KEBUN BINATANG SURABAYA

outside wall of the zoo

map of the zoo

Finally I got here, last time I were here around 5 years ago while I'm still single and now I already have a 4 years old son who eager to asked me to come here. The outside wall is crafted with animal shape art around the zoo.

ticket and photo souvenir

In the main gate we can see the Surabaya monument which is made of shark and crocodile statues in kind of seaweed thingy around them. Around this monument there are local photographer those will offer their service to taking pictures of you and your family or group then they will asked you to choose the best picture and the picture you want to be printed and they will cost you IDR 10.000 per picture of your choose and also you may have the copy by USB flash drive if you want to.

The entry ticket of this zoo is IDR 15.000 for adult and children above 3 years old must buy 1 ticket. It's quite expensive for the government zoo but they said this zoo have more animals than Ragunan Zoo in Jakarta. The ticket itself is unique, it is a bracelet that made from tyvek by 3M, it's like a paper but it's not easily to torn, water-proof, sweat-proof and it is very durable. Trust me, I already tried to torn it with all my strength and it's still stay still in my wrist. Once you worn it you have to cut it off.

free space near the entry gate

the lake

The Entry gate is made on a junction and we can choose which way to go and there are a map to guide us which animals you want to visit first, because my family not make sure which way first, so we went to the left way. There are a quite big space with cages around it. you will see a lot of tree and the sound of birds surrounding. I walked straight to the watching tower and the animals are so many here, I can't mentioned everyone of them but I saw Comodo Dragon, Crocodiles, Camel, Giraffe, Elephant, monkeys, apes and many others.

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In the tower here, there are 3 floors to the top but I'm not hike to the top because my son want to play with the water-bike on the lake near the tower. the place is quite peace and there was a good scenery around the lake and the mountain goat site.

view from the lake

the peaceful lake

bridge on the tower

the column of the tower

boat tour on the lake

The tower itself has some bridges to connected it with another site but poorly maintained so some of the bridges are in poor condition and please watch your steps here because some have quite big holes that will put your foot in, specially if you bring children to this site. The column of this tower is also crafted with animal shape art, it quite magnificent on the past when this tower once opening for the first time but sadly this is in bad condition and need to be renovate.

They also have a boat tour on the lake for those who came in group because the boat will operate minimum for 10 persons or more.

the main and the exit gate

 after walked around the tower site, we walking back to the exit gate event actually we not satisfied but because of the time we should back home. On the way back to the exit gate, I saw a souvenir shop with sell t-shirt and calendar with photo edited on it with only IDR 25.000 per t-shirt. So, I made 2 t-shirts for my son with his photo with tiger and elephant. The quality of the t-shirt is so-so but the design was great but you can't take the file because those are their proprietaries. My son actually so excited to this because he wanted to ride horse, elephant and to touch turtle and other small animals in the children zoo but those sites was closed and only operation during weekend only.

statue on the lake

gateway road

The aquarium is also under construction so we can't see any fishes and reptiles since those animals inside the aquarium area.
Tips to come here, bring food and drink but don't liter, camera or phone must be in the full battery and capture the best moment here.
I'm out of battery in the middle of event so I'm not capture many moments here.
This zoo is actually a great place to bring our children to learn about animals since every cage have detailed information about the animal in that cage. Great place with an affordable price. (jmz)

SATE KLOPO - PASAR KEMBANG

raw satay

seasoned with soy sauce

barbecue time

they're ready

Still in the same area, around Pasar Kembang, I found SATE KLOPO, means Coconut Satay, this is also one of the Surabaya culinary heritage. Basically this dish is the same like other satay dishes served with peanut cream and soy sauce, the different is the main ingredients is meat that marinated in coconut based marination that make the meat tender and fresh with coconut scent especially after their barbecued for some time, the aroma will raise your appetite.

ready to served

This satay served in thick peanut cream with smoky aroma and the meat was so yummy and I can still taste the coconut in every bites.
the Price is also affordable, only IDR 12.000 for 10 satay. must try this unique satay while you come to Surabaya.(jmz)

SOTO MADURA - PASAR KEMBANG

The next morning, we planned to go to Kebun Binatang Surabaya, the only one zoo in Surabaya City, but before, I have to find something for breakfast. So, we went to Pasar Kembang, the meaning is Flower Market, but don't thing this market of flowers, this is just ordinary traditional market which sell daily needs. Why they called it Pasar Kembang or Flower Market? because sometime in a year they have some sellers whose sell flowers for special events, like Ramadhan, Chinese New Year, New year etc.

Finally we found this SOTO MADURA, this is another soto but origanted from Madura island. This soto is lighter than the other soto since it's using more beef fat on their soup, that mean we have to eat this while it hot or else the fat will be stick in your mouth.

The taste is also refreshing, we can add lime water in to it to levitate the freshness. One portion will get 4 pieces of meat, intestine, or other organ of a cow but they are well season and very tasty. It served with rice and fried garlic and you can add some chili sauce if you want it.

The great is the price, they only charge you IDR 10.000 for one portion and IDR 5.000 for half portion. It very cheap especially if you were in Jakarta, you will not able to get a great food with this price. It a must try item when you are short of cash and around Pasar Kembang area.

WARUNG NASI CUMI-CUMI

 after arrived on this my home city, Surabaya. The first thing in my head is eat the famaos culinary on this city. Surabaya have plenty variation of unique culinary which mostly using fermented shrimp called "petis". The famous one is made on Sidoarjo city but if you like another taste, we can found in the Madura island just cross through Suramadu Bridge.

For lunch, my sister suggested me to come to this bistro, we usually called it "Warung". 

The location is quite challenging to find, it is on Waspada Road near the famous Pasar Atom Plaza, one of the crowded trade market in Surabaya. It open 24/7 and the place is not easy to be spotted but we can asked the hacksaw drivers around the place since this warung is very famous and some celebrities had trying the tastiness of the squid.

What is the specialties of this warung? yes, it using squid as their main ingredient on every dishes on their menu, the squid is not fried in deep hot oil, but it cooked with their special recipe and the result is a very delicious yet masterpiece of the squid dish. This squid will be presented on every dishes on their menu.

They have only 4 dishes on their menu.
1. Nasi Biasa in it we served with rice, squid and shrimp crispy
2. Nasi Campur with rice, squid, sliced beef, egg and crispy shrimp
3. Nasi Komplit served with rice, squid, sliced beef, egg, beef tripe, beef intestines, cattle lung and crispy shrimp
4. Nasi Rawon Cumi is rice with squid in traditional Indonesian black curry.
I ordered Nasi Rawon Cumi and Nasi Campur, the first thing in my mind is the squid will be fishy because they are seafood and every body knows that seafood always fishy bur I got is very delicious squid with tender meat, soft and very tasty.

Nasi Rawon Cumi

Nasi Rawon Cumi, The squid is combined with Rawon, the famous Indonesia black curry, served with rice and sambal, Indonesia crushed chili pepper.

The taste is very light because the Rawon is blended together with the squid and the squid was well seasoned.

Nasi Campur

Nasi Campur is the other dishes that I tried. It like Nasi Rames from Middle Java but they change the chicken with squid and they used the same squid on the plate.

Every dish here on the same price IDR 20.000. It's quite expensive for Surabaya rate but everyday people still come to taste this delicious squid. So, you must try it to know why...(jmz)

MY JOURNEY WITH KRAMAT DJATI

 On 15th September 2015, I went to Surabaya with this bus. Kramat Djati is the name of the bus company that quite famous in Indonesia. I knew this since I was in the younger years. Only with IDR 290.000/person for the ticket from Jakarta to Surabaya.

The problem now is the big bus like this is now allowed to passing through the city so we have to transit from Grogol terminal to Lebak Bulus on the South Jakarta using a transit bus but I wasn't go to that terminal but went directly to the pool of Kramat Djati on Kramat Jati Road on East Jakarta.

Cikopo Freeway Gate

On around 2.30 pm, The bus arrived at the pool and bring all passengers with it. The road in the city was hectic because of the police had a program to checking the papers of the drivers whose through the road near the pool.

Then we went to the newest freeway in the Java island, from Cikopo to Palimanan or in short we call it Cipali Freeway. because in quite new, the side of the the roads are just dirt and some trees. The freeway is quite long with some exits, we passed it around 2,5 hours till we reached Palimanan gate.

Palimanan Freeway Gate

The Freeway is very smooth without any holes on the road maybe because it's still new and the road is also not too packed because I went on weekday so it quite empty.

Not quite far from the Gate, we arrived at the food station site where we have our dinner and the dinner is included in the ticket's price. Even the food is not the best of them but it really stuffed our tummy since we can add rice and food as many as we want.

Back to the bus and we drove to Tuban city to take some break and I like this bus service so much, the drivers are great on handling the bus and not made too many hard turns or sudden breaks, not smoking or speak too loud and all the way I slept with smile.
I very recommended this bus company, maybe their buses are not the newest model but love how the driver manners and the bus is quite tough to brought on this quite far journey.

RUMAH MAKAN - SIAW A TJIAP GREEN VILLE

This restaurant is quite famous for those Chinese food lovers, I tried one in the Green Ville, Jelambar, West Jakarta. The restaurant placed on a 3 floors soho in an busy food business area here. As usual, the problem here is with the parking area, if you come here with a car, sometime you have to park quite distance from the restaurant since the parking slot is quite messy here.

The restaurant itself has 2 floors to serving their customers. I, luckily had table on the first floor so I don't need to climb that quite high stairs.The front door is made of glass so it transparent but some of it covered with sun blast sticker so we can't see the customers from outside. In the inside, the place is cool enough to comfort us during our dinner. They have a speaker that quite loud to call of a car's license number that need to be move because it blocked somebody's else car. For me, it quite annoying especially if we in the middle of our meal with dirty hands.

After we took a look on the menu book, we ordered some food. My favorite dish here is Paikut Asam Manis (Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs) the ribs is so tender and the seasonings are merged with the meat and the meat is easily peel of from the bone but i only get a portion because it's the last one and I can't get another one.

Fu Yung Hai (Chinese Style Omelet), I didn't recommend this dish since this taste like a thick dough and can't feel any meat in it, mostly dough, only the sauce is helping to added a little taste to it.

Gurami Tahu Tause, this is a fish dish, the gourami was fried tenderly that soaked in a gravy made of tofu and fermented nut called tause or taucho that taste a bit sour with unique after taste, commonly used in Asian dishes. The tofu is the best, so soft and tasty. The fish is quite tender but watch out of the bones.

Sapi Cah Pare (Beef sauteed with Pare). Pare is a vegetable with a bitter taste but contain plenty benefits like pressing cancer cells, clean blood etc. The pare here is not too bitter and helping levitated the beef with traditional Chinese seasoning.

Ngo Hiong. It's chinese sausage with miched pork and prawn rolled inside a beancurd skin then cut and deep-fried. It quite famous in every Chinese restaurant. This Ngo Hiong, is crunchy in the outside and tender inside. Delicious.

Mun Tahu is tofu cooked in gravy made with prawn or meat to adding the taste of the dish. The dish is enough for 2-4 persons if you choose the Medium size. The taste is so fresh and eat it while it hot because the texture will change if it cold.

I forgot to mention that most of the dish is come in 3 size, Small, for 2-3 persons, Medium for 3-4 persons and Large for 5-8 persons. So we can decide which dish in what size, with this method you will not waste the food.

After all the food is very tasty, I will try another dishes later when I revisited this restaurant.

Stay hungry, food loggers!! (jmz)