Italian in Surabaya

Finally back in Jakarta after quite a successful mission!

Last night we had meeting until 7.30 PM, and the group had left so we were to take a taxi. Lisa and I decided that we got enough of hotel food (for her) and mall food (for me). She has been talking about an Italian restaurant around Darmo, and we decided to go there for dinner.

Casa Fontana is located on Jl. Imam Bonjol, on a quiet street off Darmo. I would expect an Italian restaurant to be somewhat more formal, and Casa Fontana surprised me when the owner (?) opened a door dressed in casual t-shirt and short. She showed us to the non smoking section. The restaurant was not crowded on Tuesday night, there were only 3 tables occupied. The decor is more of ‘traditional’ Italian-esque with chandelier, teracotta color and pastoral scenery paintings on the wall. The menu was quite extensive with starter, pasta, main course, pizza and dessert. They even have some wine menu!

We ordered salad with mozarella and pesto for starter (couldn’t remember the name), and it was good and refreshing. Lisa and I both chose risotto, hers was funghi and mine was fruta del mare. I was a bit cautious because there so much could go wrong with risotto, but I was happy to find that the risotto was so good! It was creamy but not too overpowering, the seafood was generous portion, very, very nice! I took a bite of Lisa’s and it was good too.

With my strep throat, I ordered hot tea and happily found my new love. They serve Ronnefeldt tea. The waiter know the tea well, and advised me to try the organic lemon fresh to go with my seafood order. It was heaven in a cup! The tea smells so good and taste so fresh! I’ve been searching online to find where I can buy them in Indonesia, but the nearest I could find is in Singapore. Tomorrow I’ll check Kem Chick or Grand Lucky to see if they sell this tea.

The food and drink in Casa Fontana was good, and the price are decent. My risotto fruta del mare cost around IDR 125,000 and the tea goes for IDR 30,000. However, the service was sooo freaking slow! Lisa told me that usually the chef – an Italian guy – will make round on the dining area to check on things and chat with patrons. I guess Tuesday was his day off. After we were seated, we have to wait a while for the menu. We have to constantly asked for the food. It took sometimes for them to bring us our main courses after we finished with the salad. Initially I ordered gelato as dessert, but nobody was checking on us to bring the next course. So I just ask for the check and leave without the gelato, simply because I know it’ll take too long just to get a gelato.

To make things worse, there was a baby who’s been crying non stop for 15′. I think he might be the owner’s family, but crying baby (coupled with slow service) don’t make nice dining experience. Thank goodness the food was good, otherwise it would completely be a disaster dinner.

Total about IDR 440,000 for dinner for two at my first Italian experience in Surabaya. Hopefully service would improve, because I would love to go back, at least for the tea and risotto.

stranded in surabaya

well, stranded is a wrong choice of word.

I participated in a 3 days workshop in Surabaya, in which I got the opportunity to also fix problems with the other program. because of that development, I got to stay for another meeting on Monday. I really wanted to go home for the weekend, but after some (quite heated) discussion, it is more logical to stay here.

so I’m “stranded” for two days weekend in one of the best hotel in surabaya, so I shouldn’t be complaining. but I got sick with throat infection that I slept through the day on sunday. with temperature up and down, fingers crossed, it won’t be another typhoid.

this trip was no ordinary business trip. I rarely stay for business trip for more than a day in another city, so this 4 days stay gave me the opportunity to invite my mom and sister to join me. I used my frequent miles to get them two return tickets (thanks Garuda for your 25% off promo for mile redemption), and they got to share my hotel room. I rented them a car to take them places since I will be tied at work during the day (and some part of the evening too), and they got to see Malang and Madura. mom was so happy to be in this trip. she rarely spend time with me, and I’m happy that finally I can take her to holiday.

3 days of intense workshop and meeting, 2 days of sharing a bed with 2 people, a full day trip to Madura and round Surabaya, and I feel a need for solitude. so I really enjoy my alone Sunday, even though most of it I spent knocked down with medication. although, I much prefer my cramped bed at home. I rarely feel homesick, but this time, I feel it a little.

on the other hand, I got annoyed at a friend who has a habit of posting a less flattering photo of other. of me. I know I’m obese and less photogenic than most, but I don’t appreciate this. I know it could easily be masquraded with “just joking, why so sensitive” but I always sense a little meaness with this person. I love this person, a dearest friend, but this time I love a little less.

so much emotion over a business trip, hahahaha…. 

I’ll read to you

Baby girl at the library. I spoke to her over the phone, I told her that I’ll read to her next time she’s in Jakarta. Her mom said that she was nodding 😀

Miss you much, baby niece!

Old me

Went to my aunt’s birthday party and found this old photo of me. I was 10, I think.

Now I never wear that red of lipstick 🙂

 

Two new years already

We’ve passed two new years already. The Gregorian one, and Chinese one. In such a short span of time, things happened.

On the first day of 2014, my uncle passed away from stroke. Such a shock for us since we met him the night before at church for new year service. Then in the morning, he fell and had a stroke (or the other way around, nobody will ever know) and went into comma. He passed away around 2 PM on New Year day. We were gathering at my brother’s house as usual when we heard the news, and the following next 3 days were full with activities and preparation during the wake and funeral.

I have deep, deep regret regarding this uncle.  I cried when I bought his last suit, when I chose the tie – unconventional color but I know that it suited his style. My heart was broken from the feeling of helplessness, that I couldn’t do much to help him, that he’s gone and the nice suit was the last thing I can do for him. And until last week, I often dreamed about him. But in my dreams, he looks young, healthy, and cheerful. I must take it as a sign that he’s at better place now, much, much better than his condition in this world. Should I also take it as a sign that he understood that we’ve tried our best to help him? I wish he does.

My mom, aunt and uncles are getting old. This is a fact that I often didn’t realized.

My mom was sick after the funeral. Her blood pressure increased and she was weak. The ongoing flooding session add to her stress.

My aunt has been coughing too much. Allergy or respiratory problem, I don’t know.

Dear God, please. I need them much longer. Please, please don’t take them away too soon. I know I often fight with them, we’re not always seeing eye to eye, but dear God, I need them. Please give them strength and health, for some more new years.

Please.