It was might be a super shocking experience when Will Meyrick through his mail invited me to a private dinner at his new
establish restaurant in Jakarta. Who doesn’t know Will Meyrick? A man with a
big smile, a passionate chef, a street food lover til he dubbed as a Street Food Chef, a man behind Sarong and
Mama San, two of the best dining places in Bali, a man who knows how to
preserve original flavour of food from its original place, a man who willing to
share their stories thorough the food crafted by him and his kitchen in crime,
Chef Palm Amatawet to me.
It was like a dream
when I finally sat with him and Chef Palm, laughing with other bloggers while
listening his jokes and of course enjoying our night in his new resto which
unify Eastern & Oriental cuisine into something classy. E&O brought to
you an Indochina cuisine (Thailand, Vietnam & Burma) with very warm
ambience and sophisticated interior which make everyone dining here feel
private. However, it’s not as sophisticated as it might look, with a reasonable
price, E&O even offer us a bigger portion for sharing.
Well, without any
command when simple canapés offered to me like Salmon Betel Leaf with Galangal,
Dried Shrimps, Roasted Chillies, Coriander and Salmon Roe (32K/each) and Chicken and Prawn in Egg Net with Peanuts,
Lemongrass, Mint, and Pickled Cucumber and Shallot Relish (65K). I really
amazed how Chef Will and Palm used the betel leaf, it’s even not as bitter as
I imagine my grandmother chewing it for ‘nyirih’. When I folded the leaf to
cover the filing, it all just fulfil my expectation, a great combination of dried
shrimps and salmon roe in a simple way. So does the second canapé, I just can’t
escape from the sensation of chicken and prawn mixed with peanuts. Oh God,
while eating what came in my mind only ‘even Chef Will could make this canapés
heaven for me’ hahaha..
Next round was a big portion of fried vegetables! It was Selection of Northern Thai Relishes with Nam Prik Ong, Nam Prik Goong and Nam Prik Num and Crispy Tempura Vegetables (125K). This vegetable tempura fried with a good technique resulted on a very crispy texture outside but still we can taste the original texture of the vegetables. I even didn't see a withered spinach covered by those crispy skin. To enjoy this tempura, the Chefs made three condiment i.e. Nam Prik Ong (chicken & tomato), Nam Prik Goong (prawn, chili, and fish sauce) and Nam Prik Num (eggplant, green chili, and garlic). I prefer the Nam Prik Goong since the taste was more flavorous and hot.
Continued by Southern Hot and Sour Soup of Fish with Tamarind Leaves, Turmeric, Chilies, Lime Leaves and Coriander (85K), I was warned there is a hint inside this fish soup and I didn't have a clue til I bited a big cut of red chili which burnt my tongue! Oh God, I should be careful and listen to Will's jokes hahaha...It's hot not only because the chili inside but also the fusion of tamarind, turmeric, and coriander made this soup became a super 'hot' soup that night. However, I did love their aroma and the juiciness of the fish.
One thing I love from Thailand cuisine is
how they craft mango into something, like what The Chefs done in Grilled Beef Salad with Green
Mango, Shallots, Peanuts, Mint and Nahm Jim Jauw (90K). The sourness of mango blends perfectly with
the savoury of the peanuts with a hint of mint and a shot of spicy from Nahm
Jim Jauw sauce. It even becomes rich when I found a slow cooking and juicy meat
inside! It is really refreshing my mouth. For me this is the best mango salad I've ever tried. Trust me you
MUST TRY!
Ah I wish I could spend my nite to eat that
Thailand salad, but then the next dish came. “Choo Chee” of Crispy Barramundi
with Chili and Thai Basil (170K) was also stealing my attention. This fried Barramundi
was perfectly cooked until I feel its crispy skin. The meat was very juicy
while the curry, which I thought very spicy since it looks so red, was not spicy
at all. It was even sweet but has a little spicy after taste. This dish was
served with Jasmine Rice imported from Thailand and Canai bread.
Next was Massaman Curry of Slow Braised
Lamb Shank with Cardamom, Shallots, Pumpkin and Tamarind (170K). Oh God, I even
tried to empty my stomach for this again haha! The massaman curry is Thailand
typical specialty of their Moslem community. This curry is different from other
curry such as India’s curry. The spices are richer than the others but still
have a sweet sensation inside. This curry was served with a juicy lamb shank.
Simply love this dish!
When you get a chance to visit E&O,
ensure you won’t miss this Twice-Cooked Beef Short Ribs with Sweet Fish Sauce,
Cucumber and Nam Pla Prik (220K). I love how the Chefs made the beef short ribs
into a super juicy and tender meat with a sweet hint and spicy after taste from
the Nam Pla Prik, a Thailand chili powder and the fish sauce. Enjoy the meat by
powdering the Nam Pla Prik first then dip it into the dish sauce. Heaven on
earth!
Finally, we came into the desserts! When
there were two desserts served, one was made from chocolate and the latter from
Durian, I chose the latter first. I never reject something related to Durian as
well as this Durian Panna Cotta with White Sticky Rice (50K). Forget the white
sticky rice first; I just enjoy how the Chefs made the super puffy and creamy
panna cotta with sweet and rich Durian flavour. The more I munch it, the richer the taste of Durian on my mouth. Ah Will
Meyrick always know how to please people.
Cocoa Ganache with Peanut Butter Palm Sugar
Ice Cream and Honeycomb Crumble (50K) was also become my guilty pleasure. This
was a perfect combination of rich peanut butter ice cream and cocoa
ganache with a crunchy sweet crumble on the top, eventhough this dessert is too sweet for me it's still please me in the end ;-)
E&O Jakarta
Menara Rajawali 1st Floor
Jl. Ida Anak Agung Gde Agung Lot #5.1
Kawasan Mega Kuningan
Jakarta Selatan
http://eandojakarta.com
@eandojakarta
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