[NEW SPOT] Pavela : Enjoying Peruvian Cuisine at Its Best

Yesterday I was invited to join in a blogger gathering celebrating the opening of a new restaurant joiner in one of the hippest hangout area in Pondok Indah, Street Gallery-Pondok Indah Mall 3. I always happy when it comes to something new and unique rather than new but so so. I mean you know, most of the new restaurants in Jakarta now only focus on the theme and the decor, as long as it’s instragammable and gather the hype of Jakarta’s patrons, everything will look “unique” without minding the food served, which is more important for the establishment of the restaurant.

Well, sorry for my dramatic thought, let’s start talking this new baby which is good in name also, Pavela. This is the first-ever Peruvian restaurant in Jakarta (I thought in Indonesia, CMIIW since I’ve never heard any Peru’s authentic restaurant before anywhere in Indonesia). Pavela, wholly owned by Henalda Group, serving original Peruvian cuisine with fresh ingredients from Peru and modified with some Indonesian’s ingredients to give the world’s culinary hunter satisfy feeling in enjoying authentic Peru’s cuisine right in Jakarta.

Not only the authentic Peruvian cuisine, Pavela also brought us to enjoy Peru’s atmosphere  here. The ambiance is set very warm, with yellowish lighting and black and white colour in overall interior. The pictures of Peruvian people in frames and a mural of Macchu Picchu, Peru’s historical and ancient city, also adding a real atmosphere of Peru.

So, for the opening treat, Pavela gave us a refreshing Peru’s national drink which is a very MUST TRY, named Pisco Sour (45K). This drink was made from fusion of lime, egg white, brown sugar and cinnamon. A lil bit sour but super refreshing!

For appetizers,  Yucca Fritas (40K) was the BOMB!. Actually this is only a crunchy cassava, but the dipping called ‘aji verde’ was between hell and heaven. A combination of cilantro, lime, and ‘secret ingredients’ resulting a spicy flavor like wasabi but surprisingly addicting when I dipped the cassava in it. Can’t stop munching this snacks!

Another tasty of appetizers you can choose are as follow:

Papas Fritas (40K). Butter french fries with ‘aji verde’

Pavela Wings (55K). Marinated crunchy bone-in chicken wings with pavela tarter dipping.

Causa Limena (45K). Traditional Peruvian style. Seasoned mashed potato terrine topepd with shredded chicken breast, onions, Japanese cucumber, and ‘aji verde’

Move to the main course. Peruvian cuisine is actually dominated with ‘carbo-things’. You can see rice and cassava get together in one plate like in this Pollo A La Brasa (95K). In one plate, you can find slow-roasted Peruvian spiced chicken leg quarter, fresh green vegetables, yucca fritas and cilantro butter rice. I simply love the buttery rice. Moist and fragrant in the same time.

If you want something sweet, Pollo Saltado (85K)  might be the best choice. This one actually similar with Pollo A La Brasa, combining butter rice and yucca fritas but with caramelized onion for the chicken, resulting more sweet sensation for non-spicy lovers.

My favorite would be this Nikkei Chicken (80K)

Crunchy chicken leg topped with special Nikkei sauce which is sweet like a maple syrup, cilantro butter rice and Pavela tartar. I can not explain how heaven this was, the one thing I love was eating savory chicken with shot of sweet sauce has never been so good before!

And this one also, Jalea (95K). Peruvian fish & chips, fresh salad, papas fritas, with ‘aji verde’ and salsa criolla dipping. I simply love how crunchy the Dory fish outside and super moist inside.

Another choice you can try is this  Chicharron De Pollo (80K). Crispy chicken breast with salsa criolla, cream de rocoto, fresh greens and cilantro butter rice.

 

 Don’t skip the dessert since Pavela also serves selection of great Peruvian style’s dessert.

Banana Popsicles (40K)

Who doesn’t love popsicles?! Ouch, I bet you’re gonna love this. Frozen banana topped with dark chocolate coatingand roasted crushed peanuts served with vanilla ice cream. Childhood alert!

Beso De Moza (45K)

I expected something ooey gooey from this dark choco cake unfortunately they’re served frozen so it’s really hard to cut the cake. The hint of melted marshmallow inside made my feeling better to enjoy the rest of the cake.  

Overall, I love having lunch here. Friendly and fast service with reasonable price and proportional portion. So, if you’re someone who loves traveling and wishing to visit Peru someday, visiting Pavela might be a good start before you enjoy the real Peru. Congratulation again Pavela. Wishing you have a great journey ahead!

Pavela Peruvian Cuisine

Street Gallery Ground Floor #13

Pondok Indah Mall 3

Telp. +62 21 2952 9767

Jl. Metro Pondok Indah, Jakarta Selatan

IG: @pavela.peru

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[EVENT] HARRIS GOODIE FOODIE by HARRIS HOTEL

Several weeks ago, I attended an event named HARRIS GOODIE FOODIE held by Harris Hotel. This "oldest brother" of Tauzia Hotel Management family is turning Fourteen this year and as a celebration of their birthday, Harris Hotel revamping a brand new food selection to keep up the customer's ever-changing appetite.

There were 5 Signature Dishes reintroduced in this event voted by their beloved customers and several Indonesian's specialties to emphasize Harris' engagement on local culture.

So, here's the 5 Signature Dishes of Harris Hotel that you'll always meet when staying at Harris Hotel:

1. Nasi Goreng Kampung (Traditional Fried Rice)

2. Sop Buntut (Oxtail Soup)

Giant Beef & Veggie Burger

My favorite would be the beef burger. Who can resist such a juicy beef with holy moly melted cheese in a GIANT portion, right! For a vegetarian, the Veggie burger might be a good choice too.

 Beef Burger

Veggie Burger

Molten Chocolate Cake

All-time favorite cake period. Harris Hotel's chef knew how to attract their customers with something melted and chocolate. Good job, Chef, this made all girl crushed on you, oops I mean crushed on this choco lava cake hahaha...

Beside those signature dishes, these several Indonesian food from several famous region was also something you won't miss when visiting Harris Hotel.

Jakarta - Soup Kimlo & Ayam Panggang Sereh Limau with Sambal Bongkot

These two dishes were Jakarta's special dishes. Ayam Panggang Sereh Limau (grilled chicken with lemongrass and lime) was my favorite. The seasoning permeated perfectly into the chicken and the complement sauce, made from a stem of kecombrang leaves, left a super fragrant aroma of sauce I've ever tasted. A very MUST TRY!

While, Soup Kimlo was a common soup filled with minced chicken, mushroom, vegetables with savory broth. Usually, this soup found in a wedding event's catering. 

Ayam Panggang Sereh Limau

Soup Kimlo

Pontianak - Udang Windu Lada Hitam (Windu's Prawn with Blackpepper Sauce)

Bali - Bebek Goreng Sambal Matah (Fried Duck with Sambal Matah)

Very impressed with this fried duck. A succulent and moist duck's meat combined with a tasty 'sambal matah', traditional condiment from Bali made from minced chili, onion, garlic, lime lives, shrimp paste and some cooking oil.

Batam - Ikan Kakap Sambal Kemangi (Snapper Fish with Basil)

This one was also good to try. The snapper was well-cooked without any bad smell which usually occur when someone can't cooked it properly. The basil condiment was also very fragrant and escalate my taste bud until I couldn't stop to dip the fish in it continuously hahaha....

In this event. we're also introduced with several signature fresh and healthy juice from Harris Hotel Juice Bar around Indonesia, such as Red Lips from Harris Pontianak (dragon fruit juice) and Berry Colada from Harris Surabaya.

Well, that's all from the HARRIS GOODIE FOODIE event. We're so happy to enjoy this event especially with fun and great Harris Hotel's committee. So, if you happen to stay in any Harris Hotel in Indonesia, don't forget to try one of those signature dishes, guys! 

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[RECIPE] SCHOTEL TAHU KEJU PANGGANG

Resep ini merupakan resep all-time favorit keluarga saya kalau lagi bingung mau masak apa sih hehehe. Biasanya sih mama saya menyebutnya pepes tahu karena beliau membuatnya dikukus menggunakan daun pisang, namun saya membuatnya dengan versi lebih modern plus ditambhakan melted cheese kesukaan anak saya (soalnya apapun yang dibuat dengan keju pasti dilahap habis sama Arga hihihi). Respenya saya dapat original dari mama dengan tambahan sesuai selera saya. Yuk ibu-ibu masak lagi!

Bahan:

1 buah tahu cina besar, haluskan

1 buah wortel, cincang halus

100 gr daging sapi cincang atau sesuai selera

2 butir telur kocok lepas

1 buah bawang bombay, cincang halus

2 siung bawang putih, cincang halus

100 ml susu full cream

Merica bubuk secukupnya

Garam secukupnya

Kaldu ayam bubuk secukupnya (saya pakai Alsultan yg non MSG)

100 gr keju cepat leleh (untuk adonan dan taburan)

Cara Membuat:

- Tumis bawang bombay dan bawang putih hingga harum lalu masukkan wortel dan daging masak hingga setengah matang,sisihkan

- Campur bahan tumisan di atas dengan susu, telur, tahu, keju dan garam serta merica. aduk rata dan cicipi rasanya sesuai selera

- Masukkan ke pinggan tahan panas dan panggang dalam suhu 150 dercel selama kurang lebih 45 menit. Tes tusuk untuk memastikan dalamnya sudah matang.

- Taburkan keju cepat leleh di 15 menit terakhir biar ga gosong soalnya cepat leleh sekali

- Angkat dan dinginkan

FYI, foto yang ada di postingan ini saya buat nggak lama setelah schotel tahunya selesai dipanggang dan langsung saya potong jadi masih terlihat lembek dan basah. Aslinya, kalau didiamkan dulu sekitar 30 menit akan jadi lebih padat hihihi dan schotel tahu ini tahan hampir 1 minggu di kulkas lho. Jadi, lumayan kan irit bahan makanan, tinggal keluarin dari kulkas, hangatkan, santap deh. Selamat mencoba!

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[RECIPE] DORY FISH SOUP

Berhubung besok wiken dan malam ini Jakarta hujan seharian, jadi aja ngabisin stok bahan dikulkas. Masih ada sisa ikan dori dan sayur-sayuran akhirnya kepikiran bikin Sup Ikan Dori Tahu Sutra buat makan malam si #babyarga (tapi ayah bundanya ikutan makan sih hehehe) a la Maminya Kenzie, mba @ichantiks yang aku dapat resepnya dari blognya ceritamamikenzie.blogspot.co.id. Thanks mba resepnya enyaak hihi! Resepnya aku modifikasi mengikuti persediaan bahan-bahan aku hehe...Yuks yg mau makan hangat-hangat boleh dicoba!

Bahan:

500 gr ikan dori potong kotak 

100 gr sawi putih (aku ganti wortel potong kotak kecil2)

1 bungkus tahu sutra

1 sdt air jeruk lemon

1/2 sdt garam

2 siung bawang putih, memarkan

2 sdt hebi sangrai, haluskan (aku gak pakai)

1 bh tomat, potong-potong

1 sdt garam

1/4 merica bubuk

1 sdt gula pasir

2 btng daun bwng, potong-potong

Air untuk kuah

1 sdm minyak untuk menumis (aku pake unsalted butter buat Arga)

10 grm bwng putih goreng untuk taburan (aku gak pakai)

2 sdm jagung manis pipil (aku ganti telur puyuh biar ada proteinnya hehe)

5 butir bakso ikan (tambahan aku)

Cara membuat:

- Lumuri ikan dori dengan jeruk lemon dan garam diamkan kurang lebih 20 menit.

- Tumis bawang putih hingga harum, tambahkan air biarkan mendidih. 

- Masukkan ikan dori, wortel, tahu sutra, garam, merica bubuk, dan gula pasir. Aduk rata. 

- Tambahkan daun bawang dan telur puyuh, masak sampai matang. 

- Sajikan selagi hangat dengan taburan bawang putih goreng.

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[NEW CONCEPT] GIA Restaurant & Bar, Jakarta



I’ve been a fans of Ismaya Group’s chain restaurants since every time they’re opening a new one, the concept is always stunning and exciting. One of the lovable one I’ve ever visited is GIA. There’s always something magical when hearing the name of this established resto. I feel like meeting a classic yet sexy woman named, GIA and it’s always be the same rite now. GIA might be so last year restaurant seeing the massive growing of new restaurants in Jakarta, but she (yes, I better call it like I call my bestfriend) is still stunning and becoming one of most-wanted fine dining restaurant especially to celebrate special day. She’s also trying to shift the concept from fine dining to a semi fine dining where everyone could meet her every day, every occasion.

I’m happy to hear this news and feel so excited to visit her even in lunch time. As you might know that GIA, represented by a sexy, classy, and energetic woman character, is also design its interior with something classic, black and white, elegance table setting, sophisticated lamps, bright white walls, black Italian marble and wooden ceiling. The dining area was divided into two: one located near the bar area and another one located on the other side. She’s also providing a VIP room upstairs with a stunning view the Sampoerna Strategic Square’s garden by the window.  I feel so romantic sitting below a yellowish lamp with tidy and clean table setting without worrying the dress I wore that day (yup, since GIA shifting the concept into semi fine dining, to wear a casual dress is acceptable).

GIA for me sounds like a French girl name, but actually she’s serving Italian food. So, let’s take a closer meeting with her and her food creations.

Carpaccio di Filetto Angus e Tartufo

US black angus beef tenderloin carpaccio, truffle vinaigrette, fresh truffle and parmesan.

I love this starters, it’s not only served cold and fresh but also the truffle oil made the beef tenderloin became something worth the price and the concept.

Fettuccine Verdi Polpette di Wagyu

Wagyu meatballs, sweet paprika pesto, homemade green spinach fettuccine.

Don’t expect something creamy when seeing the appearance of this pasta, you will find more than that. A creamy pasta with light sweet and bitter sensation from the spinach which for me turn so so gooood especially with the tasty meatballs!

Linguine all’Aragostelle

Sweet water crayfish lobster, hennessy vsop brandy spicy pink sauce

This one was also creamy but a quite spicy for my liking. I love how fresh the lobster meat was. It just complete the whole flavor of this pasta.

Tagliata di Manzo

200g char-grilled stockyard sirloin, veal jus, mashed potatoes, mesclun, and aged balsamic

From the moment I saw it served on my table, I could feel that this baby will gonna be awesome. AND IT’S FREAKING MORE THAN AWESOME!! The thick cut of this sirloin was perfectly cooked “medium” resulting a super juicy and tender meat with a perfect savory-sweet veal jus as the highlight. I also admired the smooth and creamy mashed potato and the fresh rocket salad with fresh dressing. It’s all heaven in a plate!

Crostatina Cioccolato

Cocoa tart, dark chocolate cream, caramelized walnut, crispy honey brownies soil, glazed popcorn and vanilla ice cream.

Don’t too focus on how many ingredients used in this dessert. Just focus on how mesmerizing this chocolate tart was. The texture of the tart was incredibly soft and moist as I expect from the outer appearance it might be dry and hard. The taste was also well-balance, sweet cocoa tart with a hint of dark chocolate cream inside without overpowering each other. A perfect closing!

Overall, I had a good experience visiting GIA. I didn’t have any things to complain. The food was actually worth the price and the ambiance. The service was also good, friendly and attentive. You won’t be sorry though you have to spend around IDR600K for two.

GIA Restaurant & Bar
Sampoerna Strategic Square
South Tower, GF Unit 7-8
Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 45-46
Jakarta Selatan 12950
Telp. +62 21 5795 3300

Alcoholic drinks/Wine : Yes
RSVP : Yes
Dress code: Smart Casual
Smoking Area : Yes
Live Entertainment : Yes
Wi-Fi : Yes
Pricing : IDR600,000 for 2 persons

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