Obsessed

Ever listen to a song so good it makes u realize that heaven isn't a place but simply a state of mind where it takes your head off the ground?

The newest joint from Ta-ku, JMSN & Sango (dreamy collabs indeed) feels like a short pilgrimage for the souls, and if the music alone isn't a gift then let me crawl deep into the lyrics which sound more like a subtle greeting for better days ahead.



Give it time, give it time
Cause this ain't no race no
You'll be fine, you'll be fine
Do whatever it takes
/
I don't mean to hurt you
But we all know that I might
Nobody's perfect baby

I know I don't deserve you
But you saved my life.

E&O: Eastern & Oriental Restaurant

E&O is a charming collaboration between Chef Will Meyrick (Sarong and Mama San restaurants in Bali) and the same company that handles Loewy and Union. Initially the restaurant planned to highlight a unique blend of Thai and Vietnamese cuisines as their main concept but as time goes by E&O expanded their kitchen creations to cater to everyone's diverse tastes. Therefore prepare yourself to face a wide variety of Asian cuisines with some interesting twists coming from the West!

I like how the mixture of rustic and vintage atmosphere in this restaurant is wrapped nicely in elegance. As you can see, most visitors in E&O fall into executives or businessmen/businesswomen category during weekdays but on weekends there are also crowds of families and teenagers filling the seats. Fancy enough but still pretty casual after all. Also the food portions here are made to share so it would be very fitting if you tag along some friends or relatives on your visit.

E&O's menu selections are divided into starters, mains, and desserts. One of the hallmark of their fusion creations can be found in Thai-styled Caesar Salad and Vietnamese Cheong Fan for starters, which consist of shredded pork, Shiso leaf, and Thai basil. Meanwhile Crispy Pork Belly would be a top notch option for main course. After landing my first try on this menu I understood why this is simply (almost) everyone's favorite every time they visit E&O. The pork is served in fair cuts, with incredibly crispy skin and tasty seasonings that soaked in perfectly into their juicy texture. Wonderful! I find it interesting that they pair this menu with double sauces, Tamarind and Tamarillo. Both have distinct characteristics though there's a certain blend of flavors that connect them that are derived from sour, sweet, and spicy. It is also served with a handful of sticky rice. Gotta say it's quite an impressive result from Thai and Western styles crossover!

The next prima donna is called Country Style Roast Chicken served with Spicy Thai Sauce. Instead of french fries, it's paired with fried cassava! Such an unforgettable fusion experience, indeed. For other selections in the book just take a look at Jungle Chicken Curry, "Choo Chee" Crispy Barramundi,  or Caramelised Duck. The humble and skillful waiters/waitresses will be pleased to elaborate more about the menus to every guest so no need to worry if most of them don't sound familiar to you.

Now that our happy tummies are satisfied, it's time to spend the rest of the night by moving on to the bars and pick up some nice drinks to lift up the mood. Cocktails, mocktails, even wine selections, all is complete all is good. If you still have some space for desserts (WELL WHO DOESN'T?) please give a try for E&O's super smooth and glazy Coconut Crème Brulee. It is topped with crunchy almonds and some fruits that blend perfectly with the creamy texture. I'm definitely in love with this dessert!

E&O is undoubtedly a must visit restaurant for it will not only enhance your culinary experience but also a decent pick for your afterwork or weekend getaway.


(photos by: Hardiman Widjaseno)


E&O
Menara Rajawali Lt.1
Jln. Dr. Ide Anak Agung Gde Agung Lot#5.1
Kawasan Mega Kuningan, Jakarta 12950
Ph: 021 5761645
Average spending: Rp 200.000,00 — Rp 300.000,00 for each person
Twitter: @eandojakarta

Love Live! School Idol Festival

I was hesitating for a while as whether or not I should pour it here but the fact that this freaking game had gotten me hooked for over 3 months now surely left me with no choice. Since I’m pretty much a late bandwagon jumper (as always) bet most of you are already familiar with the title, or maybe avid players of it as well.

Yeah it’s called *drum rolls* LOVE LIVE! School Idol Festival (LLSIF), a mobile rhythm game for IOS/Android developed by KLab and Bushiroad. It’s completely free to download along with tons of content in it; however there will be items like love gems that can be bought with real cash too.

On a brief note, the game itself is based on Love Live franchise which has been expanding in forms of anime, manga series, and music CDs. I haven’t managed to binge watch it yet but the main plot in general revolves around a group of school girls who become idols in order to prevent their school from shutting down. These lovelies consist of Honoka, Rin, Kotori, Umi, Maki, Nico, Nozomi, Eli, and Hanayo. They later declare themselves as μ’s (read: muse).

WHY IS IT SO ADDICTIVE? Okay, again, this comes from someone who barely even follows the series whatsoever but for me LLSIF aced in excellent choice of songs equipped with simple gameplay and cumulative goals to achieve just like the generic system of most rhythm games out there. Not to mention the characters look adorable and engaging, even other rando girls outside μ’s circle, that I personally favor even more. The gameplay requires you to train these girls through practice mode with numerous song collections that can be unlocked whenever you raise a rank or complete the goals given. For every new cluster of rank there will also be a main story about μ’s and their path to stardom. It is indeed THAT simple that you want to play more and more, unlocking new songs you haven’t listened to, new stories, new members to scout, and the list goes on. Especially during events where you gotta keep playing to maintain your rank otherwise other players might snatch up the position you've been working hard to reach while you're off.

When you already get used to playing it then it’s time to step up your skill by clearing the goals for every song, mainly full score and full combo goals. This is also where the interesting part lies because instead of giving up when you fail one you will become more curious and passionate in overcoming it (that thrilling feels when your fingers are dancing carefully for the sake of tapping the correct notes though!). It has come to the point where my phone screen literally reflects a row of finger print marks forming circle notes when it is placed under the sunlight *soulless laughs*

LLSIF's events are held periodically to provide newly released cards with certain level of rarities. In Japan LLSIF app, there are 3 event variations so far: Token event (collecting as many points as possible until maximum goal is reached), Scorematch (competing with other random players on randomly selected songs), and Medley Festival (playing three songs in a row with selectable difficulties). Since I’m a newbird in LLSIF Japan I’m really looking forward for the next Medley Festival event! It will be my first time joining it, also so far it’s still only available in the original Japanese version of the app. Well, everyone sounds excited about new events but when the actual thing starts, it will be another Hunger Games kinda world; sleepless nights and super tight competition until the event is over lol (usually it lasted around 10 days). But the satisfaction of getting special rewards like SR cards of your favorite Love Live! Character and many other prizes are just irreplaceable.

Here's a look into the gameplay. It's one of my favorite songs in the game, called 'Loneliest Baby', and this is the Hard mode with full combo:

While below is a sneak peak of my current LLSIF account. I used to go with the English version since it was easier to grasp the game's details of course, but somehow I find better luck in JP version. It's way more generous in handing out love gems, and most importantly better songs and characters variations for it is the first version to ever release.

That’s all for the bigger picture of the rhythm game. I still barely even recovered from the last SR Umi scorematch event which I was quite butthurt with because my rank flew away at the very last minutes. Those hours spent seemed so far away because people were competing like there's no tomorrow!

Afterall LLSIF is a well-made game though there are still rooms for improvement in the future. Simply prepare yourself before freefalling into this hole because once you’re sucked in escaping wouldn’t be an easy story.


Download Love Live! School Idol Festival Game (Japan/English ver.) Here

Byblos

first of all wipe away the intimidating thoughts when you pass by this restaurant. i get it, a classy vintage atmosphere with by a hint of mediterranean style might radiate an ‘upper class resto’ vibe at the first glance but actually this place is too warm and friendly to be missed. while chilling here you’ll be taken into a ‘journey’ back in time with its antique and elegant approach through 2 divided areas: indoor (with a bar) and outdoor (with a view from upper PIM). both are decent enough to spend some time on along with some colleagues after work.

as a starter, lets try out byblos’ most recommended appetizer: BBQ phyllo bites. it has a unique shape, kind of reminds me of cupcake/dumpling crossover if that makes sense, and its filled with crackers topped by BBQ chicken, sautéed onions, and melted cheese. my goodness, its a menu that i would definitely call out for more! this menu is also ideal as casual bites because the servings could cater up to 3-4 people. the crunchy and savory characteristics lead my palette to our next menu on the line. yup, now its time to try out the main course, hot plate tenderloin! its presented on a steamy stainless plate with onions as the australian meat’s base in order to create an appetizing fragrance. dont worry about the sauce because you will get 3 types of sauce that are split into mushroom brown sauce, gravy, and BBQ. the big sized tenderloin blends decently with the side balsamic salad which gives a hint of fresh sensation in balance with the juicy meat.

take your culinary experience to the fullest through special housemade cocktails such as the beautiful white lady with unique foam made of egg white. or how about something fresher to end your day with? then manzana caramella is a neat pick! Iits made of sour apple, orange vodka, and caramel spikes at the bottom of the glass. give it one or two stir, and the lovely sensation of sweet and fruity will surely warm up your afternoon. so, looking for a nice and chill hang out place nearby the south? give byblos a shot!


(photos by: hardiman widjaseno & doc. byblos)


Byblos
Street Gallery Pondok Indah Mall 2nd Floor, No.207b
Ph: 021 29529744
Price range: Rp 35.000,00 — Rp 200.000,00
Twitter: @ByblosBistro

Stockroom: All Local Menswear

among a huge wave of international brands that have been storming our local fashion market, stockroom appeared like a tiny oasis; especially for boys who love modern and hip look. stockroom is composed by a group of youths who shares a high passion in fashion and retail. these boys realized that so many good works of local brands have gotten buried because most people tend to pick other well-known global brands that seemingly possess a better quality. hence in order to bring back people's faith in the goodness of local brands, stockroom is born by featuring boys’ fashion needs, ranging from clothes, pants, shoes, belts, bags, wallets, pouches, and many more. living up to its title, the boutique is built like an old wooden garage that got redesigned to establish a vintage and minimalist theme.

up to this day, more than 20 local brands have proudly displayed their products here. some of the names are already familiar; such as pot meets pop, AYE! denim, monkeycatfish, nordhenbasic, or jackhammer. stockroom carefully filters the brand selections with several criteria, one of them would be the brand at least has existed for over a year with decent reputation. this way they could analyze the products’ qualities to satisfy their customers. oh, a vast majority of products here are dominated with leather materials. so if you’re one with a great liking to grunge or rock n roll style this would be a perfect spot to visit!

digging deeper inside you’ll find a side wall filled with a wide array of outerwears that is comprised of sweater, flannel shirts, up to jeans. most of the products here simply highlighted neutral colors, so its easier to pair them up with basically anything. black, khaki, denim, or dark blue, you name it. you may also find baseball tees, beanies, even pomade hair gel to improve your look instantly. last but not least, one’s appearance won’t be complete without the cherry on top: shoes! yup, a bunch of popular local shoe brands dont want to miss the chance to showcase their gorgeous products here as well. so take your time to pick up some cool releases made from leather to suede materials from zevin, chevalier, sagara fine shoes, or ftale footwear. theyre handmade and only available in limited stock. furthermore, this concept store loves to collaborate with many brands, so there might be a chance to find a limited product of your favorite local brand here that's specially designed and available only at stockroom.

(photos by: hardiman widjaseno)

Stockroom Trade & Dishes

Belle Point, Jl Kemang Selatan 8 no. 55A

Jakarta 12730

Phone: 021 719 0393

Opening hours: 12.00 – 22.00

Price: Rp 85.000 – Rp 1.750.000

Twitter: @StockroomJKT

Ohka Ramen

here comes one more recommended spot to visit for ramen enthusiasts! located at the super hip culinary destination, pantai indah kapuk, ohka Ramen is a japanese restaurant that accentuates the country’s traditional components under its roof. the name 'ohka' means ‘cherry blossom’, which is implied by the lovely sakura leaves decoration that wraps a row of white lanterns on the wooden ceilings. they claim to serve authentic ramen soups that you can find through a number of ramen menu creations here. yup, the soup is made through a long 6–8 hours boiling process of chicken bones until they produced natural and tasty broth, and finally its mixed with 20 different spices in order to acquire ohka Ramen’s original flavor. no wonder every bowl of ramen tastes delicate, with pretty smooth textured and well concentrated soup.

out of handful menu selections, some people might get confused to pick since the visualization looks too appetizing. well no worries, ohka ramen would suggest its signature menu which is claimed to be their guests' most favorite (including the japanese expatriates); tonkotsu ramen. a bowl of tonkotsu ramen consists of thin ramen noodle cuts, juicy pork slices, half boiled egg, sweet corns, mushrooms, and spring onion. scrumptious! there’s also an alternative for this menu, it is called kuromaayu tonkotsu ramen, where the soup is fused with garlic oil, resulting to a darker – almost black in color. taste wise its a tad tangier because of the garlic of course, but it creates a rather unique experience! psst, i would also recommend the chicken curry rice with a smooth textured curry and jumbo portion that could fill up to 2 tummies in a single portion.

ohka ramen is also considerate enough by serving non pork ramen menus, like karaage spicy miso ramen with three pieces of crunchy chicken karaage as its companions. now if you’re interested to try out something a bit more different, then maybe you would like to order cold ramen (served without soup) with several flavor selections such as spicy miso or soy sauce. kinda reminds me of cold soba, but with more seasonings.

last but not least, i wrap up my dining session with ice cream mochi as desserts. they are divided into a range of yummy flavors that even a full tummy wouldnt have the guts to decline. try one of these top flavorful picks: coffee, blueberry, cheesecake, or tiramisu, and your visit will be even more delightful!

Ohka Ramen
Rukan Emerald No.1 Bukit Golf Mediterania
Jl Pantai Indah Kapuk, Pantai Indah Kapuk
Ph: 021 29031696
Opening hours: 11.00 – 15.00, 17.00 – 23.00
Price range: Rp 30.000 – Rp 60.000

Oyasumi Punpun: Sweet Dreams, Little Bird

Oyasumi Punpun is one of those series that I started off reading without having a gist of what the tidbits were about. It started off with a growing admiration toward numerous beautiful mangacaps illustrated by the author, Inio Asano (also previously known for his work ‘Solanin’) that often appeared on my Tumbl dash. Little did I know that it would eventually lead me to a wild ride of bottomless EMOTIONAL ground.

The story follows Punpun, the main protagonist described in a form of cartoonish bird, and how he went through his life phases starting from childhood to adultery. Punpun’s striking caricatured look surely wasn’t depicted without further intention, and this point becomes clearer in later chapters where the tiny little ‘bird’ gradually evolves into something only one’s deepest part of soul could perceive.

Everything was told in a systematical manner so it’s pretty much easy to follow. I couldn’t help but to have it juxtaposed with other popular coming-of-age themed titles like Catcher in The Rye or Huckleberry Finn. Punpun used to see the world just like any other child his age would, until a series of events forcefully struck his state and left the door leading to route of innocence forever shut. Dysfunctional family, betrayal, bizarre cult, sexual frustrations, up to bits of religious aspects got rounded up into one big extraordinary slice of life. I gotta applaud Asano for coming up with realistic and amazingly detailed illustrations (if not the best) that successfully lured his readers into such melancholy atmosphere. Of course, it’s heavily supported by the raw and sincere emotions expressed by each character that revolves around Punpun's life. Both elements fit the whole frame decently, making it an unforgettable work of art.

In the middle of the ride I couldn’t help but to question: what’s the take-away? It’s like the series brings us into a loop of spiraling darkness without any spark waiting to greet us at the end of the tunnel. It’s brutally complex yet relatable, almost like a toxic that we can’t put down no matter how threatening it is. Then throughout the progress, Punpun shows that past is the anchor that remains dragging on people’s life and it’s difficult to swim above the ocean when the temptation to give in to the bottom ground still has yet to fade away. No one ever walks the easy path and life lessons will always occur until the very last day, which is simply how Oyasumi Punpun presents itself to people who share the same bond of distress. There was also a slight moment where I was wondering how did the author manage to keep going despite of severe issues being depicted here and there because really, at the end it's almost feel like going through an entire lowkey autobiography.

The manga  doesn't radiate a 'preachy' vibe in general yet the content's majority is fairly relatable that i'm being stripped down to my most honest sense of self acceptance. At the end I get reminded that world will always be rotating even at certain times where I want everything to simply explode and vanish. Jump into the book if you're mentally ready for it because it's beyond surreal that it's actually so real.

Jeans Chilli Chicken: The Sensational Korean ‘Fire’ Chicken

hallyu wave didnt only expand through pop culture, but its also implemented in many other influential aspects, notably culinary. as we can see, for the past few years the number of korean restaurants in jakarta has been increasing steadily, meaning more and more locals here are getting accustomed to korean food taste. 

so what kind of familiar korean dishes that we already know so far? most answers would probably revolve around the well-known names such as kimbap, tteokpokki, or bibimbap. meanwhile theres also one dish that is not less popular, which is called buldak (in korean ‘bul’ means fire and ‘dak’ means chicken). originally, buldak is a common dish that is often consumed by executives after working hours in korea for the spicy flavor is said to help reducing their stress, fatigue, yet on the other hand increases metabolism. the dish is usually paired with a glass of cold beer to ease the 'flaming' sensation that follows.

  

 

as reflected by its name, buldak exerts various spices and abundant of chili to produce its signature taste. same goes with jeans chilli chicken, a korean restaurant that takes place at gandaria city. they claimed to import the most vital ingredients straight from korea in order to maintain the authenticity. their signature menu, also called jeans chilli chicken, consists of boneless chicken fillet cooked with hot and spicy BBQ sauce until its swarmed with saturated redness all over. the dish is served in a hotplate and it gives an appetizing aroma that will blow your senses right away!

not only the wonderful flavor but the well-cooked chicken truly tastes delicate and juicy with minimum amount of grease. the spiciness honestly could be a bit overwhelming for those who arent big fans of chili (like me), then cheese chili chicken is the perfect alternate menu to order! its way less spicy and more savory instead thanks to the melted mozzarella cheese that covers the whole upper parts of chicken fillet in a hot pot. if icould put four thumbs up for this one, i would, seriously it is just too good.

 

all these chicken-based menus become even more fantastic when paired with the unique jumeokbap (korean rice ball). apparently theres a certain suggestion to eat them together, and that is by cutting down the chili chicken into small bites with scissor (yes, scissor!), mix them together into a ball of rice which size may suit your own preference, voila! its just like eating handy rice balls filled with tasty chicken inside plus rich seasonings and a smoky flavor of toasted seaweed. you may try out this process on your own or leave it to the waiters/waitresses to handle.

the restaurant that originally came from australia carries a rather minimalist designed place, but the excellent korean dishes will surely blow you away. not only chicken, you may find other menu variations such as tteokpokki and hot soups. most of them are made to share, so tag along your friends or family for an even livelier ambience!

(photos: doc. jeans chilli chicken)

Jeans Chilli Chicken

Gandaria City Mainstreet UG

Ph: 021 23936374

Opening hours: 10.00 – 22.00

Price range: Rp 25.000 – Rp 102.000
Twitter: @cilicik

Colette & Lola: Cakes and Dreams

once upon a time, there were two whimsical sisters named colette and lola that embodied contrast personalities from one and another. there’s only one thing that ties their bond, and that is their fondness toward cakes. colette is a fan of sweet flavor; meanwhile lola tends to favor the neutral ones with added variations. colette pays great attention to textures, and lola prefers those with pleasing presentations. however, these differences only made them complement each other perfectly.

so there goes a brief ‘tale’ about colette & lola, the first cake shop created by ISMAYA group. its quite an experimental innovation i must say, considering not only sweet, but it also serves uncommon flavors that you rarely find in any other cake shop. not to mention the dreamy candy land ambience that makes you feel like stepping into a set of katy perry’s ‘californian girl’ music video once you enter the realm behind colette & lola’s cupcake shaped door knob. a mountain pile of colorful macarons in several corners, kitchen utilities with cute pastel colors, and a number of adorable cake replicas are only a few aspects that will certainly spoil your sight here!






well, space wise, colette & lola isnt made to cater a lot of people for sure. thats why most customers would prefer to take away their orders instead of waiting in line for seats. then what are the signature creations that make colette & lola so special? other than the commonly known ones like rainbow cake and red velvet (duh), there are many other compelling variations to tempt every sweet tooth in town. name it miss gingerbread (tiramisu mousse topped with crunchy gingerbread crumbles), charlie brownie (dark chocolate ganache with crispy hazelnut wafers and chocolate devil sponge), or the lovely cake jasmyna (cheesecake infused with jasmine flavor, accompanied by strawberry gel and macarons). sweet!






other than jasmine they also experimented with earl grey. ever get curious of how an earl grey flavored cake taste like? then do yourself a favor and try out my lady grey! with a moist, cloud-like soft texture; apparently the classic tea selection isnt even the least bad when its constructed into a solid form of dessert. for chocolate maniacs out there, lola bar is one that is guaranteed to make you drool. it is made of rich chocolate milk, with a crispy sensation coming from caramel butterscotch crunch mixed with silky peanut butter glaze inside. 

for the ultimate signature creation, lego cake is colette & lola’s main spotlight. yup, as you can tell from the name they are shaped exactly like gigantic lego blocks with four kinds of bright colors that represent each flavor: lychee, lemon, blueberry, and pistachio. it is THAT fancy looking that i dont have the heart to munch it and ruin the form >.<

last but not least, for mini bites collections the cake shop also got candy pops and macarons with surprising flavors such as cola, carrot cake, sea salt caramel, or a savory one, smoky beef. well aint that a unique experience!


(photos: doc. colette & lola)


Colette & Lola
Jl Senopati Raya no.64, Jakarta 12190
Opening hours: Pk 10.00 – Pk 22.00
Ph: 021 2900 7997
Price: Rp 12.000 (mini bites) – Rp 400.000 (big cakes)
Twitter: @ColetteLola