Specialty stores offer a little taste of home

Susanna Tjokro Contributor Jakarta

A friend once said, "If you grew up in Germany, memories of eating tasty German sausage would make your mouth water and make you homesick".

He is not alone. People tend to search for familiar brands and comfort food to refresh memories of home -- it's human nature to crave our home-grown food now and then, if not always. No matter where we go, we bring a little bits of our culture and our taste for food.

As a cosmopolitan city, Jakarta is home to a large expatriate community as well as Indonesians who have lived abroad.

And the presence of ethnic or specialty stores catering to the needs of many people -- natives of the country and others familiar with the food -- with good variety of specialty or ethnic products.

After all, one person's comfort food is another's exotic food -- or in some cases a "bizarre" culinary experience.

Many people do not mind buying as well as tasting strange food. My cousin's jaw dropped in amazement when I told him I loved eating patat, delicious Dutch chips, with mayonnaise. He must have thought that chips and mayonnaise made a crazy combination.

We may long for a taste of another country, a place that we once visited or where we lived for a period of time in our lives. For instance, my friend's mouth waters every time she thinks of Dutch licorice. Lots of expatriates say that visiting an ethnic or specialty shop is just like walking down memory lane.

Many people who go to shop at specialty stores wish they may find "special ingredients" to help them duplicate food they have savored at some ethnic restaurants -- without, hopefully, costing them too much money.

Common similarities among the specialty stores is that they mostly offer more than just food. They also sell books, newspapers, CD, cosmetics as well as accessories.

The stores usually stock a large choice of ethnic cooking ingredients, the so-called off-beat delicacies, those hard-to- find items as well as specialty gourmet food. Such stores also house organic and aeroponic vegetables too, both local and imported.

Chances are you will also find some high-quality Indonesian goods among the imported merchandise. Normally, made-in-Indonesia products are priced slightly higher than those found at local supermarkets.

Several specialty stores, like The Gourmet Boutique, sell exclusive homemade products too.

Overall, most ethnic and specialty stores come as high-end shopping places -- though good and excellent quality products do not come cheap as they are not targeted at those looking to pay a bit less and besides, high prices have done little to hurt their business.

Most stores open on Sundays and public holidays except Christmas, Idul Fitri and New Year.

To pamper their customers and provide an extra draw, some specialty stores include eateries or coffee shop where tired shoppers can rest, quench their thirst and fill their tummies -- a shopper's paradise, especially if the food on offer are tasty.

Really upping the one-stop shopping experience are those that boast a spa or beauty and hairdressing salon.

In some cases, a specialty store is a nice souvenir shop too. If one just came back from Japan but forgot to buy some souvenirs for your beloved mother in law, don't panic. Just drop by at Papaya supermarket in South Jakarta where you can find interesting souvenirs.

Most specialty shops, particularly the small ones, emphasize personalized service. In several stores, you may even chat with the friendly owners, who may share some recipes and useful cooking tips with you. Or, you can suggest the owners to add your favorite items onto their shelves.

Rini Jaureguiberry, just like other specialty store's owners, believes personalized service is crucial to ensure the success of their business.

"We have embodied the concept of The Gourmet Boutique in our name. Gourmet stands for 'fine food' and appreciation of all things epicurean in general, a boutique for a small and warm shop, where personalized service and contact with the customer are paramount," said Rini.

"We aim to provide and introduce to quality food items difficult to find anywhere else and to do so in an elegant and convivial environment."

Expatriates find them to be a godsend, where they can get various hard-to-find items -- either to duplicate their favorite dishes and cook like mom, dad or grandma does back home. For many people, they are the remedy to their homesickness.