I'm Ready to Folie in Love

Since I still got my day off today, I decided to head out in search for a cafe that would fulfill my needs for aesthetic and delicious food. I had my eye on Cafe Folie for a while now, a beautiful french cafe located on the first level of Beachwalk Shopping Center. I was immediately sold when I saw the tableware that they use to serve the guests. They are all very pleasant to look at! Finally, I got my chance today and I visit the lovely cafe during brunch time. 

Instead of coffee, I settled for their loose leaf tea. The one I had was the French Rose Buds Vanilla, which was served in a beautiful porcelain cup that has drawings of roses on it, and it only took five minutes for my hot beverage to be served after I placed my order. Each serving of this loose leaf tea is equal to four cups. The tea had a very strong vanilla flavor and very fruity. It had a very strong vanilla scent, as well as this hint of sweetness which I’m guessing derives from the rose petals. 

I decided to have a cake as well for companion. They have a wide variety of petite cakes and pastry and I really had a hard time choosing because they all looked very pretty, so I gave the decision to my boyfriend. The choice fell to the Blueberry Cheesecake that was purple in color, decorated by crushed peanuts on the side, complete with a dollop of whipped cream and slices of berry on the top. This cake was very beautiful, and it gave me an irrational thought about how it looks like a moe version of Thanos. 

Very light and creamy this cake was. The texture was very milky and creamy, while the purple layer had a rather gelatin-like texture. I really love the combination flavor of the crushed peanuts and the cheesecake itself, sweet and savory at the same time. Inside the cake was a generous amount of blueberry compote that tasted nothing but sour. I’m not a big fan of berries on cake, but this blueberry compote managed to balance the overwhelming sweet cream that dominated my tastebud. 

The service here exceeded expectation. The waiters and waitress treated me like I was some kind of a royalty, which is nice once in a while. I brought my laptop with me and they were keen enough to offer me a table that has electric sockets nearby. I also added a bit of, “I need a table with less crowd surrounding it,” and they immediately assist me to this particular corner that fulfilled my needs. Two thumbs up!

Cafe FOLiE

Beachwalk Shopping Center, Level 1

Jalan Pantai Kuta, Badung

Bali 80361

Contact:

+62 361 846 4843

+62 811 393 6262

Opening Hours: 

SUN - THU: 10 AM - 10 PM

FRI - SAT: 10 AM - 12 PM

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Website

"What if (we have a coffee shop)?"

Another day, another petite coffee shop. This time, I visited Jikaa, a coffee shop located on the side of Pantai Berawa Street. Do keep in mind that this particular coffee shop is very petite, so be extra careful not to missed it, because I did earlier today. 

Jikaa has two dinning areas, the indoor and the outdoor. I usually go for the outdoor, but since the hangout spot is located exactly adjacent to the busy street of Seminyak, this morning I decide to have my quality time indoor. And, since the place is very compact, it only took me a few steps to go outside to bum a smoke. 

This place has a very cozy and chill vibe going on. Most of the music they played in here are quite jazzy and sometimes blues, which is nice if you’re in the mood of having a very laidback morning. 

No filter. Just sun rays!

As always, the first thing I ordered was a cup of Flat White. I didn’t pay enough attention to the menu as it says that the Flat White comes in two sizes. I accidentally didn’t order the big cup, resulting, in the beginning, in a lack of caffeine. But, as time goes by, I came to a realization that the small cup was enough to fuel my energy, as well as keeping my tummy intact since it was still empty. The Flat White was just a wee bit watery, but the creamy milk combined with the coffee, that was dominated by bitterness just how I like it, tasted fine. 

I continued my morning writing on my laptop whilst indulging in one of its’ famous smoothie bowl, the Chia This Way. It was pink in color, consisted of a dragon fruit and banana base, then topped with Jikaa’s homemade chia seed pudding (that tasted superb, oh my Lord!), sliced pineapples, watermelon, and a handful of chocolate peanut butter granola. Some smoothie bowls can have a very overwhelming flavor wheel, but not this one. The Chia This Way was very enjoyable and plain delectable. The tropical fruits used as the toppings in this smoothie bowl gave a nice flavor change. I mean, strawberries are soo last year. It’s time to give watermelon a chance!

I went for a potty break a few times since I drink a lot here. After the coffee, came the Hot Honey Ginger Tea. The hot and spicy beverage managed to soothe the pain that was going on in my tummy well. “Fresh ginger tea with honey, just to keep you warm,” as the slogan said. And it did!

My afternoon that was accompanied by the Hot Honey Ginger Tea and SBA Sandwich

Noon came and I was famished. I really wasn’t in the mood to have carbs, but they don’t have anything on the menu that doesn’t come with carbs, and I was too lazy to ask for a substitute for the bread. So, I settled with its’ Sunny Bacon Avocado Sandwich, with only one toast on the bottom, added with an extra scrambled egg. Protein protein protein!

I think I’m starting to become fond of sourdough. I mean, they all tasted great! Very thick and crunchy crust, then the middle part was chewy, yet not soft. This one was topped with a dollop of smashed avocado, then garnished with two layers of eggs, a sunny-side-up and a scrambled, and a rather thick and crispy bacon. Oh, Lord. The flavor combination of these ingredients were just majestic. Nothing can go wrong!

Get yourself some extras like I did. Go for the bacon and eggs!

I have spent six hours at this place and, so far, I am very much comfortable here. There were not a lot of people here, which is good for me because I need my peace and quiet, and the staff are very friendly. Plus points for treating the locals as polite and as friendly as the foreigners!

If only this place was just a meter away from where I lived, I would definitely come here everyday. 

Jikaa Cofee

Jalan Pantai Berawa, No. 1A

Tibubeneng, Kecamatan Kuta Utara

Kabupaten Badung, Bali - 80361

Contact:

+61 812 1860 0978

Opening Hours: 

MON - SUN: 7.30 Am - 5.30 PM

Instagram

Kue Kering Lebaran, Alhamdulillah!

Lebaran itu sudah pasti identik dengan, salah satunya, jajaran kue kering yang bertebaran di mana-mana. Entah itu di pasar, di supermarket, di pinggir jalan, pasti ada saja beberapa pedagang yang tengah sibuk menjual bertoples-toples kue kering. Macamnya ada banyak, tapi yang paling populer di kalangan penduduk lokal Kota Jakarta adalah Kue Nastar dan Kue Kastengels.

Nggak jauh berbeda satu sama lain, Kue Nastar dan Kue Kastengels sama-sama terbuat dari bahan dasar tepung terigu, mentega (bisa juga margarin), dan telur. Bedanya hanya di rasa dan bahan pelengkap yang memperkuat rasa dari masing-masing kue tersebut, yaitu selai nanas pada Kue Nastar yang membuatnya terasa manis dan parutan keju yang seharusnya membuat Kue Kastengels senantiasa dikenang dengan rasa gurihnya di setiap gigitan. Lalu, tergantung dari si pembuat, kedua jenis kue kering ini biasanya akan memiliki citarasa khas yang berbeda kalau dibuat oleh tangan-tangan yang berbeda juga. 

Beberapa hari yang lalu, karena tuntutan pekerjaan, gue nggak bisa ikut merayakan Lebaran bersama keluarga besar di rumah. Makan hanya seadanya di kost. Ketupat, opor ayam, dan sambal goreng ati ayam sudah pasti nggak kebagian. Otomatis, kue-kue kering Lebaran pun nggak dapat. Alhasil, yang bisa gue lakukan hanyalah mengeluh dan mengadu di salah satu akun sosial media gue.

Eh, ndilalah sepulang terbang hari ini gue dibawain gembolan dari rumah oleh Bapak. Isinya macam-macam, kebanyakan barang-barang yang gue butuhkan untuk di kost, seperti seprai baru dan sepatu olahraga. Lalu, ketika gue korek-korek lebih dalam lagi, ternyata ada dua toples kue kering yang dibawakan Ibu, Kue Nastar dan Kue Kastengels masing-masing satu. Astaga, senangnya bukan main!

Adis Cookies - Homemade

Ini adalah Kue Nastar yang selalu Ibu beli di pasar dekat rumah menjelang Hari Raya Idul Fitri. Bentuknya bulat-bulat dan besarnya nggak nanggung-nanggung. Warnanya cantik, coklat agak kuning keemasan, dan sangat menarik. Olesan kuning telur yang selalu identik dengan Kue Nastar menghiasi bagian atas masing-masing kue dengan sangat memikat. Lalu, di atasnya, ada taburan keju yang menjadi kering karena dipanggang. 

Padahal, dulu, Kue Nastar ini belum ada mereknya. Tapi, mungkin karena peminatnya banyak, akhirnya si penjual (yang adalah salah satu dari sekian banyak pedagang daging di Pasar Sumberarta) memutuskan untuk memberikan merek pada Kue Nastar bikinannya agar orang-orang bisa tau siapa yang menjual kue kering tersebut . “Delicious. Special for you.” begitulah slogannya. 

Sejauh ini, Kue Nastar garapan Adis Cookies adalah Kue Nastar paling enak kedua yang pernah gue cicipi seumur hidup (yang pertama adalah Nastar Medan ala Dapur Reuni yang gue beli semasa dinas gue di Kualanamu, Medan). Meskipun ekstrak vanilinya terasa dengan jelas di lidah, perbandingan gula, tepung terigu, dan margarinnya sudah sangat pas. Tidak ada rasa yang saling timpang tindih selain ekstrak vanilinya. Itu, pun, bisa dengan mudahnya dikelabui dengan parutan keju gurih dan tekstur dari Kue Nastar itu sendiri, yang menurut gue cukup kokoh dan nggak gampang pecah menjadi remah-remah. Selai nanasnya memiliki tekstur yang cukup padat dan cukup berisi, nggak cuma sembarang selai tanpa parutan nanas doang. Manisnya manusiawi, nggak membuat gue mual meskipun barisan atas kue sudah gue sikat habis. 

Ku-Ker Lecker Pastry

Si pendatang baru yang Ibu dapat dari salah seorang temannya yang, mungkin, bersilahturahmi pada hari Lebaran kemarin. Bentuknya bulat-bulat, seperti Kue Nastar namun lebih kecil dan lebih gampang untuk dilahap, dan bagian permukaannya dihiaskan dengan yang sepertinya antara parutan keju, atau potongan kacang. Nggak bakal tau sebelum dibuka dan dicicipi sendiri, tapi firasat gue mengatakan bahwa itu adalah parutan keju. 

Stiker yang menempel rapi pada tutup toples sungguh menipu karena foto kue yang terpampang di sana adalah foto Kue Nastar. Tapi, Kue Nastar macam apa ini, kok tampilannya beda? Ternyata, oh, ternyata, ini Kue Kastengels! Kue kering Lebaran favorit gue! 

Gurih, asin, renyah, kejunya melimpah, ukurannya kecil banget sehingga nggak butuh waktu lama buat gue untuk melahap habis, sekali lagi, barisan paling atas dari kue kering tersebut. Jujur, kue kering ini berhasil membuat gue agak mual ketika gue makan terus-menerus dalam jumlah yang banyak, mungkin karena takaran margarin dan tepung terigunya yang melimpah. Untungnya, ada Kue Nastar untuk menetralkan rasa gurih yang berlebihan ini. 

Asli, kalau keduanya dimakan secara berganti-gantian, rasa gurih dari Kue Kastengels dan rasa manis dari Kue Nastarnya akan saling menetralkan rasa masing-masing. Jadi, mau sebanyak apapun gue makan, mau semual apapun gue jadinya, gue tetap akan bisa terus mengisi kekosongan tangan gue dengan kue-kue kering ini. Terkesan rakus, ya? 

How to order?

Ku-Ker Lecker Pastry

Contact: 

+62 815 4657 8000

Instagram

Adis Cookies - Homemade

Contact:

+62 812 8431 6163

+62 128095 8038

My Go-tos at Crumb & Coaster

Okay, so, Crumb and Coaster has officially become my family’s go to place whenever we feel like fulfilling our needs for good food and aesthetic visuals. For the past month, we’ve been coming back and forth for, like, two or three times already and we always leave with satisfaction. Dad and I finally took Mom to the restaurant for lunch one day, since Dad and I are the ones who usually roam around the streets of Kuta to find new places to eat, and she loved it, thank God!

These were the food we ate a few days apart,

Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich

The tittle says it all. But, what it doesn’t say is that the crew here at Crumb and Coaster are using a chewy and crunchy sour dough instead of a usual bread loaf and that in between those layer of breaded chicken breast and sour dough is a generous pile of colorful and juicy coleslaw. It also came with some House Fries on the side and a portion of ketchup, along with a slice of lime, to go with. This dish truly has a breathtaking visual!

I can assume that the chef are using high quality chicken breast judging from its’ presentation and flavor. The chicken breast were very thick and it was breaded nicely and well fried. I have to admit, it tasted a bit dry, especially combined with the sour dough toast, but the flavor was smacking I ended up finishing everything that was on my plate even though I promised myself not to eat carbs. There wasn’t much seasoning on the chicken and the sour dough, the flavor was very subtle, so adding some ketchup into your sandwich can be a good alternative. Don’t forget to ask for chilly flakes! Add some into your ketchup. It will elevate the whole flavor wheel. 

The coleslaw really helped by adding those wanted juice along the way of munching. There amount of mayonnaise inside the coleslaw was proper for my taste - just a few amount of it because I don’t like my food be all saucy from the mayo - but for those of you mayo lovers out there, if you don’t think there’s enough mayo in your coleslaw, you can definitely ask for more to the waiters and waitresses. 

On the one hand, the House Fries was bomb - thinly cut, fried to perfection (golden brown fries are my jam!), crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, topped with some fresh parsley, dashed with a pinch of salt and pepper, and the portion served as a side dish was just on point! If you’re a fan of having your french fries with ketchup, like me, I say, “Go for it!”. 

BBQ “Naughty” Pull Pork Burger

This was Dad’s dish. The visual of this naughty burger is as pleasing as my sandwich, but if I have to chose between the two, I would probably go for the burger. 

Constructed out of two amazingly solid, yet chewy, buns with sesame seeds on top, Crumb and Coaster’s signature barbecued pulled pork, homemade coleslaw like the ones I have in my sandwich, and a generous drizzle of melted cheese. It also comes with some House Fries on the sides and a generous serving of ketchup. 

 I tried a bite of the barbecued pull pork and, boy, it was very delicious! The meat was shredded and cooked well, hence the tender and juicy texture, with barbecue sauce making it very flavorful and somewhat caramelized. For me, the amount of barbecue sauce is very overwhelming to the point of sickening when I ate too much of it. But, other than that, this dish right here is a must try! It’s my Dad’s go to meal whenever we come to Crumb and Coaster because he can’t get enough of it. 

You better prepare yourself before you devour this baby. You ought to empty your stomach and get ready to be messy! 

Wagyu Classic Beef Burger

Mom’s choice for lunch was the Wagyu Classic Beef Burger, with the meat cooked at medium well-done. Although the presentation of this burger might be a runner-up compared to the naughty burger that my Dad had, it sure has its’ own persona and charisma that makes one curious regarding how it’s going to taste (and by “one” I meant me). 

A classic burger usually consists of meat patty, lettuce, onion, tomato, and a dollop of sauce in between the meat. Crumb and Coaster might add a little twist to the term “classic” by adding another element that sure bring the whole being of the burger to another level, which is a sunny-side-up. Correction. A sunny-side-up with a runny yolk! Gosh, I might faint from all the food porn imagination I have in my head. If you squash the sunny-side-up with the top part of the bun, I can guarantee you a very satisfying frame of runny egg yolk streaming down your wagyu and onion to the very bottom of the burger tire that would definitely gain hearts from your Instagram follower. I mean, who doesn’t like a good food porn, right? 

My Mom ordered her meat patty to be medium well-done and it was served, thankfully, like her expectation. The outer part of the meat was grayish brown with a bit of charcoal mark imprinted here and there and the inside was only the slightest bit pink in the middle, just like how medium well-done are supposed to  be like. The meat patty was very juicy it dripped until the bottom bun along with the egg yolk!

Falafel Salad Bowl

Ah, my go to meal during my diet days. Consisted of sliced zucchini and a whole other bunch of greens, this salad is the proper go to dish that usually get when I feel like eating fancy without feeling guilty afterwards. Other than just greens, it also had some sliced horse radish and bell pepper in it, as well as four pieces of falafels which I love so much!

Them falafels may be the best falafels I had, so far! They were fried to perfection, golden brown and very crispy, and the texture was not just mushy, yet it had this whole bits of pea in it. Love it! And, although the flavor was very nutty and savory, it helped a lot in digesting the whole other bland leafs as I didn’t use any of the white sauce served because I was afraid that I would gain some extra fat on my bums if I did. 

Cold Beverages

I always go for the smoothie. My favorite, so far, is the Farm Berry Smoothie because it tasted really refreshing, very creamy from the yogurt, and it came with three pieces of blueberry on top. My second favorite is the Inner Strength Smoothie because banana can never go wrong with a handful of peanut butter. 

Now you know some of the things that I love to indulge in at Crumb and Coaster. It’s time for you to find yours!

Crumb and Coaster

Jalan Benesari No. 2E

Opening Hours:

MON - SUN: 7.30AM - 10PM

Contact:

+62 819 9959 6319

Instagram

Doppio is Dope, yo!

I keep coming back to Doppio Cafe for a good peaceful me time. Although the music they play is far from being quiet, depends on the mood but they tend to play classic oldies a lot, but the atmosphere here at this petite cafe is very enjoyable. Located at this particularly small alley at Jalan Kartika, Kuta, Doppio Cafe is the place to go for you early-birds who enjoy a good cup of Flat White and a hearty plate of Italian Classic Chicken Sandwich for breakfast. 

I’m a big fan of its’s Flat White. It came in two sizes, small and large, and I usually go for the small because it fulfills my daily need of caffeine just fine. The milk and coffee ratio is just on point and the flavor maintains from time to time; medium body, dominated with bitterness, with just a hint of acidity just like how I love my coffee to be. 

I can’t eat much during mornings because I can easily feel bloated from all the food intake, so my go to is usually the Smoothie Bowl. Once, I had me the Morning Delight, and on another day I tried to get a spoonful of the Organic Detox. Both are equally delightful and very refreshing. The texture of the smoothie bowl is not the least bit runny, yet not that solid either. Topped with colorful toppings, like pumpkin seeds, sliced bananas, sliced strawberries, shredded coconut, and granola, this baby will definitely fill your stomach as quick as a snap of finger. 

When you feel like having something a bit heavy for lunch, you can always go for the sandwiches and wraps. They also have burgers for all of you burger lovers out there. 

One afternoon, after spending more than four hours at the cafe working on my writings, I got hungry and decided to order myself a nice meal. I went for the Italian Classic Chicken Wrap. Unfortunately, there was a misunderstanding and what served was a sandwich instead of a wrap. I was disappointed, really, but the waitress quickly composed the whole situation properly and offer me a swap. Of course I declined because, if I comply with her offer, the sandwich would probably be thrown away and I was not in the mood to be a bitch. So, I settled with the sandwich. 

To my surprise, the sandwich was very delicious! They used toasted sour dough to sandwiched my tier of chicken breast, cheese, lettuce, and tomato, and it was a nice change of air. I do enjoy a good sourdough, with all its’ chewy and crunchy texture, and the combination of all the ingredient used to make my dish worked well with each other. 

I didn’t take any pictures of my sandwich because, at that time, I was too disappointed to even approve the whole dish. Eventually, I ate all of it and made peace as it tasted so damn good!

Most of the people who visit Doppio Cafe are foreigners. On one particular day, I was the only local who dine in at the cafe. I was expecting a bad service, since most of the cafes here in Bali serve international tourists way friendlier than local tourists, but I was stand corrected. The waiters and waitress here at Doppio Cafe are friendly to all of their customers. Even the owner, who is not a local, sometimes lend a hand to handle the customers. 

The price range of the food and beverages is somewhat budget-friendly. You can get a nice cup of coffee for less than Rp30.000,00 depends on the type of coffee you order and the food here tasted as good as the price itself. Totally recommended for a good productive time!

Doppio Cafe Bali

Jalan Kartika, No. 18

Across Get Inked at Bali Ink

Kuta, Kabupaten Badung

Bali 80361

Opening Hours:

MON - SUN: 8AM - 6PM

Contact:

+61 400 262 462

Instagram

Website