Pomelotel Cafe

Great Food, Great Accommodation at Pomelotel

Before I decided to go to Jakarta, Indonesia for my visa application at the Hungarian Embassy, I looked over the internet for a good accommodation in the place. I wanted my stay in the city to be as comfortable and convenient as possible so I considered booking an accommodation in advance an utmost priority.

On Search for Accommodation

One important thing that I took into account when booking my accommodation is the proximity of the hotel to the Embassy of Hungary which is situated in Kuningan, Jakarta, Indonesia. I wanted to be as closer as possible to the embassy so as not to be late in my appointment to the embassy the next morning. This city is very much like the Metro Manila in the Philippines. The traffic jam is unbearable during peak hours. When you are in the street and was caught by the busy hours in the morning, be ready to pack tons of patience as the traffic mess is a thing to endure. 

Having said that, I literally poured over the web for a perfect to place to stay which should ideally be a stone throw away from the embassy. After an hour of searching, I was lucky enough to have stumbled with a hotel which offers a very affordable and reasonable rates for accommodation as well as caters great Indonesian cuisines as it operates a cafe and a restaurant as well.

The name of the hotel is Pomelotel. It is merely five to ten minutes drive to the Hungarian Embassy in Jakarta. I booked for a two-night stay in the hotel to enable me to maximize my visit to Jakarta, Indonesia. Apart from applying for a visa, I also wanted to visit some interesting tourist destinations in the city during my brief stay.

A Stay to Remember

I would say that my stay in Pomelotel is worth the time and money for a number of good reasons.

Firstly, Pomelotel offers cozy and comfortable rooms at very reasonable price. I saved a great amount of money from what I originally intended to spend for accommodation. You can check out the rates in their website, should you be interested. More than the rates of the room is the excellent service they give to their customers. They make you feel at home away from home. The place itself is far from the hustle-bustle of the noisy city. Here is a peek from the window of my room from the Pomelotel.

Secondly, I was able to taste and savour some Indonesian cuisines at pretty good prices such as nasi goreng and soto ayam. Nasi goreng is an Indonesian fried rice mixed witha great number of spices. Nasi goreng is a typical Indonesian dish with rice as main ingredient. What makes it different from ordinary fried rice is that it has mixtures of a great number of ingredients such as chili, tamarind showered with shrimps and egg. I love the taste of nasi goreng as it reminds me of a typical fried rice in the Philippines. Fried rice in various menu dishes is typical among Asian countries. Rice is a common Asian staple. When you find yourself in Jakarta in the future, you may consider this Indonesian dish in your list.

On the other hand soto ayam is an explosion of spicy chicken soup with noodles flavoured with turmeric. The first  time I tasted soto ayam, I could not find the right word to describe the hot, tingy and spicy sensation in the surface of my tongue. It seems that the spicy explosion that splintered in my mouth is alien to my taste buds. After taking a few spoons of the soup, I finally discovered the explanation behind the puzzling sensation in it. The turmeric and the chili are the keys to its explosive taste which is uniquely Indonesian. Soto ayam is pretty much similar to some of our local dishes in the Philippines. Be sure to make this dish a part of your gastronomical list should you visit Jakarta, Indonesia.

Taste the City's Food and You Taste Its Culture

Food is not merely a physical but a cultural thing. It has sociological and cultural dimensions as well. Well-meaning and experienced travelers believe that one of the best ways to appreciate the culture of a certain place is to taste its dishes. You can become more appreciative of the country's culture and understand its uniqueness through its food. Indonesia has a great number of dishes that it takes pride of. Just like any other countries in Asia, Indonesia charms its guests not only through its beautiful beaches, tropical rainforests and Asian hospitality but also through its food. There is wisdom is tasting the food of a place for when you do you taste a part of its culture.