Medan Kota

Seriously… and I mean it though…

My hubby and me got invited to Swiss Cafe at Grand Swiss-Belhotel Medan to try their April Promo of Australian Lamb… I am not an exactly a meat eater… I quite like things soft and subtle…  and Mr Hubby is definitely not a Lamb person at all…

Ms Lisa, PR manager, definitely got us in for an amazing meal….  only 6 hand picked menu are available to choose from…

Lamb Rack Crusted in Cumin and Coriander Roasted
and carved over Pumpkin Puree

Pepper Crusted Lamb Cutlets
grilled on confit mushrooms with asparagus
and port wine jus

Balsamic, rosemary & Spanish onion
Braised Lamb with Rice Pilaf

Lamb Leg and roasted pepper ragout
accompanied by green noodles and steamed vegetables

Sliced Lamb leg, stir-fried with garlic and mint, served on Pita bread with
and onion jam,shaved cucumber and coconut sal

Indonesian Lamb Leg Curry
with steamed rice

and we picked these 2 amazingly well made dish..

Pepper Crusted Lamb Cutlets
grilled on confit mushrooms with asparagus and port wine jus

and

Lamb Leg and roasted pepper ragout
accompanied by green noodles and steamed vegetables

I am very fussy with food… and I am not paid to write as well… but really… its one of the best that we have tasted… even with it being well done…. its so perfectly cooked!!!  and you wouldn’t be able to smell or feel/taste that Lamb meat thingy that you always have or at least whenever that I have one….  and the price… its well reasonably priced at Rp 150.000++ for the Pepper Crusted Lamb Cutlets and Rp 85.000++ for the Lamb Leg…

and to have this in Medan… well.. forget Traders, Bel Mondo or even at the Medan Club… do try this one… especially the Pepper Crusted Lamb Cutlets… oh.. they sure have our 4 thumbs up….

and what I like is that.. I have the habit of needing something sweet to end my meal… so I would then pay a little extra and go for just the dessert buffet to nip on all the little heavenly made desserts … and that will be my little perfect night…

and yes we are going back for more…  it’s that good though…

Popularity: 22% [?]

I may and may not be alone to feel this…

Lately, the service has been way TOO TOO SLOW and BAD… especially during the weekends…

I was there on Sunday afternoon at about 12pm.. the place is not fully taken… waiter and waitress can be seen walking around.. but damn it.. I have to wait like 15 mIns !!! asking for the special menu from 3 waitresses!!!  I really wanted to just walked off…

worst yet… some how.. the sahimi was not fresh and it’s not as nice as before…

Medan is in need of another Sushi Restaurant!!!

Popularity: 44% [?]

I need to be on a Chinese Vegan diet for a month.  I started the diet about 1 week ago in Bangkok which was relatively easy since there are so much varieties to choose from.  And now that I am back in Medan which I have yet to continue the Vegan diet for another 3 weeks, it’s no easy task.

The main difference between Vegan diet from the Vegetarian diet is that:

Vegetarian Diet is simply a diet that does not include fish, flesh or fowl or their by-products.

A vegan diet is a diet that takes no animal products whatsoever, including dairy and eggs and usually including honey. And the Chinese Vegan also exclude garlic as well as onions.

Basically, I have to cook everything myself, i.e. no canned food since most contained garlic and onions.  I have to also give up all all bakery, bread, cakes, chocolates, pasta, egg noodle.. so, I am confined to home cooked food during this period.. hence no posh restaurants for me for the moment.

So.. whats there left for me to eat?… things like french fries, tofu, mushrooms, baked potatoes, soya milk, and salted potato chips has been my snack for the past few days..

To ask if I am enjoying it? actually Yes.. as I have finally managed to lose the weight that I have gained from my holidays, and since it involved no dairy products, the diet basically cleanse or detox my body system which I haven’t felt this good about my health in years.

if any of you have not try the diet, you may want to try for a week to fully feel the goodness it does to the body system.. initial 3 days can be difficult but after which, it will just blend to your daily routine.  Especially to individual with high cholesterol, being on the Vegan diet for 2 weeks will see the level back to normal..

Popularity: 29% [?]

Durian… widely known and revered in Southeast Asia as the “King of Fruits”… Its distinctive odour, which is regarded as either fragant or overpowering and offensive…

The Asian love it but its being highly banned from Hotels and Airports. Thailand being the most famous of them all, is also a place where Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian considered a Durian heaven… BUT then, we Thais like the Durian differently from these three other nations… ???? well, the Thais prefer it slightly more crunchy .. the not over ripe version….while the rest of of the world like it soft and mushy…

once, my in-laws were trying to buy the fruits from the Thai local market, and as Thais like it slightly more crunchy, the seller keeps showing him the less mushy ones… and when I explained to her, hahah…. she lets them eat for FREE and as they decided to buy 1, she gives an extra of 11/2 for free… that’s in addition to those that they were already enjoying while waiting for the fruits to be packed…. and if you try to get it from the local supermarkets, its those ones that you will often find @ the sale corners

over the years, the fruits have been developed into many delicasies… such as durian cake( Clover bakery Medan is famous for it), durian cracker, durian sticky rice, durian jam, durian brownie… and now, Medan has come up with the ever famous Durian Pancake.. it first started from Taipan Chinese Restaurant and since then I have seen Bank serving it @ Client gathering…. the whole room smells!!! and I have to close my nose till the end of the banquet….

apart from Taipan, you can get it from the Tiramisu cake shop @ SunPlaza on Food Court level… my hubby loves it and I hate it… each time that he buys it home, I have to quicky placed in an air tight container, even with that, the smell stays for days in the fridge….

Popularity: 56% [?]

oh well… i have to admit.. i am already there for dinner twice… the first when they have the soft launch and the second was 2 days back…  Frankly, its one of the best restaurant in town for western cuisine… if u plan to go in for local or chinese food, forget about it… its not worth paying for the premium price..  but the steak, risotto, spagetti etc… they have my 2 thumbs up…  its definitely also one of the most expensive retaurant in town but its well worth it if you have to compare to the price of a steak of about Rp 150.000 at Traders and it sucks….

best yet.. no worries about making reservation, as for service quality, much needed improvement…  when I first walked in, and saw a professional western chef, i knew its gonna be my place…  and i love every bits of it…  nevertheless… my only concern is that.. how long is the hotel gonna retain the chef here in Medan… coz its definitely not going to be the same….  then all will be a flop… (only 4 tables were occupied on the night I was there)

for dessert, try the chocolate mousse.. its nice, smooth and soft… and the wine selection is not too bad…  at the moment they have the 20% discount on food so 3 course meal for 2 with wine is in the range of about Rp 700.000 – 800.000..  ^0^

try it if you are a regular of Bel Mondo or Traders for the western food….  the standard is comparable to Jakarta standard…

Popularity: 21% [?]