Shen Lee NgThink of Bali, and the crispy suckling pig that is babi guling might come to mind. Think of Jakarta, and perhaps an image of gado-gado might appear – that delightful mix of vegetables, boiled eggs, potatoes, tofu and tempeh in peanut sauce. But what about Bandung?
In this charming highland city in West Java, the winds are cool, the natural landscapes are ethereal, and ingenuity resides in every cafe and market street. Not your usual Indonesian fare, the creativity of the locals can be seen in their unique dishes too. Here are seven of the top things to eat in Bandung!
1. Batagor – Deep-Fried Fish Dumplings
Image credit: Alpha on Flickr
What would Bandung’s street food scene be without these fish-filled treats? Fish paste is stuffed into tofu or wonton skins and deep fried till irresistibly golden. They’re then snipped into bite-sized pieces and served with Bandung’s favourite local seasonings – peanut sauce, sweet soy sauce and a wedge of lime.
Image credit: Adenia Larasati on Flickr
For the most legendary batagor in Bandung, Kingsley Batagor has garnered a name for itself as the go-to. Siomay is equally popular as well. Similar to batagor but steamed instead of fried, they offer a sweeter, more delicate taste. They’re inspired by the Chinese siew mai, but served with peanut sauce instead of chili sauce.
2. Nasi Timbel – Banana Leaf-Wrapped Rice
Image credit: Jpatokal
A seemingly simple rice meal turns into something spectacular when wrapped with banana leaves. The fragrance of the leaves adds that little something extra to the fluffy steamed rice within and lightly compresses them for easier eating with your hands (as nasi timbel should be eaten). Instead of rolls, you might also find neatly folded cubes instead!
Image credit: christian razukas from Singapore
There aren’t any fixed rules as to what nasi timbel should be served with, but fried chicken, deep-fried tofu, tempeh, as well as fresh raw vegetables make for the usual. All this paired with sambal of course!
Keep an eye out for nasi bakar too! It’s essentially nasi timbel but with ingredients packed into the rice such as salted fish, with the entire package grilled over a fire!
3. Surabi – Coconut Pancakes
Image credit: Serenity
Surabi is Bandung’s take on pancakes. About the size of a palm, the fluffy pancakes signature to Bandung are made from rice flour, coconut milk and coconut sugar. Most uniquely, they’re cooked in small earthenware pots, which brings them their shape.
Image credit: Ramzy Muliawan
With all the delicious ingredients that go into it, plain surabi alone is already fragrant enough that you’d probably scoff down a dozen without realizing. But when in Bandung? Do as the locals do and hunt down all the different flavors! Bandung is famous for their rich selection of surabi flavours both savoury and sweet, topped with durian syrup, chocolate sprinkles or grated cheese!
4. Amanda Brownies
Image credit: Amanda Brownies Official Instagram Account
Who would’ve thought that brownies would be so popular in Bandung? Turns out, a trip to Bandung wouldn’t be complete without buying a couple of boxes of these infamous steamed brownies as souvenirs. That’s right – they’re steamed, not baked. This makes for that light, dreamy texture so often raved about by locals and tourists alike.
Image credit: Amanda Brownies Official Instagram Page
Just as with the aforementioned surabi, an entire kaleidoscope of flavours are available. The original chocolate flavour aside, try cappuccino marble or banana cheese! Amanda Brownies originated in Bandung back in 1999, but it’s seen so much success that even with its five branches throughout the city, vendors still attempt to sell knock-off versions to unsuspecting tourists.
5. Empal Gepuk – Sweet and Spicy Beef
Image credit: christian razukas
Another dish which originated in Bandung is empal gepuk, and is a meat lover’s dream. Beef shanks are boiled with a whole host of spices such as turmeric, lemongrass and palm sugar. They’re then pounded lightly to release the fibres, and deep-fried till dark brown.
Almost jerky-like, don’t expect your usual tender steak. Instead, expect pieces of incredibly flavorful beef which are salty, sweet and spicy all in one. Best served with nasi timbel!
6. Mie Kocok – Bandung Beef Noodles
Image credit: Gunawan Kartapranata
Bandung’s take on beef noodle soup comes in the form of mie kocok. This specialty beef noodle soup sees chewy yellow noodles swimming in rich beef stock. They’re accompanied by kikil (beef tendon), bakso (Indonesian meatballs) and added crunch from fresh bean sprouts.
As you can probably guess by now, they’re then paired with sweet soy sauce, lime juice and sambal as you desire. Not to be mistaken with Mie Koclok, which are chicken noodles in a unique starch-like sauce, and is a speciality of the neighbouring city of Cirebon.
7. Pisang Bolen – Banana Puff Pastries
Image credit: Iain Cameron
Looking for more edible souvenirs to bring home? Good thing Bandung doesn’t fall short in that respect! Another mouthwatering treat you’d want to save space for in your carry on is pisang bolen – indulgent puff pastry parcels filled with whole banana pieces. And because bananas, cheese and chocolate never stray far from each other in terms of Bandung flavour combinations, cheese and chocolate versions are available as well!
Get them from Kartika Sari, the bakery synonymous with bolen in Bandung. For a souvenir which screams of Bandung, bring home the peyeum keju bolen – bolen with cheese and peuyeum (fermented cassava).
What else in Bandung would you recommend for the intrepid foodies? Let us know!
