Swee Choon Tim Sum @ Jalan Besar, Singapore

Helloooowww everybody... How's your holiday or mudik? Hope you're enjoying it to the max, and it really refresh and destressed you up.

Swee Choon Tim Sum manage to got me out of my stereotype thinking about Singapore's food. I always think of Singapore's food being too bland, lack of flavor. But i really like this one. And I miss it already.

Swee Choon opens from 6 pm till 6 am, makes it perfect for night snack. When I got there, it's very crowded. But i like how they managed the waiting list. It's separated between the table's capacity, 2/4/6 person. And they asked for your phone number, so you can walked around first. Then they'll call you when it's already your turn.

The interior is simple, old style kind of restaurant. Yet people are eating here, there and everywhere. And when my order is served, I think I understand why.

Shanghai Xiao Long Bao - S$ 4.5

Swee Choon's xiao long bao is one of the MUST TRY here. When it's served, I thought the skin is too thick. But when I ate it, the pork stock just exploded in my mouth. And it's really really splendid. A thick, savoury, and salty pork stock with minced pork. Yum!

Har Kow - S$ 2.4

In Bandung, i usually found Har Gao served in 4 pieces, and placed in a bamboo. So it's a little unusual seeing this. But don't worry, it tasted awesome Their Har Gao is filled with fresh and generous portion of shrimps with nice thin glossy skin. Making the shrimp filling looked sexy, doesn't it?

Siew Mai - S$ 2

Dim sum is just not complete without Siew Mai for me. It is nicely shaped and seasoned. Tasty!

Swee Choon Big Pau - S$ 1.8

If you see their order menu, you'll see that this Big Pau is one of their recommended menu. And I agree. Eating one by yourself will make you full, so I suggest it for sharing. The filling is delicious. It is made of sweet savoury braised shredded pork and lap chiong (Chinese pork sausage).

Carrot Cake - S$ 2.4

Swee Choon's carrot cake came in a big portion. There are 6 slices for you to share. And no, there's no carrot in it! I believed that at first, until i ate it and found no carrot at all. If you're wondering why, it's because of daikon in Hokkien language can also refer to carrot. The carrot cake is made wonderfully. Texture is smooth and tasted slightly salty.

Beancurd Prawn Roll - S$ 3

The Beancurd Prawn Roll is good. Again, I like how fresh the shrimp filling was. But appearance wise, it seemed they wrapped it in a hurry.

Shrimp Hor Fun in Creamy Egg Sauce - S$ 6

Take a look at how smooth, silky, and full it is! It's really really appetizing. This Shrimp Hor Fun in Creamy Egg Sauce is definitely one of my favorite. Do you know what Hor Fun is? Hor Fun is a type of noodle made from rice. It tasted a bit like kwetiaw, but thinner and wider. I like the runny and threadlike egg, the well cooked kailan, and the generous portion of shrimp. Tasted salty and savoury.

I'm so going back here to try more of their menu!



Swee Choon Tim Sum restaurant
185/187/189/191 Jalan Besar, Singapore
Open Wed-Mon 6 pm - 6 am
Closed on Tuesday night
Tel: (65) 62257788

One Year - Satu Tahun

Share the yumz is now a year already. Yay!!! Time flew out fast, post after post, it's been such a wonderful gastronomic journey. What a blessed year!

When I looked back to my first post, and compare it to my recent one, I think I've become a better storyteller. I've never been good at writing or even telling stories. I'm a direct kind of person, straight to the point. And still is, if you have a chit chat with me face to face. Lol~

This blog began not because everyone else was blogging, or blogging had become a trend, or another source of income for some. It all began with a simple question 'where?'. It all began with family and friends asking for my recommendations.

Where?

From that 'where?', I currently have this personal food diary. And it really help me a lot, when I'm asked about a restaurant/cafe to dine in. Or even the price. It help me remember all the details. And I hope it will help you too.

And this 'where?' has also become my life principle, what I asked myself everyday. Cause you don't have to take a big leap or a big jump or run. Small steps is fine as long as you keep moving toward your dream.

Now... I keep on thinking on what I should make for this 1 year celebration. And here's what I came up with. A food map! This map wrap up sharetheyumz gastronomical delicious journey last year, where each pinpoint is linked to the blog post.

This feels more like an adventure now and I'm so excited to add more pinpoint for the coming year. And to travel to the land of unknown. Aye sir!

Eatalia @ Jl Lengkong Besar, Bandung

It's rare for my friends to have a same opinion about a restaurant. One of them even become a regular customer here at Eatalia. Hence, that's what keep me curious. And yesterday, I finally stepped in here. Yuhuuu...

Come in moment

It's pretty packed when I came. But the moment you stepped in, you got this spacious and classic feeling. Walls are painted white, which makes room ambiance lighter and cleaner. At the left wall, there are pictures of life quotes hanging everywhere.

Like it's name, Eatalia, I think you can guess what kind of food they're serving. Sì, it's Italian food. From pizza to spaghetti to ravioli, they serve it all.

Aussie Bacon n Egg - Rp 43.000 (S)

And you know what I found here? Black pizza! This is my first time seeing and eat one. Besides pizza, they also served Black Calzone. I tried Aussie Bacon and Egg Pizza. It looked more appetizing on their menu tho. The pizza dough had slight charcoal flavour, topped with beef bacon, cheese, and a sunny side up. Good!

Beef Ravioli - Rp 63.500

Eatalia's Beef Ravioli is very tomato-ish. For those who don't know, ravioli is alike with chinese dumpling. But it's made from pasta dough. The sourness is a bit too stingy for my palate. Ravioli has good texture and thickness, with good portion of minced beef filling.

Linguine Aglio Ala Eatalia - Rp 47.500

Now I truly like this Linguine Aglio ala Eatalia, just the right texture. Not too chewy nor too soft.  It's also well seasoned. Salty and light. Their spaghetti come with generous toppings of bacon and mushroom. Wonderful!

Going on to my favourite menu at Eatalia, Dessert Pizza. I ordered two of these, one is Vanilla Green Tea Pizza and the other one is Salted Caramel Spiced Apple Strudle. It's very delicious, A MUST HAVE in this restaurant. The dessert pizza dough is sweeter than the regular one.

Vanilla Green Tea Pizza - Rp 27.500 (S)

Two word to describe the Vanilla Green Tea Pizza is matcha overload. Yes, they're very generous on the matcha. It's thick and fully round. I like how the vanilla ice cream is not easily melted and how it adds sweetness to this dessert. Love it!

Salted Caramel Spiced Apple Strudle - Rp 27.500 (S)

Salted Caramel Spiced Apple Strudle is delicious. Cuts of apple gives you this nice crunch and freshness, with raisin, vanilla ice cream, and caramel sauce which enhance the whole flavor, sweet and a lil bit sour. Yum!

I'm surely be back for their dessert pizza.It's a food I'll be craving for.

Eatalia

Jl Lengkong Besar no: 45

Bandung

IG: @eat_eatalia

Open daily 10 am -10 pm

Rijsttaffel @ Jl Pasirkaliki, Bandung

Rijsttaffel in english means enjoy. And as dutch as the restaurant's name, you can find some dutch kind of breakfast here such as toast and poffertjes. Wait, breakfast? Yup, this restaurant is serving breakfast, and it goes from 6-10 am. Personally, i never skipped breakfast. I think it's important for my daily energy and mood booster. And it's good for you too.

The breakfast menu is similar, but fewer than the ordinary one. Rijsttaffel mainly serve Indonesian food, but you can also found some western food.

The small garden

The restaurant doesn't look as wide and spacious as it is. It's rather small yet classic. There is a small garden at the center, and a small fountain decoration. I like it since it gives a comfortable, cozy ambiance.

Roti Bakar Asin - Rp 20.000

For breakfast, I often have a light meal. That's why toast is one of my first choice. I had this Smoked Beef & Cheese Toast (Roti Bakar Asin). The toast is slightly chewy, but I really like their generous topping. Look at those grated cheeses and smoked beef slice! Drizzled with mayonnaise, and served with tomato/chili sauce. Recommended.

Nasi Goreng Ikan Asin - Rp 28.000

I also tried their Nasi Goreng Ikan Asin. It's different from what I imagined. Here at Rijsttaffel, they fried the salted fish separately then topped it on the fried rice. They served it with a sunny side up, pickles, and belinjo chips. When I eat the fried rice only, it lack flavour. But when I eat it with the other toppings, it's good.

Every breakfast here comes with a glass of tea/black coffee. And you can have sugar added or not, it's your choice.

Rijsttaffel Restaurant
Jl Pasirkaliki no: 67
Bandung
IG: @rijsttafel_resto

2sons @ Paskal Hyper Square, Bandung

Found a minimalist, attractive, and affordable Japanese cuisine cafe when I strolled around Paskal Hyper Square for dinner. Just drive into the complex and you'll found 2sons at the right side. It's a 2 storey cafe, with semi outdoor area on 2nd floor. I like their black and white interiors, with cute huge city mural on their walls and some Japanese quote along the stairway.

Come in Moment

Name all Japanese food you can think of, and you can find it here. Starts from sushi, sashimi, ramen, udon, donburi, even anmitsu. Not too much variations tho'. But hey, they serve some fusion menu. And that's one of the food I've tried.

Volcano - Rp 35.000

Volcano, this is one of their fusion sushi. Why? Because it's fried after rolled. So you get that bit of crisp taste. Made of fresh salmon, crabstick, tobiko, then rolled with seaweed, and seasoned well with mayonnaise. Yum!

Shoyu Ebi Tempura Udon - Rp 45.000

Originally wanted to try their ramen, but it's sold out already. So I tried their Shoyu Ebi Tempura Udon. I'm not a fan of udon, but this one is delicious. Their udon has this smooth and slightly chewy texture, which is my liking. It's that good till you can slurp it comfortably. The shoyu broth is fragrant with some seaweed topping. And the tempura consists of 2 ebi, 1 onion, and 1 sweet potato. Each one is nicely coated and fried.

Beef Mozaru - Rp 27.000

Beef Mozaruuu... This is so fusion. But it lacks that nice cheesy coating on top. More like a butter fried rice with good beef slices topping.

Pot of Coffee - Rp 20.000

Had all that with a Pot of Coffee. It's a regular black coffee, and served with a sugar sachet so you can add it up to your preference.

2sons is a nice, minimalist, and value for money Japanese restaurant in Paskal Hyper Square. I enjoy my dining time here, and will come back for more of their sushi and ramen.

2sons Japanese Cuisine
Paskal Hyper Square no: 46
Bandung
IG: @2sonscuisine

Monsoon Cafe @ Jl Sirnamanah, Bandung

Let me tell you a secret... Monsoon Cafe is my current favourite working area. As in their tagline Coffee. Co.work , I also enjoy my working time here. Cozy ambiance, free Wi-Fi, and easily accessed location. And free coffee if you co-work with them.

Monsoon Cafe has indoor and outdoor dining area. I like their interior, dominated with bluish grey hue and some spotlight. At the upright corner, you'll find my fave spot. Cozy couch, a quite large table for my netbook and electric plug. You need that for work don't you? He he...

Monsson Java Dipped Coffee - Rp 32.000

Here I tried their signature, Monsoon Java Dipped Coffee. A very instagrammable one, and very appetizing when it's served. Just dip the chocolate into the coffee and let it melt all da waayyy... wait, I mean, till your personal preferred taste. Got mine melted entirely and I got a hot chocolate.

Sweet Licco

Another signature of Monsoon Cafe, Sweet Licco. And the good news is, you can get this for free by posting and mention them @monsoon.cafe on instagram. Please ask the staff beforehand if this promotion still ongoing, okay?

Back to the review, this Sweet Licco is pretty ordinary. Just a very light and mild sweet coffee, kind of like a flavoured water. This drink is great for those who limit their daily caffeine intake.

Avocado Ice Coffee Latte - Rp 32.000

The Avocado Ice Coffee Latte is nice. I like the avocado flavour which is combined with coffee aroma. It's just perfectly balanced.

Iced Lemon Squash - Rp 26.000

Monsoon Cafe also served non coffee drink. There are teas, mineral water, etc. And also squash, which I tried. The Iced Lemon Squash is splendid. I like the tanginess and sourness, added with a little kick of soda. Totally refreshing. And I think it will be perfect visually if the seeds is strained first.

Waffle Cinnamon Almond - Rp 27.000

When my tummy went hungry, I ordered the Waffle Cinnamon Almond. This one is recommended. I like the butter crisp waffle. I like how the ice cream is not melted easily. I like the nice sprinkle of almond and cinnamon powder. It's delicious. Yum!

French Fries Four Season - Rp 22.000

The French Fries Four Season is nicely fried. It is served 4 kinds of sauce, which is tomato sauce, chili sauce, mayonnaise and mustard. But don't take too long to finish it, because it will be soaked and not crisp.

I have a pleasant moment here, delicious food and drink, and I hope you'll have it too. Cheers!

Monsoon Cafe

Jl Sirnamanah no: 35

Bandung

IG: @monsoon.cafe

Wi-Fi: Yes

Makan Doeloe @ Jl Pajajaran, Bandung

Makan Doeloe  means eat first in Bahasa Indonesia. This food court is located right at the crossroad of Jl Pajajaran, Hussein Airport, Jl Abdulrahman Saleh, and Jl Arjuna. It's a semi outdoor food court, with wooden tables and bench. What I like most from this food court is their Wi-Fi. Been here twice and I had no complaint! He he...

As a food court, I think it's good. You can find various main course, snack, and dessert to satisfy all your tummy needs. 

Pisang Aroma - Rp 12.000

Does any of you like Pisang Aroma? When it's served, I'm a bit surprised since it's BIG. They used a whole banana right there. Appetizing as it looked, it's tasty too. The spring roll skin is crisp and the chocolate banana filling is sweet. Just like how there're stains of caramel all over the skin. That's the delicious sign.

Soto Betawi Daging - Rp 21.000 

I tried Soto Betawi from Aneka Soto Bu Hartono. It's good, but the coconut milk soup is a bit light to my liking. This Soto Betawi comes with a good portion of meat.

Nasi Bebek Goreng Serundeng - Rp 35.000

Bebek Serundeng anyone? I always like that fragrant fried shredded coconut. What's better, it is served with 4 kinds of chili sauce (sambal merah, sambal terasi, sambal cabe hijau, and sambal matah).

Mie Kocok - Rp 22.000

Kind of missed Mie Kocok at the moment, so I ordered one. It's delicious and has a nice aroma. I like to drizzled it with lime juice for a bit of tangy taste. Downside is their Mie Kocok is too oily that it left on my mouth every time I ate it. 

Chatuchak - Rp 25.000

And my food venture today is ended with a nice dessert from Chatuchak. They are serving ice cream in a coconut shell, which placed on top of a coconut water filled plastic glass. You can choose 2 scoops, between durian, strawberry or coconut ice cream. And 3 kinds of topping to chose from grassjelly, corn flakes, nata de coco, pocky, mochi, koko krunch. Since their signature is coconut, I tried their coconut and strawberry. Have to say I like it yeah!

Makan Doeloe
Jl Pajajaran no: 136, Bandung
Ph (022) 6012018
Wi-Fi: Yes
IG: @makan.doeloe

Depot Nasi Campur Pojok Tambak Bayan @ Pantai Indah Kapuk, Jakarta

Helloo Jakarta... Boy, I'm really amazed with Pantai Indah Kapuk area. There're plenty of cafe and restaurants along the way. And from Surabaya to Jakarta, there it is, Depot Nasi Campur Tambak Bayan. This restaurant is serving Indonesian food.

Come in Moment :D

Got there during lunch time, and it's fully packed. There are 2 rooms separated, with air con and without one. I got table in non air conditioned room at first, and it's soooo soooo hot. Luckily just a while after our food served, there're guests who finished eating. Yay! AIR CON... I'm chillin and enjoying every spoon of my lunch happily.

Nasi Campur - Rp 38.000

Mandatory to its name, you ought to try their specialty, Nasi Campur. It is served with fried chili chicken, beancurd in coconut sauce, sauteed spicy vermicelli, half sweet boiled egg, and sambal goreng. If you like spicy food, this is for you. Plus, stir in their chili sauce for an extra SPICY kick.

For a non spicy choice, they have Nasi Kuning. It's a fragrant yellow rice served with fried chicken, beef jerky, beef floss, omelette, caramelized tempe and peanuts, and fried coconut shred (serundeng). Everything is cooked and seasoned nicely. I just enjoy every spoonful I had.

Sate Babi @ Rp 10.000

Had this nice side dish too, Sate Babi (aka pork satay). It's sweetly seasoned, nicely grilled and well matched with the spiciness of Nasi Campur.

Nasi Kuning - Rp 36.000

For a non spicy choice, they served Nasi Kuning. It's a fragrant yellow rice served with fried chicken, beef jerky, beef floss, omelette, caramelized tempe and peanuts, and fried coconut shreds (serundeng). Everything is cooked and seasoned nicely. I just enjoy every spoonful i had.

Nasi Putih + Rawon - Rp 40.000; Telur Asin - Rp 6.000 (half) 

What makes a Nasi Rawon delicious is the broth. It has to be a rich, flavorful beef stock with just the right amount of spices. The black color comes from 'kluwek', a type of spice that gives some kind of a herbal and rich aroma. I like how the beef cuts are tender and succulent.

Es Cincau Ijo - Rp 15.000

Had this good, refreshing Es Cincau Ijo for the hot day in Jakarta.

If you're looking for a quick and delicious lunch or dinner, Depot Nasi Campur Pojok Tambak Bayan is surely a restaurant to go to.

Depot Nasi Campur Pojok Tambak Bayan
Jl Rukan Crown Golf blok B
Pantai Indah Kapuk, Jakarta Utara

Ph: 021-29525886

Caribou Coffee @ Paris van Java mall, Bandung

Welcoming Caribou Coffee to Bandung. Yaayyy!!! Founded at Minnesota in 1992, it has become one of the well known coffee franchise in the world. Their first stall in Bandung is located at Paris van Java mall, just right beside Black Canyon Coffee.

Come in Moment!

I'm very excited since i'm such a huge coffee fan. Who in the same boat with me?

Their interior and exterior are painted mostly in pastel blue, except for the 2nd floor. And I'm so crazy about the fireplace. Two times here, but I haven't got any chance to sit nearby. Ugh! But I won't give up, no no.

As for the coffee, a friend told me that Caribou Coffee's signature is their CHO-CO-LA-TE. So it's recommended to try their chocolate related drink, such as Turtle Mocha, Ice Mocha, etc.There are 3 types of chocolate to choose, which is white, milk, and dark. 

And and aannddd the coffee they used is DECAF coffee, which is great news. Less caffeine, but still high in antioxidant. Nice!

Ice Turtle Mocha

I had their signature Turtle Mocha. It is made of real chocolate melted into steamed milk and combined with espresso and caramel. Opted for a less sugar one, which I regret then, since it reduce the caramel syrup. Oh no... Don't repeat my mistake okay.

Now less sugar makes the Turtle Mocha has a similar taste with regular Iced Mocha. For Iced Mocha, tried both dark and white chocolate, and I love the White more. The white chocolate gives more fragrant smell and milkier taste, wonderful.

Bagels Multiseed @ Rp 15.000, Cream Cheese @ Rp 10.000

While sipping my coffee, i'm having this delicious Multiseed Bagel with Cream Cheese. I like how they rebake it a while before serving the bagel. And the cream cheese topping is splendid, it's really cheesy and spread easily.

Ice Cappucinno

Cappuccino is a regulars in a coffee shop, and here it's bitter. If you like your cup of coffee a bit sweeter like me, you can add more sugar/brown sugar/honey at the counter.

Cream Brulee Danish - Rp 20.000

Tried this Cream Brulee Danish too. It's layered like croissant, but crispier. And this danish is filled with generous egg tart like filling. Sweet! Plus point for not shattered when I cut it into bite size pieces.

Almond Croissant - Rp 28.000

Saved the best for the last, my favourite pastry, Almond Croissant. It smells great when it's served and it's really delicious. I enjoy every single bite of it. A nice layered, flaky texture with buttery filling. Yum yum!

It's a wonderful coffee time with my dear friend at Caribou Coffee. And someday, you might find me there, enjoying my cup of coffee. 

Caribou Coffee

Paris Van Java mall, Resort level

Jl Sukajadi no: 129-139

Bandung

Wi-Fi: yes

IG: @cariboucoffeeid

Warung Ciendog @ Jl Embong, Bandung

When I first heard Warung Ciendog, this "warung" word got me imagine a small, humble restaurant with wooden tables and chairs. But when I stepped inside, it's large and spacious with high ceilings. The interiors are simple. What's cute is a street food cart at the upper left corner decorated with various 'warung' items.

Come in Moment

Warung Ciendog is selling Sundanese food, with a few surrounding stalls selling dim sum, ice cream, kue balok, okonomiyaki, coffee & tea.

Kue Balok - Rp 10.000

Have you ever tried Kue Balok? It's one of Indonesian traditional cake. Made of cake flour, egg, margarine, etc. It tastes slightly chewy. Smells great when it came and i really like to eat it while it's still warm.

Okonomiyaki - Rp 15.000

Found an Okonomiyaki stall here and it's good. A simple mixture of egg, carrot, and cabbage, topped with savoury okonomi sauce, mayonnaise, and katsuobushi. Me very like katsuobushi. Yay!

Es Krim Durian - Rp 17.000

Tried Durian Ice Cream and it comes with various generous topping such as pudding, marshmallow, astor, koko krunch, and fruit loops. Durian ice cream is good, has this durian scent that's not too strong. And the ice cream's texture is soft.

It took a while for our main course to be served, despite of it's not too hectic at the time. But when it came, hey it's really appetizing and a lot. Originally ordered 2 portion, but ending up sharing it for 3 person instead.

Paket D - Rp 27.500

Paket D, consists of Nasi Putih, Ikan Nila Bakar, Tahu Goreng, Cimplung, Urab, Sambal + Lalab. Everything is cooked nicely. The Nila Bakar is fresh and brushed a bit with sweet soy sauce while grilled. It's tasty! The skin is crisp and fish meat is soft. Dipped it to their Sambal Terasi, and it's DELICIOUS.  Unfortunately, the Cimplung is not ready yet so it's changed with Tumis Soun. I also like Warung Ciendog's Urab. The vegetables are still crunchy, with generous coconut seasonings.

Paket E - Rp 35.000

While Paket E, consists of Nasi Putih, Puyuh Bakar, Tahu Goreng, Cimplung, Urab, Sambal + Lalab. Puyuh Bakar is the BOMB. It's perfectly grilled, the meat is still tender, then drizzled with a spicy nutty sauce.

Had a wonderful dining time here. And I'm so happy to found a delicious, yet affordable restaurant. Keep up the good work! Ciaooo~

Warung Ciendog

Jl. Embong no: 8, Bandung

Phone: (022) 21212111

IG: @warungciendog

Wi Fi: Yes