Saturday, May 8, 2010

Sexy Sushi

Of all the food I have ever photographed, sushi is the only food I never satisfied of. In front of camera lens, sushi crafted with creativity to the detail is like a model on the catwalk, like an expensive bag on store display. It is charming, and never run out of angle.

One of our favorite sushi establishment is Sushi Tengoku. The best thing about this place is, the lightings are perfect for a photo. The black table helped the bright color of sushi material to stand out of the background.


Another lovely restaurant we found is Sakura Restaurant. Set up at different ambiance from Sushi Tengoku, the lightning setup also provide a perfect light to the sushi, with the wooden table background.

Driving further out of town is Umaku, one of the youngest of the pack. This place is not so big, which provide intimate communication between patron and the chef. Of course, the perfect place would be seated at the sushi bar, from which we can see the skill of the chef who craft this sexy food, similar like a make up artist preparing the model.

Thankfully, preparing a sexy sushi is not the luxury of professional chef. Something that is already good will only need little touch to make it perfect. The problem is not on the preparation, but how to have the correct lighting and background to make the perfect photo.
I certainly will never have enough for this food

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Vegetables Series: Manado Papaya Buds

Unlike myself, who can eat same vegetables from day to day, week to week,month to month, she will be bored to dead. Fortunately, before that happens, her creativity kicks in. Combining leftovers in the fridge, she cook this Manadonese traditional dishes: Stir Fry Papaya Buds with corn. Is is spicy, hot, salty, slightly bitter, and ultimately refreshing.



This food can be found in almost all of Manado Restaurant in Jakarta. Yet, making it yourself is simple. Just stir fry in particular order: garlic, shallots, corn, chill, boiled Papaya Buds, Lemon Basil, precooked Anchovy. The dishes should be slightly oily, so add some more generous oil if needed.

It took less than 30 minutes to prepare, and 15 minutes to cook. Best eaten with steamed rice