Indulging in Indonesia

“PorkMi” is what I reckon the mouthwatering Indo Bakmi by @hunterskitchensg should be christened. It is a flavourbomb disguised innocently as a packet of noodles with pork plus an entourage of condiments. Included is a sinfully rich pork oil-based sauce which acts like a binder for everything.
Preparation is simple and straightforward, and barely takes a minute once the pot of water starts to boil. The end result after you’ve given the noodles a thorough mix is so shiok, I had to take a moment.
Christina also sent me her newest variation of Bakmi to try. It comes with a Spicy Pork Belly sauce and is just as tantalising with those chunkier cuts of meat.
If you are like me and adore pork well as springy noodles, you need to give these noodles a try ($12 a packet). Orders can be placed via DM to @hunterskitchensg.

G I F T
My foodie friend @blackmamba1507 didn’t only order lunch for my fam and I, but took the trouble to deliver it himself. Considering how popular his cousin Christina’s home-based business - @hunterskitchensg has become, I couldn’t appreciate it enough.
This gorgeous lady’s specialty is authentic Indonesian cuisine based on her grandmother’s recipes. And you know it’s super legit because Antonio who’s a genuinely discerning food-loving Indonesian, is hooked on it.
Besides the beautiful (and reusable) packaging (even the brown paper lining is cut into a flower shape!), I was wow-ed by how intensely flavourful her “Nasi Besek” was. Which by the way, is a style of traditional Indonesian rice and dishes served at special events, and gets its name from the basket used.
Everything in Hunter’s Kitchen’s version tasted so shiok and came together with the fragrant yellow rice deliciously. The aromatic and juicy “Ayam Goreng Galangal” and the crunchy corn fritter were the standouts for me.
Carefully tucked on the side was a dollop of Christina’s homemade chilli sambal. Antonio had warned me of its fierce spiciness, so I approached with caution. It burned for sure but was addictive, so I pushed through the pain and kept going back for more 😅😂
Thanks again, Antonio for the surprise treat.

The ambience may look simple but the flavours of their food is anything but. Because many of their recipes have been developed by two Indonesian “aunties” who love to cook. So you can expect big flavours with plenty of punch.

Priced at just $10, we felt we were getting real bang for our buck with their Nasi Lemak Ayam Berempah as the serving was generous. But most importantly, it tasted really shiok with the blue pea flower-coloured rice being light and fragrant, and the fried chicken thigh (I was told they only use fresh chicken) boasting well-marinated juiciness (no surprise as it had all night to absorb the seasoning). I found the sambal merah (red sambal) and achar, also made in-house, very appetising. Even the basics of ikan bilis, peanuts, keropok and cucumber tasted fresh and crispy.

I plan on revisiting soon because their extensive menu has several other items that beg my attention.

By the way, if you prefer to stay in, you might like to know that they do delivery via @grabfoodsg too.

When in Indonesia, it's only logical to tuck into Nasi Goreng, and InterContinental Jakarta MidPlaza Hotel's Rasa Restaurant does a very good one.
Sure, it looks fancy but the presentation is supported, if not overshadowed, by its tastiness. Every item you see on this platter was delicious, with the ridiculously fragrant "serundeng" (spicy fried coconut flakes) and satay (ohmygawd... that peanut sauce!) tied for first place on my list. Plus the whole thing costs about SG$10 which's good value considering the five-star hotel venue.

Don't sniff at these simple looking noodles because they're super "sedap"! 😋😋
Jeanette of @maryspastrylab took me to try her fave in-mall noodle joint: "Bakmi Permata Express" in Jakarta's Grand Indonesia Mall for brunch today. And I happily hoovered up every strand of my order with barely a pause.
The thick but very springy al dente noodles were truly flavourful after I emptied the humble looking packets of chilli sauce and pickled chilli padi in the bowl and gave everything a proper toss.
To be honest, I was so focused on the noodles that I didn't pay attention to the wantons and beefballs till the very end of my meal.

If you want to indulge in a dense, heavy cake with rich frosting, the bestselling Red Velvet is the one to get at Union Deli Jakarta. Each slice is large enough to be shared between 2 people.

I was introduced by Jeanette (@maryspastrylab) to a couple of cakes at the popular Union Deli today and found this Nastar Crumble ("Nastar" is the local name for "pineapple tart") to be astoundingly good.
It's a beautiful balance of buttery crust at the base, light and fluffy sponge cake, chilled cream, a cooked pineapple mash that isn't too sweet or sour, and plenty of crumble. A must-must-try. Their no. 1 bestseller, the Red Velvet with its denser cake texture and cream cheese frosting is also wonderful.
All the bakes here are HUGE, yet priced very affordably at around SG$7. I highly recommend checking out this cafe if you're in Jakarta. .