WHAT'S NEW AT UNION JAKARTA

Yeap, almost all of you should probably know Union, so why do we need to talk about this famous place? Because there's gonna be some exciting new menus this month! Other than the main course, there're also gonna be new cakes! Let's go!

SAINE DAISE PIK

Pantai Indah Kapuk never disappoints when it comes to new restaurants. The area will always have some new interesting spot to try, especially now that the PIK Avenue Mall is almost open (hopefully this year)! PIK will officially become more jammed people..watch out! On the bright side, there'll be more and more new spots that we bet we wouldn't be able to keep up with but we'll try our best for our readers of Lulabyspoon.com. Yeap, have you noticed that we've finally became Lulabyspoon.com now? :D

MS. CHOO BRASSERIE & BAR

Firstly, I'd like to congratulate Ms. Choo Brasserie & Bar for the opening!! *Cheers*

Ms. Choo here is actually the re-branding of Publico, which is located at Senopati, right next to Amber. The reason is because they feel that more and more strong competitors on the Western cuisine division just keeps emerging, so they decided to change course into Asian foods, Vietnam, Thailand, and China to be exact, which also means a change of their target markets. From the young adults to a more family oriented ones!

They didn't do anything much about the interior except for adding a little this and that to make it more Asian looking, like some Chinese ornaments. What's really different is the music, as they now played more Asian songs!

Just some random fun facts, Ms. Choo share the same group as P&B, the one located at Pantai Indah Kapuk!

So like any other bar, the bar here offers some cocktails and mocktails but what surprises me is that they're actually much more affordable than others, seeing here the cocktail starts from IDR 65K, when the bars I knew usually starts from IDR 90K!

I loved Publico's interior and I don't have any problem with Ms. Choo's! What I notice is that this cupboard below. It used to be filled with newspaper drawings but now it's much more simple and I loved it either way!

Those shots above are of the 2nd floor by the way and it's also the smoking room, whereas the 3rd floor is the non-smoking room!

Here, they have wine displays for both the 2nd and 3rd floor and if usually people dine with beer, they offer a dine with wine experience..at least that's what they said! :p

Look at this super cute place mat! It's like an actual newspaper that you can open out!

Let's start with some mocktails now, shall we?

WATERMELON COOLER IDR 35K

Watermelon juice, coconut water, mint, lime juice and simple syrup.

Though the name clearly said watermelon, the taste definitely said otherwise cause I didn't really taste any watermelon in it, or is it just me? Well, it was still enjoyable, as it's really refreshing!

SPARKLING SOUR PLUM IDR 35K
Sour Plum, calamansi, mint and soda.

This is WAY too SOUR for me! They used actual sour plum for this, so I guess if you like sour plums, you might find this quite good but I really don't like how it's sour and a bit salty. Well, I originally aren't a fan of sour plum, which explains a lot as to why I dislike this!

ICE KOPI CHAM IDR 35K
Thai tea, espresso coffee shot and simple syrup.

Can't explain it better than it being a typical Thai tea with a hint of coffee flavor and I mean, very weak hint of coffee! Not saying that it's bad, just that it's just like any good Thai tea I've had and nothing more!

SOYMILK PANDAN GRASSJELLY IDR 35K
Soymilk, grass jelly, pandan leaves and palm sugar.

I do think this tasted kinda funny! It's like soymilk but slightly different, do you understand what I'm saying? No?? Then you have to try it by yourself! :p It does taste a bit milky though with some additional grass jelly!

Here comes the starters!

SZECHUAN CHILI SALT SCHOOL PRAWNS IDR 48K
With shrimp paste chili and sriracha coriander aioli.

So this is somewhat like an ebi (dried shrimp), it's super crispy and a perfect snack! You can say it's Asian's french fries..lol! For the sauce, they have like a yellow mayonnaise and the other's a spicy and sour sauce. Yum!

DEEP FRIED PRAWN AND ALMOND BALL IDR 48K
With sriracha coriander aioli.

You can really taste the prawn, even though you might not be able to see it! Really love how it's covered with almonds, though it might not be super crispy, it's still very lovely!

CHARCOAL OVEN BARBECUE PORK "MU YANG" IDR 48K
With nam jum jaew dipping sauce.

DELICIOUS is all I could say! And guess what, it's PORK! No surprise that I said it's good, so it's a pork neck and I love how beautifully seasoned this was! It tasted almost similar to the pork knuckle I had at Ying Thai, which means it's super good!!

It didn't only tasted good but very tender as well!!

Moving on to salads!

SOFT SHELL CRAB POMELO SALAD IDR 55K
With cashew and green mango salad with nuoc cham dressing.

I was a bit taken aback by how strong this salad's aroma is! It's filled with herbs that has a strong aroma that after eating this all, I'd guarantee that you won't have a bad breath problem! I highly recommend you to not try this if you have a problem with strong smelling herbs, since I know someone in my family that just hates those things and will immediately lose appetite after a bite!

For their cocktails, they only use no more than 30 ml of alcohol, so don't expect any strong alcohol flavor!

LEMONGRASS LYCHEE MINT DAIQUIRI IDR 75K
Rum, lemongrass syrup, lychee, mint and lime juice.

Love how refreshing this is! Though since the alcohol's really faint, it almost tasted like some mocktails but I guess this was okay. Forgiven because it's refreshing!

PINK BLOSSOM IDR 65K
Gin, raspberry, yogurt milk and lime juice.

This here is their most favored drink! It's actually supposed to be a fruity yogurt but I didn't really taste the yogurt, only the texture was slightly dense but I actually liked it, especially since the alcohol was not that strong, though for people who likes alcohol, this might be a bit disappointing!

MISS CHOO'S ICED TEA IDR 65K
Black tea, rum, simple syrup, lemon juice and lemongrass.

A super weak cocktail that made me question if this was really a cocktail or not! You'd do the same considering the name is Iced Tea..but this really is a cocktail everyone! Guess you could say this kinda tasted like an ocha!

WHITE EMPRESS IDR 65K
Gin, lychee liquor, rose petal syrup, egg whites, and lychee juice.

Out of all, I think this was the strongest cocktail in terms of their alcohol! The name really suits this drink, it's pretty and fragrant, just like how you'd picture an empress would be! Too bad the flower is not edible..lol!

Hanging there everybody, we're still halfway through..now we're getting to the main courses! I was actually a bit surprised that they provided us with so much food and felt a bit guilty, since we came here after having an all you can eat buffet with some friends, so it was kinda overwhelming that we decided to not eat any rice. Fyi, this rice here is meant for 2 people!

DEEP FRIED SOFT SHELL CRAB YELLOW CURRY IDR 78K
Yellow curry and kaffir lime leaves.

Loveee the curry!!! The soft shell crab might be mediocre but since the size was really generous and with the curry, I might just looked past it! I bet this'll taste great with rice!

CRISPY TWICE COOKED PORK BELLY IDR 95K
With caramel tamarind glaze and Nam Pik Pla.

You probably know by now that this is my most beloved! :p Consisted of 6 thick slices of delicious and tender heavenly goodness! I'm not kidding about how tender it was, even after it got cold! The only minus point is that the skin wasn't crispy, other than that it's perfect!

STIR FRIED CLAMS NAM PRIK PAO IDR 65K
Nam Prik Pao and Thai basil.

Well, here's a hint of seafood cause when it comes to Thai, seafood is a must! This was just typical stir fried clams with veggies on top. Glad that the clams were fresh though, since I can't stand smelly clams!

CRISPY PORK HOCK ON THE BONE IDR 280K
With tamarind sauce and Nam Jim Jeaw.

The size definitely caught me off guard! Just look at it! They said it's for 2-3 people but I think it's a bit too much for 2 people. Here, the skin was also not crispy and the fat below the skin made me cringe but it's super tender and well-seasoned! This gives the term 'guilty pleasure' it's true meaning!

PAD KEE MAO SPICY RICE NOODLE IDR 60K
With prawn bean sprouts Chinese broccoli and basil.

I'd definitely choose this over Pad Thai anytime! Pad Kee Mao is actually 'kwetiau' and this here might be the best kwetiau I've ever had! The smoked flavor was definitely evident with decent seasoning and a hint of spiciness. Just perfect!

GRILLED DRY SPICE RIB EYE BEEF FILLET IDR 98K
With Nam Jim Jaew.

Though the seasoning here is perfect, it's a bit too dry for me. Guess that explains the name but because of that, it was slightly hard to chew. Still, can't dent that it tasted amazing!

ROASTED SEABASS FILLET IDR 85K
With coconut red curry Thai basil lime in banana leave.

Or in Indonesian, it's more familiar with the term 'ikan pepes'...lol! They definitely took this simple dish into another level of goodness! Love how the seabass really absorbed the seasoning and was that curry I tasted?

Now this here is the 3rd floor! Funny how they changed the writing Publico into Public & Co. I wonder why they didn't change it into Ms. Choo instead?

This is the VIP room for 10-12 people and there's no minimum purchase! Yeah!! Before, when it's still Publico, they had a minimum purchase for the VIP room, glad that's changed! It's located at the 1st floor, behind the receptionist, if you're wondering!

Yeay! We've made it the last and my favorite part! Desserts!!

VALRHONA MINT CHOCOLATE MARS BAR PEANUTS IDR 48K

With salted caramel sauce.

The only menu from Publico that they still used, though they did some upgrades to it by changing the chocolate mousse into mint. There's another option which is taro but we were given the mint one. I can see why they decided to leave this specific dessert behind though, it's definitely amazing!

Ta-dah! That's the mint cream inside, super smooth and will just melts in you mouth! Love that the mint was not violently stinging and leaning more to the sweet side, especially when combined with the salty caramel! Perfect!!

VANILLA PANDAN PANNA COTTA IDR 40K
With salted gula malaka and coconut chantily.

Honestly, this was my first time trying such a unique and creative panna cotta! So, to put it simply, this tasted really similar to es dawet. The white layer on the bottom is the panna cotta, the green layer is a condensed dawet and the texture is as of a panna cotta, next will be the brown sugar and last is black sticky rice with shaved ice. What you need to do is to put every component of it into 1 bite! Only then will you get the feeling of es dawet!

FRIED HAZELNUT NUTELLA SESAME BALLS IDR 40K
With vanilla bean ice cream.

This is also another unique dessert, not because of the presentation or texture but the filling! Usually, sesame balls are filled with sweet bean paste, right? Well, this one is filled with Nutella!! You gotta eat this while it's still hot though, cause only then will the Nutella melt and the vanilla ice cream just added another plus point! Yum!!

Guess I took too long in trying to get the best shot that the Nutella no longer melts.. :( At least, it still tasted super good, it's Nutella for crying out loud!

DEEP FRIED CHINESE DOUGHNUT IDR 35K
With Valrhona pandan custard.

Such a cool name for 'kue bantal', huh? :D They are definitely an expert in upgrading simple traditional desserts into something classy! This one they made it into a cute butterfly shape and provided a pandan custard for dipping! Tasted different and a good kind too!

I totally think that their decision in re-branding is not only brave and bold but also a good choice! Almost all of their dishes here is perfect! From the appetizers to desserts, all of them is delicious! Very well done Ms. Choo!

Ms. Choo Brasserie and Bar
Jalan Senopati Raya No. 65
Kebayoran Baru
Jakarta Selatan 12110
021-52964960

Opening Hours :

Tea Time with limited sweet and savory menu
Everyday : 03:00 pm - 06:00 pm

Dining
Monday - Friday : 06:00 pm - 12:00 am
Saturday - Sunday : 06:00 pm - 01:00 am

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IPPUDO INDONESIA, JAKARTA

It's a good day for some delicious ramen! Actually, no day is a bad day for a delicious ramen, especially for the legendary ramen here at IPPUDO! This ever so popular Japanese authentic ramen shop is exquisitely marvelous, no wonder that people kept flowing in! Originated from Japan and has finally arrived at Jakarta! Usually only the chefs are real Japanese but here, they even have Japanese servers!

See what I mean? This place is almost always full of people and you have to get in line just to go in! Lucky for us, we got in immediately cause there wasn't a line and a group of people just finished right when we arrived. We even got the good private table!

Flown from Japan to here, at Pacific Place, Jakarta, couldn't be any happier!

This was the table we got, comfy and private, nice! 

Look at this cool Japanese manga illustration! Even though it's in Japanese, you can tell that it must've been about IPPUDO!

IPPUDO PORK BUN IDR 28K
Juicy braised pork belly served with IPPUDO's special sauce. Our best seller around the world! (All time favorite!)

Okay, so you might think that it's too pricey, well, 28K for a bun is something, but after tasting it, you'll definitely change your mind! Fluffy bun with super tender pork covered with sweet and salty sauce, would surely make you crave for more! I can see why they proudly write this as their 'best seller all around the world' in the description. Worth every money you spent!

BAKURETSU TOFU IDR 45K
Classic IPPUDO spicy tofu and minced pork served with crispy noodle bits in a hot stone pot.

I don't usually order tofu but this one really caught my eyes and I like Japanese tofu, so why not? Anyways, amazing broth, though it says 'spicy', it's actually just mildly spicy. For the crispy noodle bits, I don't know why but it wasn't crispy at all, maybe because I didn't eat it right away, since I have a photo to take and it's served in a hot stone pot, but nevertheless, yummy!

The 'not-so-crispy' noodle. Fyi, I love the cute wooden spoon!

SEARED SALMON ROLL WITH MENTAIKO IDR 78K
Lightly seared fresh salmon roll seasoned with delicious mentaiko and topped with cod roe.

Speechless!! So stunningly delightful that I'm really speechless! How this tiny pieces of heaven tasted so good just blew my mind! Love how the roll goes really well with the sweet sauce and don't get me started on the mentaiko! Fyi, the salmon is lightly seared so to those who doesn't like raw salmon, this will still taste amazing to you! Best sushi I've ever tasted!!

SHIROMARU SPECIAL  IDR 90K

Shiromaru (IPPUDO’s original tonkotsu broth served with ultra thin noodles, pork loin, bean sprouts, kikurage & spring onions. Classic Hakata-style ramen) with salted soft-boiled egg, pork loin, pork belly & seaweed.

The server recommended that we try the Shiromaru for first timers, so that's what we did! I can honestly say that this might be the best ramen I've ever had! The broth's very thick and tasteful and amazing texture on the noodles, don't forget the thick pork slices! You can order the basic Shiromaru for 68K or choose the 3 additional choices, tamago (egg), chashu (pork belly), and this, special (egg and pork belly) with different prices. Of course I choose the special for this heavenly classic ramen, which has a soft boiled egg that I think is supposed to have beautiful creamy egg yolk. Unfortunately, it wasn't perfect, but I guess that's because we waited too long to eat it, so the yolk got cooked on the hot soup. Nooo! :(

CHASHU TSUKUNE TEPPAN IDR 48K
Juicy minced pork served with fried noodle bits topped with poached egg on a hot plate.

Ordered this one because of the beautiful plating and it turned out pretty good. Though it's only pan-fried minced pork, the perfect poached egg leveled the whole taste up! Still, it was really simple and ordinary out of the whole dinner I had that night. But at least I can say that it's worth the try, cause of the unique way of serving minced meat!

AKAMARU CHASHU IDR 88K
Akamaru (IPPUDO’s original tonkotsu broth enhanced with special blended miso paste and fragrant garlic oil. Served with thin noodles, pork belly, kikurage and spring onions, bean sprouts. A refined , modern-style ramen.) with simmered pork belly.

There're also 3 same additional choices for the Akamaru and the basic one cost 73K. Okay, so Shiromaru is the classic and this one, Akamaru is the modernized ramen. The difference is in the broth, if Shiromaru is flavorful then Akamaru is much more flavorful, but you can taste the richness of the pork enriched broth better with Shiromaru. That's why I choose the chashu for this one and special for Shiromaru, since it is rich enough on pork. Anyway, if you choose the chashu additional, you'll get loads of delicious thick sliced pork belly in you're ramen, HEAVEN!

What a happy day! Got together with old friends while enjoying a perfectly made meals is simply joyful! I can really see why people made such a fuss over this ramen shop. IPPUDO certainly made my day a little bit brighter!

IPPUDO Ramen

Pacific Place 5th Floor
Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 52-53

Jakarta Selatan

Opening Hours :

Everyday : 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

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