A Halal Chowking?... (Chowking Mall Ciputra branch)

Chowking at Mall Ciputra

For Filipinos, Chowking is a market leader in the Chinese fast food industry. I love their sweet-and-sour pork and asado siopao (char siu pork buns). During my recent trip to Indonesia I found out that Chowking already invaded the capital with several branches in Jakarta's malls. But of course as Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim country it is expected for Chowking to sell the Halal version of its offerings. Obviously, you can't find pork siomai and my favorite sweet-and-sour pork there. I haven't tried the chicken siomai and the Chicken Supreme. I forgot the name of what I tried because of its Indonesian translation. I would really like to try the "es salju campur" a.k.a. halo-halo here in the Philippines but I am so full when I finished all what I ordered (take note, I ate what is pictured below barely 3 hours after eating a buffet breakfast at the hotel).

What is my verdict about the food I ate at a Chowking in Jakarta? Even the soup does not taste the same as the one here in the Philippines. The kangkong doesn't have a bagoong (shrimp paste) with it instead they will give you toasted garlic to top it off. The beef was marinated and cooked like tapa, a little sweet with a hint of sourness, topped with toasted sesame seeds. In other words, I love it!

I'm Off to Bali & Jakarta... I'll be Back in a Jiffy!

Whenever I hear the word Bali I am not that excited to see it as most of my friends (about 4 or 5 of them) who have been there claim that our very own Boracay Island is more physically beautiful than Bali. I am a fan of white sand beaches (my favorite is in Camiguin) and I know that Bali does not have the kind like in Boracay. I am intrigued by the popularity of that island 1.5 hrs. away by plane from the Indonesian capital of Jakarta that I frequently see the word Bali among the top beach destinations in a number of travel magazines and websites. One friend described Bali as the combination of Boracay (because of the beach), Siargao (surfer's paradise) and Cebu City (amenities and convenience of a city). June to August are the peak months to travel to Bali so airfare and hotel accommodations are a little bit expensive than the off-season months. It's nice to know that while it is the wet season here in the Philippines I will go to a place where I can enjoy the activities under the sun.

Bali offers a beachcomber endless choices. It is not just a beach...

• novice or expert surfers find its waves even as good as Hawaii, if not better
  

• party animals are spoilt with numerous bars, discos and entertainment houses including a Hard Rock Cafe
  

• you'll never be homesick as Starbucks, McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut and Dunkin' Donuts are mainstays of a Bali diet

• unlike the rest of Indonesia (the largest Muslim country in world), you will find pork and other non-Halal products in restaurant menu cards as the population is typically Hindu. They have "babi guling" as the counterpart of lechon baboy or suckling pig.

• there are many malls, convenience stores, supermarkets and department stores so basically you can live there forever without needing to leave the confines of the island and still enjoy the amenities of a small city
  

• transportation is not a problem as the island has its own international airport and seaport... taxis, motorcycles and bicycles are available in hourly, daily or even monthly rates

• the island also has the most stunning temples, pagodas, forest reserves and landscapes like rice terraces and volcanoes which are among the best in the whole of Indonesia

The facts above came from various sources like blogs, travel sites and travel magazines. I'll update you in my blog if they are all true after I personally verify all of them.

As for Jakarta, more than anything else I am again excited to eat the Indonesian version of our halo-halo called "ais kacang." That's what I crave the most each time I'm in Singapore, Malaysia or Indonesia. I can easily devour 3 bowls in a day. But the best halo-halo for me is in Thailand as they use thick coconut milk as a substitute to evaporated milk as what we use here in the Philippines (I'll blog about it next time).

So... see you all after 5 days!