Eating at PASAR SANTA - Part One

Been a while I want to try to eat at Pasar Santa. I've heard that Pasar Santa has improve not just a traditional market, but involved to a place where we can eat. Not like other food vendors at traditional market, Pasar Santa dining area full of promising food vendors that enough make me drooling.

Even though its clean enough, but never imagine a convey and cold place here at Pasar Santa. Because most of vendors only have maximum 10 - 15 chairs capacity. Imagine if its full booked. You have to queue. And some vendors have a very serious queue. Long like train. I've been to Pasar Santa twice, just because I'm curious with all the vendors. Before begin your journey to Pasar Santa here's I give you several hints
1. Make sure you wear a comfortable clothes, since its non-AC place
2. Leave your heels, wear Sandals or Flat shoes
3. Bring some cash, most of vendors prefer cash even though some of them have debit or BCA Flash
4. If you already know where to go and what to eat, pay attention of their opening hours. Even though it says open in certain times, but it depends on the vendors. For example DOG vendor. It says open at 3 but when I visit they just ready at 4.30pm!! Better check their Instagram.Usually they updated their opening hours.
5. Unlike the other restaurant, they have pretty late opening hours. Around 12am to 3pm. Again, better check their Instagram.
6. Better come early, even though most vendors write their closing time, but many of them already sold out before closing time. Like Papricano Mexicana for example. They already sold at 6pm!!
7. Coming early also to avoid a very long queue and end with disappointed because they out of stock.

1st VISIT

NASI GORENG HITAM - IDR 28.000
Fried rice made from squid Ink served with fried egg
Taste wise not too big portion. The only kick from this fried rice is only the hint of spiciness.  

LEGOH
Manadonese Food, A Branch from Bandung.
Pasar Modern Santa 1st Floor, Foodcourt Area
Tues-Sun 11:00-21:00
TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

BEEF QUESADILLA - IDR 25.000
At first I was tempting to order their Burrito or Taco. But remembering I still want to explore several food vendors here at Pasar Santa, so I (only) ordered Beef Quesadilla. Surprisingly, Papricano give the generous amount of beef and cheese in their Quesadilla. Made by order so you'l get the warm food from them. Love their Salsa and Guacamole sauce. RECOMMENDED!

PAPRICANO MEXICAN CANTINA
Ph. +6281514298907
Opening hours:
Wed - Fri: 3pm - 9pm
Sat - Sun: 2pm - 10pm
INSTAGRAM

BLACK GOURMET HOTDOG
Single - IDR 35.000 || Double - IDR 40.000 || Triple - IDR 45.000
SAUCE (White, Cheese, Red) - IDR 5.000
So curious with  this hotdog. They made the bun from charcoal. That's why the bun color is black. What I have above is Single Hotdog with White Sauce. White Sauce is combination between mayonnaise and black-pepper. It turned to be a good pairing.

DOG
Pasar Modern Santa 1st Floor, Foodcourt Area #57
Wed – Sun
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER
  

So curious saw their preparation. Setting this and that. No wonder, December 26th was their 1st open and exist at Pasar Santa. And since it 1st launching, they give it free for their customers that day. Woooww!!  Lucky me to be the 1st who can taste it that day. Like its name, It's a Wrap served a wrap kind of food that you can choose the filling. They made the wrap from spinach. That's why the colour is green. They serve chicken, Dory Fish and Beef. Then you can choose 3 kind of veggies that you want to input to your wrap. The choice between Tomato, Lettuce, Cucumber, Paprika or Pineapple. Last you choose the sauce, barbeque, mushroom, black-pepper or mayonnaise. For my wrap above, I choose Fish with lettuce and tomato paired with mayonnaise. The fish taste crispy on the skin and still tender inside. The important thing is, its not smell fishy. The mayo taste less kick. I expected to be more bold on the sauce. While on the other day, my sister had their Beef with Barbeque sauce and it turn to be great.

IT'S A WRAP
Pasar Santa 2nd Floor #36
Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday
INSTAGRAM

Fatboy is one of vendor that sell various kind of satay. The things that they put in the skewer is Fish Cake (Otak-otak), Cheesy Stick, Sausage (IDR 12.000). Beef Patty, Dumpling, Egg Chicken Roll (IDR 10.000) Lobster, Fish, Salmon, Crab, Squid, Shrimp (IDR 8.000). Chicken Skin, Chicken Intestine (IDR 6.000). Like the sauce that they put in the balls. I love the lobster and the salmon one.

FATBOY
INSTAGRAM
Ph. +6281294124024
Opening hours: Changing daily, pls check their instagram.

FROZEN BANANA - IDR 16.000
So unique and creative  dessert that Barnana have. Its a frozen banana that wrapped inside melted chocolate. You can choose your favorite topping like almond, cornflakes, oreo, regal biscuits, sprinkles, peanut butter, salted caramel and nutella. When I bought the banana, they have a today special menu which banana topped with ovaltine sprinkles. And this banana is so fuckin' good. I definitely going to buy again again and again on my next visit. RECOMMENDED!! 

BARNANA
INSTAGRAM
Opening hours: Sat - Sun 3pm - finish

Beyond Cendur (Cendol Durian) is a variant of dessert that consist of durian, cendol and other topping like, grass jelly, nutella, green tea, oreo, vanilla & green tea ice cream, black sticky rice and even kit kat Green Tea. What I have above is Cendol Durian one of their signature best seller. Love the consistency each ingredients in it. Even though the taste way too sweet, but the durian is irresistible.

BEYOND CENDUR BAR
INSTAGRAM
Ph. +628128132312
Opening hours: Thursday - Sunday 2pm - 9pm

OMG! The food list that I've tried pretty long. At first I want to compile all my Experience from my visit to Pasar Santa. But then, instead of scrolling to long, and make you tired, I decided to split my journey into 2 review story. Click here for another review of Pasar Santa.

PASAR SANTA
Jl. Cipaku I
Tendean, Jakarta

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TWITTER || INSTAGRAM 

Email: watashi_waoct4@yahoo.com

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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