Cliff(y) Goes Dining

Care for a 'roti john' onboard? Here's the last post of my December 2019 trip for the food blog. After spending three nights in Jakarta, Indonesia, my BFF and I flew back to Singapore with Batik Air. This isn't my first time reviewing the Economy Class in-flight meal of the Indonesian carrier. I've also tried flying in its Business Class once, but I haven't had the chance to write about it.

Delectable chicken, fish and shrimp porridge! Boldly claiming to be one of the best restaurants in Jakarta, Indonesia, Ta Wan is a Chinese restaurant chain that has been around since 1996. Literally meaning 'Big Bowl', it specialises in porridge. I had a really good dinner at its Mall Taman Anggrek branch without having to dig deep into my pocket, so read on to find out more.

Fermented cassava - it'd been a while! How many of you enjoy sampling street food out there? However, it can sometimes be a struggle of whether to try or not, especially if you've got a weak stomach. Kafe Betawi in Indonesia, having quite a number of branches in Jakarta and elsewhere, brings together the diverse street food and main dishes in a restaurant setting that you can try without worrying too much about hygiene.  

Is Dante Coffee served at breakfast? One of the reasons why I decided to stay in Jakarta, Indonesia for a few days before going back to Singapore was to try its new metro system. Located in the CBD area, Liberty Hotel Thamrin (3*) is literally just a minute away from Dukuh Atas BNI MRT station. Buffet breakfast is served at a branch of Dante Coffee housed inside the hotel.

Tasty fried chicken with addictive crispy bits! Are you a fan of fried chicken? Ayam Goreng Suharti in Indonesia serves delicious fried chicken topped with a generous amount of crispy bits that'll surely make you crave for more. I visited one of its branches in Jakarta in December 2019. They are also available in a few other cities, although are mostly concentrated in the island of Java.

Where you can have breakfast as early as 3.00am! Once again, I was back in Jakarta, Indonesia. My BFFs and I had a quick stay at Ibis budget Jakarta Airport (3*), which is about 10 minutes away from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport by car. The highly affordable rate includes breakfast, though the buffet spread is probably nothing to rave about.

Having 'ssambap' (Korean lettuce wraps) onboard! It was a time well spent at Asiana Business Class Lounge (Central) during the layover at Incheon International Airport in South Korea, especially with the good food served there. In a blink of an eye, it was time to board the 7-hour flight to Jakarta, Indonesia for another quick getaway before flying back to Singapore.

Deliciously crispy Korean fried chicken! After a short hop from Osaka, Japan with Asiana Airlines OZ111 , my BFFs and I had slightly less than 3 hours of transit at Incheon International Airport in South Korea. Before flying with OZ761 in the Business Class to Jakarta, Indonesia, we spent some time at one of the lounges to relax and have a quick bite.

Cloudy 'makgeolli' drink onboard, anyone? My BFFs and I left Osaka, Japan not with a Japanese airline, but with the second largest airline of South Korea. Asiana Airlines OZ111 brought us to Incheon International Airport in South Korea for a period of transit before we continued our journey to Jakarta, Indonesia. Lunch was served onboard at 11.30am.

Limited buffet spread in a crammed lounge... The day when we'd be leaving Japan finally came. As we'd be flying with a Star Alliance airline in the Business Class, we were granted access to ANA lounge at Kansai International Airport. The not-so-spacious lounge was really crowded that morning, but thankfully we managed to get some seats to have a quick breakfast.

Appetisingly fragrant char-grilled 'oyako don'! We've finally come to the last dinner in Japan during the December 2019 trip. As we'd be leaving Japan from Kansai International Airport, my BFFs and I left Kobe with a heavy heart for Izumisano in Osaka Prefecture. For the very first time, I noticed a branch of Nakau, a chain of quick service restaurants owned by Zensho Holdings that also runs Sukiya .