Category Archives: palate teasers

pork knuckle encounter

Posted by rob on

i met up with some of my high school classmates whom i have not seen personally for a few years back when i was on my vacation last march.  it was a way of reminiscing our good old high school years, specially the fun moments we had together.

it was also a good chance for me to tick off one of my 10 things i have not done before item when everyone was asking to decide where to have our late dinner.  the mall we met up was just near barrio fiesta, a filipino restaurant that is famous for the dish, crispy pork knuckle or crispy pata.  i then suggested the place and they agreed, unknowingly, they did not know my real purpose.

it has been years since i last ate pork.  i stopped eating it when i was in junior high school, the reason still unclear even to myself which is straightforwardly odd!  to cut it short, let’s not talk about it and focus on the crispy pork knuckle itself.  hehe.

crispy pata is the hind leg including the knuckles of a pig boiled in broth with spices, drip dried or drained, rubbed again with spices and then is deep-fried until golden brown.  here is the famous crispy pata of barrio fiesta.  crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside.   i wonder how much percentage of cholesterol one serving has.

i ate a piece and the taste reminded me of my ma’s lechon kawali (pan-fried roasted pork) that she cooks before.  though it tasted good it did not mean that i will go back on eating pork again, it was just a self-dare for myself for my list.  another thing, i also stopped eating beef more than four years ago – and i think that deserves a separate post. 😀

indonesia chronicles: makanan tempat

Posted by rob on

one of the things that i appreciated when i visited indonesia was their cuisine. i actually liked their dishes that i was able to taste which satisfied my fondness to slightly spicy food. here are some of the “restoran” i visited during my solo travel.

black canyon coffee

i was searching for a place to have dinner after my leisurely walk at kuta beach and noticed this nice looking restaurant in discovery shopping mall in jalan kartika plaza.

black canyon coffee is originally from thailand. this one in bali is the only branch they have that is operating in indonesia.

my first impression about black canyon was that it only serves typical menu that one will find in a coffee shop like sandwiches or other quick-fix food but i was surprised when i checked out in their menu that the place is actually a restaurant that offers extensive choices of food.

they have what they call “indonesia favorites” where local dishes are served in a different zest.

i ordered some sweetened black iced tea.

and nasi pedas, where the spiciness of the dish is just right for my taste. their restaurant have thai dishes but i was more interested with their indonesian specialties. rice dishes, pasta, noodles, curries and soups are also available

nong jma

there is a foodcourt in sarinah mall in jakarta where i ate at nong jma.

the set-up is that there is a buffet spread where you can choose a variety of local dishes.

you pick what you want and how much you want it in your plate and pay for that.

fried fish and tofu, spicy anchovies (loved it!), string beans with mongo sprouts and brown rice cost me only about idr 20,000 – like $2.00!

tomodachi café

this restaurant is at the ground floor of fave hotel where i stayed in jakarta. i had my dinner here before my flight back to manila.

it is a french-oriental fusion restaurant.

the restaurant has a very modern feel.

i ordered “ayam betutu”, half chicken grilled with traditional balinese spice, served with steamed rice, sambal matah, and piecing kacang panjang.  the dish was beautifully presented though the food itself, i can consider as average.

makanan tempat means food places in bahasa.

indonesia chronicles: warung mendez

Posted by rob on

it was past lunch time when i finished frolicking (lol!) with the macaques at the monkey forest sanctuary in ubud, bali.  a local acquaintance recommended me this restaurant located a few minutes from the sanctuary.

warung mendez is an open air cozy restaurant with wooden tables and benches known for their delicious and affordable local dishes in their menu.

i chose to order their bakmi goreng jawa, a dish of stir-fried egg noodles cooked in javanese spice paste with shredded chicken and vegetables topped with fried egg with a side dish of pickled mixed vegetables and two sticks of chicken satay.

the restaurant has an open kitchen were you can see the local women cook your dish infront of you.

spices and condiments used for the bakmi goreng.

skilfully she tossed the ingredients into the wok and a delicious aroma entered my nostrils.

that’s apple cider, red wine and balsamic vinegar.  vinegar usually adds tang to most recipes.

noodles are ready!

uber yummy bakmi goreng. 🙂

three kinds of sambal, which are chili based sauces.

warung mendez is at penestanan kaje, ubud, bali indonesia.