Right at lunch hour, YogYES arrived at Warung Sate Kambing Tambak Segaran. The restaurant is easy to find; it is located at Brigjen Katamso Street 192, exactly next to Danamon Bank, only about 1 km from the Central Post Station. Most of the seats have been occupied though the restaurant has just opened, which means that it has got a lot of customers. At the front edge of the restaurant, the chef was busy in his kitchen; he is Wily the grandson of the Sate Buntel's creator. Wily is the successor of the second generation of Sate Buntel Jogja's owner or the third generation, when tracked back to its original first restaurant in Tambak Segaran, Solo. He continues running his mother's business, who had opened the sate restaurant in Jogja in 1987.

The bound between Solo and Jogja is not merely all about the original of Kasunanan (Monastry) Solo and Kasultanan (Kingdom) Yogyakarta which originated from the same Wangsa. Concerning the culinary, sate buntel which now operated in both cities also originated from the same owner, Lim Hwa Youe. Sixty five years ago, in 1948, Lim innovated a new way of serving sate. Unlike the common way, which serves sate in skewers, Lim minced the meats instead, and serving it by covering it in goat fat. The word buntel which means "to cover" becomes the name for his invention.

The idea of making sate buntel is smart and interesting, just like how most kawula alit (Javanese: common, humble folks) make use of simplicity into luxury. Like tengkleng which is made from the remaining meats sticking to the animal's bones turned into a delicious food, sate buntel is also made by using the hard meats covering the majority of a goat's anatomy. The parts are then properly minced into small pieces to get rid of the remaining muscles. The result is delicate meats, free of the distinctive aroma of a goat.

The long queue has not been able to bother the enthusiastic YogYES crews to have a try on the legendary, renowned culinary. The aroma of meat and spices being burnt spread to the whole room, keeping us awake while waiting for the orders to be served. It's time we were served well. Unlike the common way of eating sate, which requires us to bite the pieces of meat off from the stick, here we hadn't have to do so. Sate Buntel is served without any sticks; only two packages of sate which can be easily torn using a spoon. Served simply with cucumber and red onion dressing and accompanied by sambal (grilled chilli and spices), sate buntel is ready to keep our tongues wet. Another recipe which will certainly attract our appetite is the ketchup sauce with medium sweetness. This is a secret recipe made originally by the owner's family kept and being passed on to only the next generation.

Though specializing in sate buntel, the restaurant also provides other variants of goat meat, such as Gulai/Gule (a kind of curry) and Tengkleng (made of the remaining bones, with few meats sticking to them). We tried two of the gulai variants, namely Ordinary Meat Gulai and Marrow Gulai. Named 'ordinary', the gulai tasted special instead. Marrow Gulai tasted more challenging as it also looked smashed off nine goat's bones in yellowish gulai sauce, accompanied by a sate stick to pick the marrows and bones to suck. The delicate marrow quickly enters our mouth, forcing us to hurriedly pick the next bone as if we wouldn't want to miss the sensation of the marrow spraying inside our mouths.

After enjoying the meats, various drinks have been ready from ice tea, soda gembira (kind of drink made of syrup, milk and soda), to beer all ready to satisfy our thirst while not eliminating the memory of the exotic spices and the delicate goat meats. It's all over for the battle between the tongue against the various menus. The result is, you bet, the tongue surrenders.

Read More

During Yogyakarta is known as the area with the flavors of the cuisine tends to sweet. However, in Yogyakarta there are several places to eat that serves dishes with a spicy taste to super spicy.

One of the places that serve food super spicy in Yogyakarta and worth the try is Sate Petir Mr. Nano.

Simple food stalls are located in the South Ring Road Yogyakarta, precisely in Hamlet Menayu, Village Tirtonirmolo, Kasihan, Bantul is serving satay with extra spicy flavor.

Sate goat in the stall actually almost the same with most satay in general. Goat meat is burnt on a fire and then served with soy sauce.


Petir Sate Pak Nano in South Ring Road Yogyakarta.
But what distinguishes the most is sliced ​​chili satay rawitnya very much, so it was great to be so spicy. In addition to pepper slices, soy disambal there is also a sliced ​​red onions, tomatoes, and cabbage.

There are other additional rare disambal satay sauce on a dish elsewhere, namely slices of orange leaves. Mutton taste tender, combined with the sweetness of soy sauce, and spicy chili. The taste is getting fresh with slices of orange leaves.


It said Mr. Nano (68), he started a business satay stall since 1984. Originally named man of the original Suitiyarno Patangpuluhan opened a shop in the area of ​​Yogyakarta, and in 2004 moved to the current place he occupied.


Lightning Sate Pak Nano in the hamlet Menayu, Village Tirtonirmolo, Kasihan, Bantul, Yogyakarta.
Mr. Nano's ability to process goat meat obtained from his grandfather and father. "My father used to Simbah and also selling satay. Even before jualanya still stained by being hit and around," said Mr. Nano.

Besides satay, food stall, visitors can book several other goats processed meat, such as tongseng, curry, satay klatak, and fried rice. Various preparations are also served with a spicy taste.

Tongseng is that too many menu ordered by the buyer. In addition to dominating the spicy flavor, the spices are also very pronounced.

Tongseng Mr. Nano cooked with curry sauce that is coupled with sliced ​​onions, cayenne pepper, sliced ​​tomatoes, cabbage, and soy sauce.

Tongseng in Lightning Sate Pak Nano, in the hamlet Menayu, Village Tirtonirmolo, Kasihan, Bantul, Yogyakarta.
Tongseng sauce is quite thick, blend of savory taste due to the use of coconut milk, sweet and spicy course.

Besides tongseng mutton, buyers can also order tongseng goat's head, kikil, offal, and goat brains.

Although it offers the sensation of the food was super spicy, in fact visitors can order the level of spiciness.

Naming the spiciness level was somewhat unique, ranging from early childhood level (After Early Childhood Education), play group, up to the level of professor.


Lightning Sate Pak Nano in the hamlet Menayu, Village Tirtonirmolo, Kasihan, Bantul, Yogyakarta.
"Here there was ever a message one serving tongseng and cabainya number reached 50 pieces. In the past also Dedy Corbuzier eat here, order some food and spent one tin of chili," said Mr. Nano.

Dedy Corbuzier addition, some celebrities also never eat at the diner Sate Lightning Mr. Nano, including Bondan Winarno.

When asked if the quality of its cuisine spicy going down when prices soar chili, Mr. Nani assured it will not happen. "It was a risk I was as a food vendor spicy chili when prices skyrocket," he said.

Associated with the name of that carried by the Petir satay stalls, it is because of the sate which he presented a very spicy gives sensation of the tongue like a thunderbolt. "For the name of Petir, the granting of customers," added Mr. Nano.

Petir Sate Pak Nano in South Ring Road Yogyakarta, precisely in the hamlet Menayu, Village Tirtonirmolo, Kasihan, Bantul, Yogyakarta.
Every day the diner is open from 12.00 and is usually around 18:00 wares are up.

For one serving tongseng mutton satay and costs Rp 20,000. As for the goat's head tongseng price starting from Rp 30,000 per portion. For those of you who claim to spicy food, mandatory food stalls visited this one.
Read More

If you're one of noodle fans. During your stay in Jogja, you should come to Bakmi Shibishu eatery located on Bantul raya street No 106. This location is just only 5 minutes stroll from Malioboro, 500 meter southern side of Beteng Kulon. Don't be puzzled by its japanese name, this place is owned by purely a Jogja person and it has been being operated since 25 years ago. This place is more often visited compared to the surrounding eater.

Beside the crowd of this place, at first, i was quite confused with what i would discover in this place. This place is well-known as "mute noodle". Some fad thoughts came up concerning that name. At first, i thought it's due to the delish noodles provided there so that we'll not speak any words. Second thought, the seller is mute. However, when i ordered a portion of noodle to an old lady there, the second guess was somehow incorrect because the lady could speak. But eventually, i discovered that one of my guess was right, here is the complete story.

After ordering fried noodle, i also ordered hot tea as the complementer of my meal. During the time of waiting,i began to understand the reason why this place is called mute noodle. The fact is revealed, waiteress delivering the foods is mute and also one more person who blend the ingredients of noodle and the cooker are also mute during the course of cooking.

It' quite a long time until finally my food arrived. It' accepted though bearing in mind that this eatery only using a brazier with carbons to cook all the orders. During your time of waiting, hot tea would come earlier to accompany you. There, you're also given a tea pot to refill your glass. Beside different method of serving, the teaste of tea is very different compared to other tea. The first drink will give its own sensation.


After 20 minutes of waiting, finally my fried noodle delivered by the mute lady. The appearance of this fried noodle is pretty similar to other noodles. However, the color is a bit lighter. Most probably, it doesn't use much soy souce. The noodle comprises two kinds of main noodle. First, is yellow noodle and bihun (thin rice noodles). After that, it's complemented by small pieces of chicken and celery. The first bite made me lost my words. The ingredients included in this noodle so tasteful. At a glance, it's a bit too much but the next bites make it better.

On the dining table, we can also find chilies which are so delish once we plump it to the noodle. One of The most unforgettable parts of eating this noodle is the hot tea part. These Two indispensable parts are completing each others to make an unforgettable culinary tourism for you. In the end, I was quite happy that one of my two guess was right. Shibishu noodles truly made me lost my words for its great taste.
Read More

Beringharjo Fried Rice, can now be found on Jalan Mataram, right of the third T-junction on the left side of the street leading to the historical market in Yogyakarta. Before the end of the year 2004, when the food stalls were still open in the area, the fried rice was found on the T-junction leading to Shopping area that now is changed into Taman Pintar, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta and the center of book shops.

This fried rice is worth trying because many people acknowledge its deliciousness since the owner started its business in 1960s. You do not have to wait for the menu to be served since the seller has cooked them in big portion. It starts open from 06:00p.m to 11:00p.m. with cross-legged and chairs seating arrangement.

Eating this fried rice, you feel like listening to a plate of story about Javanese-Chinese acculturation. Fried rice itself actually originated from China and immigrated to Indonesia. Initially, fried rice existed from Chinese tradition that prohibit throwing uneaten rice, so that the rice was processed using available ingredients such as onion, garlic, and ketchup. When Chinese people came to Indonesia, such a cuisine was known by Indonesians as well and started to mix with Indonesian cuisine.

The acculturation can be seen from the variation of fried rice, from chicken fried rice, seafood fried rice, mutton fried rice, and even pete (beans with pungent odor) fried rice as Indonesian special ingredient. The taste also varies; some accentuate the taste of garlic and some accentuate the taste of additional material such as chicken. Beringharjo Fried Rice chooses to cook chicken and pork fried rice.

Speaking of ketchup as one of the ingredients, it also keeps story about acculturation of Chinese people living in Java. Ketchup, actually was named kie tjap, is made of fermented fish concentrate. When Chinese people living in Java found that soybeans were cheaper than fish, the raw material of ketchup making was changed to soybeans. Consequently, it did not have fish taste; it only tasted sweet for sweet ketchup that is used to cook fried rice. Strong taste of garlic also becomes characteristic of Chinese cuisine.

Although there are many fried rice sellers, Beringharjo Fried Rice is still special. The process of cooking, for example, is in big portions. As much rice as half of a big rice basket can be cooked at once in a very big pan. The ingredients are very special since they have been mixed at home and ready to use.

Chicken or pork is added when the fried rice is on the plate. Besides, slices of fresh tomato, cabbage, celery, omelet or pickle are additional. Some customers even order one and a half or even two portions at once because of its deliciousness.

The taste is just right, not too sweet nor too salty. The aroma of garlic is not too strong yet tasty. Are you interested in tasting? You can have other menus such as fried noodle and pork cooked with ketchup that are not less delicious.
Read More

Above is the lyrics of a song entitled "Kolam Susu" (literally translated as "Milk Pond") popularized by Koes Plus; a song which seems to perfectly describe Gunungkidul. Dry hills full of limestones are a common view covering the majority of the area. Still, it doesn't mean that the locals run out of ideas to survive. By planting cassava (Manihot utilissima) on the rocky land, Gunungkidul locals are able of harvesting the plants and processing them into a food known as thiwul. Brought all the way down from Brazil and introduced by the Portuguese to Indonesians back then in the 16th century, cassava has been proven to grow well in Gunungkidul's dry land.

Thiwul used to be the main food for Gunungkidul locals during Japan's colonization-it substituted rice, which were hardly accessible. When eaten, it will expand inside the stomach, making one eating it quickly feel full. It was a good thing, recalling that life was hard during the colonization era.


Today, thiwul is no longer a main food for Gunungkidul locals; its position has shifted into becoming traditional snack. One of the legendary thiwul seller is Tumirah. Yu Tum-that's how she is commonly called-has been selling thiwul for 28 years, since 1985. Began with selling from one village to another, Yu Tum-now reaching her eighties-has now had 3 counters managed by her children-in-law. Her central counter and kitchen is located at Jalan Pramuka no. 36, next to Wonosari's Village Hall. Moving away from its stigma as Japanese colonization food, thiwul has now being favored by tourists visiting Gunungkidul.



Thiwul Yu Tum is special, indeed. It has fine grounded gaplek (dried cassava), which, once cooked well, will taste smooth just like the texture of a bread. Also, Yu Tum adds brown sugar as sweetener, while grated coconut which accompanies it adds more to its taste. What a perfect combination! Thiwul can be eaten as snack, or to substitute rice-by eating it along with sambal (grounded chili and spices) and green chili soup. You can also order for gathot (another kind of processed cassava) and the unique fried grasshoppers menu as alternative options. Yu Tum has it all. Better still, you can also try thiwul in cheese and chocolate flavors-preorder first to have a try on them.

Thiwul is made by drying up cassava's tubers into gaplek (dried cassava), grounding it, and steaming it. Even until now, Yu Tum keeps on cooking thiwul using luweng (traditional hearth for cooking) and firewood, metal crocks, and cone bamboo steamers-characteristics of traditional Javanese kitchen now rarely found. She maintains it to preserve the taste of her thiwul. The cone bamboo steamers are used to mold thiwul in mountain shape. If you desire to take thiwul home as gifts, Yu Tum has also prepared besek (box made of bamboo) to wrap the mountain-shaped thiwul.

Apart from thiwul, Yu Tum also provides other variants of food made of processed cassava, such as gathot, cassava chips, and fried gethuk. You can also buy instant thiwul which you can steam at home yourself. Gunungkidul locals have proven their excellent skill in processing their land's harvest. Though their land is dry and hard to grow plants, they can still make delicious, nutritious foods.

Gunungkidul is definitely a paradise land; even wooden stick and rocks can be made into plants. We suspect that Yok Koeswoyo-the composer of the song "Kolam Susu"-had got his inspiration from Gunungkidul's thiwul.
Read More


Indonesia is has a diverse and rich culture. Each province has its unique custom, language, traditional clothes, even the dishes and snacks. We cannot talk about culture without talking about the food, right? The diversity in Indonesia has led to a rich culinary heritage. From the famous rendang to Indonesian salad gado-gado, every Indonesian food is really worth to try. We’ve talked about the must try Indonesian dishes, and now let’s talk about delicious and famous Indonesian snacks.

 Klepon

 Klepon is a famous Indonesian snack, and often categorized as jajanan pasar (snacks that you can find at the traditional market). It is made from rice flour and glutinous rice flour filled with melted palm sugar. The marble-shaped snack is also covered by shredded coconut. When you chew it, klepon will ‘pop’ in your mouth and the sweet melted palm sugar will make your taste buds dance! Onde-onde Just like Klepon,

 Onde-onde 

is also one of the jajanan pasar in Indonesia. Onde-onde originated from Mojokerto, East Java and makes the city dubbed as ‘City of Onde-onde’. It is made from glutinous rice flour and filled with green bean. The skin is coated with sesame seeds and makes this snack tastes sweet and a little bit salty. These days, there are many gift shops sell Onde-onde with various flavors and filling, such as sweet potato flavor and chocolate.

 Panada

 Panada is traditional snack from Manado, North Sulawesi. It’s kind of fried bread with spicy shredded tuna filling. The soft bread, combined with the fresh tuna and signature Manadonese spices will make you want to eat it again and again. You can find this snack at the market or Manadonese restaurants.

 Getuk

 Getuk is Javanese snack that is made from cassava. There are two kinds of getuk: getuk, is the steamed cassava is sprinkled with shredded palm sugar, so it’s brown in color and the texture is a little bit coarse. Second is getuk lindri, it is when the steamed cassava is grinded with sugar, and is colored with food coloring and vanilla extract. After that, it is molded into small, long shape so it looks like noodles and then cut into square pieces. Usually it’s served with shredded coconut and palm sugar syrup. You can find getuk at the market (in the morning), snack hawker, or at gift shop especially in Java area.

 Surabi 


Surabi or serabi is an Indonesian pancake that is made from the mixture of rice flour and coconut milk or plain shredded coconut. Most of traditional serabi tastes sweet, as it is usually eaten with kinca or thick golden colored coconut and sugar syrup. But nowadays there are many varieties of serabi toppings from oncom to minced beef and cheese. Serabi from Bandung is typically dryer and firmer with various kinds of toppings, while serabi from Solo are more traditional with a little bit half cooked in the center and thin crispy crust. You can find serabi at traditional market, street serabi hawkers, or gift shops.

 Cireng 


Cireng is Sundanese traditional snack that is made from tapioca or corn starch. This snack is really popular in Priangan, West Java, but nowadays we can find it almost everywhere in Java. The name ‘cireng’ is actually an abbreviation from ‘aci digoreng’ literally means fried tapioca, which is what it really is. Usually cireng is served along with spicy peanut sauce dipping. We can find many variations of cireng with chicken, sausage, even beef fillings.

 Keripik Tempe 


Keripik tempe or tempe crackers are snack made from thin-sliced tempe coated in garlic and coriander flour batter. The taste is salty with a mouth-watering garlic aroma. Nowadays there are many fusions tempe crackers with various flavors such as chili, cheese, barbeque, even seaweed flavor. This snacks are available in almost everywhere in Java, either it’s sold as gift (usually gift from Malang, East Java) or just for casual snack.

 Bika Ambon 


Bika Ambon is dessert made from tapioca flour, eggs, sugar, yeast and coconut milk. The yeast creates bubbles which gives Bika Ambon unique spongy texture when it is baked. Although the name contains the word “Ambon”, the name of an island and its largest city in Indonesia, Bika Ambon is widely known as specialty cake from Medan, North Sumatera. Usually people who visited Medan bring this cake as gift to their home. But, don’t worry; now you don’t need to visit Medan first to buy Bika Ambon, because it’s easy to be found in cake shops or bakeries all around Indonesia. 

Kue Cubit


 Kue Cubit is one of the popular snacks in Jakarta. This tiny snack is usually sold near schools by hawkers. Kue Cubit is made from milk and wheat flour batter, and molded in stainless steel Kue Cubit mold. The name ‘Kue Cubit’ (literally means pinched cake) was taken from the way Kue Cubit makers remove the cooked Kue Cubit using clamp/tongs so it looks like the cakes are being pinched. Nowadays, there are many variations of Kue Cubit flavor and toppings, such as red velvet, green tea, and coffee flavor. It’s said that Kue Cubit tastes better when it’s half-cooked. Yummy!

 Lemper


 Lemper is snack made from steamed glutinous rice filled with beef floss, chicken or fish meat. It tastes savory, because the rice is cooked with coconut milk and other herbs such as bay leaf and lemongrass. Well, we can say it’s like ‘Indonesian sushi’ without seaweed and wasabi! You can find lemper at traditional market or bakeries all around Indonesia. Actually there are many more Indonesian snacks than this list. If we explore the snacks from each province in Indonesia, the list would never end! But, these snacks are really must-try snacks especially if you want to taste the diverse culinary heritage of Indonesia. You can easily find these famous snacks on the roadside!

Read More

Solo Gateways and Street Food Market

After the last four days had been really exhausting, the day today simply had to be more relaxed, slow and easy-going…

White Gateway of the Palace Area in Solo on Java, Indonesia
While the last days had required getting up between 4 and 5am, travelling 12 hours a day or hiking on volcanoes and walking around, now it was great to not having a schedule and being able to take care of such exciting things as laundry. The little homestay in Solo, surrounded by a small garden, was the perfect place for that and so it wasn’t until lunch time that I finally felt ready to leave the fenced-in complex. Naturally the great open-air street food market became my first destination and since the food was so tasty, I ended up spending over two hours sampling various dishes from different stalls…
Only after it was absolutely impossible to eat anything more, I managed to make my way to the 1745 established royal palace called Kraton Surakarta. But unfortunately it appeared that I had spent too much time enjoying the delicious food and so I found this palace closed down for the day. Luckily there was a second palace in Solo, Istana Mangkunegaran, established 1757 and still partially inhabited by the aristocratic family. But by the time I finally arrived there, it was closed already as well…

Local Street Food Market in Solo on Java, Indonesia
Slightly disappointed about the much too early closing times in Solo, I simply used the day to walk around and explore the area around the palace. While the palace itself was enclosed by white walls, the surrounding area as well turned out to be a maze of white walls and gateways. It seemed that everything must have been once part of the extensive palace complex, providing living quarters for employees of the court and stables for the royal horses. Nowadays behind those gateways lay small courtyards with tiny micro cosmoses of houses and small businesses…
While it was fun to just wander around and explore as many of the white wall gateways as possible, eventually I rather focused my attention on the street food again. There happened to be street vendors everywhere, making fantastic little pancakes with coconut and chocolate or banana. They were simply delicious and so was the food on the lively street food market as well again in the evening. Even if the palace visits had not worked out today, at least the food was amazing and there even happened to be another fashion show. This time it was Batik themed, displaying busy local patterns and helping to make this the perfect ending of a nice day in Solo…
Read More
One of the best ways to truly immerse in a certain culture is by trying out the cheapest types of food offered in the country/city! For starters, you should experience the street food in every city you visit. So, if you are planning to go to a trip to Sumatra, Indonesia, make sure you make stops at the following places, they offer the best street foods in Sumatra!

1. Padang, Sumatra


Getting around Padang in Sumatra is very enjoyable because Padang cuisine is one of the best there is in the whole world. But in terms of street food, you should try out different types of “satay.” This is the Indonesian version of barbecue, or grilled meat on skewers. The satay in Padang (hands down the best street foods in Sumatra) is unique, since it is cooked like curry, with the same herbs, therefore producing the same yellow color and the same irresistible taste.

2. Batagor & Siomay Ibu Endang


Siomay (Indonesia’s version of dim sum) is another of the best street foods in Sumatra. Siomay is everywhere in Sumatra – you can get it from bicycle and sidewalk vendors, even! The Batagor & Siomay Ibu Endang restaurant in South Sumatra is just one of the many, many places you can enjoy siomay and its iconic peanut sauce! Sidenote: peanut sauce is big in Indonesia. Be not afraid to try it even if it seems a bit weird at first! It’s actually really tasty!

3. Palembang, South Sumatra


Palembang is a place in South Sumatra that serves some of the most sumptuous Indonesian food. One of the best street foods in Sumatra that you can find in Palembang, however, is called Pempek, or empek-empek. It is made from fish and tapioca, primarily. There are many other variations of the Pempek, however, that adds various ingredients aside from the basic fish and tapioca. Try the kapal selam – this one is very popular for locals and tourists alike, and in contains an egg in the center of the Pempek.

4. Aceh, Sumatra


Aceh in Northern Sumatra is a food hub known for its Indian and Malay fusion cuisine. The best street foods in Sumatra that you can experience in Aceh, however, is the Mie Aceh (Aceh noodles). You can have it in meat or seafood, but either will be served with a spicy sauce that will surely satisfy your quest for authentic Indonesian food. Mie Aceh has a distinct taste to it that you will not taste outside Indonesia. Tasting it would surely be an unforgettable experience.

5. Harum Manis, Palembang


Harum Manis is a restaurant that serves one of the best street foods in Sumatra, the otak-otak. It is fish cake wrapped in banana leaves before being cooked over charcoal. It is best enjoyed in Sumatra where it is served with red chili and soy sauce, while in Jakarta it is served with peanut sauce. You can buy this from bicycle and street vendors all over the place, but when you eat at the Harum Manis resto, you can order some Indonesian ice cream to go with it! Wow, that certainly left me peckish! So, try to experience all of the street food in Sumatra, specifically the ones listed in here! You should, of course, explore and discover the others on your own. Don’t be afraid to order stuff just because you don’t understand its name or dsecription in the menu, the fun is in finding out!
Read More
These tasty meat skewers cook up over coals so hot they need fans to waft the smoke away.
Whether it's chicken, goat, mutton or rabbit, the scrappy morsels get marinated in turmeric, barbecued and then bathed in a hearty dose of peanut sauce.
Other nations now lay claim to sate, but Indonesians consider it a national dish conceived by street vendors and popularized by Arab traders.
Each vendor seeks distinction, but "sate madura" -- served with rice cakes (ketupat) and diced cucumber and onion -- is distinguished by its boat-shaped street carts.
Sate Ragusa serves legendary satay that dates to the 1950s. Its signature spaghetti ice cream is a perfect dish to cleanse the palate after a meal.
Sate Ragusa, Jl. Veteran 1 No. 10, Gambir, Jakarta
Read More
Got an attack of the munchies? Need something to accompany your beachside Bintang? Then you must try some of Indonesia’s favourite snacks, which are easily found everywhere in Bali. If you can, you must try them all, revel in the moment and then go for a 10km run. In other words, if you’re prescribing to a raw vegan diet then Indonesia’s favourite treats are your kryptonite. Otherwise, if you’re a no-holds barred, gotta try everything kinda person, then prepare the serviettes because it’s going to get messy.

Gorengan

The word “goreng” means to fry. By putting “an” on the end, it literally means “fried thing”, or what some might call, “blissful thing” or “heaven sent thing”. A fried thing is easily the most affordable and accessible snack in Bali. There are many different choices and not every gorengan stand will be the same, with each street-side chef having his or her own special recipe. By far, the king of all gorengan has to be pisang goreng (fried banana) but there are many others to pick from ranging from the sweet to the savoury. The average price is 500rp per piece, but don’t stop at just one – it’s never enough.


Martabak

This night time snack is available in a sweet and a savoury version, both being equally devilish. This is probably the most unhealthy but oh-so-good-I-don’t-care-watch-me-eat-it-anyway out of the bunch. To describe the sweet version best would be a mix between a pancake and a crumpet. It is prepared with lashings of butter and a plethora of fillings that the buyer gets to choose. Be brave and order the uniquely Indonesian flavour – a mix of chocolate and cheese – if only to say you have tried it. The savoury martabak is made by stretching layers of pastry, filling them with egg, onion and minced meat, and then frying them to create a crisp yet gooey salty snack. It is usually accompanied by pickled cucumbers and a sweet vinaigrette. Fun fact: the savoury martabak is said to have been brought to Indonesia by Indian Muslims during the spread of Islam.


Fruit

We should probably throw in at least one healthy option. And after all, Bali is a tropical island with a bounty of fruits to be tasted. The stock standard varieties like banana, pineapple and papaya are always available, but come here during certain months for the more rare and exotic beauties like Durian, Mangosteen and Rambutan. You can eat the fruit ala natural, blended into a refreshing juice or even mixed with ice, condensed milk and jelly for a dessert known as Es Campur (Mixed Ice). If you ask us, the best place to purchase juice and fruity treats is on Jalan Patimura off Legian street, Kuta.


Jagung Bakar

Found beachside, at tourist sights and every night time market in Indonesia, Jagung Bakar is chargrilled corn that can be either smothered in butter, sambal or condensed milk. Have it as you like it, but best eaten amongst friends and not on a first date. Chances are you will end up looking like a hot mess. But really, who cares? you’re on a holiday in the tropics!


Bakso

meatball soup that is easily recognisable from the ting-ting sound of the hawkers tapping a spoon against the porcelain bowl it comes served in. The dish is a mix of a sour broth, shredded cabbage, rice noodles and meatballs. The meatballs themselves are a mixed bag, but you can be certain that it’s most probably some form of chicken (unless specified). Whether it be at a local warung or sold roadside by hawkers, this local snack sends Indonesians wild. If you hear the infamous sound of the bakso bowl, just yell bakso 2 times to get the sellers attention. Prices range from 5000 to 15,000, depending on the contents of your bowl.


Tummy rumbling yet? There are over 6000 inhabited islands in Indonesia with regional dishes aplenty. You would have to be here for at least a year to try them all! The snacks are just the beginning, stay tuned for the next food instalment when we post the ultimate Indonesian menu sampler that will get you from breakfast to midnight with plenty of Indo tastebud tantalisers in between
Read More

Light bites to complement your exquisite sightseeing
Travelling to new places brings a whole world of joy that will satiate the wanderlust in all of us. The rush that you get from visiting cultural and historical sites, lying down on a folding beach chair at a panoramic white sand beach, or hopping on a horse-drawn cart to enjoy the sights and sounds of a newly visited city can be revitalising and enriching at the same time. On a recent sojourn to Semarang, I found that simple nibbles could also do the trick. Here’s a short list of some of the best snacks that you could enjoy in Semarang.
Lekker
Before I went to Semarang, my knowledge of lekker (crêpe) was only limited to the ones that I would usually find in Jakarta – a crunchy thin pancake-like treat with chocolate sprinkles. However, in Lekker Paimo – a local favourite that serves the best lekker in the capital city of Central Java – you can find a variety of flavours on its menu. I can guarantee that you once had a taste, you’ll be coming back for more.

Lekker Paimo
Jl. Karang Anyar,
Semarang
Open from 10am-6pm
Loenpia
As one of the most iconic dishes in the culinary lexicon of Semarang, you can find scores of Loenpia (spring roll) shops and brands available in almost every corner of the city. If you’re at sea with which one to go for, I’d recommend either Loenpia Gang Lombok or Loenpia Mbak Lien in order to savour the crème de la crème of this authentic Semarang treat.

Loenpia Gang Lombok
Jl. Gang Lombok No.11,
Semarang, Central Java
T: 0816 488 1194
Open daily from 8am-5pm
Loenpia Mbak Lien
Jl. Pemuda, Gang Grajen No. 1,
Semarang, Central Java
T: 024 358 0734
Open daily from 8am-5pm
Tahu Pong
For a taste of the finest Tahu Pong (fried tofu) in town, make your way to Tahu Pong Jalan Gajah Mada. It might taste a bit bland if you nosh it plain, but add a dab of plecing (sweet sauce) that is usually served on the side with the fried tofu and you’ll be surprised by how delicious some food can be.

Tahu Pong Jalan Gajah Mada
Jl. Gajah Mada No. 63B,
Semarang
T: 024 355 6440
Open from Monday to Saturday from 10am-8pm
Wingko Babad
When it comes to Wingko Babad (pancake with grated coconut), you really can’t go wrong with Wingko Babad Cap Kereta Api. On top of being the pioneer of this dish in Semarang, its Wingko Babad is just extraordinary. For the record, this is my favourite bite in Semarang out of all.

Wingko Babad Cap Kereta Api
Jl. Cendrawasih No. 14,
Semarang
T: 024 354 2064
Open daily from 7am-7pm
Read More
If you would like to taste some of the very best traditional Balinese dishes on the island, we highly recommend this cooking class at an organic farm in Sidemen

image

The farm is a short 1 hour ride from Ubud and the class is run by a Balinese chef who takes you to pick your own vegetables before the class. As we city-folk are accustomed to cooking in an enclosed space, pounding up our spices and whipping up traditional curry pastes in their open-air kitchen was a much welcome change and (literally) a breath of fresh air. 
If you’re vegetarian or a vegan, the culinary team there is happy to provide other options like tempe curry, banana stalk soup and black rice pudding for dessert!

image

A vegetarian lunch spread with traditional Balinese sambals, corn fritters, and tofu, made with love by our guests
Should you prefer to stay in downtown Ubud, our friend Ibu Puspa (below) hoststhis enjoyable group class in her home. Her husband also brings you on an educational jaunt through the rice paddies to learn more about how this precious grain is grown… All in all, it’s great fun for a morning or afternoon and round trip transport from Ubud is included in the fee. 

image

Our friend Puspa smashes up some fresh onions, chilies and spices in a traditional mortar and pestle
Read More
Yogyakarta is famous for its great food. With a large international community and great local recipes the city offer plenty of culinary options for visitors. I want to share with you 5 of the best culinary choices in Yogyakarta.
Also read:
Gudeg is one of the famous local food here in Yogyakarta. This is one dish that you should definitely try when you visit Yogya. While there are many places that serve Gudeg in Yogyakarta, my favourite one has to be the one on Janturan street, which is called Gudeg Pawon. Besides its tasty Gudeg, eat in the restaurant gives you a great experience of old fashioned Javanese style kitchens – it reminds me a lot of my grandma’s kitchen. The restaurant is a tiny bit of a guilty pleasure of mine whenever I come and eat at Gudeg Pawon. The restaurant is open from 10-12 pm. That is right! That late night! Enough about gudeg, I want to share with you my other favourite food/drinks that you can try when you are in Yogyakarta. Let’s start, shall we?
nasi pecel yogya
  • Nasi/Rice Pecel – Warung in Demangan Baru Street
There is nothing fancy about this small restaurant. The place is clean and pretty basic. They only have limited menu of Nasi Kuning (Yellow rice) and Nasi Pecel. The best thing is they are really tasty (so tasty!). It is a good choice for breakfast (if you are lucky, you can get it for lunch, they run out quite quickly), and it is pretty cheap.
es campur warung handayani
  • Es/Ice Campur – Warung Handayani in Alun Alun Kidul Keraton
Warung Handayani is really famous for the Nasi Brongkos. Nasi Brongkos is the other local cuisine of Yogykarta, but the dish is less famous than Gudeg. It is basically rice with red beans soup. To be honest, it’s not my favourite, the taste is just too boring for me. Other than Nasi Brongkos, Warung Handayani also sells Nasi Soto (which I like), Es Campur (which I freakin love) and much more. Es campur is a drink made from Tapai (traditional fermented food found), coconut flesh, probably syrup, coconut milk and ice cubes.
sate klatak pasar wonokromo
  • Sate/Satay Klatak – Warung Mas Bari, near Wonokromo Market, Pleret
Oh my god, I think this Sate Klatak is the best goat Satay that I have ever eaten in my entire life. Hahaha. The satay is pretty simple though. They just grill the meat with a tiny of salt and probably garlic. The unique thing about it is that the skewer is not bamboo, but comes from the spokes of a bicycle. This apparently makes the meat more tender.
chocolate lava cake lotus mio
  • Chocolate Lava Cake – Lotus Mio in Tirtodipuran Street
Lotus Mio is a place that I visit quite often. They have pretty awesome simple decorations – almost everything is made from wood. You kind of get that peaceful ambiance, especially with the small Buddha statues in front of the door. Anyways, basically the food and gelato are all tasty, but I want to highlight the dessert; the Chocolate Lava Cake here is to die for – it’s a chocolate cake served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and so far the best dessert in town.
bebek goreng mangkuyudan
  • Bebek Goreng/Fried Duck – Warung in Mangkuyudan Street
Actually I prefer grilled duck rather than fried duck, but seriously I can’t really find a good one here. This small warung in Mangkuyudan street somehow met the minimum requirement, even though it is fried duck. The nasi uduk (coconut rice) is nice; the sambal (sauce) is so tasty and the important thing the duck is tender. I personally think it is better than Bebek Cak Koting, the famous one in Yogyakarta.
nasi kuning demangan
There you go, all my favorite yummies in Yogyakarta after I lived here for -/+ 3 months. I shall update this list of mine again when I find another delicious food / drinks in the future. This is a hard list to built without drooling. In the mean time, share your favourite places too. I want to know and give them a try!
Read More