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Weekly 5: Spots in town for pork lovers
JP/Seto Wardhana Finding pork in Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, might not be as easy as searching for beef or chicken dishes
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JP/Seto Wardhana
Finding pork in Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, might not be as easy as searching for beef or chicken dishes. Nonetheless, eateries offering pork are not rare in the country's capital city, Jakarta, which has several enclaves with a strong Chinese-Indonesian presence. These places are famous not only for their non-halal dishes but also the guilty pleasures that every pork lover in town should know:
Pecenongan
Having been a culinary center since the 1970s, Jl. Pecenongan is well-known as a night-time culinary spot. Dozens of tent stalls, which start to open at 5 p.m., offer numerous tasty dishes along the street, including pork satay and bakut (pork ribs) soup.
One of the stalls that is usually packed by visitors for its pork dishes is Sate Babi dan Bakut Krekot, which was established in the 1960s. Located in front of the Alila Hotel, the stall sells satay at Rp 6,000 (43 US cents) per piece.
Pantai Indah Kapuk and Pluit
Rapidly growing Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK) and Pluit in North Jakarta also cook pork in various, mostly in East-Asian, styles.
The capital's new Chinatown has Singapore-based restaurant Song Fa Bak Kut Teh, for example, which opened its first Indonesian outlet last year in PIK.
'A year ago, I was so excited to find out that Song Fa Bak Kut Teh eventually opened its restaurant in Indonesia. Though it is far from my house, I sometimes visit it as I crave its juicy and tender pork in savory soup,' said Elma Agustin, a resident of Karawaci, Tangerang, who once studied in Singapore.
Meanwhile, Pluit has tempting pork dishes such as pork satay, noodles and wonton, which are sold in the evening in stalls along Jl. Pluit Sakti Raya.
Like Kelapa Gading, PIK-Pluit caters to a more affluent clientele.
Mangga Besar
Not only notorious as the center of nightlife, Mangga Besar is also known for its tempting eateries.
Bakmi Ahau 38, for instance, is only a small tent stall at the edge of Jl. Mangga Besar with around six tables and 24 chairs. The seats are already fully occupied by 6:30 p.m. or 30 minutes after it opens.
Open until midnight, Bakmi Ahau 38 has gained its name among pork lovers for its savory yet sweet noodles with various side dishes ' char siu (red barbeque pork), pork dumpling, pork wonton, pork meatballs, fried pork meatballs and sweetened custard eggs.
At the same area, a family restaurant named Kamseng offers some of the best porridge in town served with various side dishes, such as pig ears, trotters and cakwe (Chinese fried bread stick). Kamseng also serves non-pork food.
Kelapa Gading
Different to the previous places that offer mostly Chinese peranakan dishes, Kelapa Gading has a greater variety of styles such as Batak, Torajans, Manadonese and East Asian.
Irrienia Devi, 23, said her favorite dish was Toraja Solata in Kelapa Gading, which serves pantollo pammarasan. Served with kluwak (black nut), it is a unique pork dish, according to her.
'As far as I know, kluwak is poisonous if it is not well-cooked. Nonetheless, in that dish, the mixture of kluwak and pork perfectly creates a savory meal,' said Devi.
Kelapa Gading also boasts not only local restaurants but also international franchises that serve a variety of cuisine raging from Western food to East Asian dishes. Many halal dishes are also located in Kelapa Gading.
Glodok
The capital's original Chinatown boasts a place for culinary adventurers called Gang Gloria (Gloria alleyway).
At the alley, pork lovers will be pampered with nasi campur (a mixture of steamed rice and pork), barbeque pork, pork noodles and char siu. Across Gang Gloria, Gang Kalimati serves pork snacks, such as steamed pork dumplings and bakcang cake (rice rolls filled with pork).
'Although the alleyways are sometimes muddy, I like this place. I always come here every Saturday with my family for breakfast,' said Hernandi.
