Sipping something cool at Es Teler Daksa Galuh

JAKARTA (JP): If you are in your 30s or 40s and grew up in Jakarta, especially South Jakarta, you must know Es Teler Galuh.

Remember hanging out there after school, sitting on the trunk of your car, sipping the cold, sweet es teler while glancing at the chic girls or cool boys who happened to being doing the same thing as you? Well, the sidewalk eatery still exists, although it has since moved from Jl. Galuh to Jl. Daksa, a nearby street in the same expensive neighborhood.

Es Teler Daksa Galuh d/h Daksa: Owned by a Javanese man, Pak Sutardjo, the modest warung was first established in front of an abandoned mansion on Jl. Galuh, South Jakarta, in 1979. For some reason he moved to nearby Jl. Daksa last year and placed his handcarts right in front of an old, somewhat dilapidated, apartment building at Jl. Daksa II, No. F. 5.

Open: 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily.

What's it got: Es teler, what else? Es teler literally means "stoned ice". No one really understands how it got its name, because there is definitely nothing rock-hard about it. Pak Sutardjo believes it got its name because people loved it so much that they drank it to "excessive satisfaction".

Es teler is a dessert made of young coconut flesh, finely sliced jackfruit and avocado, mixed with grated ice and topped generously with sweet condensed milk.

Think a glass or two of es teler is not enough to fill you up? Light and tasty siomay is also available. This Chinese-influenced dish (a bit like dim sum) is commonly found in Java and combines meat dumplings (minced chicken or beef mixed well with flour, cornflour, garlic, salt, white pepper wrapped in wonton), sweet potatoes, kol (cabbage), pare (bitter gourd) and tofu -- all steamed. Boiled eggs are also added.

All the items are sliced and served on a plate with warm peanut sauce, chili sauce, kecap manis (sweet soybean sauce) and some lime halves.

The peanut sauce is made from finely ground deep-fried peanuts, sauteed with finely diced red chili, shallot, garlic, brown sugar, salt, tamarind pulp, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass stalks and water.

Price Points: Considering the eatery's location in one of the most exclusive areas of South Jakarta, the es teler and siomay are very cheap. You pay only Rp 3,000 for a glass of cold, delicious es teler and Rp 3,500 for the siomay, which includes five items per serving.

Looks: The place is smaller than it used to be when located on Jl. Galuh. It only has two small tables with four long wooden benches to pack in 10 to 12 people. Pak Sutardjo prepares the es teler and siomay behind the handcarts, in a clean area, under a makeshift roof. The warung is indeed a very basic one, and that is why most of the customers have always preferred to sit and enjoy the food in their cars rather than sitting on the benches.

Popular with: Mostly the young and the young at heart well-to- do.

During its heyday in the 1980s, regular customers included choreographer Guruh Soekarnoputra, who lives on nearby Jl. Sriwijaya, and the beautiful actress-singer Marini.

"But they no longer come. Maybe they don't know that I've moved here or simply feel too old to hang out at this type of place," Pak Sutardjo said. He said sinetron (television soap opera) actors including Cut Tari and Adjie Pangestu are now among his regular customers.

Taste Factor: The es teler is sensational. What makes it perfect is perhaps the way Pak Sutardjo chooses and blends the ingredients, especially the avocado and jackfruit. He only uses ripened avocados and jackfruit; the avocado is crushed well before being blended with the other ingredients, which makes it even more delicious. Furthermore, unlike many other es teler vendors, Pak Sutardjo uses finely grated ice so that customers can savor the sweet, milky drink to the very last drop.

The siomay is also luscious. It comes in relatively generous portions, making it well worth the Rp 500 each. With its clean look and a very tasty peanut sauce, the siomay is an excellent light meal for lunch.

Minus Points: Since it is located on the sidewalk, dust and flies are abundant. And because of the limited table space, you really do have to enjoy the meal in your car. You might also feel uncomfortable in the presence, or with the looks, of some men, who were assumed to be used car brokers hanging around the warung. Don't worry too much, however, as they generally mind their own business.

Verdict: If you happen to be in the neighborhood and feel like having a light meal, or simply want to take a trip down memory lane, then go park your car in front of this warung and enjoy what it has to offer. But, please, unless you are someone who murmurs "huh?" at the mention of long-playing records, it really isn't keren (cool) to be seen sipping ice and munching on siomay while sitting on the trunk of a car. (Chris Tumelap)