If you are a foodie, be glad that you stumbled across this page. This page will give you the best guide on where you can find authentic traditional cuisines of Jakarta for you avid culinary hunters. This soon-to-be ex-capital city of Indonesia offers a little bit of a piece of everything from all around Indonesia, even the world. Why? Because it has quite a diverse population background that stores various culinary delights. From those prices which are pocket-friendly, to the five-star-robbing-your-bank sumptuous. From traditional cuisines of Betawis, Minang, Javanese and Minahasan, to international cuisines such as Indian, Korean, Japanese, or Western.
Betawi is is a native ethnicity of Jakarta that has opulent types of foods. Thanks to the influences of various cultures from as Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, and Portuguese. Kerak Telor (egg crust), Kue Pancong, and Soto Betawi are some examples of Betawis that are popular among the general public. Here are some of the Betawis cuisines that you can find in Jakarta.
Gabus Pucung
The first one of the list is Gabus Pucung. It is a traditional cuisine with a distinctive ingredient is kluwek which is similar to Javanese rawon, but thicker and richer in spices. The difference is that fish is the protein ingredient of gabus pucung, not beef like rawon. The fish is fried then braised with lots of spices. Three places that provide Gabus Pucung are: Haji Nasun Restaurant in Jagakarsa, Betawi Kitchen in Pondok Cabe, and Dodol Nyai Mai in Jagakarsa.
Gurame Pecak
This could be a favourite for you hunters. It is a fried Gurame fish served with sambal. Two versions of this menu can be found with or without peanut sauce. Like a menu that is dipenyet (squeezed/flattened), the spicy and savoury taste will tempt your appetite. Restaurants or food stalls that provide Gurame Pecak as their menu include: Warung Haji Apen in Ragunan and Betawi Haji Muhayar Restaurant in Pasar Minggu.
Nasi Ulam
This traditional Betawi food is increasingly rare in Jakarta. White rice is mixed with various side dishes and spices, with a sprinkle of gotu kola (centella asiatica) or basil leaves on top. Places to taste nasi ulam includes: Misjaya in Glodok, Ibu Yoyo in Kuningan, Alung in Taman Sari, and “Babeh” Sumber Rezeki in Petojo.
Sayur Besan
Sayur Besan is one of the menus that must be served during the Betawi traditional wedding ceremony. Its main ingredient is rare, namely terubuk (cane flower), making this dish difficult to find. Basically, it is a soup rich in spices with a few types of vegetables mixed in it. Here is the restaurant that serves Sayur Besan: Batavian Kitchen in Cinere.
Putu Mayang
One of the typical Betawi desserts is Putu Mayang cake. These snacks were brought by traders from South India to countries in Southeast Asia. The relatively easy-to-find ingredients, such as rice flour, coconut milk, and brown sugar, make this cake to be trouble-free to find at a market snack. Places that serve this cake include: Putu Mayang Betawi in Kebayoran, Mpok Ewa in Pancoran, and Asiyah in Palmerah.
Soto Tangkar
Tangkar is beef ribs in Betawinese. This dish is a soup with beef ribs. It is said that in the past, the Betawi people could only afford to buy a little meat because most of the meat had been taken by the Dutch colony. Places to taste Soto Tangkar include: on Jalan Sabang, Bang Edi in Tanah Abang and Petojo, and Haji Diding at Petojo Morning Market.
So, are you intrigued to try some of them? Share this article when you finish the “hunting”.
