Food Travels by CK: Chill-out in Jakarta

Jakarta is on the island of Java, and is also the capital city of the Republic of Indonesia. It was known in the early 1900s as Batavia, the defacto capital city of The Dutch East Indies, which was built on top of the ruins of an older city razed by the Dutch colonisers. The name Batavia comes from a historic German and later Dutch regional ethnic community. In history, the Batavians provided soldiers for the Roman legions, as reported in despatches by Julius Caesar.

This short trip is simply a chill-out get together for three longtime Uni friends. One is based in Jakarta, and played very generous host to us, the other 2 plus wives. This is Pat's and my last travelling holiday for 2016, and the key word was "relax" and "chill"! Thanks to our host, we did just that.

We thanked our host who was planner and guide, and also got his local driver to ferry us from point to point - bringing us to savor highly recommended local food, plus a spot of shopping. Sightseeing was on relaxed-mode - driving by National Monument (MONAS), the houses of the influential rich at Menteng, Gambir Train Station (the first in Jakarta), Chinatown at Glodok, BNI 46 building, etc. We also did "malling" and some buying at the Grand Indonesia, East and West malls, Sarinah Plaza, etc.

Back to food. One of our evergreen favorites is the Sundanese fried flying fish....

Sundanese flying fish from Pondol Laguna

The crispy duck in Bebek Bengil was very special, and to our surprise, we also found very good hainanese chicken porridge cooked in Cantonese style, at Babmur Ayam....its simply so well done and tasty. Nothing compares this with what we have back home!

Bebek Bengil, Dirty Duck dinner

Bebek Bengil occupies a whole house in an enclosed compound. It's located at The Ubud Building, Jl. H.Agus Salim No.132, Menteng Jakarta Pusat. The main restaurant is in Ubud, Bali.

Balinese iconic guardian with cape

Tall Christmas-hatted duck

(Duck) Satay

Lemongrass drink

Crispy fried duck with (nasi) tumpeng

Another Christmas duck

Bubur Ayam Mangga Besar 1 (Nasi Hainam)

Bubur Ayam is a Cantonese style chicken porridge restaurant located in a shophouse at Mangga Besar 1 No.46-A (Sp. Jl. Lobo), Jakarta Barat. The steamed white chicken is similar to the Hainanese chicken we are familiar with back home.

Approaching the shop

Dishes from kitchen lining up to be served on tables

Our main course - hainanese chicken...

The chicken is probably free-range or cage-free ones so its less fatty, smaller and smoother. The Hainanese chicken at home are likely from factory, so tends to be more meaty and somehow less tasty.

Plus century eggs, chicken livers, etc.

Tofu

Yutiao for "soaking" in the porridge

The street view from Bubur Ayam

Pondok Laguna

Pondok Laguna is famous for its Sundanese cuisine which is most the familiar Indonesian food for us from home. The restaurant is located at Jl. Batu Tulis Raya No.45, Jakarta Pusat.

The vendor at the main door was selling mangosteen, snake fruits, and "ang sa lee" fruits.

Snake fruits & mangosteen.

Full house in this popular restaurant

Water fall feature

Taking our orders

Young coconut drink.

Our food trolley is here...!

Sundanese ikan manis (sweet)

Sundanese flying fish

The fried fish was so well done that we can eat the bones with the fish (but chew carefully). The bones are so fine and brittle from the intense heat from the frying that its like eating crackers.

Oxtail soup

La-la clams

Fried tofu and prawns

Our completed lunch...

Warung Koffe Batavia

Warung Koffe is a chain of cafe started by a young couple with long family history trading in coffee beans. The Grand Indonesia mall cafe is one of their first to be set up.

Tobruk cafe

Chocolate chip kueh

Peranakan cafe with milk at bottom.

Latte

Kembang Goela

Kembang Geola serves typically Indonesian cuisine with speciality dishes from its ethnically diverse regions. The address is Plaza Sentral, Annex Building, Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kay 47-48, Jakarta Selatan.

Dishes on serving tray waiting to be served. Not our orders.

Photo print of the Javanese Regent meeting with Dutch representative.

Google search on the background of the print.

A rare moon-phase chain wall clock.

Waitress taking orders.

Bird nest ferns decoration in the restaurant.

Beef "jerky" with peppers.

Fried bee hoon with chicken.

Chicken satay.

Satay peanut sauce.

Gado-Gado

Grilled egg-plant with peppers.

A bird's eye view of the dinner spread.

The Grand Duck King

This is a chain of roast duck restaurants, and we dined at the Grand Indonesian Shopping Town restaurant. This Cantonese-style restaurant was quite crowded with diners by the time we finished our lunch.

Har-kow

The roast duck

The roast duck was very good. Just the right amount of moisture and the skin was wafer crisp.

Char Cheong Fun

Siew-mai

Fried bean cut skin roll

Fried carrot cake

Duck eggs steam bun

The tasty salted duck eggs fillings

High-tea at Shangri-La Jakarta

We had high-tea at the Shangri-La Jakarta. We started with scones spread with cream, honey and blue-berry jams. Then came the full assortment of pastries and sandwiches....we will let the photos tell the story....

Bird-cage sweets, pastries & sandwiches.

Delectable cucumber sandwiches

Colourful pastries which is feast for the eyes.

Earl Gray tea

After the tea which only started at 3pm, we made a bee-line for Soekarno-Hatta airport. Leaving at 4pm, given Jakarta well-known traffic jams, we were a bit apprehensive about not making it in time for our flight home at 6pm! But we made it, thanks to our driver!