My Secret Garden - Bandung

The facade of back cottage

A place with view. I guessed this is what everybody is looking for nowadays. Apparently good food with good atmosphere isn’t good enough and that why we were here in My Secret Garden, to have a simple meal with view. The place wow-ed me from the entrance and for a moment, I regretted our timing. We went there for dinner and I had wished we had come in the daylight. Small flower dotted here and there on the green shrub outside the broken-white wooden cottage caught my first sight. On the right, a big wrought iron shaped the main entrance gate to the backyard. The place is lovely (well – I love flower and nature) and this place is full of those – at least full of flowers. And the name is very suitable too, since we can’t see the garden from the entrance and it is sorta hidden at the back.

I felt like being transported to Chocolate Ville, a place that we visited in Thailand few years ago or Kebun Mawar Situhapa in Garut. The style here is a bit similar with those places. With broken-white dominance as the color, wooden-granny style of cottage, scrapbooking papers in pastel frames, plain wooden furniture, wrought iron ornaments in white, all those give off the vintage vibe. Though I felt confused why they put a wooden bird house next to our dining table, but hey, it totally compliments each other.

 

4 cheesy pizza...crispy...tasty and sooo cheesy

finger licking Ayam Buluh

And….the foods were delicious (I tried to find fault here but there were none). You must try the ayam buluh, the baby chicken with spice and herbs, cooked inside a bamboo – the meat was tender and fragrant and juicy and definitely tasty (no worry – it wasn’t spicy at all). If you still have time after your meal, try to wander around the garden. It was beautiful at night so I bet it would look fantastic in the daylight. At the far back, there has kids’ corner with its tree-house (yes – too bad it was dark at night so my girls couldn’t have fun there). There is a patch of poppies too which was just to pretty to be missed out. Wouldn’t it lovely to have a leisure meal while watching your kids play around its garden? Would love to come back sometimes

The tree-house

A patch of poppies

Lawang Wangi Cafe and Art Space - Dago

The viewing dock

Some of you might have wondering on what we are doing here in Bandung? Actually it wasn’t supposed to be a weekend short getaway trip. My youngest was supposed to join the I Am Gifted program (in Bandung) but she fell sick a day before the program started. So this trip was originally her program graduation trip – but we changed it into a father’s day trip yay. For us, there are plenty of occasion to celebrate and this time, we made it into a culinary trip…yep daddy needs some fattening wkkwk…I am gonna have a bigger waistline when I come back wkwkwk. But for now, let’s forget bout the regret to the later day and enjoy the trip 

We started our culinary trip from Lawang Wangi, a café with art gallery. Located in Dago (very easy to find – just google it), it perched high with fantastic overlooking view on the valley. It has become one of the must-visit place nowadays with so many reviews and post go viral on the socmed. It has beautiful garden landscape with its gallery exhibits scattered around (some I enjoyed – while others, I really had no idea what it was all about). Though most of people visit this place for its awesome view, but I found myself enjoying its art gallery (perhaps since I had limited chance to visit gallery so I really took my time strolling not-that-big-gallery there). 

The landscape from viewing dock

Above the gallery, an open style café was crowded with youth and family. Big glass windows blanketed us from the cold breeze but we still were able to enjoy the view from inside. The food served there were quite good, with a standard price range. Since we went there for a coffee break, I would have expected them to have more range of cakes – but the snack like nachos or fried cassava with cheese was good enough – no complain then. 

But the main spectacle here is the sort of hanging wooden dock, which gives you the best spot for picture taking. It was picturesque in the daylight so I am guessing it would be lovelier and romantic during the sunset. However, please be cautious since it is windy and mind your time since it only allows around 10 persons on the dock at the same time. 

Koloni 108 - Bandung

a love from Koloni

Hello everyone…it’s June already and it is school holiday. But we aren't going anywhere this time, we will later in July though, with big family which sounds FUN  >.<   Lots of thing came up these few months and I was practically neck to neck with my project, left me barely a brief moment to catch up with my fav kdrama or my manga (yes – I still have lots of unread chapter on my mango apps, rarely but now I would be just like any other who complains bout so many things to do with so little time). But since I am taking few days break, I think I can get a minute or two to write something up.

Cozy sitting room

 

Right now I am in bandung, having my early lunch in a cozy and homey room of Koloni (well known as Koloni 108 – since it is located in Ciumbuleuit 108, just a little further after Harris hotel). It has an eye-catching spot on the right side of the street so you wouldn’t miss it. Anyway if you missed it, you would find some good spots to dine and selfie along the street like My Secret Garden (promise to post it asap). 

The backyard garden sitting area

 

Basically Koloni is a food court, with various food stalls from traditional snacks to Korean dishes, from Indonesian foods to international meals, all are for you to choose and enjoy. But, they also have one of a kind goodies and knick-knacks small shops inside a narrow aisle, all carry their own unique style…just love it. The food price starts from IDR 10k for its snack which is pretty standard, especially when the taste was pretty standard too. But I believe that most of the visitors are here for its atmosphere…classic with vintage touch here and there…totally cute (yes – cute – so for gentleman out there, just resist your macho charm for a while)…loveable and absolutely perfect for your instagram post.

Tiny shops

Koloni has several dining areas, between the granny-homey style to chic contemporary one near the beverages station, or probably you would prefer the backyard garden style or the simplicity one inside the Pots and Pans. One sure thing is, just make sure your mobile is fully charged and don’t forget your selfie stick since every corner is worth a shot *cheer*

The goodies