Paradise Dynasty at Ciputra World, Surabaya

I've been a regular customer of Paradise Dynasty ever since my first months staying in Surabaya. I usually eat at this particular Chinese restaurant whenever I have money. If not, I probably stayed at home and fried some tempeh. The thing about Paradise Dynasty is that they serve very very delicious and flavorful Chinese cuisine, and the fact that we are allowed to smoke if we sit on the outer part of the restaurant adds a plus point.

My share of Deep-fried Prawn with Salted Egg Yolk

During my first visit, I was having such a stressful day. I decided to head out to a nice mall and treat myself to a movie and good food. Paradise Dynasty was the restaurant I chose to binge at. It took a while for me to scan the whole menu because they offer various kinds of dishes. Thank God the locals in Surabaya are mostly Chinese, so pork is available on the menu.

One of the dishes that caught my attention was this Baymax Red Bean Bun. I immediately ordered myself one set, consisting of three palm-sized Baymax, that costed me Rp32.000,00. Not a single regret. Then, I got myself this cold dish named Chilled Sliced Pork in Minced Garlic and Soya Sauce, which I don't need to explain what that is judging from the name of the dish itself. And, last but not least, was a plate of Deep-fried Prawn with Salted Egg Yolk. They all looked amazing on the menu, I couldn't help myself!

I love Baymax!

The Baymax buns really cheered me up that night. I love how the buns were so soft and fluffy, yet chewy when you bite it. The red bean filling was very generous and it was stuffed inside Baymax's tummy. I enjoyed every bite even though I was hesitant to eat it at first because it was just so adorable! I mean, look at that face and that fluffy tummy!

This was a very nice appetizer, despite that those Baymax buns suit more as a dessert.

Then I had the chilled pork. One of the waitress took the liberty to enlighten me about the dish being cold. Maybe she was afraid that I didn't know, hence complaining about why the food is not hot. The reason why I ordered this dish is because I was just curious about how it would taste.

Turns out, it tasted fine, but I had come to a realization that cold pork is just not my thing. The pork was savory (and cold. I need to say it over and over again because of how odd it is being cold.) while the cucumber wrapped inside it was just fresh and juicy. I like how the chilly sauce gave another flavor into the dish. The garlic was very distinguish, as if it was saying "Bro, I'm here. Enjoy my presence!". I'm not complaining, but in my opinion, the flavor would be a lot more balanced if they put less garlic. I couldn't taste the soya though. Or, maybe it was there, but I'm not quite familiar with how soya sauce tasted like.

The sight of the Chilled Sliced Pork in Minced Garlic and Soya Sauce.

Look at them adorable faces!

The final dish was the Deep-fried Prawn with Salted Egg Yolk. Needless to say that the dish was very delicious. The prawns were deep-fried to perfection and they were coated with a generous amount of salted egg yolk. Very crispy, very flavorful, and it had a kick in every bite. The salted egg didn't dominate the flavor of the prawn, every ingredients combined work well with one another, making it deserved a standing ovation.

But, I do have to say that the dish was very heavy and it upset my stomach when I over eat it. One portion of the prawn contained lots of prawns, I bullshit you not. I would recommend if you share this dish with another two people just so that it wouldn't go to waste. I couldn't finish it, so I requested one of the waitress to wrap it up for me to take home with. Nonetheless, it was still very enjoyable.

You may think that I'm currently sitting on my bed as I'm writing this blog post. No! You are definitely wrong. I, in fact, am updating my blog at Paradise Dynasty. Plot twist!

I was from the gym, survived a session of upper hand training my personal trainer. I was going to watch a movie at the mall where my gym is located after my work out, but to my surprise the cinema is closed for good. I quickly decided to head to Ciputra World, so that I can enjoy a nice cinema for my quality time with the Nun and got me some good food before the movie.

I was so hungry (again), I ordered another three dishes for myself: the Xiao Long Bao Dynasty, a set of Pan-fried Shanghai Pork Bun, and some Stir-fried French Bean with Minced Pork. Praise the Lord!

I've been wanting to try the Xiao Long Bao Dynasty because I was attracted to their rainbow colored dumplings. One set, that costed Rp88.000,00, is filled with eight kinds of dumplings, each has different colors and filled with different fillings. It didn't take long for my order to be served on the table, and the first dish that arrived was this babies.

Xiao Long Bao is the Chinese term for dumplings.

A simple, yet breathtaking, presentation of the dumplings.

As I waited for my other dishes to be serve, I occupied myself with them rainbow dumplings. I studied all the different colors and their fillings, then devour them one by one in less than ten minutes. Pardon the beast inside my belly.

1st dumpling: Steamed Shanghai Black Truffle Pork Dumpling

The filling was a combination of black truffle and pork, which tasted mostly like pork but with a mushroom aftertaste. It was delicious and it was a good start for the rainbow dumpling. On to the remaining seven.

2nd dumpling:  Steamed Shanghai Foie Grass Pork Dumpling

I could taste a creamy substance mixed in the filling. There was definitely a flavor which I'm not familiar with and I'm guessing it was the foie grass. It tasted okay, but not my favorite. 

3rd dumpling: Steamed Shanghai Ginseng Pork Dumpling

Tasted a bit herby and sour, but still good. It was okay for me. 

4th dumpling: Steamed Shanghai Garlic Pork Dumpling

The garlic immediately kicked in on the first bite. Very savory and porky, and the amount of garlic was on point for my taste. 

This is what it looked like.

5th dumpling: Steamed Shanghai Crab Roe Pork Dumpling

Definitely one of my favorite among the seven. I could taste the crab roe bursting with fishy flavor (in a good way) as I chew the whole thing in one bite. 

6th dumpling: Steamed Shanghai Sechuan Pork Dumpling

I actually had a lot of expectation regarding this particular dumpling. I've been obsessing with whatever dish that has "sechuan" in its' name, including this one, merely because I watched Rick and Morty and I don't know how sechuan sauce tasted like (yes, that famous Mulan sechuan sauce). This dumpling was slightly spicy and had a kick of pepper in it. Delicious, but kind of a let down and definitely not my favorite.

7th dumpling: Steamed Shanghai Pork Dumpling

One word: basic

8th dumpling: Steamed Shanghai Cheese Dumpling

A cheese-filed dumpling? Never heard that one before! I saved the best (merely because it had cheese in it) for the last and I was not wrong. The pork filling was same like the other dumplings, very savory and delicious. But, the stretchy cheese made the dish tasted unique, but worked out well in the end. This is my favorite!

There was an instruction on how to indulge the xiao long bao. I followed the instruction thoroughly, even added the vinegar and ginger to add more flavor. True, it added a burst of flavor to the already well-flavored dumpling, but it was not meant for my tastebud because I'm not into ginger that much. The vinegar was okay, though.

All of the dumplings had a chewy and perfect skin: not too thick, yet not too thin as well. One bite into the dumpling and the juice squirted out immediately, dripping from my spoon to the table. Hell, I wasted lots of dumpling juice today, but it was okay since each dumplings had lots of juice in it.

After the dumplings were gone, I was left with my final two dishes: the Stir-fried French Bean with Minced Pork and the Pan-fried Shanghai Pork Bun.

Some veggies for your tummy.

The vegetable with minced meat was savory and slightly spicy. It had a lot of oil in it, which I don't like, but I managed to finished it. They sure used a lot of minced pork because I was left with some spoonful of it after I finish my beans.

Fluffy buns!

Nicely shaped, aren't they?

Last, but not least, the Pan-fried Shanghai Pork Bun which didn't exceed my expectation. One set had three buns filled with minced pork that costed me Rp35.000,00. The bottom part of the bun was fried, while the whole bun itself was steamed beforehand. I was expecting a crunchy and chewy texture, but I was wrong. The buns were just soft and chewy. That's it.

The sight of the buns' fillings.

The fillings, on the other hand, was not like how I expected it would be in a good way. Shaped in a ball and not sticking to the inner surface of the steamed bun, the fillings had a strong umami flavor and very juicy. I ripped open one bun and the juicy was just dripping down my hand I got a panic attack. Still delicious, but I was quite disappointed by the texture. Maybe I should get myself some Deep-fried Chinese Bun with Condensed Milk?


Paradise Dynasty
Mall Ciputra World, 3rd Floor
Jl. Mayjen Sungkono, No. 87-89
Gunungsari, Kota Surabaya
Jawa Timur 60224

Opening Hours:
SUN - THU: 10AM - 10PM
FRI - SAT: 10 AM - 12AM

Contact:
(+62) 31 5120 0155

Shadad Al Jazera Sweets and Pastries

There's this petite bakery, a few blocks away from my house, at Doha. It's name is Shadad Al Jazera and I have been buying a particular Cheese Buns there whenever I get the chance. Just your regular Cheese Buns, round in shape and tearable, each mini buns fits your palm perfectly. They are golden in color, decorated with sesame seeds on top, and served with a small cup of honey. The medium-sized buns costs 20 Riyal, while the bigger one costs 35 Riyal. We can always finish the bigger bun in a day. 

An estate of Cheese Buns

The thing about these Cheese Buns is that the bread is very fluffy, sweet, and chewy. When you bite into the bun, your teeth will then bump into a generous amount of cottage cheese. Let the savory cheese and the sweet bread blend together, the next thing you know, you would probably on your feet with your wallet in your pocket, running to the store to buy some more before it runs out. 

Unfortunately, this bread is only at its' finest state for a day. If you store it in the fridge for a couple of days after you buy them, the bread will be dry and airy, but they are still eatable and not expire just yet. 

The bakers always make them everyday, but they run out fast. Those buns are usually placed at the cashier. Just ask one of the worker for some Cheese Buns and they will reply with, "Big or small?". Don't hesitate to decide on having the big one. Trust me. 

Look at those plump buns

Shadad Al Jazera Sweets and Pastries

Airport Road Doha, Ad Dawhah

Doha, Qatar

Phone: +974 4464 5424

Gudang Rottie's Polo Coffee

As a curious gastronomer that I am, I was very excited when I found out that Gudang Rottie has some new family members. Sloppy Joe Burger, Roti John Negeri Seberang, "LOCO" Extreme, they are the new dishes that you can find at this petite restaurant. Other than new main courses and side dishes, they also have some new bakery products, which are Polo Coffee and scones. Last Sunday, I was able to get a taste of the brown and crispy Polo Coffee.

Coffee lovers ought to fancy this particular bun. With leavened dough coated in coffee flavored butter cream, this bun has a crispy and toothsome outer layer, while the inside part is as soft as cotton. This bun is filled with coffee cream that has a balanced flavor, which is not too sweet nor too bitter, and it certainly didn't make the consumer feel nauseated or stuffed.

Polo Coffee has become one of my favorites in Gudang Rottie and I'm looking forward to the day I can get another bite of this soft and bitter-sweet bun.

Gudang Rottie's Polo Coffee

Gudang Rottie

Rukan Villa Jatibening Tol

Kav. 4A, Bekasi 17412

Phone: (021) 9737 2883

Opening Hours

Monday - Sunday: 6AM - 10PM

A Favorite at Gudang Rottie

Cheese and Smoked Beef Bun has become my number one favorite bun of Gudang Rottie! This particular bun is very soft, topped with shredded cheese and filled with a slice of smoked beef with melted cheese on top. The bun itself is rather sweet and and light, and it blended well with the fillings. 

I usually buy myself a couple of Cheese and Smoked Beed Bun when I was at work and when my stomach sang the song of its' people. Being a waitress at Gudang Rottie gives you a privilege to get a 10% discount to every product, which make me have to pay Rp 6.300,00 for a piece of Cheese and Smoked Beed Bun instead of Rp 7.000,00. Awesome, huh?

I usually put the bun into a microwave and warm it for around 4 minutes. The top part of the bun is usually burnt at some places, I like my food burnt, and the bun gets lighter and sloppier. If you cut the bun into two parts right in the middle, you can see the cheese-topped smoked beef peeking from the inside. Every bites flutters my heart with joy as the savory fillings and the sweet bun collide. A definite must try for those who fancy savory and soft buns! 

Gudang Rottie 

Rukan Villa Jatibening Tol

Kav. A4, Bekasi 17412

Phone: (021) 9737 2883

Opening Hours: 

Monday - Sunday: 8AM - 10PM

Gnocchi on a Plane

I had to fly with Garuda Indonesia from Singapore to Indonesia because the direct flight from Qatar to Indonesia with Qatar Airways was fully booked. I didn't expect to be served with food when I was onboard with Garuda Indonesia, but then the sight of the stewardesses dragging off the food cart caught me. "Free food," I said to myself. The stewardess handed the passengers cups of orange juice, followed by a tray of food.

A fresh cup of orange juice before departure

"Would you like to have rice with chicken, or pasta with beef," she asked. I decided to try the pasta because eating chicken on an airplane is not what I'm good at. I was expecting a bowl of penne, or spaghetti, covered with juicy meat sauce, what I got was a bowl of gnocchi with cube-shaped meat, and vegetables on the side of the bowl. "What is this pasta you speak of," I thought. I didn't know its' name was Gnocchi and it's a kind of pasta, so I just used the word "dough balls" when my Mom asked me what I had during the flight.

Having beef for lunch, instead of rice and chicken

Look, Gnocchi on a plane!

It turned out that the Gnocchi and the cube-shaped meat tasted delicious! I've never tasted Gnocchi before, so it was a bit odd and strange, but delicious at the same time. The meat, on the other hand, was well-cooked. They were all soft and easy to chew, not to mention coated with savory sauce that would tingle your taste bud.

Those meat tasted awesome, a bit similar to rendang but more airplane-food-like

I had a glass of guava juice and a bowl of mixed fruits for dessert. Everything was fine and organized, I enjoyed my meal and was about to dozzed off, until a rough turbulence hit the plane. I'm always terrified when turbulence occurs. I can't help but to think that the plane is going to crash and stuff. So, I tried to distract my mind by eating the mixed fruits. It didn't help quite much because I was still scared, but it tasted good and very refreshing.

A glass of guava juice to put my mind at ease during turbulance

Some fruits for dessert

Another Journey With Qatar Airways

As I hopped into the aircraft, I immediately glanced through the menu. As expected from the five-star airline, Qatar Airways provided a wide selection of wonderful International cuisine. Just before the plane took off, one of the stewardess approached my Mom and I and offered us something to drink. I didn't feel well that night, due to consuming a large amount of ice cream earlier, so I asked the stewardess for some hot tea instead of my usual apple juice. A minute later, she came back, holding a tray of drinks to be served. She handed me a glass of black tea, along with a couple of butter biscuits. 

A couple of Walkers' shortbread

A cup of black tea with two spoonfuls of sugar

I wasn't going to have the late night refreshments because I was too full from the ice cream. But when I saw the menu, I changed my mind. Fried noodles with steam-fry vegetables. Salad with grilled potatoes and grilled fancy cheese which name escapes me. Ox tail soup. Chicken crepe with salad on the side of the plate. How could I resist? I decided to have something light so that I wouldn't have the urge to make all of those food that I have consumed come out. A plate of salad is more than enough, I said to myself. 

After the stewardess took note of what I would have for the late night meal, she went back to her post to get some napkins. Then, she came back to my seat, pulled out this portable table located on the side of my chair, unfolded the white napkin and covered the table with it. And then, she went back to her post, and when she came back, she brought a tray of nice white dinning set. She decorated my table very neatly.

A moment after my table was beautifully arranged, another stewardess approached me. She was holding a basket which was covered with napkins. When she got to my seat, she unfolded the napkin and offered me some buns to go with my meal. I picked two different buns, a plain white bun and a bagel bread. As I was about to eat the bagel bread, another stewardess came to me and poured myself a glass of mineral water. How can you not feel like kings in this kind of situation?

Both bread tasted good, especially the bagel 

As I was about to bite the bagel bread, a stewardess came to where I sat and served my order. The salad looked gorgeous! It was nicely arranged, with fried potatoes on the side and grilled cheese on top of the fresh vegetables. Purple cabbages, rocket leafs, and cherry tomatoes were the ingredients chosen to make this salad. Those vegetables were fresh and juicy, especially the cherry tomatoes. The fried potatoes were crunchy, yet soft in the middle, not to mention delicious. It was as if you were indulging those German-style fried potatoes, minus the bacon. The grilled cheese was my favorite! Logically, cheese will melt if you fry it, but this one didn't. I don't know what kind of cheese that I ate, but it sure tasted delicious. No, not delicious, it tasted EPIC! At first, it tasted somewhat like chicken. Then, it started to taste like fish. A second later, you can taste butter. Then finally, the thought "Man, this is one epic cheese!" would just pop up in your mind.

Those are grilled cheese by the way, just incase if you thought that those were fish

A plate of salad for midnight snack

The sun rose and it was time for breakfast. One of the stewardess woke me up, telling me that it was time for breakfast and that she would like to know what drinks I would have for starter. I quickly glanced through the breakfast menu and decided to try out this new energizer named Peach & Strawberry Energizer. It looked pretty similar like the usual energizer, which is the Strawberry Banana Energizer. It tasted great and very milky, a bit similar to milkshake, but my love for Qatar Airways' Strawberry Banana energizer cannot be replaced.

A glass of Peach & Strawberry Energizer, yum!

I can never get tired of drinking this energy drink

The selections of bread was a bit different than the usual. They replaced mini Danish Brown and mini croissant with medium-sized croissant and a muffin. The muffin was very attractive, so I decided to try a bite. It tasted delicious, not that sweet nor that savory. It was not those kind of sweet muffins that would make your stomach feels funny in a bad way. I've never tasted Maple Bacon Cupcake, but I assume that the cupcake base will taste pretty similar to this particular savory muffin. If only I was not that full at that time, I might finish the whole muffin and asked for second serving.

Your choice of buns and toasts for starter

Savory muffin, I choose you!

Oh look, I found a treasure! Don't know what that was, but it sure tasted nice

After I'm finished with the muffin, the stewardess served me a bowl of toasted muesli with fresh milk. It was delicious, despite it tasted rather plain because I didn't add any sugar into the bowl. Other than grains and nuts, there were dried raisins, dried banana, dried peach, and dried apple. I should have add some sugar though, just for the sake of making this particular meal all flavory, but I regret nothing.

Some muesli with milk, with no sugar, to continue this awesome five-star breakfast tray

And for the finale.... WAFFLES! Who wouldn't love waffles for breakfast, especially with berries, greek yogurt, and chocolate jam? The waffles were great to be eaten along with the berries and the chocolate jam. The greek yogurt made the waffles tasted rather fresh, I assume it was because of the sourness. I tried to take a big bite of the waffle, along with all of the

Waffles! Who doesn't love waffles? I mean, come on!

Waffles with chocolate jam? Could breakfast get any better than this? 

Breakfast was awesome! Trust me on this, you will not regret traveling with Qatar Airways. The flight crew are beyond polite and nice, not to mention they always smile when they talk to us, and the surely will make you feel as if you are a royal blood. "What can I get you, madam?" and "Would you like some milk with that, sir?" will always be heard inside the aircraft as they endlessly spoil you. As expected from a five-star airline.

Don't blink....

Poof! the Chamber of Secrets are unlocked, and look, some wild mineral water appeared!

Falling With Style

My Mom and I flew with Qatar Airways to Qatar, and our seats were in the Business Class. The stewards were very nice and polite to us, they treated us as if we were Kings, and they continuously asked us wether or not we want to be served with drinks or something to nibble on. A minute before the plane took off, one of the steward offered us something to drink. Mom replied politely, saying that she would like to have a glass of orange juice. I decided to have a glass of apple juice because I was not in the mood for some oranges.

The steward returned a minute later, holding a tray that was occupied with two glasses of drinks. One was Mom's orange juice and the other one was my apple juice. Mom's orange juice came with a slice of orange inside the glass, which looked very pretty like those fancy drinks from a five-star restaurant. I love the presentation of the welcome drinks, very simple yet elegant. The steward handed our drinks with some tissues as replacements for cup coasters, which had drawings of Qatar Airways' famous Orix logo. "Feel free to call me if you need anything," said the Indian steward. I felt like one of those first class ladies from Titanic.

A glass of orange juice for my Mom and some apple juice for me

Better than a glass of champagne 

After the plane took off, the same steward came back to offer us some after-take-off refreshments. I didn't have dinner because I was at school attending the senior year's graduation celebration, so I did not refuse when he brought me a plate of funky looking dish. It was a well-boiled beancurd, filled with cooked white noodles, slices of mushroom, and other vegetables, decorated with a slice of cherry tomato, rockets, and purple cabbage. Despite the fact that I have ate this dish a few times, I still have not found the appropriate way to eat it. I started by eating some of the white noodles first because I might choke if I immediately gulped down the whole thing, then slowly eat the stuffed beancurd. It tasted nice, somehow made me feel like as if I were a vegetarian.

A fancy appetizer on a plane

This dish tasted amusing

It turned out that the beancurd dish was just an appetizer. Soon, after I finished the whole dish, the same steward brought a nice plate of beef sandwich. Good Lord, that sandwich looked exquisite and mouth watering! A nice brown sandwich bun, filled with some generous slices of savory beef along with a handful of sauerkraut and melted swiss cheese, topped with a stick of thime leaf and decorated with some rocket and purple cabbage. Can you imagine how many dashes of rainbows and stardust was used in the making of this beautiful sandwich? It looked beautiful and it tasted beautiful.

The beef has some crushed candle nut on its side, making it savory and full of flavors. The plate was warm when the Indian steward handed it to me, and also was the sandwich. I was mesmerized by the melted swiss cheese. I could tell that the sliced cheese had some holes on it by looking at the pattern on its melted self. To summarize it, the sandwich was EPIC!

Best airplane sandwich I have ever tasted!

A few hours later, a couple of hour before the sun rose and the plane landed, the whole aircraft was lit. It was time for breakfast! Again, the same steward approached my Mom and I, and offered us some breakfast. He handed us the menu so that we could glance through it and choose what food to have for breakfast. My all time favorite energy drink was written on the menu, the Strawberry Banana Energizer. I have travel with Qatar Airways countless times before and I'm grateful that they haven't change the breakfast menu. 

The Strawberry Banana Energizer had a milkshake-like texture, thick and flavory. It smelled mostly of banana, but when you get a mouthful of it, you'll taste both fruits inside. It tasted sweet and very delightful! If I could drink such delicious drink everyday for breakfast, I bet I will have splendid days ahead. 

Then, a bowl of bread was served. There were two kinds of toasts, a piece of danish brown, a warm white bun, and a croissant. It came with a small plate of shaped butter. We were offered some jams too, and I took the liberty to ask for a small jar of marmalade jam. This jam tasted best if you eat it with the crispy toast. As for the croissant and the white buns, butter would make the perfect combination between the two of them. The danish brown is my favorite because it was filled with some delicious chocolate jam.

My love for Qatar Airways' energy drink is eternal

Some bread, with butter and marmalade jam, for breakfast

A minute later, came a plate of fruits. A couple slices of pomelo, some oranges, and a pair of kiwi fruit. The plate was square in shape and decorated with greek yogurt. Both of the pomelo and the orange were sour so, I only ate some. The kiwi was delightfully sweet though, and tasted even more delicious if you eat it with the yogurt.

Fruits are always good for breakfast

Just look at how that greek yogurt beautifully decorated the plate

I had a plate of spinach frittata for the main course. Some champignon mushrooms, grilled tomato, fried onion, some rocket, and some purple cabbage accompanied the frittata. The presentation was great. The food looked as if they were cooked and decorated by Chef Ramsay from Hell's Kitchen. It tasted like five-star cuisine as well! The frittata contained some potato cubes in some parts. The spinach was countless until the main dish looked like blue cheese. Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of mushrooms so I had to put them aside. The whole dish tasted delicious. All in all, my breakfast was great and beyond delightful!

A couple slices of Spinach Frittata to start your day

I'm not Popeye, but I have to say that spinach tasted pretty nice

Enjoy your meal with Qatar Airways