March 23, 2014

Mind Blasting NAMAAZ Dining | Restaurant Review

Namaaz is the first molecular gastronomy restaurant in Indonesia which serve Indonesian food as its signature dishes.” —namaazdining.com
So this is my second time trying out this one of a kind restaurant, and this time, it's their 3rd season!
I had a chance to try out their 2nd season on 14 June 2013. Wrote a short Instareview about it here:
6 of 17 super creative dishes from Namaaz Dining, the very first molecular gastronomy restaurant specializing in Indonesian food! 
From upper left: Pempek Kapal Selam, Sumsum Dabu-dabu, Udang di Balik Batu (inspired by a famous Indonesian proverb that translates to 'Shrimp Behind the Stone' in English), Garang Asam, Manisan Cianjur and the last soapy one down there; Hidangan Pencuci Mulut (another cleverly disguised dish, literally translated from an ambiguous Indonesian phrase 'Pencuci Mulut' that actually means Dessert, but could also mean Mouth Wash in English, lol). 
All in all, the whole course was delightful to our eyes, taste buds and minds. One dish is more surprising than the next. My family and I certainly had a pleasant and unforgettable dinner experience!” —http://instagram.com/p/anq-E8qxtW/

The first time I went there, this restaurant was addressed at a small hidden place, on the second floor of another small restaurant at Fatmawati, South Jakarta area. Today, you can find this restaurant at a much more convenient location:
Jl. Gunawarman no.42, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta Selatan 12110 | ph. +6221 33061000
GOWIGASA Pinapple Crop Sweater, Midi Bodycon Knit Skirt in Grey (upcoming collection)

Alright, are you up to THE exciting 17 courses food adventure??

Ready.......

Set..............................

OK before we go (stop sighing, this is for your own good lol), allow me to remind you that here in Namaaz Dining, “What you see is NOT what you get”. Guests were not given the menu list either as to avoid spoiling the fun. So before you scroll on, I'm warning you that this post is ALL about the spoiler lol. If you're fine with it, then brace yourself and let's GO! ( ≧▽≦)

 Right here we got something that looked like... a raw egg with a mini pill beside it?
“Diminum telurnya sambil dimakan pilnya (at the same time, drink the egg and eat the pill),” Chef Andrian said and so we did. The 'egg yolk' didn't smell or felt like one at all, it was somewhat a sweet and fruity drink, and the pill was somewhat a soda candy. Mixed it together, we got Markisa Soda in our mouth! This sweet and refreshing appetizer marked our very first surprising menu that night.

After the sweet surprise, this popsicle (yes, the one I posed with up there) came to our table.
Despite it's sweet look, it was actually a savory Sate Lilit (Satay)!! It was sooo yummeh. The purple skin was elastic (gelatin, perhaps?) and the yellow thing was an egg. I wouldn't mind having more of that sauce, though. ;b


Croissant with orange jam? Nope, it's a Martabak! *wooooot*
Have you heard or tried a Martabak Telor before? Well, here you have one, ala Namaaz. The orange thingy inside the jar was egg yolk and the white thingy above the beef was 'egg white caviar'! So, so creative!!
Egg White Caviar, anyone?

 This seemingly abstract dish was actually a Sop Buntut and a very tasty one!
The white paste was the rice and, oh, where's the meat, you ask. Well, that messy brown thing IS the meat. They cleverly turn it into dried-shredded beef floss (abon)! XD The soup broth was very rich in taste, too. ♡♡♡

On the email they sent me, this dish was the highlight! It's called Bebek Cabe Rawit.
...But hey, it's just an ulekan and some chilies on it. Where's the duck?? Well, guess what? It was stuffed inside those 'chilies'! ;D We ate it with the shallot, leaf and the delicious sauce below it. Pretty delicious for an invisible duck! XD

 At first I thought this one was Pempek Telur, but turns out it was Rujak!
This one is a veerrrrryyyyyy interesting menu. That cylindrical thing was made of ICE!!! It didn't make the dish tasted bland, though, I think it's because the ice was made out of broth, not just plain water. :D Anyway, this dish was a very clever, delish and refreshing one. Super love!

 If you like your steak tender, you must love this like I do. Here comes... Steak Rendang!
Cooked in 54°C for two good hours, the meat turned out medium well. It was superbly juicy and tender. The rendang spices and santan made it even more special!

 A chocolate inside a soup?? Introducing Tongseng!
And yes, that IS chocolate covering the seasoning inside it. The soup tasted simply hot and plain without it lol. By the way, turns out we CAN eat a savory chocolate. Can you? ;)

For the ninth course, we had this sweet and refreshing Es Jeruk Nipis that looked like an iced strawberry drink. There was a short break after this dish, the waiters and waitresses paused serving and some guests used this opportunity to excuse themselves to the toilet.

Next, we had Kambing Bacem which was seriously very delicious to me. I LOVE super soft dishes* and this one had porridge(?) below the ground lamb meat and the broth tasted super awesome~~~!!
*I need to chew EVERYTHING (including juices and soup wtf) thoroughly before I swallow it. Mom said it's because I have a very small throat? Anyway, I appreciate soft foods because it lighten my jaws' burden lol

 This dish was quite a mystery until step... seven. Ok lah everything here was mysterious until you tried it yourself lolol. Okay, do you know what this is? Yes, it's an Udang Telor Asin (Prawn with Salted Egg)! :D That noodle thing on step 2-4 is the salted egg!! The prawn was fresh and look, there's a slice of ham, too! Love how pretty and delish this meal was. Not to mention the sophisticated one-by-one prep by the chef himself. ^^b

 This exciting dish was present on the second season, it looked like a *lighted* candle, yes?
Well, after making a wish (we were asked to! Hahaha) and the light turned off, we took a slice and voila, it's a Pisang Bakar (Grilled Banana)!! Super creative omg!! Even the 'candle's stick' could be eaten, too, as it was made of nuts. XD

Now, what are you hiding there, lil fella? I know you ain't an ordinary orange!
TADAHHH! It's Kue Keranjang!!!
Sooooooooooooooo LOVE this one to the max!!! First, it's cute (3cm width omg SO CUTE). Second, the orange peel was elastic fun and it was also made of orange juice. Last but not least, it tasted moderately sweet, sticky (as a Kue Keranjang supposed to be), soft and very, very, very oishiiiiii~~~!!!

Also present on the second season, this bubbly soap a.k.a. Hidangan Pencuci Mulut (another cleverly disguised dish, literally translated from an ambiguous Indonesian phrase 'Pencuci Mulut' that actually means Dessert, but could also mean Mouth Wash in English, lol) was actually a green tea-mint(?) flavored white chocolate with almond, tasted kinda similar to that famous Green Tea KitKat! XD

Ladies and gentlemen, lo and behold... Es Teh Panas (Iced Hot Tea)!! Hahahahaha seriously, if you drink the darker side, it was hot and the lighter side was cold! Abracadabra, anyone? (ᵒ̤̑₀̑ᵒ̤̑)

The surprise didn't stop there, entered Dragon Breath. It was actually a meringue, 'cooked' for a few seconds inside a pot filled with Nitrogen. When we eat it, smoke would come out of our mouth. Some even tried to close their mouth and the smoke came out of their nose and ears lol, so funky!

The last sensation was this one in the making... Hmmm, chocolate ball and gelatinous thingy spotted!
“Crack the chocolate,” said the chef and WHOA! Milk poured out of it in generous amount!
This 17th a.k.a. the closing dish is Es Kacang Merah (Iced Red Bean Dessert). It tasted like modern red bean sweets, very fresh and yummy dessert!

When asked, “Where did you go to school?” or “Where did you get your skill from?”, Chef Andrian would humbly say, “Google School” or “Uncle Google”. XD

Overall, our 17 course dinner was beyond enjoyable. As Chef Andrian said anyway, Namaaz is all about Fun Dining, not fine dining! ^^ Okay then, thank you so much for reading and see you guys on my next post~ (ˆヮˆ)づ♡

XOXO
Jessica Yamada

March 12, 2014

Christmas Eve in Shibuya + Youkame No Semi WAKUWAKU JAPAN Movie Review

One of the happiest moments during my last trip to Tokyo is this! Having my Kurisumasu Ibu or Christmas Eve in Shibuya~~~~~ (ノˆヮˆ)ノ.:*・°☆.。
Celestine Hotel – had lovely experience staying here!
24/12/2013: This pic marks our first morning noon during our last trip to Tokyo. Eeh?? Why did I woke up so late during a holiday trip!!? *and then forgiving myself very quickly* *the main reason I'm tardy* *I hate myself!* *not*

Woke up so late means skipping breakfast and lunch. So we hopped on to this ramen shop near our hotel first to devour our late brunch!

Hungry, mom? Me too. But first things first, okay? #selfie #mom #me #happy #asian


Mom's attempt at being a food blogger lol. We asked her what she would do with the pictures and she said, "Of course I'm gonna share these... in WhatsApp's family group." Hahahaha. Our WhatsApp's family group is quite active, though, filled with my uncles, aunts and cousins talking and sharing random stuffs. ;D

The Tempura Ramen (taken by my camera, not mom's haha)! I think the noodle is Ramen's (thin), but the soup is Udon's (clear)? I might ordered it that way, but nevermind. Anyway, Japanese ramen always tastes fresh and fulfilling, yet not bloating you up. :)

Itadakimasu!

The humble ramen shop

How could I not love Japan??? Even the street signs are so CUTE!!!!! Go, go, firefighters, go!

'Japan is expensive' myth buster! Starting from as low as ¥200 (around Rp 20.000,-), you can eat any of these fulfilling Udons! (ˆˆ)づ♡

(secretly) freezing

Touch down Shibuya!!

Tiramisu Latte - Excelsior Caffé, Shibuya
Now, bear in mind that my travel buddies are avid culinary addicts (read: must refuel at every stop). So the minute we reached Shibuya, fatty #02 (mom) saw this Tiramisu Latte ad in front of a coffee shop...


...and she gleefully asked us to try it out together. Being a food lover myself, I couldn't resist. (˘̩̩ᴗ˘̩̩ƪ)


My hot Tiramisu Latte!

Brrrrr. It was really cold out there (windy 8°C, was it? I forgot) so I refused to take off my heat equipments even though they had heaters in Shibuya 109. ^^;

Mom: "These are SNSD, right? I read some comments on your Instagram saying that you look one of these girls... Now which one izzit..." Up-to-date mom even discussed it in the WhatsApp's family group lolol.

Escalator selfie

So I guess Shibuya 109 was having this promotion during Christmas that allowed customers to draw lottery after shopping. I was excited...

...for nothing! Boo hoo, got toothbrushes only. :'(

It's okay lah, still has plenty of fun to look forward to!

Like THIS!!!
Santa motorcycle riders celebrating Christmas Eve in Shibuya streets
We were so surprised to see these guys right after we stepped out of Shibuya 109!! We didn't know whether they're hired to do that or if they're a bunch of cosplayers trying to spread the xmas joy, which really worked, btw, because everyone was equally surprised and excited like us and we *of course* took pictures, greeted and waved happily to the Moto-Santas! (≧▽≦)づ♡~~~

Have I told you that Japanese LOVE celebrating something anything? Take this event, for example. Most Japanese are Shintos or Buddhists, so they're not supposed to celebrate Christmas like Christians or Catholics do, but they DO! And with such passion, too! So, it's no wonder that whenever a popular event is coming, most streets, public facilities and stores will be decorated according to the theme and inevitably, a lot of those stores will take advantage of this Japlovents™ (Japanese love events) thingy by creating (or decorating) their products to match the event. Do you know that in Japan, KFC (yes, Kentucky Fried Chicken) is very popular during Christmas? Sales for the three days (23, 24, 25 December) are equal to half normal monthly sales, the company says. Amazing, huh?

Last October, Baskin Robins had their share of Japlovents™ benefits, too, by launching these super kawaii Halloween themed ice creams:


And last Christmas, as depicted in those mangas (remember the scene of Miiko's mom running late on Christmas Eve, pushing herself to buy the children a Christmas Cake from Kenta's bakery before it sold out? XD), they sold these Disney themed Christmas Cakes~~~
Kawaiiiiiiiiiiii~~~~~

Anyway, we went to Fujiya Restaurant after this for dinner (fatties got hungry again lah, alot of walk already lol), but I'll save it for another post OK. ;) After Fujiya, we were going back to the hotel when we met these guys dressed as the elf(?) and THE REINDEER!!

..And these Horsey Santas lol! A marriage of two events: Christmas and New Year. XD
Happy belated Christmas and Merry belated New Year, guys!! Ok just remembered that we blogged the New Year post already here. Such happy memories~~ I love!

*fast forward to today, March 12th 2014*

So, Elle and I recently watched this Japanese movie "Rebirth" / Youkame No Semi (八日目の蝉).
It's a drama film about a woman who kidnapped her ex-boyfriend's newborn daughter (yes, the bf is married already and he had an affair with her) and raised the child as her own for four years before she finally got caught by the authorities and got separated from the child whom she deeply in love already.
 
The movie's plot flows back and forth naturally; during Erina (the ex-boyfriend's daughter)'s happy childhood even though she was being kidnapped by Kiwako and when Erina's all grown up seeking for ways to comfort her soul that has been tainted by the past. Although the pace is a bit slow (2,5 hours), Youkame no Semi doesn't 'try too hard' to create a dramatic effect or such, but it did moved us with its gentleness. I got teary during some ending scenes. T_T

The actresses' acting were very natural and raw. Hiromi Nagasaku (Kiwako the kidnapper)'s act, in particular, was outstanding. She portrayed her cast's emotional journey very well and she successfully metamorphosed from the antagonist into this loving, sincere, striving yet clueless mother form to little Erina.

Based on Mitsuyo Kakuta's novel and directed by Izuru Narushima, this beautiful movie dominated the 35th Annual Japan Academy Awards by winning 11 awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Starring Actress, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Script.

You guys should really watch it when you get the chance!! Stay tuned to WAKUWAKU JAPAN channel at Indovision / Okevision for more awesome Japanese movies ahead! :D

Okay then, thank you so much for reading and don't forget to leave some comments and see you guys on my next post~ (ˆヮˆ)づ♡

XOXO
Jessica Yamada

March 07, 2014

Shibuya 109 Sale, Yakiniku Feast + Shinobi: Heart Under Blade WAKUWAKUJAPAN Movie Review


A not-so-throwback outfit from my Japan trip last January! I went to Shibuya 109 that day with Jess and mom to join the craziness of the '7 Days Bargain' event which was being held there. Shibuya 109 is one of the most famous shopping venues in Japan and they hold this sale event once a year and it is usually in the beginning of the year. :)

Watch how the Japanese willingly spent the night outside of Shibuya 109 building in 8°C waiting for the door to open in the next morning:



Our Japanese friend (Shintaro-nii, who was introduced by Stella) told us that queueing was very common in Japan. Some of them even queued for the latest iPhone ONE WEEK before it hits the shelves. /smh

It's true though! Quite often we saw Japanese people lined up for something and always, always in neat formations. Even when we queued for like 3 hours for one of the attractions in DisneySea, there was not a single Japanese kid or teenager who whined or acted out. *standing applause

#OOTD: GOWIGASA Maroon Polka Dot Sweater,  Maroon Pencil Skirt, and Vintage Purse | Boots from Japan

***
Here's a short video to see the atmosphere of Shibuya 109 '7 Days Bargain' event:

Our next stop after shopping was this mouth-watering yakiniku restaurant that we accidentally spotted when we were looking for a cat cafe:

Yakiniku Jutei, Shibuya


I really, really recommend it especially if you are a yakiniku lover! The meat is very tender and the price is also cheaper compared to, let's say, Sumibian in Jakarta. If you want to go there, check out the map here. :)

 My most favorite: TONGUE!!! Words can't describe how tasty and fresh it was.
NOMMMMMMMMM
Writing about this trip makes me miss Japan even more!!! The polite people, beautiful scenery, bizarre fashion, rich history, drooling food, advanced technology, unique places, ahhh basically every thing about Japan.

LUCKILY, I can still catch them on WakuWaku Japan TV Channel that plays various Japanese TV shows and movies!! I was so relieved when I saw some of my favorite films were actually listed in the schedule! One of them is ‘Shinobi: Heart Under Blade.’



I’ve seen this movie a LONG time ago in DVD and I really liked it! Even though I’ve forgotten many details of the story, the impression it left on me remains. And when I saw the title on the WakuWaku Japan’s movie schedule, it immediately rang a bell, “AH! This is the movie I’ve been trying to find! The Japanese version of X-Men!!” And after I watched it for the second time, I'm still mesmerized.

The story is about the clash between two Shinobi clans, Iga and Kouga, and the fated love between Gennosuke (Kouga) and Oboro (Iga). It's an action-drama movie but it lays more emphasis on the drama than the action part. But if you are an action junkie, you can still enjoy the film because each of the Shinobis (ninjas) possessed interesting supernatural powers or special abilities, such as the power to move at very high speeds, 6th sense, the power to manipulate thin wires, poison specialist, and the eyes of destruction. And I've got to say, the ending was unexpected! 8D

Rate: 7.0/10


I can't wait to watch more Japanese movies on WakuWaku Japan!! The one I'm eyeing the most is "JokerGame" heheh.. Do you have any Japanese movie recommendations? If you do, please share on the comments below! :)



Elissa Yamada