The Kitchen of Joy: Eat in Dubai in three days

It was a short-time visit few years ago and I didn't post on the blog back then, didn't have much time for prep and shot nor visit some major places or tourist spots, it was a work trip yet totally fun. However, the heat was also a challenge for me to stay fit - yes I am a kind of person who's easily beaten by the heat.The trip was a part of the program of Alshaya Food Tour to review some restaurants: iHOP, P.F Chang, Cheese cake Factory, ShakeShack and Texas Roadhouse. I am so lucky to be a part of this FUN-tastic journey.

Breakfast at IHOP®

The first question of the first thing to start the day is: What do I want for breakfast?

Starting the day with good breakfast is very essential, not only fuel for thought, but it will boost my mood. And the selection should come to the best choice.

Today’s breakfast menus at IHOP signifies my passion. However, before coming to menu, the first impression is about the venue, per se.

At the entrance, the ambience, the font and the logo of the restaurant, I could feel of such a favorite American restaurant for both individual and family dining, not specifically for breakfast, but more like a steak house. The seating arrangement is just fine, IHOP also has a space for group at the back for informal gathering. The lighting meets the requirement. The music is not too loud that people can still have a chit-chat without being disturbed by the sound. However, I could hear the crowd from the kitchen, this thing is not supposed to occur in this typical restaurant. Wifi availability is what most people need, sometimes we work while having our meals, or, we need to have good meals while working with wifi connection. However, in Jakarta, a smoking space with good exhaust system, shall be considered. Somehow, as I observe, the first two questions before entering a restaurant in Jakarta: Is there a smoking section? Wifi available? In addition to this, should IHOP aims at grabbing family, a small space for kids like a minimalist playground shall also be available.

Services from the waiter or waitress play important role. IHOP has it! The greeting and introduction, the knowledge of the menu (option, taste, ingredients, composition, condiment, side dishes etc), the fast response and the way she served the dishes met my expectation on how I would expect to be treated as a customer. Honestly, even if in Jakarta, I could recognize few of waiters with outstanding services, a mind-reader-type-of-waiter, always ready to explain and serve even when I’m not finished with my sentences during ordering.

Alrity let’s get to have my experience on meals as a foodie!

HOP offers attractive and broad assortment of great-tasting meals for breakfast. Tried some menus that include Philly Cheese Steak Stacker, Chicken Florentine Crepes, Crispy Chicken Salad, Sirloin Tips and Eggs, Boneless Buffalo Chicken Strips, Eggs Benedict, Chicken Fajita, Original Pancake, Cinn-a-Stack Pancake, New York Cheese Pancake and French Toast.

My faves go to Chicken Florentine Crepes, Crispy Chicken Salad, Cinn-a-Stack Pancake.

I have never tasted and seen similar menu like this Florentine in other restaurants. It is perfect combo of the savory crepes, the tender chicken and the spinach - love the spinach, not too overcooked.

The Crispy Chicken Salad fulfils the need to ‘’eat the rainbow’’, contains lettuce that stay crispy even though it is already mixed well with the salad dressing. The Jack and the Cheddar cheeses make it perfect, melt well in my mouth. The chicken is crispy too yet tender inside, however, it is too salty.

The Cinn-a-stack Pancake is the outstanding one for dessert. Not to mention that the (original) pancake itself is already delish, the right taste, thickness and fluffiness either for sweet or savory pancake, but the cinnasauce is very sexy, a combination of sweet spices, reminds me of speculoos taste. A classic and tempting one. This one is foodgasmic. Last but not least, the Sirloin Tips and Eggs, in the first place, the steak was too well-done, the second round was way much better, met the tenderness and juiciness of a steak I would always expect, however, it tasted a bit too sweet. The caramelized onion is already sweet – which is good. Imagine if we reduce the sweet taste on the meat, it would be more fabulous because the original tastes from the meat would be already tasty and mouthwatering.

Having a refillable coffee or tea is a plus point too.

I HOPe that IHOP will be open in Indonesia.