Excelso... It's not in Penang!

Time to face the reality that we've to depart back to Penang, soon in 6 hours. The laziness is striking and we've decided to wander around Sun Plaza and just staying inside the air-conditioned mall. It's not seen in Penang and we've chosen to just relax inside the Excelso for the coming hours.

Since we've time to kill, Change Keat and I have decided to take the World's Finest of Brazilian Santos and the Indonesia's Premium of Kalosi Toraja respectively. Insisting to be served with and being prepared in the siphon, the coffee is heated, boiled, stirred and poured into our cups before our eyes. My cup of coffee has a nice aroma and it's smooth at the end of tongue yet it's slightly too thin for myself.

We've failed to order most of the "Chef Recommended" food in the menu as the raw ingredients are not delivered due to the flood in Jakarta. Anyway, we've decided to share the Banana Sweet Nachos, Excelso Mixed Sampler and a bowl of Black Pepper Chicken Spaghetti. The food with a weird combination that I've never tasted in my life, the Sweet Banana Nachos that is served with caramelised banana and melted mozzarella cheese. The saltiness of nachos and cheese being paired with the sweetness of banana, it's really weird but I've somehow enjoyed the slices of sweet banana. The Mixed Sampler is just an ordinary platter of fried meat and seafood that includes chicken, sausage, fish balls and fries. On the other hand, the spaghetti tastes normal as well. It's kind of too sweet for me whereby the sweetness of the sauce has covered the spiciness and aroma of the black pepper.

Feeling full yet we've decided to share the Apple Crumble Pie to end our meal. The apple cubes are not too sweet that they come together with a nice smell of the cinnamon. The crumbles look alike bread crouton yet they are more compact and taste alike cookies. The skin of the pie is quite crispy yet it's too thick that we've a hard time to cut it nicely. This is a "No Regret" dessert that we've definitely enjoyed its taste.

Being attracted by the special name with a registered trademark, Chang Keat has ordered the Cappuccino on the Rocks. It's indeed just a glass of milky and foamy coffee-based drink of iced cappuccino.

Well, we've fun to chit-chat and to waste our time during the last hours before departure from Medan! The ambient is very comfortable and it'll be greater if we have chance to try out other specialty in the menu.

Yeah, at Pekantan... Ayam Penyet!

Traveling from Lake Toba to Medan that takes about 5 hours in a car, we're so exhausted by the moment we reach the Swis-BelHotel International. We just can't wait to get some food to fill our hunger. Wandering and walking around, Lai Lee has spotted and insisted to go for the Ayam Penyet. Feeling her eagerness, we've decided to try out this Pekantan Ayam Penyet that is located at Jalan Pandu.

Ayam Penyet is a traditional Indonesian chicken dish whereby the fresh chicken is marinated with special herbs and spices. The meat is then smashed with wooden hammer before being fried to the dark and golden brownish colour. I've fell in love with the Ayam Penyet; it's flavourful, it's tender, it's crispy at the outside and it's not oily at all. The meat is very delicious and it has a nice aroma of the special spices. Matching with the grounded chili, the spiciness and saltiness are enhancing the taste of the chicken meat and my appetite towards this dish. The Ayam Penyet is alike a set meal that is served with a fried Tofu, a fried bean-cake and some Basil or fresh leaves. I like the softness of the Tofu but not the powdery bean-cake.

Being persuaded by the Uncle that is selling the Durian Pancake from door-to-door, Chang Keat has decided to try it out and we're of course "forced" to share. The greenish pancake is filled with fresh Durian meat and a Coconut-based cream. Surprisingly that the richness of Durian and creaminess of Coconut are not making me to feel over-full that I've indeed enjoyed the deliciousness of this dessert. I think it's because the pancake is chilled?

I'm completely satisfied with the Ayam Penyet as my dinner. I miss it somehow now... Where can I find a delicious Ayam Penyet in Penang?

We've Found it In Front of Samosir Cottage, Jenny's Restaurant

We've decided to turn left once coming out from Samosir Cottage and here we've found the Jenny's Restaurant. We insist to look for this restaurant and to try out the food, it's just because of the recommendation from LonelyPlanet. Hmmm... Wondering what we're going to eat and drink here!

An authentic local cuisine, it's a must to try out the fish from Lake Toba itself that is called Fish Nela. Steamed or BBQ? Let's go for the BBQ method that has a special name being pronounced as Tombur. Besides, we've taken the Roast Pork that comes with a vegetable as side dish. Being so different from the river fish, Fish Nela is not only free from the awful taste of the soil but the meat is indeed very tender and fresh. Even though it's unhealthy, but I definitely like the slightly burnt skin that has enhanced the aroma of the BBQ fish. Comparing to the Fish Nela, the pork is quite tasty but the fat meat is very smelly and disgusting. This is the 1st time that I'm so much in favour with the fish than a plate of BBQ pork.

The side dish of pickled vegetable is very appetising from its sourness. I just dislike the "too-much" of black pepper. We've ordered as well the Gado-Gado whereby it's a mixed vegetable dish with potato, cucumber, tomato and long beans that is topped with peanut sauce. There's nothing wrong in matching vegetable with peanut sauce but it's weird the sauce tastes a little bitter.

The whole meal is quite cheap by costing at Rupiah 172k. The most important is the quality of the food that we've enjoyed almost all of the dishes and with satisfaction.

Roasted Pork, Just Before the Museum Simanindo

We're riding around the Samosir Island and enjoying the nice scenery of Lake Toba. It's part of our program to checkout what the Batak Dance actually is and we've thus stopped by at the Museum Simanindo. This is the stage for the traditional dance that is performed by the local people or the Batak. The showcase is twice in the morning and on daily basis.

Taking the recommendation from the Uncle that is renting the motorbikes to us, we've decided to try out the Roasted Pork that is sold at a small shop house that is located just before the Museum Simanindo. The roasted pork is chopped into small pieces and being served together with the homemade chili sauce that contains Cili Padi and Limau Kasturi. The pork is fried till the meat is dry and hard yet I've still enjoyed its saltiness. The spiciness and sourness of the special chili sauce are both so refreshing to match the pork meat completely. A small advice is that not to take the fatty part of the pork meat as it's kind of smelly. A bowl of Boiled Vegetable is served as side dish but I definitely dislike the milkiness. Going with the clear soup that is garnished with fried onion and parsley, a simple yet delicious meal.

We've somehow felt cheated as the meal costs us total Rupiah 100, 000 for 3pax. Isn't the number weird?Isn't it expensive?

Out of Bamboo, the Bar & Restaurant

Walking along the lakeside of Lake Toba from Samosir Cottage yet 3 of us are unable to find the Jenny's Cafe as being recommended by LonelyPlanet. It looks natural and special from outside, we've decided to stop for a break at Bamboo Bar & Restaurant to fill our hunger. Laying back and resting at the sofa, this is a strategic location to enjoy the view of Lake Toba.

We're definitely in the mood for Indonesian food and we've thus decided to share the Fried Noodles with Veges and Chicken, Sate Chicken with Peanut Sauce and Chicken Sambal Indonesian Sauce. The fried noodle is quite similar to our fried Maggi instant noodle at the local Malay hawker stall. Even though the chicken meat is dry and slightly hard yet the fried noodle tastes delicious in over all. The Sate is special as it's made of the cubic chicken meat that is then being topped with a smooth peanut sauce that tastes a little alike the peanut jam. The Sate Chicken is acceptable but it's slightly too dry and hard as it's using the breast meat. On the other hand, I actually prefer the grounded peanut sauce that is rougher and crunchier. My favourite dish is the Chicken Sambal Indonesian Sauce that is spicy and with a little sourness to stimulate the appetite. No Belacan or the fermented fish and prawn paste is used in the Indonesian Sambal that it doesn't stink. This is really a delicious dish that I've enjoyed it to the fullness.

When you're tired after some sightseeing on the feet, this is a great place to stop by for a drink and to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Lake Toba. Why not... especially the food is tasty anyway.