Warung Rujak Cingur Bu Sri

If your tummy is already half full, you can try to dine in Warung Rujak Cingur Bu Sri.  It’s a healthy dish and not too much for your stomach.

Rujak Cingur is the dish originated from Surabaya-East Java. Cingur means “mouth” in Javanese because it use shredded of boiled ox mouth. It also consists of assorted fruits such as: cucumber, bengkuang, young mango, pineapple, kedondong and assorted vegetables such as: bean sprout, watercress, string bean. All of that mixed with seasoning that made from shrimp paste, brown sugar, chili, fried peanut, fried red onion, salt & shredded of green seed banana.

Its taste sweet….hmmm….frankly speaking, I can’t feel the savory of this dish. I find a better version of Rujak Cingur at Jakarta. To reduce its sweetness, I add a cracker as my side dish. Price 18 K.

For dessert you can choose Es Kolak. Price 8 K. Well, unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy their dessert, because the banana is too tough to chew. I think they have to change the type of banana. Better they use banana that already ripe and taste sweet.

Warung Rujak Cingur Bu Sri

 

Jl. Pekunden Timur I/2

Semarang

Phone: (024) 8411419

 

 

Soto Bokoran

This is my second time stay at Quest Hotel. I really like it because the location is very strategic for food lover. Many streetfood along this Plampitan road. One of them that become the most popular is Soto Bokoran.

They started their business since 1970. From early morning this stall is already crowded with people. I came here at 8 am, and I have to queue for about 10 minutes.

A bowl of indulgence came right away in front of my face. It’s consists of rice, vermicelli, shredded of chicken meat, fried garlic, celery and chicken broth soup that already mixed with their secret seasoning. You can add the chili and sweet soy sauce to enrich the soup. Super delicious!

They also provide several skewers, such as: chicken skin, gizzard-liver, oyster & boiled egg that already marinated in sweet soy sauce. My favorite is oyster! So yummy and I just can’t stop eat that!

And the whiz snack that you must order in this place is their Perkedel Kentang (Potato Fritter). It’s taste so crunchy outside and very savory inside. The skin of the fritter is so thin, I still don’t know what kind of flour they used. Trust me, you will get addicted by this awesome snack. I ate 4 pieces that morning, haha….Price between 10 K- 20 K.

 

Soto Bokoran

 

Jl. Plampitan No. 55

Semarang

Phone: (024) 3567402

 

 

Babat Gongso Pak Karmin

Pak Karmin started to open the stall since 1954. The specialty dishes in here are Nasi Goreng Babat (tripe fried rice) & Babat Gongso (tripe sautéed with sweet soy sauce, garlic & chili). It’s a second generation who run the business right now. They already have another branch at Jl. Gajah Mada & Telaga Mas area.

It’s better if you come here not at the lunch time. Long queue….I came here at 2 p.m. and the stall still crowded. Some of them queue for take away service.

This is my first visit. Because my tummy is half full, so I decided to try their Babat Gongso. A huge portion of beef tripe, intestines, lung and fried egg sautéed with sweet soy sauce came, and accompany with a plate of hot steamed rice. It’s taste sweet. You can ask them to add chili. If you are a spicy lover, you better ask the ‘very spicy’ level. Price 25 K. A glass of fresh orange juice can make your dish became extraordinary :)

Babat Gongso Pak Karmin

 

Jl. Pemuda

(near Mberok Bridge)

Semarang

Phone: (024) 3563334

 

Es Campur Gang Lombok

The hot weather really can kill me in this noon. I need something fresh. I feel like I wanna jump to a cold water pool and drink it….hufffttt….Suddenly I remember, that there’s a small stall at Gang Lombok that sell shaved ice. It became a legend at Semarang.

Can you enjoy your dish if you eat on the place like this? Haha….

As you can see, it’s so messy. Many items stacked on a table and benches. But I came here not to enjoy the view, but to try their famous shaved ice!

Their specialty is Es Campur. It’s contain of shredded of young coconut, pineapple, papaya, kolang kaling/buah atep (sugar palm) and manisan mangga (mango marinated in the sugar water). They added a special syrup on it, it taste so sweet, sour and fragrant. Very good! The price is quite expensive, 17 K, but it’s worth for a plate of enjoyment.

Es Campur Gang Lombok

 

Jl. Gang Lombok

Semarang

 

 

Mie Kopyok Pak Dhuwur

Another streetfood from Semarang is Mie Kopyok. The most famous in Semarang is Pak Dhuwur’s stall. It’s a simple place that occupied for 30-40 person.

A plate of noodle with fried tofu, beansprout, garlic soup and sprinkled it with celery and karak (rice crackers). It’s taste sweet. Well, maybe it’s too sweet for me. I didn’t really enjoy it. It will be nice if you added lime squeeze or vinegar. Price 8 K.

 

Mie Kopyok Pak Dhuwur

 

Jl. Tanjung

(across PLN office Jl Pemuda)

Semarang

Phone: 0856-41372758

 

 

Nasi Ayam Bu Surip

Nasi Ayam (chicken rice) is the icon dish at Semarang. Many vendors who sell Nasi Ayam. But the famous one is Bu Surip at Simpang Lima. They usually eat Nasi Ayam for breakfast. You have to come in the morning or it will run out.

This chicken rice is very different from Singapore or Chinese version. They use coconut milk spicy soup with shredded of squash (labu siam), slices of chicken meat, tofu & boiled egg.

It’s taste spicy, sweet & savory. Extremely delicious! If you like you can choose their skewer too, such as chicken intestines, liver, gizzard & young egg. It will be perfect if you combine it with the crunchiness of white crackers (krupuk putih/krupuk kampung). Two thumbs up!!!! Price 8 K.

 

Nasi Ayam Bu Surip

 

Simpang Lima (under the overpass)

Semarang

 

Nasi Gandul Pak Memed

After I took a long vacation of writing, now I’m back. I’m off for a while because my health condition not allows me to write objectively. Yeah, something wrong with my digestive system. Thanks God, I recover slowly and hopefully you can enjoy my ‘comeback’ writing as usually ;)

I will continue to share about Semarang culinary. This time I will recount about Nasi Gandul. Well, actually Nasi Gandul is originally from Pati (small town at Central Java). But it became famous at Semarang too, especially Pak Memed’s stall. Located on the edge of the road, this stall always crowded with queue of people.

I have to wait for about 10 minutes before I got my seat. I came here at 8 p.m.

Nasi Gandul is rice with beef meat, intestines, lung, spleen & tripe soup. Sometimes they add the boiled egg that marinated first with shallots, guava leave, bay leave & galangal. We call it as ‘Telur Pindang’. The soup is made from coconut milk, bay leave, galangal, lemongrass, shallots, garlic, kencur, kluwek, cumin & coriander. Very complicated isnt’t it? Most of Javanese food need many kind of spices, but it taste so good and you can’t find it at another place.

The soup taste sweet and savory. It blended well with slices of tender beef meat. And if you dare you can try to eat the intestines and friends, haha….Some people assume it as a ‘gross thing’, but trust me, it’s heavenly good :p

The word “Gandul” itself means floating, because that dish is placed on banana leaves; so it looks like it’s floating at your plate. That banana leaves produces a fragrant aroma when you pour the coconut milk soup on it. They also provide crispy tempeh to accompany the dish. I like it very much! You have to try it! The price is very cheap, for about 10 – 15 K per portion.

Nasi Gandul Pak Memed

 

Jl. Dr. Cipto 12 A

Semarang

Phone: (024) 3559928 / 0813-325743117

 

Bubur Tumpang Hasanudin

Bubur Tumpang is located beside Warung Pak Min.

When you step in that place, your eyes will catch the big claypot that contain congee/porridge.

Sambal Tumpang is made from koyor (ox veins) and tulang muda/rawan (ox gristle/cartilage). It’s sautéed for 2-3 hours with tempe bosok (tempeh that marinated for 1-2 days). The aroma and taste is very unique. Succulent!

It usually served with assorted boiled veggies such as papaya leaves, bean sprout and grated of young papaya. For one portion of Bubur Tumpang, you only pay 5 K. Very cheap!

 

Bubur Tumpang

 

Jl. Hasanudin

Salatiga

 

 

 

Warung Tunggal Roso Pak Min

Well, as you known before that Gudeg originated from Yogyakarta, fortunately Salatiga is also served this dish in several places. So, I’m excited to try to make a comparison with Yogyakarta’s version.

I think I’m gonna explore the streetfood at this city. Sorry, no fancy restaurants for today, haha….My second destination is Warung Tunggal Roso Pak Min.

Pak Min is famous with his Gudeg Koyor. Gudeg is made from young Nangka or jackfruit. I’ve already explain about Gudeg on my previous article. You can find it in folder Yogyakarta. Koyor is the ox veins in Javanese language.

You can choose the additional dishes such as boiled egg, shredded of chicken meat, chicken liver/gizzard or chicken fallopian tubes.

They served assorted fried snack too: tahu isi (tofu with bean sprout fill in), bakwan jagung (corn fritter), martabak (stuffed pancake or pan fried bread, usually includes minced beef/mutton, garlic, egg & onion), etc.

For standard portion you only pay for 10 K. It consists of Gudeg, Sambal Goreng Koyor & Tahu. Gudeg in here is dry version & tastes sweet. Sambal Goreng Koyor taste is savory and not too spicy. And the ox veins texture is very tender. I tried chicken fallopian tubes. They give me a huge cut. OMG, I suddenly feel very full. Honestly, it’s not my favorite version of Gudeg. But overall it’s quite good dish for sweet dish lover.

 

Warung Makan Tunggal Roso Pak Min

 

Jl. Hasanudin

Salatiga

 

RM Kartoali

Actually my Semarang’s trip this time is to accompany my mom to attend her friend’s son wedding. It’s also a very good opportunity for me to dig the richness of central java culinary. So I decided to take the earliest flight in the morning to Semarang. I arrived at Semarang at 7 AM and directly heading to Salatiga.

Salatiga is my mom’s hometown, so she’s really familiar with the local & authentic dishes in here. First destination is Nasi Rames Kartoali. It’s located in the small alley at Tanjung street. Thank God I still have relatives in this city, they became my guide along this day.

This humble tavern has established since 1960. Now it’s handled by the 3^rd generation. People of Central Java is get used to have breakfast everyday. They’ve already opened the stall from 7 AM.

It’s very small place, only accommodate for 12-15 persons.

You can order their mix rice or you can choose what dish you like by yourself.

Because I plan to have food tasting on the several places today, I asked for the small portion of rice only. With price around 10 K, you will get pecel (assorted veggies with peanut sauce), sayur tahu & kacang panjang (tofu sautéed with string bean), empal goreng (fried beef meat), babat & usus sapi (deep fried tripe & intestines), serundeng (sweet grated coconut). The peanut sauce & veggies dish are tending to sweet taste. But the meat tastes savory. Quite nice combination but not extraordinary.

 

Nasi Rames Kartoali

 

Jl. Tanjung

Salatiga

Phone: 0856-40201445