Friday, December 30, 2011

Shanghai Blue 1920 Restaurant

Address: Jl. Kebon Sirih 77-79 Jakarta Pusat
Telephone: (021) 391-8690
Operating Hours: 10.00 – 23.00
Reservations: Recommended
As with all the Tugu hotels and restaurants, Waroeng Shanghai Blue 1920 is very unique. The first time I came here, I was struck not only by the cuisine, but also by the romantic ambience with its muted amber décor, the vivid colors, and the art deco style of 1920s Shanghai. Shanghai Blue has created a fusion of Babah and Batavian culinary disciplines, with many of the recipes having been passed down through the generations. There are several offerings for appetizers, such as Lumpia Udang Kaca Saos Tauco, Hakau Kepiting, and XO Scallops. Tasteful soups include Sop 3 Sisters of Shanghai 1920, or Sop Ikan Warong 1920. Exciting main courses include Tjwie Mie Babah and Bebek Panggang (BBQ duck on a bed of emping crackers in Peking sauce). The Buntut Resep Shanghai in Chinese spices and herbs simply bursts with flavor. Alternatively, Ayam Masak Merah Shanghai Blue 1920 is also excellent. The house specialty is a colorful vegetarian delight offering a myriad of different textures and tastes. I sampled the Ketoprak Japit Mak Leha (ketoprak clasped in cassava crackers and served with sweet soy peanut sauce). Other mouthwatering favorites include Tape Panggang Arang and Ronde Kacang Merah. Shanghai Blues also provides takeout meals, home delivery, and catering service.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Samarra Restaurant

Address
Jl. Kebon Sirih Raya 77-79 Jakarta Pusat
Telephone: (021) 391-8690
Operating Hours: 11.00 - 01.00
Reservations: Recommended
It’s time to head over to Samarra, another stylish restaurant designed by the Tugu Hotels Group. The fragrant arome of Indonesian cooking in Middle Eastern spices alone will be enough to stimulate your appetite. The menu is simple, but each dish is a creation of intense flavors based on unique Middle Eastern spicing and ingredients. A special treat is the unique Sate Pasar Kuno (The Old Souk’s Satay) in a wooden boat with its twelve varieties of sate that includes meat and fresh seafood to tempt your palate. The chef delights guests with Samara’s creations, such as Sate Lilit Ikan Gianyar (Bali), Sate Ayam Ponorogo (tender chicken sate from a famous village vendor from Ponorogo), Sate kambing Kapuran Camaram (Semarang), Sate Tempe Panggang Kecap (grilled soybean cake sate marinated in coconut milk), Sate Kambing Muda Giling and Sate Ikan Kelapa Blambangan. End your excellent meal with Summer Night in Soenda Kelapa (a white wine Sangria mixed with pineapples, mangos, bananas, lime, and Havana rum) or perhaps Amor on the Dessert Oasis (a red wine Sangria with peaches, strawberries, red guavas, cantaloupe, and cinnamon) to treat your taste buds. The lunch special at Sammara is of great value, and the table d’hote will satisfy even the hungriest customer, while the Middle Eastern décor creates an ambience of pure delight.