But to my defense, if you're actually a food lover especially like to try the new culinary place, you come to the right place. This only open on weekend means Saturday and Sunday only from early morning. 

If you're the type of person who loves snacking and hand carries something for your friends and loved ones, this definitely the place for you.

You can't miss the exterior and interior for this place. The surroundings are full of carves and wooden statues, even to the decoration of the food stall. Definitely, something to show it off this is Indonesian souvenirs store like.

Now, how can you resist this temptation?

Pecel is one of the traditional Indonesian food. This comes from Madiun, East Java. The usual ingredients are from vegetables, such as bean sprout, cucumber, fried red onion and the crunchy thing with nuts is Rempeyek. This is just a good addition to eat with this food.

The nuts sauce also a bit spicy, but it makes you want to try more with another side dishes of your own choices.

NASI PECEL MADIUN

Komplek Ruko Galaxy

Jl. Sedap Malam, Jaka Setia, Bekasi Selatan

Open Saturday - Sunday ONLY

06:00 A.M - finished

Please, do come and visit this place when you're around the area.

Say Hi to the cashier at the Pecel for me, kay? Tell him I brought him, customers.

The place is very comfortable and the interior very comfortable look. They have two areas for smokers at the verandah, and the other one is air conditioned. Being here with friends was like you're inviting them to your home, not a restaurant, because of the interior. 

The high ceilings give some rooms for the wind, and even though Jakarta is a little bit hot, they put an electric fan up above to cool us.  

At least that's what I feel since I'm not really a big fan of an air-conditioned room. But, for those who cannot stand being outside because of the humidity a little bit high, you're more than welcome to eat inside.

The inside interior is even cooler than the outside.

I arrived earlier than the rest of my friends, of course. So, I asked for the menu. Since it's a bit hot and a little bit lost when I get here, I need a drink. Something with ice and not too sweet. Then I suddenly I really want to drink 'cendol' a perfect drink for me as a welcome drink, I might say.

What is cendol? It's a dark-green pulpy dish of rice or sago flour worms with coconut milk and syrup of areca sugar, and this one they add cubic cutting of jackfruit. 

It's very refreshing to be able to drink this in the middle of the day and just pretend this is the appetizer before the big meal is served.

I also order this teapot of tea, because at this kind of restaurant they served the best tea in the house. It smells good, bitter and they use the 'stone sugar' not the regular one you use to have, using paper wraps or even melted sugar.

I also love all the menu, you cannot stop to try everything on the menu. Perfectly cooked! Especially the 'nasi kucing' it's a small size of rice with some spicy chicken or fish with some spices. It's sooo good! If you happen to be around the area, please stop by to come and try to eat here. They open until midnight daily. 

"Karma is experience and experience creates a memory and memory creates imagination and desire and desire creates karma again. If I buy a cup of coffee, that's karma. I now have that memory that might give me the potential desire for having a cappuccino, and I walk into Starbucks, and there's karma all over again". - Deepak Chopra -

"Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious." - Ruth Reichl

Let me tell you a story about this place. For me, this was not just a hangout place. But it's more like a 'second home' for a long while. A place where you can meet strangers and become someone important. A place where you can just sit and laughed and cry with someone you just meet. Also, a place where you can bring along long lost friends even dates to have a great time. 

The place was small yet has a very rustic and old look, yet very warm and homey. 

These pictures bring back all the memories, don't you think? I asked specifically for these photos to be posted in here. Because seeing these really take me back to that 'love corner.' The corner that has so many games and books if you're actually waiting for your friends to come. If you're too late, the all the games has been taken by others.

After five years, in this IBEC building, they were told to moved. Because the land actually being bought by some developer. I was afraid if they are going to get a new faraway place. Not that I won't go, I will; but won't be as often as I wanted to.

Don't you miss hanging out again to Melly's? Have you been to the new place? You'll be glad and surprise how the area is changed since last you were there.

The new location is at Jalan Kebon Sirih Timur Dalam No. 37-39 nearby the MNC Tower or just click the link I just gave you for the exact location. Do not hesitate to go into the parking lot, when you start to wonder where I guess you're in the right place already.

All pictures from the old place are courtesy of Melly's Garden Facebook Page

WELCOME TO MELLY'S

So, this is actually the front entrance for the new location. If you're going inside the door there, you can find the coffee shop. Yeap, a coffee shop. They open a new range of Indonesian coffee now and start from early morning.

Want to know more about the coffee place? Stay tuned here!

 Stay awesome, darlings!