Pandering for good food? Get yourself to Bandung<\/p>\n
Text and photos by Agni Amorita<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): One Saturday afternoon young Yeannie Adisubrata,
\nwith her three girl friends, drove her car along Jl. Kolonel
\nMasturi, leaving the busy city of Bandung and making for its
\nhinterland, Lembang.<\/p>\n
\"I want to reach The Peak before sunset,\" said Yeannie, who
\nworks in for international bank. During the trip she turned down
\nthe air-conditioning and opened a window, letting the cool breeze
\ncrossing the Lembang mountain range whip past her face. \"The
\nsunset at The Peak is one of the most beautiful things here,\" she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Located at the top of a hill in Parompong, along the route
\nfrom Bandung to Lembang, The Peak is one of the newest dining
\nareas in Bandung and underlines the cafemania phenomenon that hit
\nthe area last year.<\/p>\n
The newest cafe is Kampung Daun, which opened two months ago.
\nIt is located on Jl. Sersan Bajuri. According to Dwi Budi, the
\ncafe's customer service officer, a spa and another cafe offering
\nMediterranean food will soon open there.<\/p>\n
\"For now we have Warung Cadas Gantung which offers local food
\nand Cabanas for self-cooking dining,\" she explained.<\/p>\n
Nested in a secluded lower area and surrounded by a high rocky
\nwall, Warung Daun's interior is traditionally designed to match
\nnature. Each table is placed under a bamboo structure whose roofs
\nare made of sago palm leaf. International cuisine like shabu-
\nshabu or deep-fried calamari is available, but Kampung Daun
\nconcentrates mostly on traditional food and beverages such as
\nnasi goreng ikan asin (fried rice with salty fish), bakso campur
\n(mixed meat ball soup), colenak (fried cassava with shredded
\ncoconut topping), bandrek (a hot ginger drink) and bajigur
\n(coconut milk drink). The dishes cost about Rp 10,000 each.
\nTraditional touches are also found in the bar's architecture, the
\nwaiter's uniforms and also the plates and mug which are made from
\ncoconut shells.<\/p>\n
The Peak, however, is ensconced in a modern three-story
\nbuilding, with glass walls offering guests the best views of the
\nsurrounding mountain valley. The Peak also only serves European
\nfood and beverages. \"One of the most favorite items on the menu
\nhere is steak,\" said Sukirman, master chef at The Peak. Local
\nsteak is between Rp 32,000 and Rp 45,000 while imported meat is
\nabout Rp 50,000.<\/p>\n
Employing 45 people, The Peak has a 160-seat capacity and is
\nopen everyday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., according to the cafe's
\noperations manager, Agus Erick, who was recently busy preparing
\nthe cafe's first anniversary on Feb. 27.<\/p>\n
In Parompong, there is another cafe called Rossan Resto. But
\ncafes with valley views can also be found in the city of Bandung.
\nIn the Dago area, there are the Calista and Lalita Cafes, which
\nface each other. Guests of the two cafes can enjoy the scenery of
\nBandung city from their seats. And the prices are reasonable:
\nonly an average of Rp 10,000 per dish from their Indonesian and
\ninternational menu -- from satay to lasagna. No wonder the
\nCalista and Lalita Cafes are always crowded.<\/p>\n
\"Except for the narrow street leading to the cafes, everything
\nis just great. The scenery, the food and also the prices,\" said
\nSF Gunawan, an telecommunications engineer who often dines there.<\/p>\n
Besides the new cafes, gourmet safaris in Bandung have long
\nbeen popular. For example, there is an old jam factory that is
\nstill producing on Jl. Veteran 40. This industry is owned by 80-
\nyear-old Mrs. Budiana, who started the business in the 1920s.<\/p>\n
\"But the heyday of our business has gone due to the industrial
\ndevelopment in Bandung's hinterland over the last two decades, as
\nit made it difficult to find fresh fruit for our jam,\" explained
\nInge, Mrs. Budiana's niece.<\/p>\n
Selling the jam for between Rp 12,000 and Rp 24,000 per
\nkilogram, the factory is trying hard to maintain their mulberry,
\npineapple, chocolate, peanut and lobi-lobi (edible fruit) jams.<\/p>\n
Across the street there is the famous Es Bungsu. Containing
\navocado, cincau jelly and mixed fruit, this very sweet iced
\nbeverage is a favorite choice for local tourists. This \"brand\"
\nwas even chosen as an item to be asked in a national quiz, Kata
\nBerkait, on an RCTI program last year.<\/p>\n
Warungs, operated by small-scale vendors, are quite modest
\nwith old wood benches for customers. But they are always packed
\nwith teenagers who buy their favorite beverage, iced fruit, which
\nis available at Rp 3,000 per cup, usually after eating snacks at
\nBatagor Kingsley next door. One of Bandung's most famous foods,
\nbatagor or baso tahu goreng (fried tofu and meat balls) is served
\nwith peanut sauce with chili. At Batagor Kingsley it costs Rp
\n5,000.<\/p>\n
Those who want a more international taste should try the
\nbrownies at Bawean, at one of the oldest bakeries in Bandung. The
\nbakery on Jl. Bawean, built in the 1946s and which used to be
\ncalled the Sweetheart Bakery, is also famous for its rumtarts.
\nAnother popular brownie maker is Primarasa Bakery, which has
\noutlets on Jl. Buahbatu and Jl. Kemuning. Primarasa has four
\nchoices of brownies, sold for between Rp 17,500 and Rp 23,000.
\nBandung also has a yogurt center on Jl. Cisangkuy. Various yogurt
\nflavors -- from grapes to lychees -- are offered with sausages
\nand baked potatoes.<\/p>\n
Day or night, Bandung is always ready to cater for any taste.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pandering-for-good-food-get-yourself-to-bandung-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }