, we were surprised by another complimentary items: limoncello. Chilled with strong smell of both lemon and liqour, it held a good promise. After a sip, indeed it was strong but I loved it.

Complimentary Limoncello

Our bills didn't reach Rp 200,000. Another plus. Casual yet chic ambience, good quality of food, value for money, good service, oh and a cute chef! What else could a diner want? This diner was satisfied and definitely would be coming back.

PEPeNERO Kuningan

Menara Karya Building, 1st Floor

Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav 1-2 Mega Kuningan

Jakarta Selatan

+62 21 579 44727

www.pepenerobali.com

Word of advice: If you go to their branch in Pondok Indah, the food might be of a different quality. M was there a few days before we went to PEPeNERO Kuningan and had a bad experience. We let the staff know at the Kuningan branch and they acknowledged it and said that they were still looking for a head Chef there to oversee the kitchen. Hopefully when they eventually hire this head chef, the food quality on all branches would be on the same standard.

Spotted: another ramen-ya in Jakarta

A common scene at Sanpachi Ramen, Melawai branch

I've heard about Sanpachi ramen a while back, but it wasn't till last week that I finally got a chance to try it out. The first time, my parental unit had called me one Saturday morning not long after I had just taken my late breakfast to see if I was interested in having an early lunch. Talk about timing eh? After weighing the pros and cons: pros being finally tasting Sanpachi Ramen and the cons being that I had just eaten... the pros won out and I quickly head out there. Unfortunately I forgotten my camera... So I went with the other half of my parental unit remembering to bring my camera this time, so that I can share my findings with you all.

What I found was not disappointing at all. I was very pleased indeed and now Sanpachi Ramen is head to head with Sing Sing Ramen as my favorite ramen-ya in town. Located on the second floor of Kamome Japanese supermarket in Melawai area, Sanpachi has an authentic ramen stall feel to it. The staff's attire were quite casual, with many counter seats surrounding the open kitchen. Ramen lovers will be able to see the hustle and bustle live from their seats. Many Japanese visited the store as well as locals and expats alike. Good food quality, fast service and value for money are no doubts reasons why Sanpachi is always packed.

Anyway, we ordered one Shoyu Ramen with sliced pork, Sanpachi Salad, Dim Sum Age, and side orders of menma (bamboo shoots) and sweet corn. The Japanese way of ordering would usually be of the small dishes first then the ramen, but I was too hungry to do that. However, once the food started to arrive all at the same time, I kinda wished I did. That way I wouldn't have such a hard time choosing what to eat first and I was worrying that my ramen would get too soaked.

Sanpachi Salad with two dressings behind: Mayo and Wafu

Anyway, I started with the salad which came with two type of dressings: Mayonnaise and Wafu. I opted for Wafu and used the mayo for the dim sum age later on. The salad were fresh and had a good variety of ingredients. I originally wanted to try the Pitan Salad, but they were out of the century egg. Though I was disappointed at first I was throughly satisfied with the Sanpachi salada. The crunchy lettuce pieces and the lightness of the whole thing made me felt healthy as that meant I balanced my diet that particular afternoon with some veggies...

Dim Sum Age with Mustard on the side (Rp 25,000)

Next I ate all the rest at the same time, multi-eating at its glory for sure. I was glad that I got the dim sum age in the end instead of the pork gyoza (by the way, you can get the chicken gyoza if you don't eat pork). I tried the gyoza last time I was there and it was good, but it didn't make me dream of it... The dim sum however, had more substance, texture and taste. You could order it 'mushi' (means steam) or 'age' (means fried). I chose 'age' which was why I had to have the salad to balance out the fattiness of this! I noticed some mushroom pieces in the dim sum which add to it's substance and taste. Dip it on the mayo, yum....

Shoyu Ramen (Rp 40,000) split into two (add Rp 5,000)

The Shoyu Ramen was a little disappointing though. The noodle was good, like Sing Sing, here at Sanpachi they offered 2 types of noodles: regular and curly. I of course chose the curly. They also offered cooking options for the noodle: well done and medium. I chose medium as I like my noodles chewy. The noodles didn't disappoint, they were chewy, bouncy and yummy. It was the broth that was too thin in my opinion and since the heart and soul of a ramen bowl is in it's broth... This one didn't really win that many points for me. The last time I was there I had the Miso ramen and the miso broth was so rich, I was in ramen heaven. So, if you do go I'd recommend to try the Miso, but as everyone has different taste buds you might like the Shoyu ramen.

Close up on the bowl, notice that the pork was halved...

The two side dishes that I ordered were excellent. For the sweet corn, lest the cook accidentally mixed it with the normal corn, it's pretty hard to mess up. As for the menma, it was just nice. The bamboo shoots were just done nicely in terms of texture and taste. Another dish that I chalked to my effort in being healthy... ;)

Sweet Corn Side Dish

Menma (Bamboo Shoot) Side Dish

Last but not least, green tea ice cream for dessert. Sanpachi ramen doesn't have an extensive variety for dessert, but that is expected from a ramen-ya. After all, wouldn't we rather they concentrate on the ramen than on dessert? They serve kakigori also, but I didn't try it this time. The green tea ice cream did not disappoint. One service was three scoops! Such generous portion is quite rare these days in this metropolitan city, but here it was. If you are suspicious whether the reason they serve such generous portion was because the taste wasn't great, wrong. It was perfect! To me anyway, not too sweet and the green tea strength was just right instead of being too bitter. They also serve complimentary jelly, but sadly they forgot this time.

Green Tea Ice Cream (Rp 14,000)

All in all, we spent about Rp 140,000 for everything. Water is complimentary but ocha isn't. The ice cream was Rp 14,000 for 3 scoops of one serving. They also have outlets at the malls like Pacific Place, etc. Although, I think the best is this one in Melawai and that is also what I have heard from others. I can't wait for my next ramen-ya discovery though I must admit I don't have anymore lead... If you know of any, give me a shout!

Sanpachi Ramen (Ramen 38)

Kamome Bldg, 2nd floor

Jl. Melawai Raya no. 189B

Jakarta Selatan

+62 21 728 0268

Dinner at Social House, a.k.a. SoHo

Social House, a.k.a. SoHo, is one of those "it" places in Jakarta these days. It excited me at the beginning of the year, then a few months ago I got sick of it as everyone always wanted to meet there, and then I went for this dinner. One of those after movie thing (yes, again...). This time though I was the hungry party, not M. As we were in Grand Indonesia at the time around 8pm on a Saturday, we decided wait for our names to be called (we were #2) as it would be quite pointless to go elsewhere we most probably had to wait even longer.

Social House setting

Another corner of SoHo

The place was of course packed, but we got our table after a short 10~15 minutes of wait. Last time I was there, we waited endlessly and ended up leaving. Moral of the story: if you wanna come here on peak period, that is weekend, call and make a reservation. It really saves you the hassle and tassel of waiting, wasting your time and getting annoyed.

M's Ades

After begging M to help me with the pizza, I settled to order a Peking Duck Pizza and Sauteed Mushroom Salad with Wafu sauce. For drink, I got the famous Grandma's Lemon Tea while M got her bottled water. While we wait for our food, kinda starving (me anyway) we people watched and soaked in the atmosphere. It's a cozy place. Everywhere you see woods, woods and woods. It gives you the feeling of a kitchen of a country house. They put some fake trees and barrels of woods, bottles adorning the walls; of which has been adopted to many new restaurants in Jakarta. One of the thing that I really liked when I first went was their menu, which is clipped on a hanger. Cute, unfortunately I forgot to snap a picture.

Homemade Grandma's Iced Lemon Tea, Rp 25,000 (1USD~IDR9500)

First came the drinks and I noticed something different in my lemon tea. They now added a sugar cane stick which can be used to stir (for practicality sake) or to nibble on or teething if you have small kids! In my opinion this is the best drink that they have, the tea was light in taste with enough sweetness without being overly sweet, fresh because they added some mint leaves and instead of lemon juice they gave you a scoop of lemon sorbet. Oh and the glass was quite big also. I didn't feel cheated paying for it. And if you drink a lot, you might want to consider getting the jug.

Typo that I noticed, "chungky" is the new "chunky"

I was getting more and more famished that by the time the salad came, I started eating it and almost forgetting to take a photo entirely. Luckily I remember... and snapped it just in time before the salad got desecrated. Not sure if it was my hunger talking, but I really really liked the mushroom salad. The mushroom were solid, crunchy and abundant. Add to that Wafu dressing with some lettuce underneath. The contrast between the earthy taste of mushroom and the cripsness of the lettuce complement each ingredient well. Zinged with Wafu dressing, a Japanese vinaigrette dressing based on soy sauce, it was delicious.

Sauteed Mushroom with Wafu Sauce

Up close and personal

The Peking Duck pizza was good too, but M thought that the number of duck meat pieces dwindle each time she comes around. I had to agree with that. I wonder if California Pizza Kitchen still have an outlet in Jakarta? Their Peking Duck Pizza is legendary. Back to SoHo's version, the crispy thin skin was a good point, the hoisin sauce could be added a little bit more and the cheese was just right. I wished though that the kitchen staff clean the chili seeds before putting all those chili on the pizza. However, it is Indonesia after all where everyone LOVES their chili and hot spiciness, perhaps with the exception of me. So I was transformed into a mine sweeper ensuring that I wouldn't have any hidden explosive seed in my mouth. Note to self: tell the waiter to exclude the chili seed next time. All in all though, it was a good pizza still.

Peking Duck Pizza: Top View

Peking Duck Pizza: Side view

No dessert as I was so full by the end of it. M only helped with 3 slices of pizza... Some 'loyal' friend she was...

Social House

Harvey Nichols 1st floor

Grand Indonesia, East Mall

Jl. Jend. Sudirman

Jakarta Pusat

+62 21 2358 1818

Marmalade Pantry in Jakarta

Marmalade Pantry's signature flower, identical to the ones in Singapore

Yes, you read correctly - "Marmalade Pantry in Jakarta". A few weeks back, a friend invited me for lunch at Marmalade Pantry and I told her that it would be impossible as I was back in Jakarta for good by then. As this was all done through facebook messages, it wasn't until sometime later that I found out that Marmalade Pantry has indeed opened a franchise in Jakarta.

Interior of the Plaza Indonesia branch

Reflections from the mirrors, the framed mirrors added a trendy accent

The front of the restaurant

It was one of days when M, my partner in crime of late, watched a movie and was starved by the end of it but I wasn't. Since she has never been to the ones in Singapore, she decided to give it a try once I raved about it.

Marmalade Pantry was one of my favorite haunts when I was in Singapore. I loved it's homey feel, its abundance of magazines, and its secluded place at Palais Rennaisance at the far end of Orchard Road. Unfortunately, my Singapore sources had told me that they have moved from Palais Rennaisance into Ion where it's super crowded. I wonder if they are able to maintain it's homey feel. I spent many Saturday brunches there with friends or even alone. Alone. Yes, with either a book or my iPod. It was that homey. I was ecstatic when I found out that they have opened here in Jakarta. One less restaurants that I will miss from Singapore for sure.

Crabmeat Linguini (I forgot the exact price but it ranged from Rp55,000-65,000)

The dishes that I recommended for M were: Crabmeat Linguini, Falafel, Steak Sandwich and Crabmeat Caesar Salad. She opted for the linguini. I tasted it just to make sure that it was just as good, and it was! The pasta were cooked just right, not too soft nor too hard. Crab meat was abundant and the red sauce just delicious. Oh, the pine nuts were also present. ;)

My cuppa chamomile tea with honey

If I were hungry at that time, I would have ordered us a Sticky Date Toffee pudding: my favorite dessert of Marmalade Pantry Singapore. The warm sticky date pudding, soft and fluffy with remnants of the blended dates, drenched in warm toffee sauce and topped with a vanilla ice cream. Mmmmmm... I didn't know how it tastes here in Jakarta, but I do hope that it's just as good. If any of you tried it, please do let me know.

The Marmalade Pantry

Plaza Indonesia - 1st Floor #E18-19

Jl. M.H. Thamrin Kav 28-30

Jakarta Pusat

+62 21 315 4374

Busted: Immigrant of Plaza Indonesia

Immigrant

It was a typical Saturday in Jakarta, where you meet up with one (or more) of your friends for a movie and a day at the mall which happened to be Plaza Indonesia. M was starving after we watched Surrogates and decided to have some snack at Immigrant a hip, trendy, upscale, "it" place in Jakarta of late.

Red bricks interior

Light bulbs and the bar

Bottles lined walls

I love the interior of the restaurant which transport you back to those 1950s black and white movies. Red bricks, yellowish lighting, lines and curves of bottles, all added to the comfy yet chic ambience.

M studying the menu

Her Rp 25,000 Equil water

Since I wasn't hungry, M decided to go with the salt and pepper calamari and a bottle of water while I abstained. A rare moment that is. One of the waitress seemed to be a little despondent that I didn't order any food or drink. I wouldn't mind some water actually, but seeing as I was neither thirsty or hungry, I couldn't justify paying Rp 25,000 (1USD~Rp9300) for a bottle of water. After hounding me for a few more times whether I wanted to order, she finally left me alone.

The Rp 65,000 calamari tiny plate

Close up shot

A few moments later, the calamari came out. For Rp 65,000 it was remarkably small portion! A meal at some other restaurants in Plaza Indonesia with the same quality as Immigrant are decidedly cheaper and more value for money. But then I thought to myself that perhaps the quality was what made it so expensive... Presentation was nice. Until I noticed how oily it was! I wonder why they didn't use those oil absorbent paper before serving the dish out.

So I did what I used to do with pizzas in New York, dab the oil off with napkins. As you can see, there were lots of oil. Maybe that was what I was paying the extra money for, the excess of oil. Oil prices has been on the rise, hasn't it?

Calamari blotting session

The calamari tasted good after the oil blotting session. The salt and pepper combo was nice and the flesh soft and at a good level of chewiness. The sweet and sour chili sauce was light and complement the calamari.

After a while, I came to accept the oiliness and the expensive price as something that I had to pay for the ambience. Until... I found hair on the calamari... On any other day, I would just remove the hair and discreetly tell the waitress. However, this incident was the second incident I have had at Immigrant.

The first time was in April this year where I had dinner here and shortly after they served everyone on my table, a waitress came running bounding at me, bypassing all other dinner parties on my table and asked if my pasta was alright. Suspicious? Oh yes! She asked me if my pasta were done nicely, then whether I think it was too salty. Then she was so eager to take away that pasta from me and have me order another dish. All the while she wouldn't tell me what was wrong. Throughout this whole time I had an awful sinking feeling in my stomach that something bad was done on my pasta. Had they dumped a bottle of salt? Expired ingredients? Another waiter also stood by a few meters away watching anxiously as the waitress sweet talking me into relinquishing my pasta.

Mistake happens, even at the best restaurants. I was so frustrated though that they would not tell me what error did they make. Just tell me the truth, apologize for the mistake and replace my meal instead of making me guessing what went wrong and whether I was going to have food poisoning soon after. At the end, I gave in. I let them exchanged my meal and to this day I still wonder what went wrong.

Back to the hair incident, I told the waitress. She apologized and replaced it. And I told her how disappointed I was that this was the second incident that happened to me there. If I were the waitress, I would have told my restaurant manager and give the client the extra mile of service. That extra mile of service didn't happen to us. No complimentary thing, no discount, just a rehearsed customer care 101 apology. If this was a roadside restaurant instead of a chic, trendy and upscale one, I can understand the lack of above and beyond service. But Immigrant IS a chic, trendy and upscale restaurant. I was very disappointed and felt cheated that for the price that Immigrant imposed on their clients their service doesn't match.

Would I go back to Immigrant? Yeah, probably if my friends want to go there but not in the near future. I hope the management will improve their service first. The saying goes, there's a price for quality... unfortunately not on this case....

Immigrant

Plaza Indonesia 6th floor #E02-03

Jakarta Pusat

+62 21 3983 8357

Earthquake: What to do, just in case

In the past month and a half, Indonesia has been rocked by several earthquakes, ranging from small ones to bigger ones that caused some panics in Jakarta, Bali and Lombok and even disasters in Padang, Sumatera.

What I noticed is that Indonesians are ill prepared on what to do when an earthquake strikes. I was talking about this with friend yesterday and this morning she posted a note on her facebook on 'what to do in case of an earthquake'. So I posted one also on my profile and I decided to share this here for a much larger audience. So here it is:

This guide is taken from the State of California's Department of Conservation, for full length of information, check out the website here:

http://www.consrv.ca.gov/index/Earthquakes/Pages/qh_earthquakes_what.aspx

How to be Prepared

1. Electricity, water, gas and telephones may not be working after an earthquake. The police and fire departments are likely to be tied up. You should be prepared to fend for yourself for at least three days, preferably for a week.

2. You'll need food and water (a gallon a day per person); a first aid kit; a fire extinguisher suitable for all types of fires; flashlights; a portable radio; extra batteries, blankets, clothes, shoes and money (ATMs may not work); medication; an adjustable or pipe wrench to turn off gas or water, if necessary; baby and pet food; and an alternate cooking source (barbecue or camp stove). This list can also be applied to other disasters, such as floods or wildfires.

3. It's also a good idea to decide beforehand how and where your family will reunite if separated during a quake and to conduct in-home practice drills. You might choose an out-of-the-area friend or relative that family members can call to check on you.

4. Securing water heaters, major appliances and tall, heavy furniture to prevent them from toppling are prudent steps. So, too, are storing hazardous or flammable liquids, heavy objects and breakables on low shelves or in secure cabinets.

5. Discuss earthquake insurance with your agent. Depending on your financial situation and the value of your home, it may be worthwhile.

During an Earthquake

1. If you're indoors, stay there. Get under -- and hold onto --a desk or table, or stand against an interior wall. Stay clear of exterior walls, glass, heavy furniture, fireplaces and appliances. The kitchen is a particularly dangerous spot. If you're in an office building, stay away from windows and outside walls and do not use the elevator.

2. If you're outside, get into the open. Stay clear of buildings, power lines or anything else that could fall on you.

3. If you're driving, move the car out of traffic and stop. Avoid parking under or on bridges or overpasses. Try to get clear of trees, light posts, signs and power lines. When you resume driving, watch out for road hazards.

4. If you're in a mountainous area, beware of the potential for landslides. Likewise, if you're near the ocean, be aware that tsunamis are associated with large earthquakes. Get to high ground.

5. If you're in a crowded public place, avoid panicking and do not rush for the exit. Stay low and cover your head and neck with your hands and arms

After an Earthquake

1. Check for fire or fire hazards. If you smell gas, shut off the main gas valve. If there's evidence of damage to electrical wiring, shut off the power at the control box.

3. If the phone is working, only use it in case of emergency. Likewise, avoid driving if possible to keep the streets clear for emergency vehicles.

4. Be aware that items may fall out of cupboards or closets when the door is opened, and also that chimneys can be weakened and fall with a touch. Check for cracks and damage to the roof and foundation of your home.

5. Listen to the radio for important information and instructions. Remember that aftershocks, sometimes large enough to cause damage in their own right, generally follow large quakes.

6. If you leave home, leave a message telling friends and family your location.

There you go folks, hope it helps you mentally if not physically to prepare yourself, just in case. Unfortunately we are incapable to predict correctly what the future will bring, so we do the best we can.

A ramen quest in Jakarta

Our small ramen bowls, with extra onion leaves

When I left Singapore, I thought to myself that I needed to find a good ramen restaurant in Jakarta. My discovery of Sing Sing, came the first weekend I was back, suggested by my father. As he is acquainted with many Japanese expats living in Jakarta, most often than not the Japanese restaurants he recommended have always been quite authentic. So I headed to Sing Sing with M, a fellow ramen enthusiast.

Iced Houji tea

Located in Grand Wijaya Center opposite of Cosmo Japanese Supermarket, the restaurant is quite secluded to the untrained eye. M who reached there first, assured me that it is indeed directly opposite of Cosmo and of course that was how I discovered it too. At 12pm, we were the only two people there saved for another Japanese customer who was finishing his early lunch. The restaurant was cozy as any ramen shop should be and they had an open kitchen concept where you can see the people cooking your ramen.

The kitchen: I wonder if that bowl on the counter was one of ours?

It took me a while to decide what to order as I had to read the menu carefully. At the end M and I ordered; shoyu ramen, kimchi ramen, ebi gyoza, jumbo gyoza, and tori karaage. Yup, lots of orders I know. M was hungry and I was curious to try different plates. To accommodate all these food, we ensured to order small bowls of ramen.

Clockwise from the top: curly, regular and jumbo noodles

A little interesting and positive quirk that I found was when you ordered your ramen, you are given a choice of noodles: regular, curly and jumbo. M opted for curly and I for regular. I was most curious by this time.

First came the gyozas, they were very interesting and authentic. You see, some of the Japanese restaurants outside of Japan serve the gyoza the wrong way. The correct way is to have the bottom up because a good gyoza is crispy golden brown on the bottom with soft skin and juicy innards. Here at Sing Sing, not only are the gyozas served the right way, that is bottom up, but they make it so that there are a lot of crispies! Check out that sheet of crispiness!

Ebi gyoza: Shrimp gyoza

The Ebi gyoza came out in a set of 5, while the Jumbo gyoza came in a set of 3. The ebi gyoza was made of minced shrimp and the Jumbo made of minced pork. The ebi gyoza was sweet and softer in taste. The Jumbo gyoza, in my opinion was by far the most delicious gyoza I have ever found in Jakarta. Perhaps it could compare to the way Taichan's gyoza was 12 or 15 years ago where the only branch was the one in MidPlaza building and it hasn't been franchised to open at the malls. Oh and way back then they still used pork meat, not anymore though sadly. Lest you go to the one in Block M. Anyway, back to the Jumbo gyoza, the innards were soft, juicy and tasty! It tasted delicious even without the soy sauce. Really, that good I tell you!

Side view of the gyoza: check out how thin and crispy it looks!

Jumbo gyoza: pork meat

Innards: jumbo gyoza

Then came our ramens; Kimchi (Korean pickles based soup) with regular noodle and Shoyu (soy sauce based soup) with curly ramen. My Kimchi ramen was very pleasing with just enough vinegary and spicy taste. I could taste the richness of the soup stock too. The pork meat was tender and nice. If you don't eat pork, they also serve beef and chicken. The noodle was also cooked well, nice density, elasticity and chewi-sity. Not as curly as M's noodle though.

Kimchi Ramen

The shoyu ramen was crisp in its saltiness, just right and not too salty. It tasted very authentic, as opposed to some of the ramens that are catered to Indonesian taste buds and therefore not original anymore. It was served with menma (bamboo shoots) and some nori (dried seaweed). The curly noodle tasted just as good as my regular noodle, just a bit more curly than mine. Seems like the differences were more in aesthetics than in taste. Perhaps if you were to order the jumbo noodles though it would taste differently than these two.

Shoyu Ramen

The chicken karaage came with the ramen and there's this old adage that said "Don't judge a book by its cover" but I was unable to not judge this karaage by it's skin. I wasn't expecting anything in specific but when I saw this, I thought of KFC rather than chicken karaage. It tasted ok, but I wasn't too impressed by it. A suggestion to the kitchen staff, try to make it more crispy if you can.

Chicken Karaage

I was full by the time I was finished but when I saw the desert menu, I couldn't help but wanting to order some kakigori or Japanese shaved ice. So I ordered the milky one, I can't remember what the name was, sorry guys... And below is what it looked liked when it came out: red bean paste on top and inside, three pieces of mochi, some strawberry jam, loads of condensed milk and shaved ice. It tasted sweet and fresh. But I had my "Toto we're not in Kansas anymore" moment, I was definitely not in Kyoto anymore. The shaved ice were not as soft as the ones I had in Kyoto, but hey it's better than nothing I'd say and certainly cheaper than if I were to make a trip to Nippon.

Shaved ice dessert

Overall we had a nice meal there. The only complaint that I have is that there is no distinction for smoking and non smoking area. Sure, I get that there are many Japanese that smoke but surely there are people with small kids or non smokers who prefer to have their meals without having to inhale and smell the smoke. So note to management: please have separated dining area for smokers and non smokers and NO, they can't be in the same room without any physical barriers because smoke do travel through air...

Oh almost forgot to tell you that there was this lady who was either the restaurant manager or owner came by and asked all of her clients how the food was. She seemed genuinely interested to see what people think of the food instead of those people who asked just for the sake of being polite. I assured her that I thought the ramen was good. It didn't occur to me though to comment on her chicken karaage or the smoke... Next time then, when I go for my next ramen visit.

So there you go, an authentic ramen place right here in Jakarta. Great tasting ramen and reasonable price. For all of these food I think we spent about IDR 170,000 max. Let me know what you think of the ramen if you try it and if you have any other ramen recommendation.

Sing Sing Ramen
Grand Wijaya Center
Blok G.29, Wijaya II
Jakarta Selatan
+62-21 722-5070