Posts tagged: food
New Year’s Eve morning, my parents and I decided to go for a Chinese Yam Cha tradition. We woke up early and thought of this particular restaurant which is located in West of Surabaya as well. Out of many Chinese restaurants I have ventured upon, this would be one of the taste-consistent ones.
We started with a pot of Pu Erh (普洱茶) Chinese Tea and a basket of Ha Kau (虾饺). I have always and will love that earthly flavored tea! This morning it was raining quite hard, therefore the tea certainly did it’s part of warming the atmosphere very well. The Ha Kau (虾饺) was very delicious and cooked to perfection, the shrimp was at the right state of pink and delicious.
This particular pork dumpling called Shiu Mai (焼売) was a little dense. However, it was still pleasant to savor.
Chicken porridge was silky and tasty although it would be a tad under-seasoned for my taste. Nevertheless, the crispy wontons made up a great deal of this lacking.
Along came the beef + tripe noodle soup, this combination was mild yet comforting. The soup had a good amount of ginger and beef stock.
Here is the diva of this early breakfast! The Egg tart, I have always loved this particular dessert and Grand Ocean International Seafood Restaurant has made this sweet tooth to die for. The crispy-ness of the tart, and the silky yet sweet egg filling is so smooth and beautiful-looking!
If you are ever in town and looking for a great taste in Chinese food, you should definitely consider visiting this venue!
Grand Ocean International Seafood Restaurant
Jl. H.R Muhammad No. 36
+62-31-732 9895
This restaurant is probably one of the best tasting Japanese restaurant in Surabaya.This place is located at West Surabaya and nestled inside an small single building apartment complex called the Beverly. This place has been opened for ages, they relocated from the Bunderan Tol complex.
It specializes in Ramen and Donburis. The restaurant has a great variety of japanese dishes, from appetizers such as Chashu, to Cold Noodles for the summer day. One of my favorite appetizer would be the Gyoza. Hands down the best gyoza in Surabaya!
Yes!! and the best sauce that would certainly goes with it would be soy sauce, a dash of vinegar, a squirt of lime juice, and chilli oil. This combination is to die for. Plus Tong Tong also serves the bigger size of the gyozas!
Here you go for the main dish, I called for the Chashu Wang Tang Men, it is a combination of Chashu and Wontons! The shoyu broth is beautifully seasoned the perfect balanced of dashi, soy sauce and I think some chicken broth. I am not to fond with the meat that is wrapped inside the wontons, I found it a little chewy and flavorless although, the skin is to my liking!
This one next is a side dish called Motsuni. It is apparently a new dish! It is curry-flavored pork intestines. The fragrant of the dish is quite appealing however, I can’t say the same with the taste. I think that I should go a little stronger on the salt. Nevertheless, the turnip was cooked to perfection!
Last but not the least, this is would be one of the go-to dishes when I don’t feel so well,… it is a fried rice wrapped in an omelet and glazed or should I say bathed in a sweet gravy-liked sauce. The balance of the delicious tasting fried rice and the egg is match made in heaven!
All in all, this place has never failed me EVER! unless, there isn’t any seat for me when I intend to savor their DELICIOUS offerings.
Tong Tong Japanese Restaurant
Jl. H.R Muhammad (Kompleks Apartement Beverly), Surabaya
+62-31-732 8847
Stevan’s Meat Shop Kitchen & Grill
Today is my first time visitting this dear new place, it is a shop and a steak house at the same time. The ambiance of the place was bustling with people going in and out. As it was expected as a newly operated place it was a full house. The place has two floors. I never seen the second floor indeed. The selection of meat and fish were fantastic, it seemed very fresh and enticing.
Then comes the order:
- Lamb Leg comes with a set of mashed potatoes and a side of mix salad
- Black cod comes with a set of mashed potatoes, mix salad, and a side of a very very late mushroom soup
- Grandma steak, a combination of mixed greens (brocolli, carrot, and string beans) served on a scorching hot plate
Last but not the very least
- Wagyu patties tower covered with melted to the floor cheese, a side of mixed greens, and my very own coleslaw
The service was interesting, waitress, owners, bussers all chaotic in the mixed without a proper so-called communication. However, some of the plates came in-time!
Black cod was the first and foremost delicious plate out of all 4. I shall say 8/10!
While, lamb, was just fine but a little bloodier that it should have been. It didn’t come on a hot plate. 5/10!
And famously burned grandma steak and poor wagyu patties which are so burned it was BITTER so I would say 1/10 for those two.
Either way it was an interesting experience, I would certainly come back for the groceries but sadly not the dishes!
Happy Pre-Xmas!
Isola Cafe
A new place opened by a new office building by my house is called ISOLA. The place is minimalistic decorated. The atmosphere of the place is soothing and relaxing, I gotta say: I ADORE THIS!
I came here a little late around 8.30 PM without any expectation and ordered:
- Barberque Pork Chops
- Molten Lava Chocolate Cake
- Chamomile Tea
- Hoegarden Beer
The drinks came first, so it was nice to have the drink first before opening up with the pork chop.
The pork chops were clearly well-seasoned with classic shaved orange peel, it was awesome. Hands down they have the best barberque sauce as well. 9/10 dish, except the salad was a little underseasoned. I wouldn’t really go with the hash-browns but, it was easier to cook in a small cafe I guess.
Comes along the molten chocolate lava cake. It was nicely plated. However, UNEXPECTED. It was more to a pudding than a cake. Completely cold from the first topped with a very cold vanilla ice cream and taste like a store bought instant cupcake batter — uncooked. It was horrifying to begin with.
I would most definitely come back for the pork chop but will stay away from the dessert menu whatsoever. It was also sad to see how unprofessional the servers were. They were too caught up in watching Youtube videos on their working clock.
Earlier today, we visited a cafe called Toast Jam Factory! The ambiance and vibe of the place was quite interesting. They played an easy listening compilation, therefore the enterprise was emitting a relaxing atmosphere. I do enjoy their decorations, it was plain, simple and clean. White frames over the walls and the cross over of tea party-sofas and rustic white-painted wooden seatings and tables.
We ordered a couple different things to try, Kaya Pandan Toast, Chocolate-Peanut Butter Toast, Chicken Wings, Soft-boiled Egg, and Mee Laksa. It seems to me that this place was slightly Singaporean/Malaysian influenced. With that being said. I first tasted kaya back in Singapore in a Hawker Food area in a bun. It was creamy and tasty!
First appetizer that we tasted, was the chicken wings. It was a good portion, and it was really good! Well seasoned, crispy outside and flavorful inside! 9/10 dish.
After that, the toasts came. The kaya pandan was sweet but just enough with a hint of pandan leaves aroma. I love it, the bread was a good side and properly toasted. 8/10
While on the other hand, the soft-boiled egg was a tad overcooked, but wouldn’t blame the cook since in this area not many people could stand a runnier egg I supposed. so 7/10
Last but not least, the mee laksa. I have tried laksa in a couple different place yet this one doesn’t manage to leave a good mark. The portion was rather small and there wasn’t much toppings on it. I’d go for 5/10
Black truffle 小笼包 • Paradise Dynasty
Black truffle has been one of those delicacy that hardly dies away. Personally I knew black truffle from my culinary study of the western rather than eastern. Suprisingly having to incorporate this ingredient with this Asian dumpling created a wonderful and rich flavor marriage.
This restaurant serves many different kind of 小笼包 and deserve to become one of those authentic Shanghai food restaurant in Surabaya!
Overall this dumpling is 10/10 dish!
臭豆腐 • old country’s cafe
Ahhh it has been too long to eat this dish, taiwanese authentic dish! It is so good, crispy, stinky, yet the garlicky sauce ties it together with the pickled cabbage.
The cafe has a decent vibe, very homey and roomy. I like eating there. Aside from the stinky tofu, they got couple other taiwanese dishes..like pork chop rice set and noodles.
And free drinks refill. Lovin’ it!
8/10-
Sukiyaki • Shabu-Shabu House
One of the many great found in last weekend! It was this shabu-shabu house @ sutos mall. We ordered the wagyu sukiyaki set. The meat was awesomely delicious. Although the sukiyaki sauce was a tad on the sweet side however, the meat completely melts! 9/10 dish
Curry Beef Claypot • IPOT
There is a new place in town, a singaporean cuisine restaurant they call it IPOT since it is mostly claypot dishes-alike. The place is very cozy, almost cafe-like! Located at the new built food area at citraland (it previously was used as the old food market)
Well, this dish was alright. The rice was slightly hard probably due to the hot claypot. The curry was decent, wasnt too hot nor too sweet. The ground beef was britle. They also put significant amount of fried tempura batter mixed with the rice. I’d say a little over the top. all in all, it was an okay dish!
6/10
Shichidon • Beef Curry Don
Not exactly a new place in town, but this is a small japanese fast food shop in a mall near my place. The decor was very rustic, it has wooden tables and chairs, dimmed lights with japanese menu on the wall.
First of all the curry was well made, i enjoyed the balance of the spice and the curry kick. Although the beef was slightly overcooked, the rice and the japanese pickles helped marrying all the flavor together.●﹏●
Overall its a 7,5/10 dish.
