Taste Central

The Jakarta Post   |  Sat, 06/28/2008 5:17 PM  |  On a Jet Plane

Semarang is a steamy coastal city that is usually given a miss by tourists more interested in Yogyakarta’s draws. When it comes to food, however, the capital of Central Java has something for everyone, Rudolf V. Santana writes.

 

 

It was almost 3 p.m. when the comfortable executive train I took from Jakarta arrived at Tawang Station. The taxi drivers outside quickly offered me a city tour. Maybe they thought I was a visitor. They didn’t know it is my home, and I know my way around. But as it was a really hot afternoon, I took one of them up on the offer. The driver rattled on about gubernatorial elections and Semarang’s anniversary in early May.

 

During the drive, I saw many city sights that have remained unchanged over the years. As the province’s capital, it still plays an important role in the economy and politics. Government offices, business and industrial centers are located in lower lying areas (known as Semarang Bawah), where traffic jams are framed by dust and the bright sunshine. Meanwhile the cooler hilly area called Semarang Atas are residential, where most houses have beautiful views to the coastline. Although Semarang has many old historical buildings, such as Lawang Sewu and Immanuel Church (popularly known as Gereja Blenduk because of its domed roof) and Chinese temples, this harbor city is not a usual tourist destination. People go to Semarang to visit relatives, for study or business.

 

There is one attraction – its food – that does entice visitors. They come to feast on lumpia (spring rolls), bandeng presto (pressed milk fish), tahu pong and other specialties. The influence of other cultures, including Chinese and Dutch, on the food is what makes it unique. So while the taxi driver grumbled on about the heat and traffic, I looked ahead to my next meal.

Toko Oen

Jl. Pemuda 52 Semarang

Telp. (024) 3541683

I visited the restaurant for the first time as a boy in 1981 with my father. It was a memorable experience. I remember very well the delicious croquette he ordered as starter; warm and fat, with crunchy fried breadcrubms giving up tender mashed potatoes with chunks of chicken. Heavenly! A full 27 years later, it seemed nothing had changed in this Dutch-style restaurant. There were the same low woven chairs, old piano, old photos and white-outfitted waiters in peci (traditional caps), Oen’s icons. I sat down by the old piano close to the bakery counter and ordered Oen’s Symphony (a bowl of assorted homemade ice cream). Then I commenced to enjoy not only the ice cream but the relaxing ambience.

 

Toko Oen Semarang was established in the 1930s in Bodjong street ( now Jalan Pemuda, in front of Sri Ratu Supermarket) after the old Toko Oen founded in Yogya in 1922 (the Toko Oens of Yogya and Jakarta are long closed, although the Malang Oen, no longer affiliated with the Semarang eatery is still open). Toko Oen Semarang’s main claim to fame is the appetizing Dutch menu and Indonesian cuisine, as well as the nostalgiac atmosphere. Its homemade cakes ( my favourite is oentbijkoek, a spicy cake heady with cinnamon and nutmeg) , breads, cookies and ice cream are standouts. For me, Toko Oen is a place where I can sit back and think back to the good old days.

lumpia

Lumpia Mbak Lien

Jalan Pemuda, Gang Grajen

(in front of Sri Ratu Supermarket)

As with many foodies traveling to Semarang, lumpia (spring roll) is always top of my list, with Mbak Lien’s my all-time, must-have favorite. The spring rolls are filled with jullienned rebung (bamboo shoots), chopped shrimp, chicken meat, egg, garlic and pihie (a dried fish touted for enhancing virility). When other lumpia stalls and shops sell their wares in a Rp 2, 500 – Rp 7,000 price range, Mbak Lien’s are Rp 8.000, and the thick, fat and so luscious rolls are worth every penny. Many love the fried version, with the flavorsome filling encased in the crunch pastry, but I am devoted to the unfried ones ( lumpia basah) because I focus on the succulent stuffing. Enjoy either version with spring onions, acar timun (pickled cucumbers) and saus kelwa (kelwa sauce) for truly authentic Semarang spring rolls.

 

Semarang’s spring-roll history reportedly began at the end of the 19th century when Tjoa Thay Yoe moved to the Java town from China. He sold authentic versions of the rolls of his homeland. Mbak Lien’s is a third generation seller.

Istana Wedang

Jl. Pemuda 121 Semarang

(Next to Novotel Hotel)

Telp. (024) 3541879

In my kampong, wedang (say whey-dunk), means beverage, usually hot ones, such as tea, coffee, wedang jahe (a ginger drink) and wedang ronde (a potent ginger drink with glutinous balls filled with palm sugar and sprinkled with peanuts). Usually hot tea or hot coffe are served in a tall glass or a cup. Wedangan is the term for when friends hang out over hot drinks, the traditional forerunner of today’s urban coffee culture.

 

Wedang are easy to find in warung (food stalls)and local restaurants in Semarang. But Istana Wedang is the best wedang venue in Semarang. It also serves delicious traditional snacks and Chinese food. Price range is from Rp 2500 – Rp 25.000.

Tahu Pong

Jl. Gadjah Mada 63 B

Telp. (024) 3556440

Pong or kopong or kosong means empty.The tahu (tofu) is cut into dice shapes and then deep fried. A bite into the crispy tofu reveals the pong (empty center), and it has become one of Semarang’s local specialties. My favorite is Tahu Pong at Jl Gadjah Mada, located near Gumaya Hotel, right in front of Bethany Church. The stall’s stamp of authenticity is that it has no branches and has been in business since the 1970s.

 

Tahu pong is served with bumbu kecap (soy sauce mixed with fried chopped shallots and garlic), and acar timun (pickled cucumbers). It can be enjoyed as a snack or a side dish with rice. The tahu pong special is served with egg and gimbal udang ( shrimp fritter).

Price range is Rp 3,000- Rp 15,000.

Semawis,

the Semarang Chinatown

Semarang, like almost every large city in Indonesia, has its pecinan (Chinatown). In all my years living in the city I had never visited this section of town, which is known for the ethnic Chinese community’s efforts to preserve and revitalize their culture. After the repression of Chinese-Indonesians during the New Order regime through draconian regulations, in 2003 the chinese community set up the Komunitas Pecinan Semarang untuk Pariwisata (Semarang Chinese Community for Tourism), popularly known as Semawis. In the beginning it was proclaimed as a Chinese New Year Market where people could purchase food and worship items such as candles, flowers and fragrance. Klenteng (Chinese temples) are in every corner and deliver magical ambience through their bright red and gold decorations. The area has since emerged as a place to visit during a trip to Semarang.

 

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, Pasar Semawis becomes a lively, exciting nightspot. Red lanterns, karaoke joints playing Mandarin songs, fortune tellers and stalls offering jade accesories stalls are part of the fun. Some of the Chinese dishes include sate babi (pork satay) and swikee ( frog soup) are at every corner, and Muslims like me seeking halal food (permissible) also will not go hungry because there is a whole smorgasbord of delicious food to be found. My favorites include nasi ayam, rice with chicken meat and egg in coconut milk soup( Rp 7.000) and Es Cong Lik; ice cream-like, served with jelly, shredded coconut and ripe durian (Rp 7.500). Mouth-watering! The food price range in the area is about Rp 2.000 – Rp 25.000, which is a steal for the taste.

 

How to get there: Semawis is located at Gang Pinggir, about 10-15 minutes by becak (Rp 10.000) from Simpang Lima or Jalan Pemuda.

Kedai Mama

Jl. Gajah Mada 125 Semarang

Telp. (024) 310140

Its tag line -- the heritage cuisine -- on the sign outside the restaurant drew me in. Mr.Jongkie Tio, the owner, told me the story of how he and his wife, Puspawati set up the small restaurant in 1991. In the beginning they offered European and Indonesian dishes but then chose on Indonesian heritage cuisine. Jongkie Tio knows very well about local cuisine. In his book, Kota Semarang – Dalam Kenangan (Semarang City in Memories), he describes the interraction between Chinese and Javanese in Semarang, culminating in its unique cuisine. My favorite beverage in Kedai Mama is bir Jawa (literally Javanese beer but a nonalcoholic refreshing spicy beverage. And the Lontong Cap Go Meh reminds me to my grandmother’s lontong opor (ricecake served with chicken and egg in coconut milk).

Prices range from Rp 5,000 – Rp 35.000.

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