Hvala Jakarta

If you’re a Singaporean or an Indonesian who has been to Singapore, there’s a good chance you’ve probably heard of Hvala (pronounced as ‘fa-lah’), one of the OG matcha spots in Singapore that has been around for more than a decade. With five locations in Singapore, they are now expanding beyond Singapore and opened their first international location in Indonesia.

Hvala Jakarta opened their door to the public yesterday (Sunday, April 19), bringing their matcha creations from Singapore to Jakarta. The cafe occupies a pretty spacious building with matcha bar, indoor and outdoor area with ample seatings for solo patrons as well as bigger groups. 

Their menu focuses on a variety of matcha drinks and desserts that are similar to their outlets in Singapore. For their ceremonial matcha powder, they offer four different choices for you to choose from. Three of the powders—Hikari, Sei, and Haru—are from Japan and one powder—Panda—is from China. And instead of the usual 3-4 grams matcha powder per cup, at Hvala they actually use 7 grams of matcha powder per cup with the option of additional extra shot, topping it up to 9 grams per cup. You can choose anything from straight matcha, tea latte, flavored tea latte, ice blend, cold brew, to brewed tea and pair it with the selections of desserts, gelato and sliced cakes that’s on the menu. 

I came here with my friend to try their matcha drinks and desserts and here are what we ordered:

🍵 Iced Sei Matcha Latte (140k) | 8.5/10

Advanced Ceremonial Grade. Notes: Nori, Cocoa, Toasted Nut.

Their Iced Sei Matcha is very balanced. Tasted all the flavor notes and it wasn’t too bitter. Enjoyed this drink.

🧇🍨 Dairy-Free Waffles (120k) | 8.5/10

Dairy-free waffles drizzled with golden syrup, with a sprinkle of fragrant genmai (toasted rice). Served with a gelato scoop. 

The waffle has a bit of a chewy texture and not too sweet. For the gelato, we chose the White Chrysanthemum Sobacha and the Matcha °3 gelato. I think this was my first time trying a White Chrysanthemum Sobacha flavored gelato and it’s actually pretty good. It’s a little on the sweeter side for my personal preference but still okay if you eat it with the waffle. The Matcha °3 gelato actually balanced out the sweetness pretty well because it’s not too sweet. Overall, this is a great dessert for sharing.

🍨 Warabi Mochi with Black Sesame Gelato (110k) | 10/10

Warabi mochi served with a gelato scoop.

So excited for this menu because I got two of my favorite things in one cup and they didn’t disappoint. This was really gooood. They nailed the Warabi mochi’s texture and flavor and it has the right amount of sweetness. The black sesame gelato has the perfect balance of nuttiness and sweetness as well. Will definitely order this again next time I go back. 

🍵 Ice Blend Hojicha (120k) | 9.5/10

Another one of my personal favorite. Their Ice Blend Hojicha was goood. I actually enjoyed this the most out of all the drinks we ordered (but also a disclaimer, in general I think I prefer hojicha than matcha). It’s not too bitter and the nutty flavor was well balanced. A great choice for a dessert drink, especially on a hot sunny day.

🍵 Iced Sakura Matcha (100k) | 8/10

Was skeptical at first and thought that I wasn’t going to like this one because I tend to not enjoy floral flavored drinks too much but it was actually pretty enjoyable after I tried it. There’s definitely a hint of that floral flavor in the matcha, but it wasn’t too overwhelming so the matcha flavor still shone through. A good option if you want something light and floral that reminds you of spring.

🍵 Iced Banana Pudding Matcha (120k) | 8/10

The banana pudding is vegan.

First time trying Iced Banana Pudding Matcha and at first I thought it’s going to be matcha with hints of banana pudding flavor. But surprisingly, the banana pudding flavor really came through. This tasted like a dessert drink and a little heavier than the other matcha drinks that we ordered. If you like Banana Pudding, you’ll probably enjoy this one.

All and all, I really enjoyed the drinks and desserts that we ordered. Service was also pretty good during our visit. The staff was friendly and attentive and we didn’t really wait too long for our orders. Other thing to note, parking space is limited in front of the cafe but they have valet available for your convenience. 

Given that the matcha craze still going on right now, Hvala Jakarta is probably going to be one of the go-to spots for matcha enthusiasts in the city.

 

Hvala Jakarta

Address: Jl. Kyai Maja No.59, RT.2/RW.5, Kramat Pela, Kec. Kby. Baru, Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 12130, Indonesia
Hours: Everyday 10am-10pm

Instagram: @hvala_idn

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FELT Coffee Cheonggyecheon • 펠트커피 청계천점

FELT Coffee (펠트커피) is a Korean coffee brand that has made a name for itself in the Korean coffee scene. Started as a roasting factory in 2015, FELT Coffee has been supplying high quality coffee beans that are sourced directly from farmers around the world to coffee shops across the country. They also have opened well-designed cafes where customers can enjoy their specialty coffee made by experienced baristas in a more casual setting. 

FELT Coffee Cheonggyecheon (펠트커피 청계천점) is one of the two locations they have in Seoul where you can go to for their good cup of Joe. Located alongside Cheonggyecheon Stream (청계천)—a 3-minute walk from Gwanghwamun Station Exit 5 (광화문역 5번출구)—the spacious cafe has a clean, modern, minimalist interior that’s decorated with wooden furnitures and eye-catching deep red floor-to-ceiling theater curtains that are covering the walls.

I came here on a rainy Wednesday night after grabbing dinner at a nearby restaurant and the place was pretty quiet. Given that the cafe is surrounded by office buildings and tourist attractions that usually close in the evening (and it was raining) the lack of crowd was understandable. The cafe’s probably busier during morning or daytime I’d imagine. My friend’s coffee was pretty good and so was my Black Milk Tea. We stayed for a bit to talk and for introverts like us, the atmosphere of the quiet cafe was actually pretty enjoyable. 

With the majority of cafes in Seoul that usually open pretty late, FELT Coffee Cheonggyecheon (펠트커피 청계천점) is one option you can go to if you want to grab a morning coffee because they open at 8 am. Their coffee is pretty good and you can buy their beans to take home or for souvenirs if you are visiting Seoul.

 

FELT Coffee Cheonggyecheon • 펠트커피 청계천점

Address: 서울 중구 청계천로 14
Telephone: 02-3789-5946
Hours: Mon-Fri 08:00-21:00 | Sat-Sun 10:00-21:00 | Last Order: 2045

Instagram: @felt_seoul
Felt Coffee Website

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Boseung Hall Hongdae • 보승회관 홍대직영점

Boseung Hall Hongdae (보승회관 홍대직영점) is a Korean restaurant that’s specializes in Korean traditional soups and well-known for their delicious Sundae Gukbap (순대국밥). The restaurant is located near Hongik University Station (홍대입구역) Exit 8, a 2-minute walk (172m away) from the subway station making it easy for locals and tourists alike to find the place (and I’m pretty sure if you’re visiting Hongdae, there’s a good chance you’ll pass by this place). The interior of the restaurant is decorated with wooden furnitures and has about 35 seatings on the first floor. It’s one of those no-frills places where the service is quick, the food tastes great and you leave with your stomach full and satisfied. 

I don’t know if I have mentioned this before but I am a sucker for soups. So naturally, when I’m in Korea, I usually try to eat as much soup as possible because they do be tasting better in Korea (imho). And after eating a bunch of different soups, I have a list of my favorites and Gukbap (국밥) is included in that list alongside Gomtang (곰탕) and Galbitang (갈비탕).

What do the three have in common you may ask? Their broth already has that rich, deep, umami flavors when served so I don’t have to self-seasoned my soup before eating (like let’s say Seolleongtang 설렁탕 or Samgyetang 삼계탕 where you usually have to self-seasoned the broth with salt and pepper) and it always make that first sip of soup super satisfying. 

If you don’t know already, Gukbap (국밥) literally means soup (국 ‘guk’) with rice (밥 ‘bap’). It’s a hearty Korean dish consisting of rice and meat (usually pork) already submerged in pipping hot, savory milky broth that is served on a thick, black earthenware pot called a ttukbaegi (뚝배기). Koreans usually associated Gukbap with a fast, comforting, and affordable meal and a lot of places that serve Gukbap are usually specialty restaurants that have served the dish for generations.

Boseung Hall Hongdae is no different. Started with one small shop in 1987, Boseung Hall has been serving gukbap made with high quality ingredients for almost 39 years and has expanded their brand to multiple locations across the country. Their location in Hongdae is actually one of the spots I frequently passed by but never tried until two years ago when my friend who’s also a soup enthusiast agreed to try this place that has been on my ‘To-Try List’ for a while. We got there a little before 10 pm on a Friday night and there was a line in in front of the restaurant. Not too bad though because I’ve seen longer/bigger crowds waiting before, especially on the weekends. We waited for about 15 mins before finally got seated. 

Placed our order using the tablet order system on the table (and they do have the English option so ordering for non-Koreans shouldn’t be a problem) and our food came out 5 minutes later. Super quick service.

For the banchan, they serve kimchi (김치), Korean garlic chives (Buchu 부추), cubed radish kimchi (Kkakdugi 깍두기) and fermented shrimp (Seujot 새우젓). Pretty standard for a gukbap place and they all tasted good.

🍽️ Sundae Platter (접시순대) ₩7,000 | 9/10

If you never had sundae (순대) before, sundae is essentially Korean blood sausage filled with vegetables, glass noodles, and pork intestines. We ordered the sundae platter to try because we’re curious on what the three different sundaes taste like. Honestly, I don’t know what’s the difference between these three, but the flavors definitely reflected in the colors. The darker sundae has bolder flavors while the lighter sundae has lighter flavors. But they all tasted good though. I liked them all. Easily one of the best sundaes I’ve had in recent times.

🍽️ Sundae Gukbap (순대국밥) ₩11,000 | 9.5/10

The Sundae Gukbap includes various pieces of sundae and slices of boiled pork inside the ttukbaegi with seasoned red chili paste (dadegi 다대기) and (what I think is) perilla seed powder (deulkkaegaru 들깨가루) on top. The broth was savory and umami and the red chili paste and perilla seed powder definitely added an extra layer to the overall flavors. No additional seasoning was needed from me because the taste was already spot on. Super flavorful and comforting and oh so gooood. Pro tip: eat every spoonful of the gukbap with different banchan combination and you’ll get different flavors from each bite. Definitely recommending this menu if you want to try this place. They also have the spicy option if you want it spicy (I ordered the regular one and there’s a bit of a kick for me who doesn’t really eat really spicy food) or if you want to get the large portion, it’s available for an additional cost of  ₩2,000. 

Also, if you’re not into sundae, you can always order their Suyuk Gukbap (수육국밥) which only consists of the boiled pork slices and not the sundae.  

Other menus that they are well-known for is their Ppyeo Haejangguk (뼈해장국) which is a spicy Korean pork bone soup that’s usually the cure for hangover for Koreans (ramyeon option—Haejang Ramyeon 해장라면—is available for this one too) and that’s also why this place is a popular spot for people to go after drinking. 

Anyways, at the end of the meal, we were fully stuffed and super happy with the food (we were so happy that we actually went back again 4 days later for the second time during that trip). If you’re in Hongdae area and want to get a great soup, Boseung Hall Hongdae (보승회관 홍대직영점) is definitely a place that I’d recommend for you to try. Plus the place is open 24 hours so it’s also a perfect spot for a late-night dinner or a post-drinks meal.

 

Boseung Hall Hongdae • 보승회관 홍대직영점

Address: 서울 마포구 어울마당로 131
Telephone: 02-322-8111
Hours: Open 24 Hours

Instagram: @boseunghall
Boseung Hall Website

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Biiru Izakaya Montréal

Biiru Izakaya is a Japanese fusion izakaya restaurant in Montréal that’s inspired by Tokyo’s lively back alleyways and the vibrant energy of downtown Montréal. The restaurant serves a variety of small, meant to be shared Japanese fusion dishes as well as signature cocktails and alcohols on the menu. Step inside the restaurant and you’ll see how the inspirations are reflected in the way they decorate the space. The Japanese artworks painted on the walls, the vibrant neon lights illuminating different corners of the room and the Japanese paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling certainly reminiscence of the energy one would find while walking around the street of Tokyo. The restaurant has plenty of seatings that could accommodate everyone from solo diners to big groups, making this place a great spot for every occasion.

I went to Biiru during my trip to Montréal because my friend suggested the place. She’s been there a couple of times before and liked the food so she wanted me to try it to while we’re in town. It was a Thursday night and we tried to get a last minute reservation online but there’s no table available for 7:30 pm on the system. Since we’re not in a rush, we decided to just try our luck with walk-in. And guess luck was on our side because they actually have a table available for us at the outdoor area. The weather wasn’t too cold (it was early October and the outdoor area was covered with heater lamps on different corners of the area) so we thought sitting outside is probably okay.

Since we’re at an izakaya, we decided to just order a bunch of dishes to share between the two of us so we can try different things. What we ordered:

🍹 Onsen (C$15.95) | 8/10

Sparking Wine, Shiso, Green Tea Syrup, Grapefruit, Passionfruit

My friend ordered this one and she said it was good. She liked it and finished the whole thing.

🍵 Matcha Matcha (C$10.95) | 8/10

I ordered the Matcha Matcha mocktail. Nice matcha, not too strong, not too bitter, not too sweet. It has a nice earthy taste and definitely not something that I usually taste in an iced matcha (in a good, interesting way).

🍽️ Korn Korokke (C$11.95) | 7.5/10

Corn Croquettes, Japanese Curry, Cream, Fukunjinzuke

The croquettes were nicely fried and the curry wasn’t too strong. 

🥟 Pork Gyoza (C$10.95) | 8/10

Homemade Pork Japanese Raviolis, Gyoza Sauce

Great pork gyoza. The gyoza skin wasn’t too thick and the pork was flavorful. 

🍳 Okonomiyaki (C$12.95) | 7/10

Bonito Japanese Pancake with Mushroom & Cabbage, Truffle Oil

The okonomiyaki was just okay for me. Seasoning was a bit under for my personal taste but texture wise, it was pretty good.

🍽️ Kaisen Don (C$20.95) | 8/10

Salmon, Tuna, Emeabi, Ikura, Eel, Tamago, Kampyo, Shiso, Cucumber, Furikake, Sesame Seed, Rice

The Kaisen Don was pretty good. It tasted fresh and and light.

🍽️ Gyudon (C$14.95) | 7/10

Sliced Beef, Caramelized Onions, Beni Shoga, Rice

Honestly I was excited to try their gyudon but the beef was pretty dry for my personal preference (I like gyudon with more tender, juicier meat and a little bit of sauce). Taste was okay, it’s just the beef that we got was a bit dry.

All and all, although I liked some of the dishes better than the others, the food overall was pretty good for a modern Japanese fusion izakaya spot. Service was great and the staff who waited our table was nice. The noise level at this place was pretty high though since it is a drinking place and the acoustic of the outdoor area isn’t necessarily the best one. We were seated next to a table of ladies who were drinking quite heavily and at some point me and my friend had to shout while talking to each other because they were talking so loud. We left not long after we finished our meal because I had no energy left to shout over the noise of the room. 

But if you’re looking for a good Japanese fusion izakaya spot with great drinks menu and lively atmosphere in Montreal, Biiru is worth to try.

 

Biiru Montréal

Address: 1433 Rue City Councillors, Montréal, QC H3B 1B1, Canada
Telephone: +15149031555
Hours: Monday-Friday 11:30am-2:30pm, 5-10pm | Closed on Sundays

Instagram: @biiru_mtl
Biiru Website

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Fei Da Chu Coco Park Shenzhen • 费大厨 福田星河 COCO Park

Fei Da Chu (费大厨) is a popular family-style restaurant chain in China that specializes in authentic stir-fry Hunan cuisine. Its signature Chili Stir-Fried Pork (费大厨辣椒炒肉) made out of green chili peppers and premium pork is one of their best selling menu that you can find in almost every table in this restaurant. Considering the affordable price point, the generous portion and the quality of the dishes served, it’s no wonder that Fei Da Chu became one of the more popular dining spots among the locals as well as tourists with long queues at almost every outlets that they have.

The founder, Chef Fei Lianghui, opened the first Fei Da Chu restaurant in 2003 and it has now grown to more than 200 locations across 16 different cities in China due its popularity which also has earned him the title of “China’s King of Stir-Fry”.

If you are traveling to one of the bigger cities in China, there’s a big possibility you’ll probably pass by one of the chains of this restaurant. Their green-colored branding (a nod to the Hunan province that is dominated by green landscapes I assume) is pretty eye-catching and if that’s not enough to draw your attention, the crowd that is usually formed in front of the restaurant probably will. 

I had the chance to try this restaurant during my first ever trip to China at the end of last year. My family and I were exploring Coco Park in Shenzhen and ended up at Fei Da Chu for dinner as suggested by our local guide. We got to the restaurant a little before 6 pm and there was already a lot of people waiting for tables in front of the store. Put our name down for a table of five and waited to be called. 

Considering how busy the restaurant was, the wait wasn’t too bad actually because 25 minutes later, we got seated at our table. Placed our orders and soon after, the food started to come out (service was pretty fast at this place. And also at most places in China I noticed during my trip).

What we ordered:
(Also, just a disclaimer, I am not fluent in mandarin so all these English menu names below are from Google Translate. I apologize in advance if anything is wrong or inaccurate. When we ordered, we literally just relied on Google Translate or just based it off of the vibe of the pictures.)

🍹 The “King” Iced Lemon Tea 大王冰柠檬茶 ¥19 | 8/10

The Ultimate Chili Antidote (700ml)

Refreshing Lemon Tea that really goes well with (a lot of) the spicy food on the menu. And for the price (≈$2.76) I think it’s pretty worth it (you can’t really see it from this pic, but the glass was pretty huge, almost as big as my face). You can even share it between two or three people I think.

🍟 Organic Vegetarian Crab 有机素螃蟹 ¥19 | 8.5/10

Okay, funny story. I don’t know if the English translation is a miss or not (I checked on a couple of different websites and they all gave me the same translation so I guess this is correct. But if it’s incorrect, mandarin-speaking readers, please let me know and leave the correct translation in the comment section), but apparently this is a deep-fried organic vegetarian crab. When I ordered it, I legit thought it was sweet potato fries just based off of the pictures on the menu. And honestly, it also tasted like sweet potato fries (at least to me and my family. Are we delulu? Lol). And it was good. The breading was nice and crispy and it wasn’t too oily. We all liked it. The only thing I’m now questioning is wether we ate sweet potato or vegetarian crab (or maybe both are the same thing?). 

🥚 Steamed Organic Eggs (with Guoyang Minced Pork) 蒸有机鸡蛋 (加果陽肉米) ¥35 | 8.5/10

Silky smooth egg with juicy minced pork. Seasoning was spot on as well, not too salty. Super comforting dish.

🐖 Fei Da Chu's Stir-fried Pork with Green Chili 费大厨辣椒炒肉 ¥68 | 9.5/10

Tender meat with bold flavors and the right amount of smokiness. A very nice dish and I get why this is their signature dish. It is a bit spicy for me who can’t really eat spicy food, but I still ate it (with a lot of rice to cut down the spice) cause it was good. Although our guide was saying that that day, the dish was a little spicier than usual. 

🐖 Pineapple Crispy Pork 菠萝酥肉 ¥39 | 8.5/10

Tender and juicy pork with pineapple sweet and sour sauce. The sweet and sour sauce wasn’t too overpowering, making it enjoyable to eat with the pork meat. I also enjoyed this one.

🥬 Wok-Torn Cabbage 千锅手撕包菜 ¥25 | 8/10

Simple and straightforward dish. Nice and clean taste, seasonings were also just right. 

Since their portion is a bit big, we did have some leftovers at the end of our meal and had them to go. I think with what we ordered (1 appetizer, 4 main dishes and white rice that came in a rice cooker pot), it’s probably good for 6 or even 7 people, depending on how big your appetite is (our group is probably on the normal to smaller appetite spectrum). 

If you are in China and happened to pass by this chain, I definitely recommend you to try this place. The restaurant is good for family style meal so come with a bigger group (or a big appetite) if you want to try different dishes. Waiting time is not bad either since the line moves pretty fast (at least when I was there) and they usually provide waiting area with chairs so you can wait comfortably. Also, my parents liked the food so if you’re bringing older people, this place is probably a pretty safe bet.

 

Fei Da Chu Coco Park Shenzhen • 费大厨辣椒炒肉 福田星河COCO Park

Address:
深圳市福田區購物公園Coco Park B1層
Coco Park (B1) 268 Fuhua Road 3, Futian District, Shenzhen

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