F.R.I.E.N.D.S is a famous American sitcom which started to air on September 1994. But well, this has nothing to do with that American sitcom. The place I visited today had the same name with the same lettering. When I passed by this place, I thought that it was something familiar. Until I realized, the lettering is the same as that famous American Sitcom staring Jennifer Aniston.
I have passed this place couple of times by now. But only today I was convinced to drop by as it was empty. For some reason, this place was never recommended by anyone.
As soon as we got into the front door, the staff opened the door for us. The interior is simplicistic with great lighting. The main room is spacious. It feels like entering a mixture of cafe + restaurant. Perhaps a bistro can describe this place concept but it wasn't even a bistor nor a restaurant. It was somewhere in the middle.
This cafe concept is vaguely like a bistro. I especially like the seating options and the seats. They are so comfortable and you can get so much work done from that place.
The wall is decorated with artificial hanging flower. The ceiling is high and it gives an impression of an outdoor seating though it was indoor. My experience sitting there was as if I was in a nice park during the fall. I suppose the garden lamp helped to build that atmosphere too.
I have not touched the wall but it looks like either a real brick or a 3D wall sticker that's currently a trend. Nonetheless, it was a cool touch to the wall especially with the hanging mandala decoration.
This was nearby the faucet. I couldn't agree more, life is too short to drink cheap coffee. The lighting is also something that I can praise about this place, the lighting is cozy and perfect for working. Perhaps you don't go to these place to get something done but for me, I got to these places to write, discuss, and get things done.
Are you friendzoned?
If you are, maybe take them to this cafe. I love the touch of neon lights in this place. It was not overwhelming but rather add warm touch to it. Great choice of color as well. I actually heard from Ray that this cafe cost about 137,579.97$ to make. He knows it because the contractor was a friend of Ray's dad. But for some reason, he never really recommended me that place.
The Menu
Unfortunately, I can't even get the proper menu because the waitress was snatching it fast.
Prior visiting this place, I was already browsing the menu through Grab. My mom told me that this time, I need to choose it for her. I skimmed through the menu at home and found that this cafe serves some japanese and western menu. A bit inconsistent but quite decent for a small town.
For appetizer we shared a bowl of mushroom soup with a garlic bread.
The bread was a bit soggy and too buttery. But the soup was much better than the other restaurant we visited two months ago. The soup needed a bit less salt. Perhaps it was my preference but for my mom, everything tasted perfect. She liked that the mushroom cream and the filling blends really well.
The main menu that we ordered was Beef Gyudon with miso soup. Back in my apartment I used to order this type of meal. It cost me 40,000IDR but at that place, it was 10,000 cheaper. As for the taste, it was much better than I ever tasted!
I can taste that the rice they use is different. I suppose they use long grain premium rice because after eating it, I didn't feel sick at all nor feeling too heavy. When it comes to the miso soup, they give a lot of seaweed and there was a soy sauce aftertaste. But with the price offered, they were generous with the seaweed.
To give more volume to the bowl, they also added mushroom. The mushroom blends really well with the beef. I should try to replicate this bowl soon.
Drinks
I would say drinks is my specialty. In this place, I ordered matchapresso while my mom ordered lychee soda. The matchapresso was awesome. The matcha was not overpowering the coffee and they were like good siblings, filling in each other. I learned a bit of composition today from that drinks. It's basically matcha first, milk, and then the espresso. Finally a touch of ice cubes. That way, the drink looks aesthetically pleasing.
Bet you want some after looking at those pictures!
Cupping A Coffee I Forgot its Name
I told my mom that I would stay a bit more and was still feeling thirsty. I walked up to the staff and told them I am about to order another drink. They asked me if I want coffee or non-coffee. Obviously, I told them that I wanted the coffee.
The Barista convinced me to try their v60 drip. He showed me some new beans they have. I was like " okay, show me the least acidic one!" and he showed me that coffee I forgot its name. But since I already have three cups of coffee before, I need to add some milk to it. The barista lectured me that the milk has to be in a separate cup. I mean, I know but I was like " just give me the damn coffee". So, he delivered an Iced coffee with chocolate undertone and light mouthfeel and aftertaste. It was pleasant and almost like a toraja arabica but different. Now, I can't rest before I can remember the name.
The coffee there was affordable. I would love to go back to taste their coffee and other menu. It was a memorable visit. I take back everything I said and I found the winner now. Friends eats & coffee is on top of my list. The atmosphere, the price, the menu, everything was priced well and beyond my expectation.
I would share my coffee ideas soon. The other day I tried to make caramel coffee but failed. Maybe I'll share it so you won't need to repeat mistakes I did. Anyhow that's all for today! see you in my next cupping and tasting series.
L99ks so good....!!! I love the look of that matcha drink. Would you believe the shops are shut today and WE HAVE RAN OUT OF COFFEE AAAHHHHH
That's a disaster! I am sorry with your coffee situation. Thankfully, I always manage to secure enough coffee for a month. But there are days when I have to use an instant coffee xD. I notice that my taste buds kind of despise nescafe. Live is too short to drink shitty coffee though hehe. Hope you can survive!
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