Sipping something cool at Es Teler Daksa Galuh

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)