Sulaiman Chinese Muslim Restaurant

Usually when hearing about Chinese restaurant, the menu contain pork or the menu it self not to identical with its root. So I'm a bit curious when a friend told me that there's Chinese Muslim Restaurant. Look at their banner here, Arabic and China letter look great together.

Entering into Sulaiman restaurant, its not that spacious. It probably only fit 25 peoples. So if it full packed, you have to be patience to be seated.

Here in Sulaiman, you can choose many kind of food Xin Jiang style. They separated it into 5 categories.
There are Rice, Pulled Noodle, Wok / Stir Fry, Grilled / Roast and Toasted Bread.  All look tempting to be try. If you don't feel familiar with the menu, don't worry, the server always ready explain it to you.

Since we carnivore, so most of ordered menu was about meat and meat. So keep scrolling...

SATE DAGING KAMBING ( ROASTED MUTTON KEBABS ) - IDR 8.000 / skewer
Ordered satay here, not imagine like you ordering satay in everywhere else, where there's peanut butter and soy sauce like it usual. Here in Sulaiman, the roasted mutton kebab  use an iron skewer. With a pretty thick cut of the meat. When usually I smell the weird smell from the mutton, but not with this mutton kebab. All I smell was the fragrant herbs from it. With the perfect grilled, make the herbs soak into the meat perfectly. It also tender and taste so great. 

PAHA KAMBING BERGIZI (MUTTON LEG) - IDR 70.000
Another mutton menu. Like the mutton kebab above, the mutton taste good without any weird smell. Taste a bit spicy. The fat make the herbs spread to the meat. And it was make it more good.

MIE AYAM (CHICKEN NOODLE) - IDR 40.000
For a soup menu, try this one. This chicken noodle is the champion. It so good and fragrant. Everything cooked with the right consistency. The noodle soft and not too mushy, the chicken was tender, the potato also not overcooked. yes it looked spicy with the red soup. But it not that spicy. It more taste tomato in it. With a hint taste of herbs that I just know that the name is "Szechuan Peppercorn" that give a kick taste to this menu. 

MIE DAGING SAPI BERKUAH (BEEF SOUP NOODLE) - IDR 35.000
Sulaiman gave the very generous amount of tender beef to this noodle menu. Even though the soup look so oily, but the taste still great. The broth is tasty.

TERONG PANGGANG ( GRILLED EGGPLANT) - IDR 12.000
The amazing taste come from a simple dish. It just a grilled eggplant. But since it seasoned well, most of it with garlic, it become so yummy.

KUE GEPENG BAKAR (GRILLED FLAT BREAD) - IDR 8.000
It similar with naan bread from India. It plain but it have a million taste. The texture is chewy. You have it with curry or just like I did. I rolled it with the mutton kebab. It still taste great though. Just use your creativity and have like as you like.

A view weeks after my 1st visit, I come back here again with my hubby. I'm so excited to tell him about this extra ordinary menu. And here are what we ordered...

NASI DAGING KAMBING + DAUN BAWANG GORENG CEPAT  (MUTTON RICE with FRIED GREEN ONION) - IDR 35.000
Mutton with tomato as a sauce. The portion pretty huge for 1 person. The thickness from the sauce plus the rice make the one who eat it feel full easily. The mutton is tender. The garlic and the green onion make it more fragrant.

DAGING KAMBING ZIRAN (FRIED MUTTON WITH CUMIN) - IDR 80.000
So curious with this menu. First because the "ziran" word. But it basically mutton that fried with some spices like cumin and chilli flakes. Served with coriander and leaves as a balancing to this mutton fried. I paired this fried mutton with the flat bread. And it so good.

Overall, I really enjoy XinJiang dish that Sulaiman restaurant served. I'm not a big fan of mutton. But Sulaiman gave me another experience through their menus. But kinda sad, now they moved their restaurant from Wahid Hasyim near Sabang Street that also very close to my office. Now they had new location that far from my reach in Batu Ceper Area huhuuu.... Hope I can visit their new site someday.

SULAIMAN RESTAURANT
Jl. Batu Ceper No. 73, Pecenongan, Jakarta
(behind pasar baru)
Phone :  085883471336 – 081229725281

Spirit Ramadhan at Bengawan - Keraton at The Plaza

I always excited when Ramadhan come. The ambiance, the atmosphere and of course the food. There are some food that taste even more good when I eat it in Ramadhan. Even though we can cook eat in usual month, but dunno why it taste different. Traditional food like my mom always made, like Kolak Pisang, Kolak Biji Salak and so on. Now in the spirit of fasting month, Bengawan - Keraton offer Ramadhan Package for you to enjoy

Spirit Of Ramadhan at Bengawan – Keraton

*picture courtesy of Bengawan – Keraton for octaplayground

In this holy month, what could be better than have it with your family. To indulge your festive moment of Ramadhan, Bengawan - Keraton have many kind of food that you can enjoy affordable price. You just need to pay IDR 350.000++ per person including hot beverages and tajil. Price are subject to applicable service charge and government tax. With that you can enjoy Bengawan - Keraton buffet menu featuring an array of Arabic, Japanese, Indonesian and Mexican. What an offer!

If you want to stay at Keraton Hotel during Ramadhan Month, don't miss their special package also. With price start from IDR 2.850.000++ for Grand Deluxe Room on 23 June to 24 July 2014  on the weekdays (Monday to Thursday) and IDR 2.550.000++ for Grand Deluxe Room 25 July to 3 August 2014 on the weekends (Friday to Sunday). Those price already inclusive Buffet Breakfast / Sahur for 2 and complimentary Wi-Fi.

Chef Lamberto Valdez Lara

Meet Chef Lamberto Valdez Lara, who welcome us and take us for a grand tour to the whole dining area and introduce us with Bengawan - Keraton menus. I first met him at Cinco de Mayo Mexican Festive  earlier at Bengawan - Keraton. Let's begin the tour. Keep scrolling.

MEXICAN MENU
I still remember when the 1st I tried the Mexican Menu here. How I fall in love with all of their Mexican menu. even for their simple guacamole.

As a start I choose the crispy and crunchy Nachos from the Mexican Stall. I love how the melted cheese combine the tomato and onion into the nachos chips. For companion, I also had a yummy brown bread topped with tomato and cheese. No too forget the 3 choice of sauce, Salsa Verde, Sour Cream and Tomato Salsa.

JAPANESE
Bengawan - Keraton have many selection of sushi and sashimi. Love the sashimi. It taste fresh, sweet and not smell fishy. On the other hand, I guess Bengawan - Keraton have to make improvement with their sushi. The rice so dry and fell apart easily.

SALAD BAR
Here at Salad Bar, you can mix salad as you like. There are Japanese salad, Middle East salad, Western Salad even Indonesian salad like Gado-Gado. Yeepp... in here Gado-Gado include in their Salad selection. So freshening. You surely can't miss it.

BREAD AND CHEESE
The presentation of bread and cheese stall is so gorgeous. The freshly made bread is so tempting and smells so good. Try some, and it so moist and fluffy. Great also if we pairing it with soup. As for the cheese, they also have many variant of cheese. Be creative with pairing it with the bread or even with the salad. So scrumptious.

ARABIC
Middle East Stall offer many signature dish that you can't missed. From shawarma, kofta, Shish Kebab even their Lentil Soup. I'm so curious with all their menu.

Look at that amazing chicken that made for Shawarma.It made from chicken thigh. It look so tempting. We can still see the juice come from the meat. And here are what I got from the Middle East Stall

SHAWARMA
This shawarma is fantastic. Like I mentioned above, the chicken taste juicy and tasty. Mixed with vegetables that really fresh. The skin that cover the chicken and the veggies also great. The texture is good. Not to thick. So it not end with chewy texture. Not crispy kind of skin like crepe. But smooth enough.

CHEESE SAMBOUSEK
If you see the puff pastry below the shawarma iin the picture above, well it call cheese sambousek. It's a puff pastry filled with melted cheese. Love the puff pastry. Its fluffy and moist inside and crispy outside.

SPINACH FATAYER
Similar like the cheese sambousek, but it filled with spinach with cheese. I like this one better than the cheese sambousek. The spinach make the cheese  not too overwhelmed. It so addictive.

Sauce & Condiment for Satay

CHICKEN & BEEF SATAY
The chicken and beef satay is so tender, It also perfectly marinated. You can pairing it with the sauce. Whether its soy chilli sauce or peanut butter sauce. Me like both. the peanut butter sauce a bit thick and a bit spicy.

CHICKEN KEBAB
A fatty cut of chicken kebab. The burn look caramelized and tempting. But too bad, I think this chicken kebab too overcooked. It make the chicken a bit chewy and dry.

KOFTA WITH POTATO and TOMATO
I forget to ask the Chef what Kofta made from. But from what I taste, this Kofta is made from lamb meat. And the great thing is, the lamb so tender inside and not have weird smell at all. It also seasoned well.

POTATO HARA
Potato Hara is a spicy kind of dish. I taste that there's a garlic, chilli and pepper in it. It good if you pair it with Kofta or Kebab.

INDONESIA

Indonesian Stall

Never forget also to stop by to Indonesian stall. Bengawan - Keraton have some Indonesian's signature dish. And here are what they have:
1. Nasi Kuning (rice with coconut milk with yellow color because using turmeric in cooking it), that have savory taste. It has the right consistency. So the rice not dry and not so mushy also.
2. Beef Rendang, the meat is so tender and marinated well. The coconut milk and spices really blen well together and soak up into the meat. You have to try this Rendang. So good.  
3. Soto Ayam ( yellow spicy chicken soup ) with complete condiments.
4. Opor Ayam (chicken that cooked in coconut milk) has savory taste with the right thickness and great in seasoning
5. Kepiting Saos Padang (Crab in spicy sauce) didn't get a chance to try it, but my friend said the meat so tender and the sauce is superb.

Nasi Kuning

*Picture courtesy of YennyMichael for octaplayground

Kepiting Saos Padang

Soto Ayam

DESSERT

When visited Dessert Stall, I felt like children who come into the candy store. My eyes keep drooling in all over the place and make me almost forget to take a picture of it. Because I'm too busy admiring at every dessert that served. From west to east, everything served here.

INDONESIAN DESSERT

Kolak Pisang

WESTERN DESSERT

ARABIC DESSERT

-          Kurma

-          Assorted Dates and Dried Fruits

-          Balousha

-          Mouhalabieh

Umm Ali

And here are dessert that me and my friend tried that day...

Rosallion, Chocolate Rollade, Hazelnut Mousse Cake, Maringue, Caramel Puding

All cake that Bengawan - Keraton served is moist and soft. And also not too overpowering in sweetness.

On the Plate: Orange Kurma, Nut Kurma, Dried Fruits, Umm Ali

On the Glass : White Choco Mousse & Mouhalabieh

Mouhalabieh have dense texture with milky taste, but not too sweet like I thought earlier. And it melted in your mouth straightly.
Umm Ali is a traditional Egyptian dessert that consist crushed nuts, and have a creamy texture. Love this Umm Ali. Beside its not too sweet, it have a well balance in taste
White Choco Mousse Love the mousse that so smooth, on the other hands, the sponge cake not too moist.
Kurma & Sundried Fruits I love all... Specially the kurma. Its flaky, chewy, sweet nice for a break fasting starter.

Overall, I had so much fun here in Bengawan - Keraton. Entering Fasting month wont never be the same any longer. Thanks so much Fiona & Yosua for having me that day.

HAPPY FASTING y'll

BENGAWAN
Keraton at The Plaza, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Jakarta

Telephone: 62-21 5068 0000

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