“You can’t buy happiness but you can buy ice cream and that is pretty much the same thing.” Yash, for me ice cream is one of desserts that will make you happy. When you sad or disappointed, eating some ice cream could be a cure. It will brighten up your mood instantly. Ice cream is also suitable for both hot and cold weather. Who could refuse ice cream?

There is one oldest ice cream store that still open until now at Jakarta. It is called Ragusa Es Italia. This ice cream store already served their customers since 1932 and opened by Luigie Ragusa and Vincenzo Ragusa. Let’s go back to the past for a moment. One time, Luigie and Vincenzo went to Lembang, Bandung and saw cattle farm in there. After that, they came up with an idea to use fresh milk from the cattle farm and change it into ice cream. Finally, they opened their ice cream business for the first time at Bandung. After some time, they opened their ice cream store at Jakarta too.

Now, there is only one store that still open. Ragusa Es Italia is located at Jalan Veteran 1 no. 10, Central Jakarta. They sell 4 categories of ice cream; regular flavored, premium flavored, mixed flavored, and fancy flavored. Other than that, they also serve some drinks menu such as orange juice and ice lemon tea. In my opinion, there is no particular favorite menu here because all of their ice creams are so appetizing. Ragusa uses fresh cow milk and without preservatives so their ice cream texture is really soft. 

I visited Ragusa Es Italia when it was raining heavily and past lunch time. It was not crowded with people. At certain hours, this oldest ice cream store will be full of people and you have to wait for an empty table. The store is small, cozy and you can still feel the old feeling from this place. There are many old photos on the wall. Although some furniture had been change, an old atmosphere still lingering. The prices for ice cream here in Ragusa are between Rp 15.000 – Rp 35.000. Cheap enough, right? 

In front of the Ragusa Es Italia store, there are some food stalls like chicken satay, gado-gado (mixed vegetables with peanut sauce), otak-otak (fishcakes), and rujak juhi. The chicken satay is some kind of popular. Customers usually order it too when they visited Ragusa. However, for me it tastes not so special. 

For ice cream lovers, you should visit Ragusa Es Italia store here in Jakarta. The ice cream is so soft, not to sweet, and no preservatives. You can also feel Batavia old town atmosphere here. Enjoy!!

Address : Jl. Veteran 1 no. 10, Gambir, Kota Jakarta Pusat

Open Hours : 10.00 - 21.30

Hong Kong is one of the countries that famous for its culinary such as dim sum, tofu pudding, beef jerky, egg tart, and many more. However, you don’t need to go to Hong Kong for enjoying it. Tim Ho Wan, a restaurant originated from Hong Kong was opened at Jakarta. It started from a dim sum restaurant built by Mak Kwai Pui, a former three-Michelin star restaurant’s chef in Hong Kong. This restaurant is famous for its “the world’s cheapest Michelin-star restaurant” title. From just a small restaurant, now Tim Ho wan expanded successfully. Their branch stores are everywhere included in Jakarta, Indonesia. 

Tim Ho Wan is located in an area called Pantai Indah Kapuk, South Jakarta. The complete address is Ruko Crown Golf Blok D No. 8 – 10, Jl. Pantai Indah Kapuk, Penjaringan, Jakarta Utara. As I said before, Tim Ho Wan is a restaurant that serves Hong Kong’s food especially dim sum. One of the most favorite menus here is Baked Bun with BBQ Pork (non-halal). Other than that, another signature dishes from Tim Ho Wan are Pan Fried Carrot Cake and Steamed Bun with Egg Yolk Filling. 

A few times ago, I had a chance to have lunch with my family at Tim Ho Wan restaurant. It was not crowded because I visited the restaurant on weekdays. It also already past lunch time. This restaurant has a large area for a lot of guests. I chose to sit in a long table, enough for 8 persons. It has a cozy atmosphere and clean restaurant’s area.

This restaurant is specialized in dim sum menu. Dim sum itself is a Chinese food that has a small shape and serves in a bamboo steamer. However, Tim Ho Wan also serves other menus beside dim sum such as porridge, vegetables, side dishes, fried rice, noodle, and dessert. The price of food menus at the restaurant is not too expensive for a restaurants located at Jakarta. It is competitive and worth it with the taste. For dim sum, it will cost around Rp 30.000 – Rp 40.000. 

I ordered many dishes because I came with another 7 persons. These were the foods that I tried at Tim Ho Wan PIK:

Baked Bun with BBQ Pork (non-halal)

This bun is not steamed but baked. It causes the bun texture here is different, not like the general one. The bun is slightly crunchy, almost similar to the texture of a mocha bun. You don’t have to doubt about the BBQ Pork flavor, it was so good! Sweet and savory at the same time. The sauce really seeps into the meat. It was so tender too. For pork lovers, you have to try this Baked Bun with BBQ Pork menu from Tim Ho Wan. One portion contains 3 pieces of buns. 

Vermicelli Roll with Shrimp

Another kind of dim sum is vermicelli roll. I tried the one with shrimp filling. The vermicelli skin’s thickness is good, not to thick and not too thin. It also has a soft and a little bit chewy texture. 

Prawn Dumpling

One of the most popular dim sum is called Hakau or Prawn Dumpling. It fills with prawn. The hakau that I ate at Tim Ho Wan actually almost similar with hakau in other dim sum restaurants. One portion contains 4 pieces of prawn dumpling. The prawn’s size is also large enough. For the taste, it won’t disappoint you. 

Steamed Spinach Dumpling with Shrimp

Unlike before, this time it’s a hakau with spinach and shrimp filling. The size and shape is different with prawn dumpling because it contains a lot more ingredients. It has a similar taste with the prawn dumplings. I couldn’t really taste the spinach. 

Glutinous Rice with Lotus Leaf

Well, this dish is similar to Bakcang. However, the ingredient here is glutinous rice. It basically glutinous rice filled with chicken meat and wrapped with a lotus leaf. Then, it will be steamed. The texture is slightly sticky because it made of glutinous rice. Chicken meat is tender and it has an additional piece of sausage in it. If you kind of bored with white rice, you should try this Glutinous Rice with Lotus Leaf. The size is large enough and very filling for your stomach. 

Pork Dumpling with Shrimp (non-halal)

Siomay is also one of the most popular kinds of dim sum. Tim Ho Wan uses pork and shrimp for their siomay. The shrimp is really tasty and pork meat made it becomes more fragrant. One portion of this menu contains 4 pieces of siomay with standard size.

Beef Ball with Bean Curd Skin

For this dish, it was my first time to try it. Minced beef wrapped in bean curd skin and then steamed. The fillings are solid and really delicious. It has a savory taste. The size is large enough and shaped almost like tofu meatball. For this menu, one portion contains 3 pieces. 

Laksa Noodle with Fish Meatball

Aeon Supermarket, I’m sure you already know about this place right? This supermarket offers a complete package ranging from household and daily needs, eating place, and even pastry shop or bakery. Aeon Supermarket is part of Aeon Mall that officially operated since May 30th, 2015. By adapting the culture of Japan, Aeon Mall attracts people even from another city. One of the things that make people flock to the mall is certainly the eating in Aeon supermarket.

By offering a variety of menu at a cheap price, Aeon supermarket managed to bring many consumers. Aeon supermarket is a very suitable eating place for family, friends, and your loved ones. Many food bloggers and vloggers did not want to miss a chance to taste every dishes offered in Aeon supermarket. A self-service concept becomes an interesting experience for the visitors. Here are some of my favorite foods in Aeon Supermarket:

1. Sushi

This typical Japanese Food is famous for its high price. However, you don’t have to worry anymore because Aeon Supermarket offers a sushi menu at a very cheap price. The price of sushi rolls range between Rp 3,000 - Rp 6,000 only. You can buy fresh salmon sashimi with only Rp 59,000. It is cheap enough for sushi, right? Of course they use simpler ingredients than sushi in a fancy restaurant. However, the taste of sushi in Aeon supermarket is also tasty and the ingredients are definitely fresh. So, if you want to eat sushi at a lower price, just come to Aeon Supermarket immediately.

2. Chicken Karaage and Meat Ball Stick

Who does not interested at fried food? One of the dish in Aeon Supermarket that will catches your eye is Chicken Karaage. Deep fried chicken fillets served with three kinds of flavors, Cheese, Spicy, and Original. The price is not so expensive for a fairly large size, only Rp 5,000 per piece. One more fried food menu is Meat Ball Stick. They use shrimp meat. The shrimp meat ball dough is formed roundly and deep fried. It was savory and you can really taste the shrimp. Just simply spend Rp 10,000 to get three shrimp meat in the sticks.

3. Cheese Sausage

For afternoon snack, grilled sausages can be an option for you. Aeon supermarket also has a menu of sausage grilled with two flavors, black pepper and cheese. This large sausage covered with either cheese or black pepper sauce and then grilled. Me personally really like the cheese one. Price? No need to worry. Of course this sausage is affordable too, only Rp 10,000.

So yes, there are some of my favorite foods that you can found in Aeon Supermarket. However, for those of you do not really like Japanese Food, Aeon supermarket also serves other menus such as Indian and Indonesian cuisine. You can also find other snacks like cakes, puddings, and Indonesian traditional cakes. So, what do you waiting for? Let's taste a variety of dishes in Aeon Supermarket. 

Aside for its cultural and shopping experience, Bangkok is also popular with their foods! There are varieties of foods that you should definitely try. And the happiest thing is they got so much cheap price for foods.  On this post, I will give you information and review about foods that I ate at Bangkok. So, here it is! Oh, and check my other culinary experience at Seoul and Busan :)

1. Fish Soup with Rice

Fish soup is a common food at Bangkok and you can find it easily anywhere. As its name, they serve rice with fish stock soup in a bowl. It has fish fillets, some mushrooms, carrots, and sprinkles it with celery. The soup was really fresh and had a clean feeling for your body. This fish soup taste mild and healthy for me. Adding some chili soy sauce would be perfect. I ate this soup near victory monument; I don’t really remember the name of the restaurant. That time, we were just hungry and decided to eat whatever food that attracts us. The one that I remember is it was a small and friendly restaurant. They didn’t even have English on their menu. So yes, I ordered by looking on the menu’s photos. 

2. Pad Thai

Pad Thai is one of the most popular foods at Bangkok and it is known internationally. It is basically a stir fry rice noodle. They use so many ingredients to cook this amazing dish such as chicken fillets, eggs, tofu, shrimp, bean sprouts, garlic chives, radishes and many more. Sometimes it also can contain other seafood ingredients like crab or squid. Then, Pad Thai will be served with chopped roasted peanuts. It has a little bit fresh sour taste from tamarind pulp. The one that I ate was Chicken Pad Thai and they sprinkled it with some dried prawn. I found this dish in one of many food stalls at Rod Fai Train Market. Same as fish soup, Pad Thai is also a very well known local dish from Thailand and you will find it easily anywhere at Bangkok. 

3. Salt Coated Grilled Fish

Pratunam (in front of Platinum Fashion Mall) is one of the famous street food and local restaurant area. You can find so many foods here. I went there and saw so many stalls along the way grilling on some kind of fish. They grilled it on the street while asking people to buy. It turned out to be a salt coated grilled fish. Then I bought it to filling my curiosity. I have to say that this dish was not my favorite. The fish was kind of smelly and so fishy. I thought it will be salty and savory but it just plain. However, for those who are grilled fish lovers you should try this. Maybe I was not on my luck that day.

4. Banana Pancake 

You know that we always have room for a dessert! Still at Pratunam area, there is one common sweet dish that called banana pancake. It is different from a usual pancake that we eat when breakfast. This dish actually similar with Martabak Telur however topped with banana. They will whisk some eggs then fried in butter while adding bananas. On top of that, they sprinkled some sugar and condensed milk. The taste is sweet because of caramelized bananas. I think it would be good to be eaten with a glass of hot coffee.

5. Coconut Ice Cream 

Coconut Ice Cream is a very well-known and famous dessert from Bangkok. As its name, they serve some ice cream inside a coconut bowl. Then, they will add the coconut meat itself and some jellies; last they will sprinkle it with some peanuts. This dessert really matches with Bangkok’s hot weather. It was sweet and refreshing. Coconut Ice cream can easily found at weekend or local market. There are also some mobile stalls that sell this sweet dish.

6. Mango Sticky Rice 

Other than its nature attraction place, Bandung is also famous for it’s culinary. I was once college student at Bandung for 4,5 years and yeah here it is, 7 foods that I think you should try when you visit Bandung :)

Seafood Mas Gondrong

Are you a college student? Tight budget? Don’t worry, you still can have seafood!! There is one popular seafood place at Bandung. They serve a variety of seafood menu from shrimp to crab. As all you know, Bandung is a little bit far away from the sea. However, Seafood Gondrong can fulfill it. The price is not expensive at all for a seafood dishes. Although the portion is a little bit small but it was quite worth it. 

Martabak Nikmat Andir

Who doesn’t love martabak? Near Seafood Mas Gondrong, there is a famous martabak store called Martabak Nikmat Andir. This sweet kinda like pancake usually has many fillings such as chocolate, peanuts or cheese. However, Martabak Nikmat Andir comes with an innovative menu for the Martabak’s filling. The most recommended one is martabak with corn, pandan, and cheese filling. They mix the batter with pandan so it makes the martabak becomes green in color. Then, they fill it with corn and cheese. It is unusual to see that combination but it turns out to be very delicious. You can also find another taste like ovomaltine and red velvet.

Nasi Campur 88 Cibadak (NON HALAL)

Another worth to try food at Bandung is Nasi Campur 88 that located at Cibadak. I really recommended this one! They open from 7pm but you must standby from at least 6 pm. It always crowded with people who love this nasi campur. They even use queue cards for consumers. Imagine the hot white rice topped with many kinds of pork meat, a half of boiled soy egg, fried pork meatball, and grilled fish cake. Perfect! Usually, I also order either juice or sekoteng beside this nasi campur stall. 

Address : Jl. Cibadak no. 152, Karanganyar, Astanaanyar, Bandung

Open : 07.00 pm

Cuankie Serayu

Meatball is one of the most popular foods in Indonesia. Bandung has their kind of meatball itself. It called Cuankie. Cuankie Serayu is the famous one and a must for me if I visit Bandung. It is kind of similar with meatball from Malang. Cuankie Serayu has only 2 menus, cuankie and batagor. Cuankie is a soup dish with tofu, siomay, meatball, dumpling (boiled and fried), and fried meatball in it. Otherwise, batagor is dry with fried siomay, fried dumpling, tofu, and fried meatball in it, topped with peanut sauce. You can order for one portion or half portion. Although this place is small but it is always packed with people every day. 

RM Lima Serangkai (NON HALAL)

Lima Serangkai Restaurant serves a traditional Karo style pork dishes as their menu. Their best menu is roasted pork in Karo Style. So what is in this menu? Roasted pork, soup, cassava leaf that has been mashed and spicy sauce. I must say that their cassava leaf is the best! Beside this menu, they also have Indonesian style pork sausage and Arsik (fish soup dish). Their portion is large and the price is not so expensive for pork dishes. 

Lapo Siagian

Lapo Siagian is one of the best Lapo restaurants at Bandung. It is basically the same as Lima Serangkai menu, roasted pork. However, siagian serves roasted pork with Toba Style. The roasted pork here is crispier than the one at Lima Serangkai Restaurant. At Lapo Siagian, they serve the roasted pork with rice, soup, and green chili sauce. Another menu that Lapo Siagian has is Saksang, soup, cassava leaf, and arsik. They also have blood sauce, me personally doesn’t like it. 

Sudirman Street Food

Sudirman Street Food becomes a really happening place since it’s opened on November 2015. There are many food stalls here selling a variety of foods from martabak to Bangkanese style noodle. Non-halal foods become the major food choice here. I try a Mexican food from El Paso food stall. It is called Uncle Joe’s Pork Roast with Rice. Rice topped with roasted pork and Sambal Matah sauce. This food is really good! I also try a pork martabak from Pinky Porky, this is the first martabak with pork filling at Bandung. For you, pork lovers you should go here when you visit Bandung :)

Visit their instagram for more information

El Paso : @elpasobyjoy

Pinky Porky : @pinkyporkymartabak

Address : Jalan Jendral Sudirman No.107, Karanganyar, Astanaanyar, Kota Bandung

Contact : 022 - 4207348

Open : 06.00 pm - 11.00 pm