Ready to serve: A worker slices nougat bread at Kedai Kopi Nogat.

From Dukuh Atas to Lebak Bulus, there are plenty of scrumptious treats for food lovers to explore.

To celebrate the diverse and unique culinary spots scattered within close proximity of the route, Jakarta Food Traveler (JFT) founder Ira Lathief recently launched a tour called Exploring Culinary Sensations Along the MRT Line on Aug. 25.

During the maiden MRT culinary tour, Ira led a group of 17 people through the Dukuh Atas Tunnel toward a trendy, pop-inspired restaurant called Warung Mee.

The tour participants were eager to kick off their foody afternoon as they sat around a long table and ordered the restaurant’s signature instant noodle dishes.

One dish was instant noodles served with fried egg, sweet soy sauce-glazed sausages and peppery seasoning. Another variant, called Mee Salju, comprised instant noodles with fried egg and a dollop of hot chili sauce balanced with a cheesy broth. It was the perfect choice for those who enjoy the tongue-tingling sensations of a hot, spicy bowl of soup.

The second stop was Kedai Kopi Nogat, located just next door. Here, Ira and her group were given permission by the owner to enter the kitchen. The excitement of the participants was apparent as they took multiple pictures and videos of the kitchen staff cooking.

After grilling homemade bread, the kitchen staff slathered on generous amounts of mocha cream and topped it with ample caramelized nougat crumbles. As one bites into the soft, warm bread, the sweetness of the nougat and faint coffee aroma of the mocha embrace the senses.

Yummy: A bowl of instant noodles with fried egg, sweet soy sauce-glazed sausages and peppery seasoning served at Warung Mee.

After indulging their sweet tooth, Ira took the tour participants into the underground MRT station of Dukuh Atas. They rode three stops to Istora, where Ira guided them to an ongoing historical exhibition called Festival Indonesia Maju (Progressive Indonesia Festival).

Before continuing their journey by MRT, they walked across the Instagram-worthy Gelora Bung Karno pedestrian bridge. Under the blanket of Jakarta’s night sky, the bridge’s unique structure lights up with flashing neon colors. Here, the tour participants stopped to pose for a group photo.

As the clock struck half past six, Ira and her group rode three more stops to Blok M, their final destination for the night. They walked through the legendary Blok M Mall, which has regained its popularity after the MRT opened, to Gulai Tikungan, perhaps the most famous street food stall in all of Blok M.

Gulai Tikungan’s signature dish is a plate of rice with curry soup, beef and crackers sold for Rp 10,000 (US$0.71). With each portion fitting for its price, some tour participants ordered a second and even third serving.

After a final picture was taken, the group that had started out as strangers left the street stall with new friends and a deeper knowledge of the city’s culinary scene. They said their goodbyes and parted ways, if not forever then until Ira’s next food tour.

Poppy was one of the evening’s tour participants. The MRT culinary tour was Poppie’s third time traveling with JFT.

“Sometimes there are [culinary spots] I’ve never been to. So I’ll try them and if it turns out to be recommended, I can take my kids [there].”

Poppy believed that every place, including cafes and restaurants, had a story, and that joining food tours allowed her to learn about those stories. She said tours were a great opportunity to spend time with new people from different backgrounds.

Iced mocha nougat coffees.

“It’s a rare [opportunity],” Poppy said.

“Even though we won’t necessarily keep in touch with one another, I’m still happy.”

Also joining Ira and the group was Repa Kustipia, a final year nutrition student who spends her free time as one of JFT’s 20 freelance tour guides. She first joined the team more than a year ago and is happy she can combine her passion, vacation and work into this one part-time job.

“The [JFT] community is a group of people who loves traveling and eating,” said Repa. She explained that all of their routes were explored either on foot or by public transportation.

JFT’s MRT tour will visit different locations once a month, and Ira and her colleagues update the tour itinerary on her tour agency website at wisatakreatifjakarta.com.

Ira initially started her agency for foreign tourists who wanted to explore Jakarta’s cuisine but found that there was greater market potential catering to locals.

In 2017, she began organizing two tours a day on weekends for locals. JFT releases a monthly tour schedule on its website and now has over 50 different routes around Jakarta, Bogor, Depok and Tangerang.

Ira said the idea of running a city tour focused on lesser-known culinary gems came from her 15 years of experience as a tour guide for foreign tourists. Many of these foreigners told Ira how interesting they thought Jakarta was, whereas lots of locals are skeptical about exploring their own city.

“Once, while I was traveling abroad I joined a local food tour and realized Jakarta didn’t really have anything like that,” Ira said, “It’s an alternative for Jakartans to get to know their own city in a fun and filling way.”

Full bellies: Tour participants pose for a final group photo with the man behind the famous Gulai Tikungan street food stall in Blok M, South Jakarta.

— The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post

— Photos by JP/Erica Fransisca Thajeb