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

Life is to[o] mu[n]ch

Life is to[o] mu[n]ch. When I first created this blog and musing over what to call it, I came to the decision of Lifeis2Mu(n)ch because of 2 main reasons:

1. Because the word "munch" is obviously associated with eating and since I want this blog to be a food blog it made sense. I also like the word "munch" because of its sound and its playfulness.

2. Because Lifeis2Mu(n)ch sounds like "life is too much" which is how I sometimes feel when I get stressed out. So because life is too much, let's munch... kind of feel...

Speaking of point number 2, when I was in Singapore I felt that 'Life is too much' more when I was stressed out. However, since I moved back to Jakarta, Indonesia in mid August and travelled for a bit, I felt like "Life is too much" but more in a positive context. As in, there are so many things in life that you can do, limitless opportunities and possibilities if you put your mind to it.

Though I'm sad to leave the wonderful myriad of food in Singapore both those I've tried and those I haven't, I'm so excited to move back to Jakarta and appreciate it so much more after being in Singapore. I will be traveling for a bit more, so I probably won't be updating my blog for a while but do stay tune for what's next: food reviews in Jakarta and from my travel, as well a little bit on the journey of my travel around Indonesia. Join the group 'Lifeis2Munch' on facebook so that when I post a new entry you can see the update.

Happy Monday peeps! And if life is too much for you today, munch a little... ;)

Jakarta Rocks

Congregation of people outside of Grand Indonesia

At 14:55 hours today, Jakarta was rocked by the tremor of a 7.3 Richter scale earthquake in Tasik, West Java. I had just walked into the newest, biggest, most luxurious mall in Jakarta: Grand Indonesia, when I felt my legs swayed. For a second I thought I was about to fall, then just as the word "Earthquake" started forming in my head, I heard people screaming, "earthquake!" and footsteps. Turning my head around I saw mobs of people running outside.

My brain switched from logic and rationality to instinct and survival mode. I walked out calmly praying that the people behind wouldn't be running and trampled me down. Once outside, I made my way as far as possible from the buildings which was no easy feat in Central Jakarta. People were milling about the entrance and under the bridge that connects the West and East parts of the mall. I wanted to shout at them to clear off the bridge, but they were all panicking and I didn't want to create any chaos.

Throughout I wondered:

1. Was this building built to withstand tremors and/or earthquakes?

2. Has the management of the building have any emergency evacuation plan?

3. Has the management ever do an emergency evacuation drills for the people working there?

I wondered because, 1. even if I got outside safely what chance do I have if the building were to collapse sideways instead of vertically if it were indeed built to withstand tremors. When I was working in Singapore I did experienced some tremors from the 15th floor and those episodes were mild compared to this one which I experienced on the ground floor. I couldn't help remembering the news about the plane crash about a month and a half ago of an airplane from France, (not the Brazil one) where a 14 year old girl survived against all odds. It reaffirmed my belief that if it's not your time to go, you won't die (lest you do something stupid). Today, I remembered that news story and even though I trembled from the quake I had the peace of mind and the gut feeling that all is going to be alright.

One of the victim who fainted (my guess only)

Number 2 & 3 was a result of the panics that I saw in the faces of the employees when they were running and being outside. Some of them had the look of absolute terror in their faces, some were limping because they were about to faint, some did faint. Jakarta is a great city, but unfortunately corruptions are still rampant and I wonder if for the sake of time and money some of the important measures such as emergency evacuation drills are skipped. Some of them were running to go out rather than walking which is the recommended action. Running, not only increased panic but also endangered others as you might accidentally knock people down and trampled them over. People were scattered all over the places as there were no obvious re-assembly area where the emergency leader/fire warden could count off the employees. I hope that the management will plan emergency evacuation plan and practice the drills for the sake of everyone.

Most people around the mall left unscathed though there were 3 or 4 people who fainted that I saw around me. A friend who was at the 48th level was noticeably pale and drained. If it was that forceful on the ground level I shudder to imagine what it would have been like on the 48th floor.

Rumors were milling around on the foundation of the structure. I wonder if the public will ever hear the truth. An hour or so later, the management declared the mall safe to re-enter, but at that point most preferred to stay low on the ground or to go home even if it meant braving the rush hour traffic during the Ramadhan fasting month. I certainly did.

Were you there? Share your stories on the comment post below.

Gourmet Burger: Relish

Relish, I like how the word reminds me of delish... I decided to actually take a look at the definition of the word and here is what I found at the Merriam-Webster dictionary online.

Main Entry: 1rel·ish
Pronunciation: \ˈre-lish\
Function: noun
Etymology: alteration of Middle English reles odor, taste, from Middle French, something left behind, release — more at release
Date: 1530

1: characteristic flavor ; especially : pleasing or zestful flavor
2: a quantity just sufficient to flavor or characterize : trace
3 a: enjoyment of or delight in something that satisfies one's tastes, inclinations, or desires b: a strong liking : inclination
4 a: something adding a zestful flavor ; especially : a condiment (as of pickles or green tomatoes) eaten with other food to add flavor b: appetizer, hors d'oeuvre

The view of the restaurant from the escalator

I think the owner was playing with all these meanings though number 4 came pretty strongly to me as this is a burger place and what is a burger without the relishes?

The bar & kitchen entrance

The menu board and entrance

It took a while for me, S and E to reach Relish as we couldn't explain clearly where Cluny Court is to the taxi driver as none of us drive in Singapore. I could picture the place in my head but I have no idea the road names and how to get there exactly. When we finally got there, the place had quieted down a lot as it was Sunday night. Once we reached the building, we spent another 5 minutes looking where exactly the restaurant is when finally we took the escalator up to the second floor, above Cold Storage.

The first thing that struck me was the space and the airiness of the restaurant. The glass windows gave everyone a clear glimpse of what the people in the restaurant are up to, not in a fishbowl kind of feeling though. The wooden chairs and tables made it felt like you were sitting outside on a patio. The windows and some potted greens on the inside also contribute to the outdoorsy feelings.

Potted plant inside making it feels like you are outside minus Singapore 100% humidity

We ended up ordering: Bacon and Cheese Beef Burger, Chicken Masak Merah Burger, Seafood Burger with Lemon Mayo and a side of onion rings. The burgers were roughly 15-18 SGD. The onion rings came with chili sauce, ketchup and mayo. P asked for the hot sauce as she's been there before. The onion rings were crunchy and the red hot sauce tasted good, but there were too much flour and not much of the onions... I think they need to let go a bit of the flour on those onion rings then it'd be just perfect.

Onion rings with various sauces: (l-r) Cholula Hot sauce, Chili, Ketchup and Mayo

Cross section of the seafood burger (you can just ask them to cut the burger in half for you)

The Seafood with Lemon Mayo burger

(The half bitten onion ring wasn't supposed to be there...)

I tried both the seafood burger, which was what I ordered and P's Chicken Masak Merah (Chicken cooked in red sauce). My seafood burger tasted seafood-y enough, but I couldn't really taste the crab, fish, prawn and octopus it said it contained. Well, I suppose that's what happened when you mince and mix them. I also wished that the lemon mayo was stronger. Don't get me wrong, the burger was good but I have always preferred a strong more decisive flavors in my food.

Chicken Masak Merah Burger

The Chicken Masak Merah was interesting as it's a fusion of fast food, Western and Malaysian. The chicken fillet was crunchy and I could taste the red sauce but how lovely would it be if it was more pronounced. The breads were fluffy enough and the fries were crisp and soft.

Bacon and Cheese Beef Burger

Cross section of Bacon and Cheese Beef Burger

So, is this Relish a definition of the word? Sure, the burgers were pleasing, the atmosphere was an enjoyment and the patties varieties are a delight to one's taste.

Would I come again? Probably yes, but perhaps not in a hurry. Next time I go there, it would probably for the atmosphere, to have some chillaxing time with friends or to try the Blue Cheese & William Pear Burger. Oh, and I would tell them to go a little crazy on the sauces.

Relish
Cluny Court
#02-01, 501 Bukit Timah Rd
Singapore
Click here for website
+65 6763 1547

Afternoon Tea@ Cova

Cova's entrance

Considering Singapore was a former British colony it is of little wonder that afternoon tea is highly popular here. From afternoon tea break at the office to the splendid afternoon tea sets that are scattered all over the island. That afternoon, P and I just wanted some dessert after our lunch at Casa Verde and the first thing that came to mind was Cova. So we took a cab and headed towards Paragon.

Apparently we weren't the only one with that idea, so we had to wait for a bit before getting seated. The maitre d saw me taking a picture and asked me not to take a picture, but since I just had to blog this I sneaked in a few shots inside anyway. Food blogs or even pictures posted on facebook these days are a part of word of mouth review that restaurant should let people take pictures and post them online. If you read my posting on the dim sum at Cherry Garden, you would see that the reason I discovered it in the first place was a food blog! Free advertising for them, right?

Anyway, we decided to have some tea and shared a slice of the strawberry mousse cake as we were quite full from lunch. P got herself a pot of Earl Grey tea and I went with Imperial Scent o' Morocco. While we waited for our tea and cake to arrive, I surveyed the coast and took some pictures. I love how the setting in Cova is very regal and proper but not English like. The chandeliers, the brass mirrors on the dark wooden walls, low intensity lighting were very charming. I also like the neatness of the linen clothed tables and the comfortability of the chair. P and I were definitely loving the chair as they were much comfortable than where we were seated earlier.

The seats, the mirror and the bar reflected on the mirror

A little about Cova: it is Italian franchise, established in 1817 by a former soldier of Napoleon, Antonio Cova. For more on the history click here. I am always a firm believer that if a restaurant can survive that long, it is because they have good quality. When the cake arrived, I can confirm that indeed the quality is high. Not only the taste was good, the presentation too was nice. Another friend told me that the food here is also good, but so far I have yet to try their meals. Remembering how the restaurant is set up, with a majestic display of all the cakes and sweets you can think of on one side I associate Cova with cakes and dessert.

Strawberry Mousse Cake

Our tea came steaming hot in silver pots. Be careful not to burn your fingers. The tea scent was strong, my Imperial Scent o' Morocco smelled like mint tea, very calming and relaxing. The two of us sat there for quite a while just hanging out enjoying our tea and strawberry mousse cake. The mousse cake was soft and flavorful, and for those of you who prefer your strawberry mousse cake sweeter, they put whipped cream on the side.

A pot of Imperial Scent o' Morocco

A cup of Imperial Scent o' Morocco

Another thing that I like about Cova is that they don't hurry you to finish your meal or give you the bill before you even ask for it. I suppose their being in Paragon, one of the poshest mall in Singapore, does have something to do with it, but its just nice to be able to linger and decide when you want to make a move. The only thing that I would want them to change is, be more camera friendly. Trust me, they should let people take pictures. Digital pictures posted on the web is the 21st century version of word of mouth.

Caffe Cova
Paragon #01-20A
290 Orchard Road
+65 6836 0925