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Popular food trends in Indonesia in 2016
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Sweet 'martabak' is usually served with various toppings such as chocolate, cheese, green tea, and even durian. (Shutterstock/-)
I
ndonesians are all about trends. Here are the five most popular food trends in Indonesia in 2016, as reported by Antara news agency.
(Read also: Japanese cheese tarts are all the craze these days)
Samyang instant noodle
The Korean spicy ramen was a must-try instant noodle throughout 2016. The popularity of the dish came about courtesy of the Samyang Challenge, a popular video showing the reaction of public figures while trying the spicy noodle.
Tahu bulat
Tahu bulat (round tofu) is not the usual fried fritters. While sellers of fried fritters use carts, tahu bulat's sellers travel with pick-up vehicles and fry the tofu in the car. A catchy tune roars, enticing hungry food enthusiasts to buy the fried tofu. The instant popularity led to the appearance of the Tahu Bulat game on smartphones.
Martabak
Martabak is not a new kid on the block, as it has been around for decades. However, the modern martabak with premium fillings such as Nutella, Ovomaltine and matcha (green tea powder) managed to steal the thunder this year.
One of the most talked-about martabak joints serving premium-grade martabak is Makobar. Owned by the first son of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Makobar offers a pizza-shaped Indonesian pancake with various toppings, such as Cadbury, Toblerone, Nutella and Kit Kat.
Cheesecake
There were many up-and-coming Japanese cheesecake brands this year. One of the most hotly anticipated cheesecake brands is Pablo Cheesetart. Originally from Osaka, Japan, the Pablo Cheesetart opened its first branch at the Gandaria City shopping mall in South Jakarta in November. Since then, food enthusiasts have been flooding to the outlet.
McDonald's Apple Pie
After a long hiatus, McDonald's apple pie returned in October. This comeback warmed the hearts of fans, although the size of the pie is noticeably smaller compared to the previous version that was popular in the 1990s. (asw)
