How to Kill Time Before Malibu Nights

Boyfriend and I did some caffeine hunting last night. There were six hours to kill, before LANY’s Malibu Nights World Tour concert begun, and we decided to visit a few coffee shops, as well as some dinning places we didn’t even know existed before. Our first stop was, Woodpecker Coffee!

Woodpecker Coffee

Jl. Panglima Polim V, No. 23

Dharmawangsa, Jakarta

MON - SUN: 7 AM - 9 PM

+62 21 2930 5356

Located on the side of Panglima Polim street, Woodpecker Coffee was a bit challenging for us to find because there were no signs that indicate the whereabouts of the coffee shop - even if there was, Davie and I clearly didn’t notice it. We walked for a bit, making assumptions on where the building is while crosschecking our Google Maps, until we noticed one that had a bird neon-sign on one of its’ wall. It took us a while to finally noticed that the bird was actually a woodpecker bird.

We entered the coffee shop and was immediately welcomed with a splash of white, embellished with milk chocolate here and there. A few greens were found on some of the corners, giving us that fresh feeling of pure aesthetic. I noticed some seats that were decorated with sunlights and, with that, I quietly affirm that Woodpecker Coffee is the most beautiful cafe I have ever visited, yet. 

Boyfriend and I had a couple of waffles, as well as a cup of coffee each. It was a Wednesday and, to my surprise, on every Wednesdays, Woodpecker Coffee has this marvelous waffle promo where you only have to pay one for two. I was immediately sold! I had me the Banana Nutella Waffle with maple waffle as its’ base, while Davie had himself the freebie, which is an Oreo-based waffle with Vanilla ice cream on top. 

Both waffles were very delicious! The Nutella used on top of my waffle was rather generous, as well as the banana slices. The batter was grilled nicely on the waffle pan, creating that golden brown color and crispy edges. Don’t let the presentation of the waffle fools you, though. It may look like a lot of work to finish the dessert , but, turned out, the waffle was very thin and it filled my stomach just fine. 

As for the coffee, like always, I had me a cup of Flat White, while Davie had himself a glass of Iced Moccachino. The Flat White, in my opinion, had a relatively strong acid flavor, which was okay for me, although I prefer my coffee to be bitter. Davie, on the other hand, was fond of it. 

We spent a good hour at Woodpecker Coffee before we moved on to another place, that was just across the street from where we were. It was time for a proper meal. 

Burgushi

Jl. Panglima Polim V, No. 38D

Dharmawangsa, Jakarta

MON - SUN: 10 AM - 10 PM

+62 822 5838 8380

The name of the dinning place vividly explains what kind of food that they serve here. If you’re thinking of a fusion between a burger and a sushi, you are correct! 

Davie and I shared a portion of its’ new main course that was just launched about a week ago, the Beef Monster. It consisted of two beef patties - stacked between a couple slices of cheese, topped with beef bacon strips and a sunny side up, and drizzled with  Takoyaki sauce - sandwiched between two pieces of deep-fried sticky sushi rice that were coated with breadcrumbs, then covered with a big sheet of nori. To my disappointment, our Beef Monster Burgushi didn’t look like what it was presented in the advertisement. 

I gotta say, I do love the deep-fried sushi rice with the Takoyaki sauce. It reminded me well of how the rice at Sushi Tei tasted like, and it’s good! On the contrary, the whole burger-filling pieces didn’t go well with the rice. I will say that having the Tuna Salad Salmon Mentai Burgushi will make a lot more sense compared to the Beef Monster Burgushi, as the rice is definitely suitable to be consumed by pairing it with food items that you can find at a sushi restaurant. 

I’m not a fan of the beef patties because of how small they were, but they sure tasted fine although I’ve tasted better grilled meat before. It was a shame that the sunny-side-up didn’t have a runny yolk. If it did, it may elevate the dish to some point. On the one hand, there were only bits of bacon instead of an actual bacon strips, which was a downer for me. 

Overall, the Beef Monster Burgushi was somewhat okay, but I don’t think I will be coming back for more. 

Harapan Djaya Coffee Roasters

Jl. Panglima Polim V, No. 36

Dharmawangsa, Jakarta

 MON - SUN: 7 AM - 10 PM

+62 815 1900 8141

After our early dinner, Davie and I visited another cafe adjacent to where Burgushi was to have our final leisure before the concert started. Harapan Djaya Coffee Roasters was where we headed for another cup of coffee. 

Davie, being the curious coffee enthusiast that he is, ordered himself a glass of funky signature drink that goes by the name Kopinas - a cold drink consisted of Americano and a slab of pineapple jam. Me, on the other hand, knew that I had to have an energy booster, so I had a simple glass of hot Ginger Tea with no sugar. 

Kopinas was a really mind-boggling drink. At first sip, I could taste the sourness and bitterness of a coffee, but then the pineapple jam hit me right in the tastebud and it instantly took me to a memory of pineapple tart (Kue Nastar, to be exact) that I used to eat during Eid al-Fitr. I’m not a fan, but Davie seemed to have a soft spot for this drink. However, I really enjoyed my Ginger Tea as it was hot and spicy and gave that extra spark to my body. The drink itself had a hint of sweetness here and there, despite the fact that I didn’t add any sugar into it. 

We spent another good hour at the historic coffee roaster, enjoyed a game of Truth and Truth, then we ordered an online transport that eventually took us to the venue where we sang along to Paul’s rendition of Malibu Nights. 

But, what’s a concert without a post-concert meal, right?

McDonald’s (Grand Kota Bintang)

Grand Kota Bintang

Jl. K. H. Noer Ali, Jakasampurna

Bekasi Barat 17145

24 hours

+62 14045

A set of Happy Meal and a cup of hot tea was all I needed. Davie, who is usually a rice person, decided to have himself a nice set of Big Mac. We also shared some French Fries, with lots and lots of ketchup on the side. 

McDonald’s always hit me in the spot. 

Waffle Bae

Bae appreciation post because without him, I'd be enjoying this Chocolate Ice Cream Waffle by myself. Oh, and it's a good waffle too! This was when we were at our best friends' wedding. There were so many food option, but our eyes were immediately caught by the sight of the waffle stand. There was a long line at that particular stand, but we sure got our hands on our waffles.

The waffle was not as crispy as I liked it to be. It was topped with a cold chocolate ice cream, then drizzled with a spoonful of chocolate sprinkles. The waffle itself was not sweet to say the least, but it still tasted good and the batter used to make it was not that bad. The sweet chocolate ice cream really elevated the whole dessert. 10/10 would go for more.

What Kind of Waffle are You?

Banana Split Waffle
You are the adventurer. Like the toppings used in this particular dessert, you don't mind being different and stepping out of your comfort zone. You are not afraid to try something new because just going for the usual will just bore you anyway, right? This waffle is perfect for those of you who enjoy a burst of different flavor in one bite. The crispy and warm waffle are just to die for, especially combined with the cold and sweet Vanilla ice cream. Then again, who would have thought that chocolate sauce can go well with mixed-berries sauce if it weren't you?

Classic Maple Waffle
You are the happy go lucky. Ain't nobody can stop your from being the warm sun that beams out positive energy to those who are around you. Sweet surprises go along with your fun vibe, like the strawberry and the whipped cream to this waffle. Everyone likes you for who you are, but you have to know that there will always be that one person who doesn't like strawberry despite its' sweetness.

Salted Caramel Waffle 
You are the girl, or boy, next door. Everyone knows you for your simplicity and there's nothing wrong with being simple, and you know that. You are open for new and exciting things, just like the salted caramel sauce drizzled on this waffle, but sometimes it's nice to just keep everything subtle and drama-less. The waffle itself is great, let alone combined with a handful of almond chunks and the sweet and salty salted caramel sauce; just the perfect companion for your Sunday morning indulging on your newly bought novel of Dan Brown's Origin.

Brown Fox: Waffle & Coffee

Jalan Taman margasatwa No. 9C

Pasar Minggu, Jakarta Selatan

Opening Hours:

Monday - Sunday: 8AM - 10PM

Contact:

+62 819 9987 0041

Gangga Coffee, Ubud

It was a fine day in Pejeng. I woke up rather early that day despite last night's drinking session with Mom, Dad, and Sam. We had nothing planned for that day and Sam seemed a bit bummed up by the fact that he did nothing other than scrolling through his phone and playing with Lima. “Let’s head out to Ubud,” he asked, “we can use your Dad’s motorcycle”. I agreed immediately. The sun was not too intense and the weather was rather chilly, so it was very enjoyable for us to go downhill. 

Gangga Coffee is where we headed to hangout. The coffee place was recommended by a good friend of mine, Davie, when I asked him about good coffee shops that sell great manual brews. I promised him back then that I would be the first one, between the two of us, that would step into the coffee shop first. Then, there I was. 

Gangga Coffee is rather petite, yet beautiful in its’ own way and it has more than just a few photo spots for you Instagram people who are currently climbing the social ladder. I ordered me a V60, with beans which name escaped me, while Sam settled for an ice latte. I also got me something to munch on, which name also escaped me but it was the only waffle-based menu they have at the shop. It had a “Tropical Summer Waffle” ring in to it. 

The waffle had a beautiful and simple presentation, yet it looked a bit dead and dull as the garnish only stood out for each of themselves. Our drinks, on the one hand, was very simple.

My waffle sandwich had slices of banana, pineapple, and strawberry in between, along with a berry yogurt here and there. Again, same like the presentation of the garnishes, all of the element inside the dessert didn’t blend well. The waffle itself was plain and soggy, it didn’t even have the crispy edges like how I love my waffle to be. The fillings tasted like how fruits are supposed to taste like. “It’s not good, isn’t it,” asked Sam. I nodded in disappointment. 

On the contrary, the coffee was okay. I didn’t know how Sam’s was as I didn’t take any sip, but mine was light and very enjoyable. We ended up spending hours at Gangga Coffee chitchatting about work. 

Gangga Coffee

Jalan Raya Andong, No. 11

Ubud, Bali

Contact:

+62 361 908 2477

Opening Hours: 

MON - SUN: 8AM - 8PM 

Sanur's Gelato Secrets

Gue nggak punya tempat jajan gelato andalan setiap gue ke Bali. Pokoknya, selagi gue jalan dan tiba-tiba ketemu kedai yang jual gelato, gue pasti mampir dan jajan gelato minimal satu scoop. Dan lagi, harga satu scoop gelato di Bali nggak begitu mahal, kisarannya sekitar Rp15.000,00 sampai Rp30.000,00. Nah, kedai gelato yang sering gue kunjungin adalah Gelato Secrets, nggak kurang dan nggak lebih karena kedai yang satu ini tersebar dimana-mana kayak kuman, but in a good way. 

Pernah sekali, pas gue lagi nggak ada kerjaan siang-siang, sementara Bapak dan Ibu gue lagi seru-serunya diving di Tulamben, gue keluyuran di daerah Sanur dan nongkrong sendirian di Gelato Secrets layaknya jomblo sejati yang lagi mencari jati dirinya (waktu itu masih jomblo). Gelato pertama yang gue pesan adalah Strawberry Sorbet pakai cone. Sebenarnya, gue nggak begitu suka sorbet, gue lebih suka gelato dan es krim yang berbasis susu, tapi karena siang itu lagi terik banget dan kayaknya seger banget kalau mengonsumsi apapun yang nyerepet sirup, atau buah, jadilah gue nyemil gelato rasa buah stroberi. 

Kecut, tapi segar, dan manis. Mungkin karena tekstur gelato yang lebih kental dan padat ketimbang es krim pada umumnya, jadinya gue sibuk ngunyah sampai gelato gue habis. Belum puas, akhirnya gue pesan satu lagi, tapi di cup karena gue kenyang makan kerupuknya. Kalau nggak salah, ini antara rasa mangga, atau rasa markisa, gue lupa. Sama enaknya seperti Strawberry Sorbet yang sebelumnya gue lahap. 

Yang gue suka dari Gelato Secrets adalah varian menunya yang melibatkan waffle. Yes, I love waffles, terlebih lagi kalau pakai tambahan es krim dan topping neko-neko di atasnya. Di lain waktu, gue pernah memesan set waffle dan gelato, beserta tambahan whipped cream dan gula bubuk di atasnya, dengan harga Rp25.000,00. Nggak begitu mahal, kan? 

Memang wafflenya bukan waffle yang fresh dimasak di tempat, melainkan waffle beku yang sekedar dihangatkan pakai microwave, tapi cukup, kok, buat pelipur lara. Gue lupa gelato rasa apa yang gue pesan untuk menemasi waffle hangat gue, kalau nggak salah ada hubungannya dengan coklat dan Ferrero Rocher. Anyways, waffle mana, sih, yang nggak enak pakai gelato? Setelah cemilan malam gue habis, gue pun bahagia. Masalah lemak, dipikir belakangan aja. 

Gelato Secrets

Jalan Danau Tamblingan

Sanur, Bali

Opening Hours:

Monday - Sunday: 8AM - 11PM

Back at it Again with the Brown Fox

I made my way back to Brown Fox: Waffle & Coffee last Saturday. As I waited for my films to be developed at Modern Photo, Pasar Minggu, I decided to have brunch at my all-time favorite waffle place in Jakarta Selatan. After almost a year of not paying any visit to the dessert shop, I finally got the time to do so and enjoyed my share of crispy golden brown waffle.

I got me a plate of Salted Caramel Waffle and a glass of Strawberry Lemonade. I was a bit hesitant in ordering beverages because I can get a bit stingy even to myself sometimes. I usually prefer to not drink if the beverages are overpriced and just get myself a bottle of Aqua at the nearest Indomaret I can find. But, this time, I gave the sweet and sour Strawberry Lemonade a chance.

My crispy golden brown waffle came not long after I made my order. It was very big and it looked super appetizing. Topped with vanilla ice cream, drizzled with salted caramel sauce, and sprinkled with chopped roasted almond, the dessert was truly a sight for sore eyes.

Believe me when I say that the waffle was delicious, because it truly was! I simply love the crispy and cake-like texture of the waffle. The waffle was rather heavy, but it was okay for me. At one point, the caramel sauce was too sweet for me I got nauseous from eating too much of it. But, the cold, mildly sweet, creamy, and somewhat neutral flavor vanilla ice cream helped the big bite goes down.

The Strawberry Lemonade was thirst-quenching and simply enjoyable. I could tell that they used real lemon and strawberry to make the sweet and sour beverages because there were pulps at the bottom of the plastic glass. Unfortunately, they put too much sugar in it. As the ice dissolve into the mixture, the sugar became very strong and eclipsed both the lemon and strawberry, making it tasted as if I was drinking sugared water.

Brown Fox: Waffle & Coffee

Jalan Taman margasatwa No. 9C

Pasar Minggu, Jakarta Selatan

Opening Hours:

Monday - Sunday: 8AM - 10PM

Contact:

+62 819 9987 0041

Brown Fox: Waffle & Coffee

Halo, readers! Akhirnya ya, setelah sekian lama nggak kelihatan, gue nongol juga. 

Brown Fox: Waffle & Coffee

Pagi ini gue sarapan di Brown Fox: Waffle & Coffee, cafe mungil dengan parkirannya yang sempit, yang terletak di Jalan Taman Margasatwa, Pasar Minggu. Saking mungilnya, dan karena cafe ini juga mengumpat dari kehiruk pikukkan daerah Pasar Minggu, gue hampir kelewatan kalau bukan karena billboard sign-nya yang lumayan mencolok. 

Meskipun cafe ini terletak tidak jauh dari Rumah Sakit Hewan Ragunan, gue tetap harus menggunakan aplikasi Zomato dan Google Maps karena gue sangat tidak suka memperhatikan jalan dan sering banget nyasar. Bukannya gue buta arah, tapi gue sangat malas untuk memperhatikan jalan. Blame it on the blue top. 

You just can't miss that big orange sign

See, very compact and minimalist

Cafe ini memang mungil banget, tempat parkirannya pun mungil hanya muat 3 mobil dan beberapa motor saja. Outdoor seating tersedia bagi kalian yang lebih senang menghirup percampuran antara udara segar dan karbon monoksida, indoor seating pun ada buat teman-teman yang suka memanjakan diri dengan semburan freon. 

Gue suka banget dengan interior design Brown Fox cafe yang sangat sederhana dan minimalis, namun tetap nyaman dan bikin betah berjam-jam nongkrong sambil menikmati jaringan internet gratis yang cuku cepat dan lumayan stabil. Hanya ada beberapa framed quotation di sisi kanan kiri tembok, beberapa tanaman hias di meja, setumpuk majalah untuk dibaca di dalam cafe dan tidak boleh dibawa pulang, dan kombinasi pewarnaan yang manis dengan pemilihan perabotan minimalis yang sangat serasi. Semuanya cukup untuk membuat gue nyaman saat melangkah masuk kedalam cafe bertema Jepang ini. 

And where does the bunny go?

Very cute T-shirt and bags by Skelly are being sold here

Pasti kalian sadar dong betapa seringnya gue menggunakan kata "mungil" untuk mendeskripsikan cafe ini. Gue nggak bohong. Cafe yang cocok banget untuk dijadikan tempat sarapan setiap hari ini memang sangat kecil dan minimalis. Nggak butuh belasan langkah untuk gue sampai ke counter pemesanan dari pintu masuk. Seketika gue disambut dengan salah satu crew Brown Fox cafe, yang sepertinya sedang mengalami pagi yang kurang baik karena dia pelit senyuman atau mungkin pembawaan ekspresinya memang seperti itu, dengan, "Silahkan, mau pesan apa?" sambil menyodorkan deretan menu santapan yang bikin ngiler dan pusing karena bingung mau memilih yang mana. 

The sight of the cafe's counter

Who wouldn't want a kitchen like this? 

Nice, free wifi!

Hello there, Mr. Brown Fox.

Cute notebook for sale.

Condiments and magazines to accompany your breakfast with

Simple, yet elegant

Comfy, don't you think?

Kebetulan pagi ini gue lagi nggak punya banyak waktu untuk dihambur-hamburkan, jadi gue berusaha untuk tidak plin-plan seperti gue biasanya dan pilihan menu sarapan langsung tertuju pada segelas Strawberry Smoothie dan sepiring Classic Maple Waffle, with whipped cream, sprinkles of almond chunks, and strawberry slices. Mantap!

Menu side A

Menu side B

Beverages Menu

Nggak sampai 10 menit, pesanan Strawberry Smoothie gue langsung diantar ke meja - yang seketika menjadi favorite spot gue ketika menginjakkan kaki kedalam Brown Fox cafe karena letaknya yang sangat dekat dengan tembok kaca sehingga sinar matahari yang sangat membantu gue dalam pengambilan gambar bisa dimanfaatkan sebagai lighting alami yang sangat ciamik. Tapi, terlepas dari pemanfaatan sumber daya alam tersebut, meja itu memang yang paling gue suka dari semua tempat duduk yang ada di dalam cafe mungil ini. Nggak ada alasan tertentu. Suka, ya suka aja. Yang namanya hati kan nggak bisa dibohongin. 

Nggak lama kemudian, waffle gue pun diantarkan ke meja. Waffle-nya masih hangat, dan disajikan dengan whipped cream, potongan almond yang cukup banyak, taburan powdered sugar, dan beberapa potong buah strawberry segar. Bahagia banget dengan penyajiannya yang apa adanya, namun manis dan tetap bikin gue gagal untuk nggak ngiler. 

Terdengar bunyi "kress!" yang merdu banget di telinga gue ketika gue menancapkan garpu dan pisau ke potongan Classic Maple Waffle tersebut. Merdunya melebihi Beyoncé ketika beliau lagi nyanyi "I Was Here" di United Nations General Assembly saat merayakan United Nations World Humanitarian Day. Gue memang berlebihan, biarin aja. 

Classic Maple Waffle 

Waffle ala Brown Fox: Waffle & Coffee memiliki tekstur yang ringan dan renyah, cocok banget untuk disantap sebagai sarapan. Kalau boleh gue bandingin dengan waffle ala restoran cepat saji, sudah pasti waffle bikinin Brown Fox cafe menang telak. Rasanya tidak terlalu manis dan gurih, dan potongan waffle yang menyatu dengan maple syrup yang manis, whipped cream yang sangat creamy dan lembut, taburan bubuk gula yang menambah rasa manis yang berbeda, dan potongan strawberry yang segar dan agak kecut menciptakan sebuah kombinasi rasa yang harus diberika empat acungan jempol; dua dari tangan dan duanya lagi dari tangan pasangan kamu menyantap waffle. Kalau kamu makan sendirian, seperti gue, segera buka sepatu dan acungin jempol kaki. Sip. 

Sayangnya, tekstur ringan dari waffle tersebut nggak bertahan lama, karena bagian waffle yang terkena tuangan maple syrup cepat sekali menyerap segala kelengketan manis tersebut, sehingga menjadi basah dan lembab. Nggak lembek, tapi jadi lembab seakan-akan udah nggak punya semangat untuk hidup lagi. Dan, mungkin karena gue yang masih kenyang karena sebelum menyantap sarapan di Brown Fox cafe gue sempat ngemil beberapa potong biskuit Regal, gue merasa agak mual di beberapa potongan terakhir. Mungkin karena faktor gue kekeyangan, mungkin juga karena wafflenya menjadi berat dan terlampau manis. Tapi, terlepas dari itu semua, I didn't regret any single bite that I took. 

Boy, would you look at that. 

Anak durhaka mana yang membiarkan Ibunya nggak merasakan kenikmatan homemade waffle buatan cafe mungil ini? Gue membelikan Ibu gue sepasang Liége Waffle dengan topping kayu manis dan kombinasi antara chocolate syrup dan potongan almond. Dibandingan dengan waffle yang gue santap di tempat, Liége Waffle memiliki teksture yang lebih kenyal dan tebal, sejenak mengingatkan gue dengan tekstur roti bagel. Liége Waffle buatan Brown Fox cafe cukup nikmat dan mengeyangkan, tapi gue lebih suka dengan Classic Maple Waffle yang gue santap. 

A couple of Liége Waffles for Mom

On the one hand, Strawberry Smoothie ala Brown Fox cafe pun enak dan menyegarkan. Kombinasi strawberry yang agak kecut, susu yang gurih, es yang membuat segalanya menjadi lebih nikmat, dan gula yang manis memang mantap. Tapi, gue merasa bahwa perpaduan antara smoothie dingin dan waffle hangat di pagi hari itu kurang cocok. Mungkin untuk kedepannya gue akan akan mengganti minuman gue menjadi latte, atau milk tea, hangat atau hot chocolate sekalian biar lebih mantap. 

Some cold and thirst-quenching Strawberry Smoothie 

Nah, buat kalian yang kehabisan ide tempat sarapan mana yang harus kalian kunjungi sebelum ngantor atau ngampus, gue saranin kalian mampir lah ke Brown Fox: Waffle & Coffee. Sangat direkomendasikan untuk kalian yang doyan nongkrong di cafe-cafe mungil nan nyaman. Hati-hati aja kalau udah betah, takutnya kalian nggak pulang ke rumah. 

Brown Fox: Waffle & Coffe

Jalan Taman Margasatwa No. 9C

Pasar Minggu, Jakarta Selatan

Opening Hours:

Monday - Sunday: 8AM - 10PM

Contact:

+62 819 9987 0041

You guys can check out their website, and made order at your Go-Jeg app for delivery service. Handy, no? Oh, and check out their Instagram, too. Very appetizing.