Random Eats: January - March 2022

Item: Pandan & Lemon Bundt Cake (6 packs) - IDR40,000

Location: Coffee at Louis (Jl. Trunojoyo, Surabaya)

I absolutely loved their bundt cakes, especially the pandan one! It reminded me of traditional kue putu ayu. The cake was not too sweet but just enough to satisfy my sweet food craving.

Item: Sausage Moza Potato Hotdokk - IDR22,000

Location: Cupbop (SPBU BP Raya Nginden, Surabaya)

The freshly-fried corndog was delicious and it was still crunchy after the journey home. Perhaps it was due to the sauce being packed separately.

Item: Tex Mex - IDR33,000

Location: Rager Dawg & Soda Bar (Jl. Dharmawangsa, Surabaya)

This Mexican-inspired dawg is a combination of sausage, jalapeno, salsa, and corn chip crumbs. The salsa gave a fresh and crunchy feelings to the dish, which I loved.

Item: Mac Chiz - IDR35,000

Location: Rager Dawg & Soda Bar (Jl. Dharmawangsa, Surabaya)

It was a basic hotdog plus a scoop of mac n cheese on top. Sadly, the cheese flavor was rather muted.

Item: Bihun Bebek - IDR40,000

Location: Kopitiam Akhai (Jl. Babatan Pantai, Surabaya)

Bits of Medan in Surabaya! This is the legendary Medanese bihun bebek, which is dry beehoon served with shredded duck meat, fried garlic, spring onion and duck herbal soup. The duck meat was tender but I did not really like the herbal soup as the herb taste was too pungent for my liking. Side note, this dish is only available on weekends and public holidays.

Item: Banana Muscle - IDR40,000

Location: Deckside Lounge & Cafe (Oakwood Hotel & Residence, Surabaya)

The drink consists of banana, honey, chocolate cereal and soy milk, which is good for those who are dairy-intolerant. topped with whipped cream, shaved chocolate, cocoa powder, Milo sauce and Maltesers was no doubt rich and indulgent. However, given the sweet toppings, the drink itself could actually use no sugar or perhaps just a little bit of it.

Item: Nasi Ayam Guling Istimewa - IDR20,000

Location: Ayam Guling Lambeh (Jl. Raya Mulyosari, Surabaya)

A good option if you wanna try babi guling but pork is your restriction. This dish earned a full mark from me with its authentic Balinese seasoning and affordability hehe.

Item: Nasi US Shortplate Balado - IDR34,000 (regular size)

Location: Semangkok Rempah (Jl. Tunjungan, Surabaya)

It was like a bowl of Yoshinoya beef with balado and 'kremesan'. The balado seasoning was not spicy (I had confirmed it with the staff beforehand). The rice ain't just normal white rice but nasi gurih (akin to nasi lemak). The beef was tender but the amount given was too little compared to the rice. The balado flavor was subtle but appealing.

Item: Manual Brew - IDR35,000

Location: Communal Coffee & Kitchen (Jl. Kertajaya Indah Tengah, Surabaya)

It was easy to drink, but it could do better if the flavor notes were stronger.

Item: Pork Sambal Matah

Location: Kitchenette (Galaxy Mall 2, Surabaya)

There is nothing like enjoying a plate of pork with kickass Balinese sambal matah. It was a simple yet comforting dish, although the pork could be crispier.

Item: Pasta Meatballs - IDR85,000

Location: Kitchenette (Galaxy Mall 2, Surabaya)

The pasta was not bad and it was actually super filling despite looking small in portion. I found the meatballs to be a little dry inside though.

Item: Latte with Hokkaido Milk

Location: Starbucks Reserve (Galaxy Mall 3, Surabaya)

I had been curious to try coffee with Greenfields' Jersey milk for quite long, so when the option was available at Starbucks Reserve, I took it with no hesitation. Upon taking my first sip, I got confused as it tasted the same with the regular latte. The Jersey milk did little to enhance the drink and nothing felt more nuanced as expected.

Item: White Chocolate + Speculoos Greek Donut - IDR22,000

Location: Cheskee (Galaxy Mall 3, Surabaya)

Another cheap version of loukoumades can be found at Cheskee. With only IDR22,000, you get to enjoy 10 pieces of Greek donuts with your choice of topping(s). I was definitely not disappointed by these chewy dough balls. For those with a sweet tooth, you will definitely adore this dish.

Item: Chocolate High Almond - IDR51,000

Location: Re.Juve (Tunjungan Plaza 3, Surabaya)

Been a fan of this smoothie lately. Although it is considered pricey, the smoothie is thick and creamy with bold peanut butter taste. Love love!

Item: Gyu-Don - IDR53,000

Location: Yamagoya Ramen (Tunjungan Plaza 4, Surabaya)

The dish was simple but well-executed. The thinly sliced beef was tender and generous, added with lots of onion (we asked for an extra) atop of fluffy white rice.

Item: Wantanmen - IDR63,000

Location: Yamagoya Ramen (Tunjungan Plaza 4, Surabaya)

This simple dish of ramen in rich pork broth with wantans and chashu slices was luxurious yet comforting. The portion was also rather large, and I thought that it was great value at IDR63,000.

Item: Carrot Cake - IDR65,000

Location: Toby's Estate (Tunjungan Plaza 5, Surabaya)

Believe me or not, it was my first carrot cake. It had cream cheese frost inside and outside, along with fresh carrots, walnut and cinnamon and brown sugar. At first I was skeptical, but thank goodness the carrot taste was mild. The texture was dense yet moist with addictive frosting and crunchiness of the walnut.

Item (left): Iced Cappuccino - IDR34,000 (regular size)

Item (right): Hot Mocha - IDR32,000 (regular size)

Location: Fore Coffee (Tunjungan Plaza 6, Surabaya)

Pretty decent coffee. The caps was on the milder side, perhaps not for those who prefers a stronger roast. As for the mocha, the chocolate syrup was a tad too overpowering.

Item: Earl Grey Milk Tea - IDR63,000

Location: Pancious (Ciputra World, Surabaya)

The ice cubes were made of the earl grey milk tea itself, so the it would dilute the drink. The earl grey flavor was fragrant and robust but the overall taste was too sweet for my liking.

Item: Creamy Chicken Pesto Penne - IDR79,000

Location: Pancious (Ciputra World, Surabaya)

Overpriced! The pesto sauce was too creamy with no hint of pesto — it tasted like green-colored carbonara sauce instead. The chicken meat did not help either, blah.