So this month, we asked our resident foodies, Jed Doble and Sebastian Subakti, to scour the Big Durian for the best dishes below Rp.50,000, because being low on cash shouldn’t mean you can’t eat well.


Pesto Chicken Wrap at Canteen
A generous portion of grilled chicken breast smothered with flavourful pesto and shredded lettuce are wrapped in a tortilla and grilled. Served with french fries and a side salad, this wrap is healthy, tasty and filling all at the same time, providing great value for your rupiah. Rp. 45,000.
Plaza Indonesia new extension, 5th floor, Jl. MH Thamrin, kav. 28-30. 021 315 6537.



Lemongrass Chicken
Banh Mi at Cali Deli Their freshly baked homemade baguette is both crisp and tender, while the lemongrass chicken chunks are sweet and smoky. Add to that the right amount of julliened pickled carrot and a load of fresh coriander leaves, and voila, you’ve got the capital city’s best
Vietnamese sandwich. These banh mi from Cali Deli have been a longtime favourite of TOJ. What’s even greater is that they cost less than Rp.50,000.
Jl. Surabaya, no. 22, Menteng. 021 9801 1062.



Carrot Cake at Ottimo Deli
This awesome delight fulfills all the requirements of an ideal carrot cake: it is dense and moist and the buttery cream cheese topping is also faultless. It’s not overwhelmingly sweet and is highlighted with a touch of lemony tang. One more thing that sets Ottimo Deli’s carrot cake apart from the others is that it tastes and looks so hom made that you won’t feel bad about eating another slice. Rp. 33,000
Jl. HOS Cokroaminoto, no. 42A, Menteng. 0888 168 8466



Soft-Shell Crab Roll at Sushi Groove
This sushi roll offers a variety of seafood flavours and textures in a sushi roll. A whole soft-shell crab is served on top of a sweet unagi roll.  This treat is eye-catching and satisfying at the same time, as long as you don’t get intimidated by the crab’s eyes looking straight at you. Rp. 42,000
Pondok Indah Mall 2, 3rd floor, Jl. Metro Pondok Indah, blok 3B. 0217592 1000. 



Pancetta e Grana Pizza at PEPeNERO
They rarely do pizza wrong at PEPeNERO, and the pancetta e grana could become anyone’s favourite in no time (it’s certainly our favourite
these days). The crisp and salty pancetta and the mature grana cheese compliment each other to an extent that we can’t explain. It goes
even better with a glass of cold beer. Rp. 47,000
Pondok Indah Plaza 2, blok BA 25, Jl. Metro Pondok Indah. 021 750 0959.

 

Dim Sum at Crystal Jade
In our opinion, Crystal Jade is one of the best dim sum places in town. Their wide selection is meticulously prepared and served fresh
every time. Our top three picks are the baked BBQ chicken pastry with preserved egg, the ha kau (steamed shrimp dumplings) and the pork siew mai. You can get all three for under Rp. 50,000
Pacific Place, level 4, Jl. Jend Sudirman, kav. 52-53. 021 5140 0437.



Apple Pecan Pie at Social House
Pecan pies are a staple in the southern United States. SoHo’s version partners apples with pecans to create a tart sour taste to match the  sweetnutty flavour of the traditional dessert. The crust is crisp and flaky, just the way we like it. It is served with vanilla ice cream and an assortment of berries and whipped cream. Delish! Rp. 45,000
Grand Indonesia East Mall, 1st floor, Jl. MH Thamrim, no. 1. 021 2358 1818.

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Tonkotsu Ramen at Sanpach
Tonkotsu ramen is a cloudy white soup made from crushed pork bones that is boiled for three days. Served with firm well-made noodles  and topped with a slice of roasted pork, it is always filling and perfect for cold, rainy days. Rp. 45,000 for a big portion or Rp. 32,000 for the mini.
Pacific Place, level 5, Jl. Jend Sudirman, kav. 52-53. 021 2555 4097.