Ivy's Guide: List of GyuTan Don in Jakarta

Undeniably GyuTan Don has makes its way to be one of the trending food at the moment. The word Gyu is Japanese word for cow and Tan stands for tongue in english. This rice bowl with sliced beef tongue is a Japanese dish, but it doesn't stop restaurants serving other cuisines also comes with their versions of GyuTan Don on the menu.

Being an avid fan of GyuTan Don, I am always excited to try them. So here's my list of GyuTan Don in Jakarta. Read on! :) 

Ivy's Guide: Best Meals in 2014

Hello! It's one day left before new year. Don't let 2014 pass without trying at least one of these restaurants below. My personal recommendation for the best meals of 2014. 

Ivy's Guide: Jakarta's Taiwanese Dessert Cafes

Just as expected, after frozen yogurt and bubble tea fever, now comes Taiwanese dessert as the trending one in town at the moment. More and more new cafes open offering the same dessert type, some are good, some are pretty standard. Here's the list of Jakarta's Taiwanese dessert place.

Spoiled with various choices of bubble tea at PIK

On the early stage of bubble tea's popularity months ago, with only few brands around, Cha Time, Come Buy, Boba Inc... Queuing line were seen in almost every stalls. Nowadays, line of queue almost never seen, but it doesn't mean that they have lost their popularity. Even worse, I feel like Jakarta were attacked with bubble tea virus, so many that I simply forced to write a separate bubble tea post beside the one I posted quite some time ago. Click here.

One Tuesday at Summarecon Mall Serpong: Lots of food, lots of fun.

I always enjoy going to a place I never, or in this case, barely go. When my bestie called me up for a day out to Summarecon Mall Serpong, I quickly said yes. A place I barely go with many new exciting diners to try surely can be something to enlighten my Tuesday, not to mention having it with a good company as she is, someone who always okay that her diet plan getting ruined by me, her "always curious" best friend. *grin*
The moment I ended my conversation, I scrolled down the note pad on my Blackberry, and there it was "Places to eat in SMS", Sunny Side Up, Mama's German, Warung Talaga, Quench, The Barrel, Bakerz Inn Artisan. I texted my bestie, we should at least eat at 3 places! She replied... Ok! with a wink. Aw... my food hunting partner. :)

So, proudly (or shamelessly?) to say we did manage to go to 3 places, and here they are:

Artease & Share Tea Bubble Tea

Artease bubble tea 

Tried: Apple rose tea (detoxifying effect) with aloe vera ($5), Oolong milk tea with custard puddings ($4), Plum green tea with mini pearls ($3).

Fact: Come with quite many selections from milk tea, fruit teas to coffee. Their branch at Orchard Cineleisure is in collaboration with a Japanese restaurant so we can have options of Japanese food to be eaten there. The pearl topping is free while the others like pudding, aloe vera, grass jelly cost around 0.5 cent to $1.

Bubble tea fever in Jakarta: Which one you like best?

You know how you are on diet and there's just one thing that you simply cannot let go, and you just let it ruin your diet plan? Well, for me that thing came in plastic cups with toppings. I love bubble tea and simply can't get enough of them. Who's with me?

Update: For bubble Tea brands located at PIK, pls click here.

CHA TIME  (franchise from Taiwan)

Strong points: Comes with the most variants among others bubble tea, generous toppings and the richest flavors of others bubble tea. Originate from Taiwan. Their plum tea is the best, rich in flavor, really can feel the sourness.

Price range: 18 - 21k for regular, 21 - 24k for large.  

Recommendation: Taiwan plum green tea & Sour plum green tea with aloe vera toppings. Both are top notch.

Available at: Central Park, Ciputra, Gandaria City, Senayan City, Living World, Mal Artha gading, Mal Puri Indah, MKG 3, Ace Bintaro, Plaza Semanggi, Kota Kasablanka, Grand Indonesia, Mall Taman Anggrek, Emporium Pluit, Pantai Indah Kapuk, Baywalk.

Read complete review here. 

Japanese Ramen: Which bowl is your favorite?

Is it only me or various Japanese ramen seem to keep on coming and coming and coming?

Once upon a time, there were only Sanpachi and Ajisen when it comes to Japanese ramen. Lately, it has not been a slim pickin' when I want to indulge my self with a bowl of Japanese ramen. Japanese is one of my favorite type of cuisine, but I used to be more into sushi kind of gal rather than ramen, now I am torn...

Honestly, my fond of ramen was just started on the first day I met with Ikkousha. I fell in love with their delicious soup and since then, I am always excited on trying new ramen places or even the longer existing one which I never really bother to try before.

So, shall we? 

HAKATA IKKOUSHA
 

Strong points: Amazing most tasty full of flavor broth among others, delicious buta chasiu thick, Ocha is refillable, good service.

Price range: Ramen starts from 38k.

Recommendation: Ramen babi tam tam is a delicious pick.

Available at: Muara Karang and Kelapa Gading.

Read complete review here.