Koju Cafe

Presenting the theme of ‘snowing you’ Koju Cafe’s decoration seemed to carry it out very well with those snowflakes on the window, delivering you exactly the right impression even before entering the cafe. The space was pretty tiny though, perhaps only able to accommodate not more than 15 people in the indoor spot. They did have outdoor space, for which I might say they utilized effectively the corner space they got. Great thing, this did make them able to have the backyard view to enjoy for those who sat there.

 

The order point was right after the entrance, which was also the place you would receive the very first warm welcome when coming into the place. You indeed wouldn’t have tons of options, but I would say enough variety to serve different types of likings, even including sweet tooth like me as their dessert selections were decent.

If you opted for trying multiple dishes, you would surely be able to do so as the portion wasn’t that huge and the prices were also highly affordable. 

Bitterballen (IDR 25k)

Looking more like cheese stick than Bitterballen from the presentation as it wasn’t served in that typical round-ball shape, it didn’t mean the taste couldn’t land luscious. The peppery mix of mashed potatoes and minced chicken covered in bread crumbs completely reminded me of my mom’s potato chunks, which have always been the whole family’s all-time favorite. Having this served with extra mozzarella filling, that absolutely hit me up.

Banana Butterscotch (IDR 20k)

 

Despite the name indeed got you hitched, simply said this was actually banana bread served with butterscotch sauce. Nonetheless, don’t underestimate the simple combination as it might turn out the couple owning the spotlight. Yes, I truly fell for this cake, having it reheated and served warm. The cake was moist and the butterscotch syrup played an amazing role in balancing the cake’s sweet flavor with its mix of sweet and salty taste. I couldn’t help myself trying to not letting any drop of the sauce left on the plate!

Bread Butter Pudding (IDR 18k)

Another sweets, which might look not as gorgeous as your fancy expectation, but again didn’t fail to nail the amusement. Sold at pocket-friendly price, the bread butter pudding was great option for anyone who might be not fancy anything too sweet. It’s pretty light, taking the texture in between cake and pudding. I was sold to the idea of giving it extra sauce (which I wasn’t that sure what it’s composed of), which couldn’t make better pair to the pudding. Much love <3

Koju Butterscotch (IDR 30k)

The signature drink of the house, which got the privilege of carrying the cafe’s name; should be the one worth to try, shouldn’t it? Presented in very unique way, the picture did hook my attention at the point of order. The milk took the form of shaved ice, to which you would pour the hot espresso shot. The butterscotch syrup wonderfully gave the complementary sweet element into the cup, but nicely still didn’t steal the spotlight belonged to the coffee as the main actor. Well yeah, when iced milk coffee with brown sugar nowadays became so hype, I guessed this would be the next upcoming shining-star!

Irish Coffee (IDR 30k)

Another creatively handcrafted one was this Irish coffee, which was basically iced milk coffee infused with Irish syrup, and given ‘the crown’ of whipped cream. Bluntly speaking, I fell for the first one deeper than this, as the Irish flavor wasn’t going that bold. Nonetheless, I would say the ones who weren’t that much into sweet drinks might love this :)

As always, it’s simply another excitement having more options available nearby. If you’re looking for ‘heavier dishes’ you needn’t worry as they got you the answer as well!

Taste: 7/10

Place: 6.5/10

Service: 7.5/10

Price: 7/10

Thanks for reading! :)

KOJU CAFE

Address: Ruko Golden 8 Blok J No. 10, Gading Serpong, Tangerang

Phone: (+62 21) 5568 5236

Operating Hours: Mon - Sat 9am - 9pm

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Home Brew Coffee & Eatery

Feeling more homey when reading the place’s name? Well, I at least feel more welcome and not sure why but the phrase ‘home-brew’ made it sound that what’s served would be so personalized. 

Sharing the same building with Giggle Box, Home Brew took over the third floor of the three-storey spacious construction in Alam Sutera. It’s an easy one to find, located so close to the infamous Flavor Bliss. Great news for you who already thought that the ‘climbing stairs’ part would be tiring, they actually spoiled the visitors with an elevator so you could be worry-free. 

The venue was way bigger than what’s in my imagination since typical Tangerang area coffeeshops were petite. It even impressed me with the huge outdoor area, dedicated space with wall deco, and another free space that could be used for events. Well, if only it’s little bit closer to home, I bet my agile working space would be this place! The place also felt lively as it’s packed with people coming from different kind of groups. You could see family, couples, teens, and other different groups. Bit loud, but I didn’t mind since this anyway wasn’t a library, was it?

Despite the nice surprise from the ambiance, the order went bit cumbersome as you ought to do it yourself at the cashier. Knowing the place was crowded, you would have expected the long queue you needed to face when making your order. Moreover, as they didn’t give any table number, they got bit confused when they waiters were about to deliver the foods and beverages. Well, there’s always room for improvement ;)

Hot Cappuccino (IDR 38k)

Starting the day right (read: having the morning coffee doze), I picked the basic one to begin. Besides I did need something strong because of the recent sleepless nights, the coffee itself was quite light for my palate. I desired stronger kick on my taste bud, harder smash to wake myself up I guess?

Ice Salted Caramel Latte (IDR 48k)

Moving to the ‘cheat’ part, where the coffee had more ‘buddies’ than earlier one, I had my Salted Caramel Latte - the one I might call as common-uncommon because not met in all places, yet not something rarely available in other coffee shops. The salted caramel game was played pretty strong, making it enjoyable enough especially for those who couldn’t handle strong coffee and demanded a companion to lighten the pure coffee taste. 

Pulled Beef Nachos (IDR 50k)

This appetizer was delightful, served with generous toppings. I felt like having my nachos served with overflowing Bolognaise sauce. Yes, those minced beef was beautifully blended with both the peppery and tomato flavors in the sauce. It was further 'blessed' with another cheese dipping sauce to give extra happiness. Though I had to say nothing really stood out from the cheese sauce, it simply made your palate got 'more crowd' in the party of taste. Adding the Parmesan as well, as you knew in most party, the more the crowd the more you enjoyed it.

Chocolate Ganache Pancake (IDR 60k)

Honestly speaking, I at first thought it's the type of fluffy pancake so I expected the spongy and light stacks of pancake, but apparently I misunderstood and looked at the wrong picture when ordering. Nonetheless, being a sweet tooth I surely didn't mind to have this classic-style ones. 

This dessert came in simple combination featuring chocolate ganache in between the pancake stacks, strawberry and banana slices next to them, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Well, I wouldn't lie that I might be happy if I had to enjoy this at home, but as I was dining out I did expect something more paying this price. It did come in quite gigantic size which definitely would be fulfilling, but I did wish I could get more sophisticated toppings. The chocolate ganache was not bad though, so if you're more into something simple and classy, you might love it ;)

Having my short brunch session there, I would say it's a nice spacious place to visit especially if you came in quite big group. Moreover, the selections of foods and beverages were pretty rich. Some improvements were to be made on the service, then they would rock it!

Taste: 6.5/10

Place: 7/10

Service: 6/10

Price: 6.5/10

Thanks for reading! :)

HOME BREW COFFEE & EATERY

Address: Jl. Alam Utama Kav 2 No. 1 (Nite & Day, level P3), Alam Sutera, Tangerang

Phone: (+62 21) 2977 9296

Operating Hours: Sun - Thu (8am - 9pm), Fri - Sat (8am - 11pm)

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MILU by NOOK

Call me cheesy, but when I heard the word MILU, the first thing coming into my mind was MOTHER I LOVE YOU. Well yeah, don't judge me please as who'll ever know if it's true ;)

That 'by Nook' phrase surely played important role, since that last name captured my intention the most, knowing I've been to Nook for several times and I loved what they served as well as their service! Not to mention, even their other baby, Tetsuo, was one of my favorites that got me hitched at my first visit. 

Being kinda resourceful, I did my little research as usual - simplest way was jumping into their IG page as well as their location tag. I could see the place was more spacious than Nook, despite the peculiar ricefield-view concept was still offered here. Landing at the real spot, it actually looked more artsy to me with each corner had its own uniqueness, making each of them a perfect spot for photo snaps. So instagenic that I could find myself collecting my 1-month stock for posts LOL. 

This type of scenery was such precious treasure, which perhaps only Bali's cafe could offer. I still couldn't picture myself sitting in Jakarta, sipping my caffeine while having paddy field right next to me. Under the clear blue sky which blended well with the green view, putting aside the heat, it's just like flawless serenity. 

Similar to what Nook offered, Milu did serve fusion of western and Indonesian dishes, from heavy rice-based ones, till light and healthy ones. You could see from my list that the choices were quite rich that I bet it would suit many different preferences. 

Cheese Croquettes 

Being rich in components seemed to be the signature characteristic of Milu. Almost each of the dishes had at least 3 main elements combined in it. This savory starter wasn't an exception. A lavish mix of golden-brown fried cheese croquettes with yummy smashed avo, runny poached eggs, and baked beans! The trio matched the fried croquettes very well as they made it not turning so sinful and it just tasted awesome having deep-fried ingredients accompanied by something more fresh in lighter texture. Besides, together they turned out way tastier than I imagined, surprising me in a great way! Oh yeah, that giant portion surely made it irresistible deal!

Scrambled Egg and Mushroom

Another dish with egg, but served in different style. Perhaps a simple one, yet I would call well-seasoned and well-paired as mushroom was such right companion with the chewy texture came together with the fluffy egg. It's just like a dish, from which you wanted nothing more nothing less, just right!

Blueberry Chia Parfait

The petite and gorgeous one, served in a simple transparent glass, allowing you to see the colorful layers. A refreshing mix of sweet blueberries combined with healthy chia pudding. Having them munched with the crunchy local granola?? Ohh. I would love to have them every morning <3

Smoothie Bowl

If I was hitched by the parfait earlier, this was another mindblowing one, which I would recommend as the champion of the day as a sweettooth! Not only friendly for your body, it's also lovely for the taste bud. You might fancy it more than the chia parfait as this one having the blended base served cold and thick, giving the freshly-served impression. Moreover, the toppings were also more generous both in portion and variants, featuring grapes, shredded coconut, granola, sliced banana, and mixed seeds all in a single bowl. Deserved to be called as champion's breakie, didn't it? ;)

Having such splendid experience at my premiere visit, would you think I have any reason for not coming back? Once again, the NOOK family got me sold!

Taste: 7.5/10

Place: 7.5/10

Service: 8/10

Price: 8/10

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MILU BY NOOK

Address: Jl. Pantai Berawa No. 90 XO, Canggu, Bali

Phone: (+62) 822 4711 4441

Operating Hours: Mon - Sun 8am - 11pm

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Fortaleza Boulangerie and Patisserie

First touchdown on the parking space got me WOWed by the gigantic space Fortaleza had in such residential area. Well, if only you didn’t intend to go to the place, I didn’t think it’s the spot that people would regularly pass-by. Nevertheless, there it resided in the area between Tangerang and Jakarta, in a two-storey building occupied with indoor and outdoor area with a spacious parking lot.

Feeling like going to a coffee shop in Bandung? Well, Ambrogio suddenly came into my mind having this view right in front of me. Those green back yard, open-air balcony, and gorgeously designed indoor area with high ceiling. If only this area had Bandung’s temperature, it would turn flawless!

Waiting for quite awhile because the number of waitresses seemed to be very few, I finally got the menu on hand. Their dishes seemed to be very affordable, with prices ranging from IDR 30-80k for main courses which were served in huge portion. If you’re up for pastries or cakes like myself who immediately got hitched by the showcase, just directly went there to place your order. Warning! Beware of getting tempted to try like literally everything as they looked so engaging especially for sweet tooth like me!

Cappuccino (IDR 23k)
Piccolo (IDR 18k)

As the place was a specialist for pastry and cakes, I didn’t put high expectations on their coffee. Nonetheless, they’re surprisingly good companion to my meals with medium-bodied taste. Cappuccino or Piccolo would just be the matter of preference on how strong you wanted the coffee to be.

Caramel Macchiato (IDR 28k)

If you’re into coffee but at the same time wanted it to be the sweet fusion with other ingredients, then their Caramel Macchiato was worth to try. Mixing coffee, caramel syrup, and condensed milk, it surely landed well on my palate despite being slightly less sweet would make it better actually. It might be pretty different to St*rb*cks one, but I would call it not far off.

Spaghetti Carbonara (IDR 40k)

Yes, you read the price right fellas and you’d better be happy as the portion was so generous that I definitely think it’s able to be shared and hence you could save more space for sweet endings or other savory dishes. The pasta was cooked al dente and the sauce was not bad, being creamy and tasty as expected. Your main carbo wouldn’t get lonely as well since there were choices of toppings including these chicken slices which I had for my first trial. It might not be something with stand-out taste that made it be unbeatable compared to other Carbonara, but I would say it’s pleasant option to go for.

Chocolate Figs Cake (IDR 18k)

Not being able to get the Nutella Peanut Butter Cheesecake as it’s out-of-stock, I tried to find something anti-mainstream from the cake shelf. Called as one of the favorites, I then chose this slice which served the combination of sweet chocolate taste and refreshingly sour figs taste. It did play with mix of texture as the top layer being creamy and moist while the half bottom was spongy. Quite good overall, and could be your trial slice when trying to find anything with decent value for money.

Caramel Macchiato Croissant (IDR 20k) 

The star that caught my attention first to pay a visit to this brand new place. The croissant looked so tempting with its neat layers and golden brown color. Moreover, the variants they had showed they’re going extra mile. This first one of mine was just an example. I felt like never met before any croissant with this kind of flavor. Calling out some of its other peculiar friends, namely Putu, Frambozen, Jasuke (corn cheese and milk), and many more!

The way it’s served was also catchy with that pipe topping containing the coffee shot to be enjoyed with the caramel custard as the filling. Honestly speaking, it would be more delectable if the croissant could go more buttery and flaky, but I couldn’t deny that they’re very nice in the stuffing doze. If I might share more input, perhaps they could go bolder in the flavors of the filing as the caramel taste was actually not being that strong.

Tiramisu Croissant (IDR 20k)

The next one was Tiramisu, which might be kinda familiar as cake, but quite rarely met as croissant flavor. It appeared kinda similar to the Caramel Macchiato one on my palate, just that this one would prolly less sweet and more into coffee flavor.

Chocolate Danish (IDR 28k)

Too huge for single portion??!? Well that’s what came into my mind, but never mind takeaway was always an option, wasn’t it?   If your preference was more towards fluffy bread than flaky croissant, this was meant to be yours. Despite it’s named as Danish, it’s more doughy but I fortunately enjoyed the taste; such perfect pair to my morning coffee and I could picture how nice it was to have it for breakie <3

Believe me or not, there were still many more in the display shelf which we haven’t gotten the chance to try as the tummy could no longer handle them. Serving this awesome place and affordable foods, believe the place would shortly be hype!

Taste: 7/10

Place: 8/10

Service: 7/10

Price: 8/10

Thanks for reading! :)

FORTALEZA BOULANGERIE & PATISSERIE

Address: Jl. Nyi Mas Melati A2, Sukarasa, Tangerang, Banten

Phone: (+62 21) 5572 8707

Operating Hours: Mon - Thu 9am - 10pm, Fri - Sun 10am - 11pm

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