What food and drink do you miss most now that there are dining restrictions in place?
I have been ordering takeout and picking up from local favorite spots, mostly from a humble warung tegal. in the past weeks, i have slowly started to imagine to dine out for a great slap of juicy tasty steak at Couz steak house and big bite mouthful of burg at Quack Burgeria.
Eating steak or burger at home isn’t the same as in the restaurant, so I’m looking forward to returning to dine in at any restaurant. I also miss eating food freshly cooked in the kitchen! Hopefully along with the better situation, we could be able to dine out and spend more time outside.
What is the first dish you will eat when you can freely dine out?
Honest Spoon! Just to enjoy three big mixed scoops (chocolate, pistachio, and cheesecake) ice cream with my wife, who always prefer the sorbets. I usually go there every weekend. The comfortable interior makes it one of our dating destination. However, due to the pandemic, we have to eat the sweet treat inside the car in the parking lot. I am really looking forward to everything being normal and safe again!
Do you have a favorite restaurant — special occasions or fine dining and for more casual dining?
Umaku Sushi in Bintaro is my go-to restaurant, they have strict health protocols, which made me feel safer. And their sushi is still one of the best in Jabodetabek, because of its quality, big cut and fresh raw fish. My favorite menu is Sashimi Jyo, imagine having a various fresh slice of sashimi in one plate! Even only thinking of it makes my mouth water.
If you have visitors from abroad/out of Jakarta, where do you take them to give a genuine taste of Indonesia?
Pagi Sore, of course. It’s always a exciting experience to choose from a selection of food brought straight to your table. Of course, my mandatory order would be their Atam Pop. After heavy santan courses I will finish with the special Es Kopyor Jagung and Pandan Srikaya as my dessert.
What are your favorite local dishes and where do you go to eat them?
Nasi Goreng Gila Liem. I have been his loyal customer since i was a teenager, so it’s sort of a sentimental ritual for me. I would take the long waiting time as a free live cooking show here, and do not complain for it queue because it is worth every penny. Babeh Liem, that’s what I call him, would not be pleased if you start whining about the cooking time he takes. Nasi Goreng Babeh Liem tastes truly superb with its intriguing aroma of hot smoky wok, and he always finish his dish with a dollop of minyak samin.
Where would you go if you had to meet up with old friends for food?
It will take a long time to catch up with old friends, should be more than 5 hours. In a normal situation, I will choose a coffee shop with lots of finger food and Dua Coffee is safe place, because everything there is perfect! We can share a plate of chicken and seafood platter, with a glass of iced latte to accompany the meal. During the remaining hours, I will order Spro chicken wings and their famous Nasi Goreng Buntut.
