IDN: Bakmi GM
Delicious Halal noodles and rice dishes!
Alright, this is going to be my first post on the series of restaurants based in Indonesia. As I've mentioned in my Facebook status two days ago, I'll begin with the eatery which I've visited, at least, one hundred times in my life. Everytime I go back to Indonesia, I'll drop by this eatery once (or twice).
The history of Bakmi GM can be traced back to 1959, and to date, there are already 21 branches spread throughout Jakarta, Bekasi and Tangerang. Some people would think that the taste of the dishes come from the "liberal use of MSG" (yes, I'm quoting someone), but I beg to differ. Even after eating 3 bowls of noodle (yes, THREE!), I didn't feel that thirsty. I'd also think that the taste of each dish is always nice, but not too gurih (I really have no idea if there exists an English equivalent to this word because it does have a different nuance from words like 'savoury' or 'delectable', which are, more often than not, positive in connotation). Oh, I'll use present tense throughout since dining here has become a habit haha... The quality of the dishes is consistent as well.
Bakmi Spesial GM Rp 15,909 (~S$2.30)
Taste: 8.5/10
A bowl of Bakmi Spesial GM comes with chicken cubes, mushroom slices, chye sim and a bowl of clear soup. The noodle is always delightfully springy, and the sauce has the right degree of sweetness that goes well with the rest of the ingredients. Oh, it's even more shiok if you sprinkle lots of pepper and a bit of chili haha... Pika's advice 1: The only thing I'd complain about is that the noodle can be pretty dry sometimes because they use only a bit of oil, and they aren't very generous with the sauce either. Do spoon over a little bit of the soup onto the noodle, but beware, the soup can sometimes be pretty salty.
Nasi Ayam GM Rp 14,091 (~S$2.00)
Taste: 8.5/10
This is basically the rice version of Bakmi Spesial GM without the chye sim, but with a slice of tomato and cucumber each. I personally prefer this one because the special sauce somehow goes better with rice, not to mention that they are more generous with the chicken cubes and mushroom slices too. It comes with a bowl of clear soup as well.
Bakmi Masak Rp 27,273 (~S$4.00)
Taste: 8/10
A.k.a. seafood noodle soup, it's my mom's favourite. The soup is delectably sweet, thanks to the not-so-stingy portion of shrimp and fish cakes. They put in cauliflowers too to add to the bite. No doubt, it's a hearty dish.
Nasi Goreng Rp 23,636 (~S$3.40)
Taste: 8.5/10
I'd say the Indonesian version of Nasi Goreng is the best, especially with the use of sweet soy sauce. The rice is fried to perfection with eggs, shrimp, fish cakes, sliced chili and spring onions (green onions, scallions, take your pick). Also, this dish isn't too oily. It's a very simple dish with a homely feel.
Nasi Ayam Cah Cabai Rp 19,091 (~S$2.80)
Taste: 9/10
Here is my favourite: the spicy chicken rice! This dish has a more adventurous feel when compared to Nasi Ayam GM. It used to be a lot spicier in the past though, but it's still awesome now as it was. The chicken cubes are very tender, and they blend very well with the dark sauce which I've been experimenting several times to make, but to no avail.
Pangsit Goreng (10 Buah) Rp 17,272 (~S$2.50)
Taste: 9/10
The eatery offers very special fried wantons. This is going to be difficult to explain. You won't be crunching your wantons because they're not that crispy like the usual wantons, but they aren't too soft or soggy either. They're perfectly airy. The most appropriate Japanese onomatopoeic word to describe the texture of the wantons would be さくさく (saku-saku) (see the entry on Momiji Japanese Buffet Restaurant for another illustration). Dip it into the special red sauce which has a distinctive ginger aroma, and you'll go WOW.
Fruit Punch Rp 11,363 (~S$1.60)
Taste: 9.5/10
This is definitely the best fruit punch I can find in the region, and it certainly tastes nowhere like those artificially flavoured fruit punch cordial drinks. Allow just one sip of this blended goodness to let your imagination go wild! Among the many tropical fruits used to prepare this concoction, the pineapples and cherries taste pretty strong. Pika's advice 2: This is really my first time giving two pieces of advice in an entry, but anyway, try to ask for less ice cubes because once they melt, the flavour just wouldn't be the same.
Melon's Rating
Taste: 8.5/10
Ambience: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Overall: 8/10
Melon's rating is based on the pioneer branch in Jalan Gajah Mada, Jakarta Pusat (Central Jakarta). Don't forget to patronise Bakmi GM whenever you're in the capital city, alright?
Bakmi GM
Jalan Gajah Mada No. 92
Jakarta
Indonesia
(Mon-Fri: 10.00am - 9.00pm; Sat-Sun: 10.00am - 9.30pm)
*Prices quoted are subject to 10% VAT.
Have a nice meal,
Cliff(y)
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