Category: Indonesian Cuisine

Try Indonesian Fusion Cuisine to Explore a Mix of Diverse Culture During Walking Tour in Glodok Chinatown Jakarta

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An Introduction to Indonesian Fusion Cuisine That You Can Find in Glodok Chinatown Jakarta

Fusion cuisine is a combination of culinary elements from different countries, regions, and cultures. In the past hundred years ago, Indonesia has been sought for a place to visit and conquer as it has an enormous natural resources and fertile land. Many European countries have colonized Indonesia in the past. So do people from other countries in Asia that mainly come to trade. This has affected the culinary scene in Indonesia, and therefore a lot of fusion cuisine has created. One of the places that you can find this example is in Glodok Chinatown, Jakarta, a place of different communities’ blend.

Indonesian Fusion Cuisine That You Can Try in Glodok Chinatown Jakarta as You Stroll Around for Walking Tour in Jakarta

Even though there are many other of fusion cuisine example that you can find in many parts of Indonesia, the Glodok Chinatown Jakarta is one of the perfect places to explore. You can a mix of Chinese cuisine that has been influenced by other cultures, such as Kari Medan, which is influenced by Indian cuisine, Soda Badak, a carbonated drink that produced in North Sumatera, Nasi Ulam, that is originated from Malay cuisine, Bakso Pikul, or meatballs that has its uniqueness, Choipan, a Chinese snack, and many others.

How Can You Reach the Glodok Chinatown Market to Try Various Kinds of Indonesian Fusion Cuisine

It is relatively easy to reach Glodok Chinatown area as there is public transportation from the government. You can ride a Transjakarta bus, commuter line train, bajaj, motorbike taxi, and car taxi. You can stop at the Kota train station or bus shelter and walk to the destination. The food stalls will usually be open from morning to afternoon.  

Find Other Interesting to Try in Glodok Chinatown Area as We Walk Around Together in Jakarta Chinatown Tour

Aside from fusion cuisines that we mentioned above, there many other snacks and delicacies that you might took your attention while we are touring around the Glodok Jakarta area. If you are interested, we can stop by and try them while learning about the cuisine’s history and what culture influenced them. Come join our Jakarta Chinatown Tour while you are staying in the city. See you around!

RODE WINKEL Café, Once Known as “Toko Merah”

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If you walk around Old Batavia or Old Town Jakarta, you will encounter a red two stories building that is quite catchy because of the wall color that is quite standout. With a vibrant red from the brick color, this building once called “Toko Merah”, or literally means a red store in English.

Before transformed into a café, this building is always closed, and people can only see the outer side of the building that is faces the street. This building that is built from 1730, is once a residence of former governor general during Dutch colonization, General Gustaaf Willem baron van Imhoff.

The owner and residence of the building has changed a few times throughout Batavia Jakarta’s history. In the 18th Century, it became a government office, function halls, and even a trading bureau. And in the 19th Century, it was inaugurated to be a cultural heritage.

However, this year, Toko Merah has been through some changes. The once closed building is open to the public now. Some parts of the building have been renovated to a mini café, called RODE WINKEL café. The café serves signature drinks, coffee, tea, snacks, desserts, also some regular meals with rice that is suitable for Indonesian flavors. Some of the drinks came with a piece of traditional snack or cake that is influenced by Dutch.

It is a nice place to relax after walking around Old Town Jakarta on a sunny day. You can cool yourself by drinking while enjoying the café vibes. Though one part has been transformed into a café, the other parts are still undergoing renovations. Inside the building outside the café door, there is a staircase on the left. It has become a new tourist attraction and people can take photos there.

Curious about the inside of this historical building? Or what kind of delicacies you can try at the café? You can only find out if you visit Batavia Jakarta firsthand. So, come to Jakarta, and join our Jakarta Walking Tour to look into the town’s history closer with us. See you around!

Nasi Padang, An Option of Breakfast in Jakarta You Can’t Get Enough

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Nasi Padang is an authentic choice for breakfast in Jakarta. As you might already know that Indonesian eat nasi or rice as their staple food, nasi Padang one of the most popular variations of rice dishes in Jakarta. So, let’s get to know more about this dish.

Padang is an area in Indonesia, the capital city of West Sumatera. Padang culinary is very famous as they can create a variety of delicious dishes rich in spices and flavor. Therefore, we can find Rumah Makan Padang or Padang Restaurants almost in every area of Indonesia. So, it is normal to find people go to those restaurants for their breakfast in Jakarta.

If you haven’t been to visit a Padang restaurant, you might feel and see new experiences. Once you sit down, the waiters will bring you a stack full of plates filled with Padangnese dishes. All the plates will be put down on the table in front of your eyes. You might be shocked, but don’t fret. It doesn’t mean that you must finish all the food that is presented on your table. The waiter will count only the ones you choose to eat on your tabs. Also, it will be too much of a breakfast in Jakarta if you finish all.

The most popular dish of Padang restaurants is rendang, which was once nominated as the most delicious food in the world. The main ingredient is beef, and the cooking process is quite complicated. The meat is cooked slowly and braised in coconut milk, and then seasoned with a mixture of herbs and spices such as chili, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, onions, garlic, etc.

Aside from rendang, there also many kinds of meat dishes that as delicious as rendang such as ayam pop, gulai or Indonesian type of curry, and balado that is red in color and a little bit spicy. There are also vegetable dishes that are made from cassava leaves, eggplants, and young jackfruits.

A delicious and hearty portion of nasi Padang will provide you strength and energy to face your busy day. So, don’t hesitate to choose it as your breakfast in Jakarta or eat it for your dinner if you like. Join our Jakarta Food Tour if you want to search and try nasi Padang. See you around!

Nasi Bakar, Unlike Any Other Breakfast in Jakarta

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We have seen rice dishes as breakfast in Jakarta served on plates, bowls, and banana leaves. Aside from that, there is one rice dish that other than served in a wrap of banana leaves, it is grilled. It is called nasi bakar or literally means grilled rice.

Unlike any other rice dishes in Indonesian that is served separately with the side dishes, in grilled rice, the side dishes are filled inside the rice. The outside appearance is quite intriguing. With a wrap of tubelike green banana leaves, you wouldn’t know what is inside without descriptions placed on it.

It is usually kept intact with toothpicks on both sides. When it is served on a plate, you can just tear the center part of the wrapper to reveal the rice. Once you open the wrapper, you can smell the fragrant banana leaves and it will increase your appetite.

There are many options for the filling. It can be salted squid, beef rendang, chicken, or stir-fried vegetables. The combination of fresh ingredients, rich spices, and condiments, makes nasi bakar as a choice of flavorful breakfast in Jakarta.

Although it is a good option to be a variation of breakfast in Jakarta, it is not as common as other dishes that can be found anywhere. It is usually sold in the morning by breakfast stalls or vendors, or you can find it in traditional markets. However, you can find it in some certain restaurants in the city.

Eating one portion of fragrant nasi bakar not only can boost your appetite and mood, but it can also provide a boost of energy to start your busy day. So, don’t hesitate to try one for your breakfast in Jakarta.

Come visit Jakarta to try nasi bakar and join our Jakarta Walking Tour later to discover more about history, culture, and delicacies around Jakarta with us. Find and see Jakarta closer with firsthand experience. See you around!

 

A Plentiful Mix of Breakfast in Jakarta, Nasi Rames

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As rice dish is common to consume as breakfast in Jakarta, let us introduce you to a rice dish with wide variation of rice dishes, which is nasi rames. Nasi rames is basically a portion of rice that is served with a variety of side dishes or mixed rice.

The most common place to find nasi rames is warteg, the abbreviation of “Warung Tegal”. Tegal is a place in Java area, and “warung” is a small stall that sells meals that is usually located by the side of the streets and at an affordable price. Nowadays, wartegs can be found easily in big cities, mainly near workplaces as it is a popular option for breakfast in Jakarta among workers.

Warteg interior design is usually quite similar across the city, with side dishes displayed in glass cases, facing the window so it can be seen from outside. Then, with a portion of rice, the customer who wants to eat can choose any side dishes they like.

Depending on the warteg owner, they usually serve a wide variety of Indonesian dishes. From meat as beef, chicken, shrimp, squids, and vegetables such as vegetables soup or stir-fried vegetables. With a hearty portion full of nutrition and an affordable price, nasi rames became a popular choice of breakfast in Jakarta.

Another kind of nasi rames is nasi campur. It is basically the same, only with a different name. While people in Java use “rames” to describe rice with a mixed of few dishes, in other areas, it is called “campur”. So, you might find nasi campur instead of nasi rames in some areas. But sometimes, it consists of non-halal ingredients such as pig meat.

The popular kind of side dishes are egg, tempeh, tofu, and vegetables. They are cooked with Indonesian spices and condiments. Because the wide variety of side dishes, you can have a grasp of Indonesian culinary in general. So, choosing nasi rames as your breakfast in Jakarta might be a good start.

When you visit Jakarta, don’t miss your chance to go to the warteg or restaurant nearby to try nasi rames as your breakfast in Jakarta. And later on, join our Jakarta Walking Tour to discover more about the history, culture, and delicacies of the city. See you around!

Enjoy Ketoprak, A “Sound” of Healthy Breakfast in Jakarta

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Have you ever heard of a dish that is named by the sound of the ingredients being processed? Ketoprak is one of them. A bit different from other breakfast in Jakarta that we are featuring before, the origin of “ketoprak” is a unique one. It came by the sound of the ingredients that are mostly crushed or mashed. From another source, it came from the sound of the plate when it dropped and broke after hitting the floor.

However, don’t get mixed up with another “ketoprak” in Central Java. Instead of food, it is the name of a performing art. It is a show based on Javanese cultures and legends. Performed by a group of people with traditional costumes. So, it has no correlation whatsoever with the ketoprak as a breakfast in Jakarta.

Now, back to ketoprak dish, if you ever heard of gado-gado, then you might be familiar with this one. It is different yet similar to gado-gado. The similarity came from the brown colored peanut sauce, that is made from grounded peanuts with other spices. The difference is in the ingredients.

While gado-gado is rich with green vegetables, ketoprak consists of relatively simple ingredients such as fried tofu, vermicelli, beansprouts, and rice cake. It served with peanut sauce and sweet soy sauce toppings. Although it is relatively simple, it is a fulfilling breakfast in Jakarta.

With sweet and a little savory flavor, ketoprak would be a perfect choice of breakfast in Jakarta to start your busy days. It is also relatively easy to find, as ketoprak vendors can be seen walking with their cart around housing complex or setting their cart by the side of the road near office buildings or even around schools. The affordable price is another reason that the dish is popular among locals.

Ready to hunt and ketoprak firsthand as your breakfast in Jakarta? Then visit our city and join our Jakarta Walking Tour to know more about our city, culture, and delicacies with us. See you around!

 

Congee for Breakfast in Jakarta, A Bowl of Tasty Bubur Ayam

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Starting the day with a bowl of breakfast in Jakarta, bubur ayam, is a perfect choice. Bubur ayam literally means “chicken congee” in English. While in some countries this dish is served as a food for patients, in Jakarta, it is normal to be found as a breakfast menu.

A bowl of chicken congee consists of healthy ingredients, such as shredded chicken meat, cakwe, eggs, sprinkled with fried onions and celeries. It is full of nutrition, so it will be beneficial to your body. Other than that, bubur ayam vendors usually also provide various options for the topping. It can be quail egg satay, gizzard liver satay, or chicken intestines.

Aside from various toppings, you can also add condiments based on your preferences. You can add soy sauce if you prefer savory taste, or sweet soy sauce if you have a sweet tooth. You can also adjust the spiciness by the chili sauce to pour on your bowl, and there is no extra charge for these condiments.

There is one unique trivia for bubur ayam in Indonesia. One side is “stir team”, and the other one is “as is team”, which refers to local’s preference on how to eat bubur ayam. Some people prefer to stir it before consuming, some people would rather eat it as is. It will become a heated discussion and each side will call each other a “cult”. Both are acceptable as breakfast in Jakarta.

Like any other option of breakfast in Jakarta, bubur ayam vendors are relatively easy to find around housing complexes, near office buildings and around schools every morning. With its affordable price and rich flavors, it became a popular option for locals.

However, there’s a catch. If you want to eat bubur ayam for your breakfast in Jakarta, you must wake up earlier, because usually in the afternoon, in most places it will be sold out. So, if you don’t want to miss your chance, you cannot oversleep until afternoon comes.

Curious to hunt bubur ayam in the mornings? Then come visit Jakarta and join our Jakarta Walking Tour later to discover more about Jakarta’s culture and delicacies with us. See you around!

 

 

Another Carb for Your Breakfast in Jakarta, Mi Ayam

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Mi is noodle and chicken is ayam in Indonesian, hence the name of this option of breakfast in Jakarta, mi ayam. It is one of the most popular breakfast options that is sold widely across Jakarta. It can be found almost anytime and anywhere.

The noodle for mi ayam is made from wheat flour that is boiled in water. And when it is cooked, it will be mixed with cooking oil, soy sauce, and garlic in a bowl. The oil is to prevent the noodle from clumping together. Added with chicken meat and caisim, the mi ayam is ready to be served.

Some restaurants and vendors usually came with a few variations of the toppings. For example, plain mi ayam, the topping is only diced chicken meat that is cooked in sweet soy sauce and other condiments. There are also dumplings, meatballs, and mushrooms for additional toppings, you can choose any based on your preferences.

Mi ayam can almost be found everywhere, from street vendors, mobile peddlers, cafes, and restaurants. As it is a fulfilling but relatively affordable price, mi ayam became one of the most popular options for breakfast in Jakarta. But you can also choose it as lunch or dinner if you like.

Mi ayam has a savory taste from the noodle and broth, and a slightly sweet taste from the chicken toppings. You can add other condiments as the seller usually provides, sambal, ketchup, or sweet soy sauce in bottles and you can a certain amount of those if you like to your mi ayam that suits your palate better.

It is relatively easy to find mi ayam seller near office buildings, as it is a popular choice of breakfast in Jakarta for office workers. If you are staying for a business trip or vacation in Jakarta, you might easily find it near your hotel or while walking around on the side of the street.

Ready to taste mi ayam as your breakfast in Jakarta? Then come to Jakarta and join our Jakarta Walking Tour to discover more about Jakarta. See you around!

 

Lontong Sayur, Another Rice Dishes for Breakfast in Jakarta

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Rice again for breakfast in Jakarta, only in different color and shape, lontong sayur. Different from the usual rice, lontong is tube shaped and in green color. The color came from the banana leaf that is used as the wrapper. Lontong is cooked rice that is wrapped in banana leaf and then steamed. However, there is another type of lontong, called ketupat, that is diamond shaped and wrapped in palm leaf pouch.

There are various kinds of dishes that use lontong, such as chicken satay, gado-gado, opor, and lontong sayur. Lontong sayur is the popular choice for breakfast in Jakarta. It is usually sold along with other breakfast options such as nasi kuning and nasi uduk as we mention in another article.

Lontong sayur itself has a few different versions, depending on the area such as lontong sayur Minang, lontong sayur Padang, and lontong sayur Betawi. But in general, the broth is pretty much the same, with some alternatives for the ingredients. Lontong sayur has a thick broth, since it is usually used coconut milk, and it is usually in orange color that came from turmeric.

Vegetables that are used for the ingredients neutralize the thickness of the broth, suitable for people who crave something healthy but a little bit spicy for their breakfast option. Long beans, julienned chayote and young papaya is most common ingredients. Besides vegetables, there is also boiled egg for protein.

Lontong sayur is a fulfilling breakfast in Jakarta to face a busy day ahead. Are you curious about this delicious breakfast? Then come to Jakarta, spend a night, and you can search lontong sayur for your breakfast in Jakarta.

And when your stomach is full and your energy has recharged, come join us for a walk with Jakarta Walking Tour, we can take you to explore interesting places and interesting delicacies around Jakarta. See you around!

A Festive Breakfast in Jakarta with Nasi Kuning

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Instead of plain rice, try nasi kuning, one festive breakfast in Jakarta. Nasi kuning or literally means yellow rice, can be easily found to be sold by breakfast vendors in the morning. It can be found along with nasi uduk, lontong sayur, and other breakfast menus.

The yellow color from nasi kuning came from turmeric and other spices. The taste is also savorier than plain white rice, as it is also soaked in coconut milk, like nasi uduk. Nasi kuning for breakfast in Jakarta is usually served with a few side dishes such as sambel goreng, tempeh, potatoes, peanuts, shredded chicken, and shredded omelette.

Aside from becoming an option for breakfast in Jakarta, nasi kuning is usually known to be served on festive occasions such as births, weddings, or to celebrate something in local tradition. Sometimes, it is made with a shape of cone, called tumpeng, also served with various side dishes.

There are also a few varieties of nasi kuning, depending on the area. So aside from Javanese nasi kuning, there are also nasi kuning Manado, nasi kuning Banjar, nasi kuning Bali, and many more. Which differentiate them from one of the other is the side dishes that are served along with the nasi kuning. For example, for nasi kuning Manado, they usually serve cakalang fish as side dishes.

The bright color of the rice makes it interesting, so more children will choose nasi kuning instead of plain white rice. Nasi kuning can be found easily throughout the city. Aside from the menu for breakfast in Jakarta, a few restaurants also can be found to include them in their menus.

Ready to have a festive breakfast in Jakarta? Then come visit us, join our Jakarta Walking Tour, and enjoy an adventure with us to find a unique and tasteful experience to Jakarta’s delicacies. See you around!