Indian Festivities on My Plate

Last Sunday I went to Hotel Kempinski Indonesia with a fellow blogger. We were curious with their Indian Food Festival as a celebration of Diwali. As a big fan of everything India, of course I had to check it out before going to Grand Indonesia to watch 'Khoobsurat', a new Bollywood movie played by the gorgeous Sonam Kapoor and delicious looking Fawad Khan.

Hotel Kempinski Indonesia celebrating Diwali by having "Colours of India" event that will be held till 17th October. They invited their best Indian food chef directly from India. We were so excited to try the food cooked by Mr.Ashwani Kumar Singh.

Signatures Restaurant, a doorway to Heavenly Indian Food

Me and their 'Colours of India" sign board

Welcomed by colorful spices promising the goodness of Indian delicacy

The chef arranging, garnishing, giving last touch to his food arts.

 While we were eating, we had the chance to enjoy a performance from Bollywood Dancers. They actually did a quite good job dancing to Bollywood tune. I remember they danced to ost from Student of The Year and Main Tera Hero. Yup, I know. I am a crazy Bollywood fan. I would recognize Bollywood songs easily.

This is the video I took from their performance.

Rampuri Murgh Briyani, Jheenga Kali Mirih,Gunchao Gobhi Mutter, Dum Ka Khumb
I tried a lot of Indian foods in Indonesia that many of my Indian friends claimed to be authentic and I am glad to say that this deliver the same quality to me. Absolutely love everything on my plate. It mixed very well altogether. All sorts of tastes and spices on one plate like the Indian festive culture itself.

I had to get another plate of the same thing. Once was not enough when the food is that good. This time I added some chutney and pickles too. And it actually gives different, interesting, and profoundly delicious mixed. The chicken on the biryani wasn't really absorbing the spices from the biryani as I would like it to be, but I was not disappointed when I combined the chicken, biryani, and the chutney. I can't remember how many times I go hmmmm...yummmm...wooow. Yup, just like a movie, this food makes "My Dill Goes Hmmm"

Hehe I took another biryani there, a smaller size, but again I couldn't get offer how delicious the biryani was. I also add a little bit of Aloo Chana Chat there, next to my biryani. Oooh the Naan bread absolutely the right consistency of butter. It is so chewy and not dry at all. When I said about Indian Festivities on My Plate, I was specifically talking about this plate. The soury sweet combination of butter naan bread and pineapple and mango chutney, the salty spicy combination of butter naan bread, aloo chana, dum ka khumb, and the gobhi (cauli flower) mutter, and another combination of biryani and pickles as if I had breakfast, lunch, dinner on the same plate, very festive indeed. My least favorite thing from the plate would probably be the dahi, as I prefer dal.

Aside from all the Indian foods, I also adore Kempinski's dessert section. It looks absolutely gorgeous and very inviting.

I was in heaven. Look at my plate!!

Overall, I was happy and very satisfied with my experience there. I would definitely come again.

Intercontinental MidPlaza Jakarta: Rasa Restaurant and Scusa Italian Restaurant Review

Intercontinental MidPlaza Jakarta is a very familiar place for me. If you check their Facebook page, you will see how close they are with the staffs. It just feels like a home. I mean Hotel Industry is all about Hospitality. But in Intercontinental, they take it to the next step which is Friendliness, just the right amount of it without taking away your privacy.

I couldn't count how many times I have been to their Rasa and Scusa Italian restaurant. Our main reasons for keep coming back were because of the price for their outstanding buffet and with that price you get to enjoy buffet in both restaurant. Yup, you heard me right. Pay one for 2 buffet restaurants. I don't really remember the price, but I am pretty sure it was cheaper than Ritz Carlton, Sultan, Mulia, and ShangriLa.

Plus the staff won't hesitate to approach you and ask about your day or your food experience in the restaurant. They do care and they are friendly without being intruding your space.

These are our plates:

The Indian food was not bad, but I didn't feel the authenticity. Rasa Restaurant

Very creamy. Bf seems to like it. I am not a big fans or creamy milky stuff since I have lactose intolerant.

A plate from Scusa

Was hoping they would have dark choco fountain. This one is too milky for me.

Some kind of interesting looking pasta that made him go yummmmmm

Another plate from Scusa. Aaah look at the fresh looking veggies.

A plate from Rasa yummmm

A pancake plate from Rasa drizzled with plenty of dark chocolate and yes oh yes it was yummy.

Milky chocolate ice cream, too milky for my taste but great for those who loves milky creamy flavor.

BBQ Plate from Rasa Restaurant, freshly BBQ-ed by the staff.

Delicious soft bread and perfectly cooked salmon.

Another plate from Scusa. Boyfriend really loves their cheese collection especially the Blue Cheese. He claims that he ate the best cheese ever in Intercontinental MidPlaza Jakarta. This is big deal, since he is American yet the best cheese he ever tasted was sold in Indonesia hihihi

Grade:

Service: 8/10

Food: 8/10

Place: 8/10

Price: 9/10

Overall: 8/10

Call for Price.

Where to go:

InterContinental Jakarta MidPlaza 
Jl. Jendral Sudirman Kav. 10-11, Jakarta 10220, Indoneesia 
Tel: (62-21) 251 0888 | Fax: (62-21) 251 1777

Ritz Carlton Mega Kuningan: Asia Restaurant Review

I have been to Asia Restaurant back then when I just started working as PR for this Korean Company I used to work for. We often rent rooms for our guests in Ritz Carlton. I remember I used to pick them up in the hotel and they would offered me to have breakfast with them first. I usually took the offer because I love Asia Restaurant's foods. It was 3 years ago, but it was still vivid in my memory that this buffet could be one of the best or maybe the only best buffet in Indonesia.

I was in a mood to rekindle that memory, so I decided to go there again with Mr.Giant (boyfriend). We both love international buffet and have been trying plenty buffet restaurants and hotels in Jakarta. I told him what I remember about Asia Restaurant and he was so curious. He wanted to prove it that it is indeed the best buffet in Jakarta.

We went there on Sunday brunch. There was a lot of people there. These are my plates;

Dim Sum plate

Variety of Salads: Artichoke salad, Brussel Sprout salad, Soba Noodle salad, Fennel salad, Capri salad. This is the best salad bar I have ever seen. Their salads are to die for. Soba Noodle was the best out the best, like 10 out of 10.

Cheese Selection was not a lot of variety. Hoping to get more.

Mamacita Mamamiya Yummy Yummy Tom Yum Soup. Seriously one of the best I have ever tasted. Fresh yet very tasty.

Had to get more of Soba Noodle Salad

Wish to get more Dark Chocolate variety, but most of this were too milky for me.

Too milky. I prefer dark chocolate. Too bad they don't have any.

Generous amount of Beef Oxtail

Grade:

Service: 7/10

Food: 9/10

Place: 8/10

Price: 6/10

Overall: 8/10

Call for Price.

Where to go:

1. Address: JL. Lingkar Mega Kuningan Kav. E.1.1 NO.1, Mega Kuningan, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Jakarta Pusat, DKI Jakarta, Indonesia

   Phone:+62 21 25518882

   Hours:

   
   

   Open today · 6:00 – 10:00 am, 12:00 – 2:30 pm, 6:00 – 10:00 pm