19 June 2008 (Thursday):

After a day of frantic shopping and walking, we decided to soothe our hunger pangs by scouting for a good restaurant to feast in around Lucky Plaza. Java Kitchen caught our eyes and it was not long before we scurried in and took our respective seats at the nearest table. The earthy warm interior is of Balinese concept with a lot of wicker and dark wood tones. It somehow made me feel as if I was dining in Wayan Retreat Spa. Tee hee~* ;p

I got to know that Java Kitchen is a new Javanese restaurant at Lucky Plaza and it is gaining fast popularity among the working crowd there. Known for their ardor in serving healthier humdinger Javanese dishes at reasonable price, Java Kitchen has acquired a loyal following since it opened this year.

One of the draws of Java Kitchen is its wider choice of rice set meals compared to any Indonesian restaurants that I’ve been to. Looking at the well ordained prescriptions and appetizing photos, I wasn’t sure which set meal I should try first. Since I am fond of jackfruit, I made up my mind and chose Nasi Rames which consists of steam rice, beef rendang, egg sambal tumis, young jackfruit cooked in coconut gravy (similar to our sayur lodeh), sambal tempe with nuts, belacan and serunding. I must say that I wasn’t disappointed! For a start, the rice was fragrant, and it did not clump together. With addition of the flavorful dishes, the combination of the two made an absolutely dandy lunch! I especially adore the beef rendang. It was a nice departure from the more common beef rendang with its sweeter flavor. The meat was very tender and totally seeped in the thick, aromatic gravy it had been simmered in. And who can miss the belacan? I was blown away by the first spoonful of this humble chili condiment which is blended to perfection. Its spiciness immediately made me perspire, while the judicious combination of ingredients gave a balance between the sweet and sour flavors. The so-called sayur lodeh on the other hand was a mix of crunchy vegetables such as carrot and cucumber, with another special ingredient added to it, young jackfruit. It is smothered in creamy coconut gravy which has just the right amount of saltiness for balance.

However, I wish I had made the Chendol a pass. Although it has a generous amount of gula melaka and chendol, yet it was nothing more than that. For something that cost $3, I was expecting for a twist, maybe more fillings or thicker coconut milk but I was left gritting my teeth with discontentment.

Overall, the food was good and interesting enough. Nice ambience, unpretentious service, and good selection of authentic Javanese food. Will definitely come back for more! (“,*)

1st stop: Lucky Plaza
2nd stop: Far East Plaza
3rd stop: City Hall
4th stop: Millenia Walk