Jagoan-jagoan Sushi Tei

Dua makanan ini adalah menu andalan gue setiap gue ke Sushi Tei. They go by the names Stamina Roll and Salmon Sashimi, and they are my most favorite dish at Sushi Tei. 

Stamina Roll itu adalah salah satu varian sushi roll yang terdiri dari ayam bumbu teriyaki, kacang mede, bawang putih goreng, nasi sushi, dan nori. Semua bahan yang gue sebutin barusan digulung menjadi suatu maha karya yang bikin lidah gue menari-nari kesenengan, yang kemudian dihias dengan olesan mayonnaise dan tumpahan bumbu teriyaki. Enaknya tiada tara!

Manisnya ayam bumbu teriyaki dan gurihnya kacang mede bagaikan jodoh dari tangan Tuhan, cucok banget! Ayamnya bisa dibilang empuk, tapi kadang luarannya agak alot. Gara-gara keanginan kali, ya, makanya jadi rada alot? Tapi, tetap enak, kok.

Bawang putih goreng yang ditaburin diatas gulungan nasi dan lauk itu memberikan tendangan tajam dalam sekali gigit. Ngerti, kan, rasanya bawang putih goreng kayak gimana? Nah, kalau dipadukan dengan segala manis dan gurih yang ada di dalam Stamina Sushi tersebut, kombinasi rasanya makin menjadi-jadi dan tetap enak.

Satu lagi jagoan gue adalah Salmon Sashimi, yaassss! Salmon Sashimi di Sushi Tei selalu manis dan nggak amis setiap gue santap. Mungkin memang kualitasnya bagus dan segarnya beneran segar, kali, ya. Nggak pernah, tuh, yang namanya mencret atau mual setiap habis makan ikan mentah yang satu ini. Bahkan teman gue aja, yang tadinya nggak doyan makan ikan mentah, jadi ketagihan karena waktu itu gue jejelin Salmon Sashimi. 

Sushi Ya

My two best friends and I were going to visit Magnum Cafe today, but due to some unfortunate events we decided to change our destination. The nearest dining place at that time were TIS Square, an area at Tebet where you can find numerous food joints and bistro. Without any ado, we hopped into a cab and made our way to TIS Square. 

Sushi-Ya

You can find lots of restaurants and cafes at TIS Square - such as H.E.M.A., Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Steak 21, PHO 24, and Dunkin' Donuts. Sushi-Ya was our choice of restaurant. We entered the restaurant, rest our bottoms, and immediately ordered some Japanese dishes. Dila ordered herself a plate of Shrimp Tempura Roll, while Icha and I had some Salmon Sushi. Then, for the main course, Icha and I ordered the same dish, which was Teriyaki Salmon. Dila, on the other hand, had a couple sticks of Yakitori. 

Dila's Shrimp Tempura Roll

Icha's Salmon Roll

My Salmon Sushi was chubby and enjoyable! The chef was very generous with the amount of the rice that he used to make the sushi. Most sushi bar would just use a small amount of it, but not at Sushi-Ya. Topped with a thin slice of fresh salmon that tasted sweet and delicious, the rice was glutinous and sweeter compared to other sushi bars. This particular sushi costs approximately Rp12.000,00.

Two Salmon Sushi of mine

Dila's Yakitori

After I finished my Salmon Sushi, I proceed to consume my Teriyaki Salmon platter. Served with juicy and crisp salad and a bowl of warm rice, this dish costs Rp60.000,00. The salmon was nicely grilled, it was well done, just the way I like it. It tasted sweet and savory, but mostly sweet from the Teriyaki sauce. This dish tasted beyond delicious! I think it was clearly shown on my face because, at one point, Dila said, "Kin, your face.. it's like as if you're in ecstasy.". 

I managed to finish my plate of Teriyaki Salmon - the rice, the juicy salad, the kyuri roll, and the fish itself were wiped out - and I could actually settle for another plate if I didn't have breakfast beforehand. Icha couldn't finish hers because she was too full. 

Teriyaki Salmon that came with crisp salad and a bowl of rice

My bowl of warm and slightly sweet rice

I was stuffed, but my dessert stomach was empty. I quickly browse through the menu and select a dish from the Dessert section. Tutty Fruity Ice Cream was the one that caught my attention. It costs Rp18.000,00 per portion, consisted of a scoop of Vanilla ice cream, strawberries, slices of peach, and honey-coated corn-flakes. I fancy the combination of the ice cream and the peach the most!

Tutty Fruity Ice Cream for dessert

It felt so good to be reunited with good friends, especially when there were good food around! We chatted and ate. We took pictures and videos. The only thing missing was.. my wallet. I forgot to put it my wallet inside my bag, leaving me with not more than Rp6.000,00 that I accidently found in my jeans' pocket. Can you imagine the inconvenient of not having money to pay your dishes with when you were the one who ate the most, hence has to pay the most? But then, came Dila to the rescue! She was very nice for letting me borrow her money to pay my lunch, otherwise I would have obliged to stay back at the restaurant to do some dishwashing. Long story short, this afternoon was great!

TIS Square

Sushi -Ya 

Jalan Letnan Jendral MT. Haryono No. 9

Jakarta Selatan, DKI Jakarta 12810

Culinary Adventure at Gading

Tous les Jours

So many choices of good quality buns and breads available in this bakery. From sweet to savory, chocolaty to salty, icy to steamy, they have it all in Tous les Jours. I found this bakery by accident, as I was on my quest to search for an ATM. The sight of the golden brown buns decorating the trays caught my attention. "Man, can this bakery bake," I thought to myself. There were so many bakery goods to choose, not to mention most of them will probably cost you not more than Rp 10.000,00. 

It took me a while to decided on what bread I should have for lunch, until I spot this rather appealing toast. Topped with melted cheese and some smoked beef, I took the toast, put it on a tray that was provided at the bakery, and handed it to the cashier. "I would like to dine in," I said. "Would you like us to warm your toast," asked one of the male staff politely. I nod enthusiastically. 

The toast was beyond savory. The crust was crispy and crunchy, and it blended well with the melted cheese. I felt very fancy and a bit classy, it was as if I were from the capitol. Indulging on a rather fancy looking bread neatly, with a help of a fork and a knife, while I usually would just eat it with my bare hand, made me feel like as if I were Effie Trinket.

Cold Stone

Cold Stone are a bit pricey, if I might say. Rp 28.000,00 for a cup of ice cream, with one complimentary choice of topping, is rather expensive, yes? Add Rp 6.000,00 if you would like to have another topping of your choice. Since I was waiting for some of my friends to come to Mall Kelapa Gading, I decided to wait for them at this particular ice cream parlor. I bought myself a cup of Hazelnut-flavored ice cream, with a piece of Oreo and a chunk of brownies for toppings. Can you imagine how heavenly this ice cream was? It costed me Rp 34.000,00, but it was worth it. 

Cold Stone is famous for its ice cream mixing. The staff would just scoop the ice cream and put it on a glass base. Then, he will add the toppings, just on top of the ice cream, and mix them with a shovel-like tool. Later on, he will put the ice cream into the cup, or the waffle cup, and let you enjoy the masterpiece. 

In my opinion, Oreo tastes best if you eat it with Vanilla ice cream. But, since I was in the mood for some nutty flavored ice cream, it will just have to do. It turned out, indulging on hazelnut ice cream, with small chunks of brownies and Oreo, was not bad. Not bad at all. I enjoyed it very much actually. If only it didn't cost you half of your allowance, then I would probably stuff myself with the same ice cream everyday.

Standing Sushi Bar

Don't get fooled by the name "Standing Sushi Bar" because they have tables and chairs there. It will cost you Rp 25.000,00 for a couple of Ikura Sushi, a boat shaped sushi wrapped with dried seaweed and topped with salmon eggs. For those who are not fond of sushi or fish eggs, then this particular cuisine is no match for you. But, since I'm a sushi lover, Standing Sushi Bar's Ikura Sushi deserves a two thumbs up from the Almighty Fregeek.

For those who haven't got the chance to try Ikura, or salmon eggs, it tasted like as if you are drinking a glass of fish juice. A bit eeky and yucky, I have to say, but it has this unique deliciousness that makes me like them. If you bite one of those eggs, it will immediately pops and fills your mouth with its fishy liquid. Very amusing and delicious. A must try to those who love sushi.  

A friend of mine, Ano, dare me to eat this sushi he hated so much named Nato Sushi. Nato itself are fermented soy beans, one of the common dish that you can find in Japan. Some Japanese loves this food, some are disgusted by it. I'm not a big fan of Nato, but he said that if I could eat a whole plate, then he would pay for what I have eat at the restaurant. I immediately accepted the challenge and finished the whole plate in less than ten minutes.

The thing about Nato is that it taste bitter and a bit unpleasant. Well, what can you expect from a fermented soy beans? If you have drank a glass of expired milk, unintentionally of course, I believe that you find it far from tasty and unpleasant. The same goes for this unique dish. I am amazed by the fact that most Japanese people eat this for breakfast and can survive through the day. True, Nato tastes better than Wasabi, Japanese green chilly paste, but still it tastes unpleasant.

Ippeke Komachi

A rolling sushi bar is an excellent place to have lunch or dinner for Japanese-enthusiasts. Make sure that you got yourself a seat near the rolling bar, so that you can leisurely chose what sushi you would like to have. Each plate contains of two sushi of the same type. The price range depends on what color of plate you chose.  

For a starter, I grabbed myself a yellow plate, which contains Tamago Sushi. This plate is the cheapest plate on the bar. Tamago Sushi itself only contains rice, a small slice of dried seaweed and some sweet fried egg. Now you know why this particular plate costs the least. 

Tamago Sushi is my second favorite sushi after Unagi Sushi, which is fresh-water eel sushi. Other than the fact that this sushi only costed me Rp 15.000,00 per plate, it's its sweet fried-egg I love the most. I told you before that I'm a walking sweet tooth, didn't I?

Second serving was a plate of sushi, which contained rice, eels, fried eggs, cucumber, and some dried seaweed. By looking at the color of the plate, you can easily tell that this sushi is no cheaper than Tamago Sushi. Green and dark blue with golden stripes for its color, this plate will cost you Rp25.000,00. Pricey? Indeed. Delicious? Hell yeah!

Ocha, or Japanese green tea, is free in this restaurant. You can even get yourself continues refill without having to worry that it might cost you an arm and a leg. The waitress will ask you wether you want to have cold Ocha or hot Ocha, then latter on she will bring it to you. Don't be shy to ask for refills. Free stuff are not meant to be wasted.

For dessert, I ordered myself a glass of pudding, which costed me Rp 9.000,00 per plate. Notice the drawing on the plate? Yes, it is Hello Kitty. This adorable pudding came with a lovely plate that would make you go "Moe moe kyun~" the moment the waitress served this dessert on your table. The pudding is Vanilla-flavored, poured with some caramel sauce on top, decorated with whipped cream, some chocolate chips, a bit of cherry, and some cornflakes. 

Do not mix the pudding all at once. I repeat, do not mix the pudding. It is better for you to eat it slowly, spoonful by spoonful, bite by bite. Savor the taste of the pudding, the combination of the caramel sauce and the vanilla-flavored jelly, the sweet whipped cream that goes well with the cornflakes, and the crunchiness of the chocolate chips. I gotta tell you, this pudding is a masterpiece. A must try if you got the chance to have lunch or dinner at this particular restaurant. 

Mall Kelapa Gading

Jl. Kelapa Gading Boulevard

Blok M Lt. 2, Jakarta Selatan 14240

Phone: (021) 4585 3858

Sushi for Lunch

One of my ex-classmate had her 18th birthday on the ninth of February and she generously treat some of her friends to lunch, including me. Feny, as a Japanese-enthusiast, treat us to lunch at a Japanese restaurant, Sushi Box to be exact. I'm pretty sure you can at least guest what we had by just reading the catchy restaurant's name. 

Tokyo Roll

This particular sushi is rich in flavor, as it has various ingredients that would make the consumer experience a food-gasm. It's my favorite sushi and I always order this delicious meal every time I visit Sushi Box. This sushi is filled with fresh kyuri (Japanese cucumber) and carrots, unagi (Japanese terms for eel), tempura flakes, and nori (Japanese terms for seaweed). Being generously topped with some red and black tobiko, this sushi will make your lunch time an enjoyable and awesome one. 

Ginza Roll

What so special about this sushi is that they are using green and red tobiko, instead of red and black tobiko. This particular green tobiko is a wasabi (Japanese chili paste) flavored tobiko that tasted spicy and hurtful. Yes, hurtful. As a person who loves to indulge on Japanese cuisine, I'm not that fond of wasabi. I have to admit that it has an interesting taste, but it hurts both of your mouth and nose as you savor it. But then again, you should try some if you happen to stumbled upon it.

Ginza Roll is a shredded tuna filled sushi, with some kyuri, nori, and tempura flakes as companions, and red and green tobiko as toppings. It is proved that the taste of the wasabi-flavored tobiko is not that bad if we eat the sushi with some Japanese soy sauce. 

Hatori Roll

Notice that reddish orange colored sauce coating the sushi? That is Sushi Box's special spicy sauce, in which will make people who can't stand spicy food all teary. As a person who is not fond of spicy food stuff, I find this sauce very delicious and enjoyable. This particular sauce goes swell with the roasted salmon on top of the sushi. This sushi is filled with some kyuri, nori, tamago, and tempura flakes, which make this dish spicy and crunchy at the same time. Hatori Roll is highly recommended to those who fancy spicy food. 

Yakuza Roll

Yakuza roll is my third favorite menu at Sushi Box, after Salmon Skin Roll and Tokyo Roll. It is filled with tamago (sweet fried egg), kyuri, nori, and tempura flakes. It is topped with some sweet roasted unagi and covered with teriyaki sauce that will make your tongue goes crazy. If you're in the mood for spoiling yourself with some good food, Yakuza Roll is the right choice for you. The teriyaki sauce is very sweet and tasty, not to mention it makes a great couple with the unagi. Both of them will rock your world, alongside the sweet and crunchy sushi fillings.

Banzai Roll

Ever seen a teardrop-shaped sushi? Sushi Box is the place where you can witness such amazing creation. Banzai Roll is a teardrop-shaped sushi which is filled with shredded tuna, tempura flakes, tamago, nori, and some kyuri. The mayonnaise completes the sushi, as it brings out the ultimate flavor of this particular dish. Tuna-lovers, watch out, we got some badass sushi over here!

Sushi Box
Metropolitan Mall Bekasi Lt. 2
Jl. KH. Noer Alie, Bekasi Barat - Bekasi

Phone: (021) 8855-555

Hours: 10 am - 9 pm