Option Billiard Centre Surabaya (Review)

Hey guys!
Can any of you play billiards? Well, I can play a little bit, because my dad and my brother are very good at it. Back when I was still in junior high, I often went to one particular hotel in Surabaya to swim together with my brother. After that, my dad would come to pick us up, and we always spent an hour or two in their restaurant-bar to eat my favorite fried rice.

And there was one billiard table where my dad always played with anyone who was up for it. Then my brother started to play along while I started to become their cheerful spectator. Actually, as time goes by, I managed to learn a little bit of it, but the thing is, my hands are sweaty, I often hurt my finger back then because of the stick. So I moved on and found another hobby *great excuse*

Option Billiard Centre

Speaking about location, Option Billiard Centre is placed in Citraland, the west-est side of Surabaya. If you ever heard about SuperIndo, Option is just 30 seconds away from it (the map will be attached below). The parking lot is spacious enough for 10 cars inside, and parking spots for motorcycles are also available. 🙂 For the building, Option Billiard is divided into four floors, the first one is their antique store which sells antiques *duh, obviously* and also the entrance to the Option Billiard.

The second floor and the third floor are their main Billiard Arenas. The arena contains eight billiard tables and a sofa along each side, also a small table on both corners. In total, Option Billiard Centre provides 16 tables. The air conditioner here is working very well, you won’t ever feel hot, humid, or out of breath like I always felt in a billiard arena. In here, I feel so comfortable, I even stayed for eight hours yesterday without even noticing that it was already dark outside, that’s how cozy this place is to me.

Here are the things that makes Option Billiard stands out :

1. They are free from smokes

Yeap, no cigarette allowed inside! Say hello to the healthier lifestyle, now everybody can live longer and play in peace. By that, it also means, girls would actually enjoy hanging out in this place, AHA! lol.. But don’t get too excited guys, I’m just saying the possibilities here, I might have to ask the owner to observe it for you, hahaha.. But for the smokers, don’t worry, there is a small section outside for you to smoke :

2. their concept of Billiard Arena is more to the sport side than to the entertaining side.

Their billiard table set is all official, meets the national standard, and is definitely of great quality because the main purpose of this place is for hosting billiard tournaments in the future. So I’m sorry guys, there will be no score girls, nor the PR girl, and hopefully no drunken master too, haha. By being different from the rest, Option deliberately wants to change people’s mindset about a billiard place. It can be safe, clean, and fun for both genders. For you professional players, you can actually practice your way to be the champion here!

3. they have a cafe spot which delivers not just great foods, but also great drinks, with a reasonable price!

The picture above is their second-floor cafe, and the picture below shows the third-floor cafe. The second floor can accommodate around twenty people, while the third floor can do about thirty-six people on board. The difference is simply because the second floor has a bar and also a locker, that’s why they have less space.

Please keep in mind that you don't have to play billiard to stay and hang out in their cafe.

Maybe it sounds surprising but honestly, I have tried almost all of their foods just in two days. They don’t have that many though, but I’m so glad I did because they are all lovely!

Option Risotto (35k)

This is the most favorite and highly requested dish of the day by my foodie’s friends! They said, “Risotto’nya Juara!” Though I have my own favorite, they do have their point when they say this is a super delicious dish. The texture of the rice shows that it’s cooked perfectly in time, it’s creamy and a little bit tacky but trust me once you take the first bite, you won’t stop munching! The smoke beef and champignon really compliments each other’s taste, oh you should try it!

Bubur Goreng Option (28k)

You must’ve been thinking, “What kind of dish is Fried Porridge??” When me and my friend looked at the menu book, we wondered, “It looks like a normal porridge” and it truly is. When the dish came, I just couldn’t wait to try and when I did, all I could say was, “This is really good!!” The porridge has such a very thick consistency, and that’s exactly why this dish is interestingly yummy! They really fried the porridge as they cooked fried rice!

Inside, you’ll find chicken, scrambled eggs, prawns, and let’s not forgot the crackers! You must eat it with the crackers and you’ll understand why I went crazy talking about this. Total comfort food to me indeed. Meanwhile, the Mix bite is a fun snack that everyone would love, and put strangers together. It contains huge fried onion rings, fat tasty french fries, and crunchy fried pangsit. ♡

Mix Bite (28k)

Option Burger (35k) | Tequila Sunrise (50k)

For you burger lovers, this sexy one is surely something you don’t want to miss! For the size of the bun, it’s pretty standard, but their sunny-side-up egg is definitely a show-stopper! My personal favorite? When it’s soft-boiled, and you still can see the egg yolk jiggling around, begging you to poke a little hole in it so that it can melt around, holy moly I’m starving! Another important part is their homemade patty, created from minced beef and some special spices. I can say that this is a safe menu that you can always rely on at any time.

Fettucini & Spaghetti Carbonara (38k) | Tequila Sunrise (50k) | Shirley Temple (25k) | Lychee Lime Mint (20k)

This is one of my favorite dishes in the house! It tasted and cooked almost the same as the risotto but, I think the whole taste translated better with the fettuccine. In this case, the cooking cream does the magic very well, it can give you the creamy signature flavor of carbonara without leaving you any milky aftertaste. Not to mention the perfect al dente fettuccine just the way I love it, I guess I could eat it in a huge bowl without feeling sick.

Bolognaise (38k) | Nachos (32k) | Bandrek (15k)

I am a bolognese lover, so I might be a little strict with this one, I felt that there’s something missing about this menu. The pasta is already nicely cooked, it is rather the sauce or the minced beef that went slightly off. If you have tried it, can you tell?

Option Curry Rice (28k) | Blue Hawaiian (50k)

THIS! Is going to be one of the main reasons to come back for. No kidding, this grandma recipe has been the most favorite by everyone, I repeat, everyone. I swear the first time I saw this on the menu, I asked, “Isn’t this Opor?” lol. But even the owner himself, can’t reveal the magic behind it, he only said that this dish is originally from Bondowoso, created and brought by his grandmother, and inherited from his mom. So, yes, it is still cooked by his mother.:) Oh I suddenly miss mine.. #sentimentalfeelings

Italian Rice (35k)

Despite all of the irresistibly yummy comfort foods they had, this is the winner to my tummy (I would’ve said heart but I guess it fits my tummy better). Maybe it’s because I have never eaten fried rice with Italian spices before. It looks so simple, I can even barely see the difference with the risotto besides the creamy texture, but this Italian rice just keeps me wanting more and more of it! You have to taste it to believe it, a must-order for me.

Nachos (32k)

Here comes another winning menu that might start a catfight because once it hits the table, you know you won’t have that much time before it runs out. It’s thick and crunchy, and it will stay crunchy even if you left it hanging for an hour (but I bet you won’t because you definitely will finish it in less than ten minutes, true story) The nachos themselves, already have a strong savory taste, and when you dip it in the bolognese sauce, mamma mia get me anotha’

Aglio Olio (38k) | Mojito (50k) | Tequila Sunrise (50k)

I don’t know why they call it Aglio Olio when nothing is ‘agli’ about it (if you know what I mean) The real Aglio Olio used to be just spaghetti, with oil, olive, and garlic, but we know for our people, it won’t be enough, so it comes with two choices of meat, smoke beef, and tuna.

I only tried the smoke beef though, but thank God I finally have something to order next time that I haven’t tried yet in here. 🙂 To be really honest, I also love this dish, I’m helpless guys, it’s good! Almost as good as my number one favorite Aglio Olio in Domicile, but with the price, this one also won my tummy for sure <3

Option Sandwich (30k) | Pina Colada (50k)

The Drinks

When it comes to drinks, I think it will be different according to one’s preference, but anyways my top three favorite drinks are Lychee Lime Mint Tea, Shirley Temple and Tequila Sunrise, simply because they taste sweet and so refreshing, like me! lol ♡

4. Last but not least, their full board facilities are going to make you want to stay longer! 

They have :

• Free billiard coach if you’re a beginner and want to learn
• A locker for your stick and belongings
• Two televisions to entertain you
• Fast wi-fi connection if televisions are still not enough
• Power outlet on each chair at the billiard arena to re-charge your electronic devices
  
  And on the third floor only, they have another ‘playground’ which has :
• One big giant LCD Screen in case you want to watch a soccer match (or anything) together
• A stack of classic board games like domino cards, monopoly, poker cards, etc.
• Also, a lot of magazines to read

If you think you have seen enough, then you haven't seen the fourth floor (yet)

It’s still in progress, but I tell you what, it’s going to be amazing! I could imagine what can you do with this kind of rooftop. Barbeque, small party, surprise party, proposal, whatever, you name it. But the downside of rooftops in general is you are going to be really dependent on the weather, which is not so cool because the weather is unfairly unpredictable these days. But anyways, it’s still good to have an option right?

Overall. I love Option Billiard Centre. It’s totally cozy and safe. The ambiance is very good. Service was very very good! I could tell that they are trained very well. They try to always open the door for us, all of them have friendly faces and seem to be happy to serve the customers.

I once wandered around alone to take pictures of the place, and it seems that they are noticing. So when I tried to take a picture of the giant mural on the wall, one of the waiters suddenly rushed to me and moved away from the chair in front of the wall, I didn’t even ask or made any gesture that I was about to move that chair. Very thoughtful!

And from my two days of observation at Option Billiard Center, I also learned that they tried their best to strive for perfection. and I have a little secret for you : you are free to decide whether you want to pay the parking fee or not, haha.. love ya!

Summary

• Option Billiard Centre
• Jl. Bukit Gold D1-27 Citraland, Surabaya
• 031-51160449
• EVERYDAY
• 10.00 AM – 02.00 AM
• Prepare around 100k/person
• Walk-in Customers Only
• NO SMOKING AREA
• WiFi & Paying by card are available