Street foods in Jakarta

Accurmi · 2013-02-12 05:43:44

Hi guys, it looks like I will be moving to Jakarta at the end of June! I am particularly excited about the food smile
So, what are the street foods like? Favorites? Things to avoid? My nose, taste buds, and stomach tend to lead the way when I travel. Any recommendations? Cheers.

Sophie Fisher · 2013-02-13 05:46:58

There are plenty of real street food in Jakarta, though when you are not an Indonesian, you will most likely have a stomach problem after consuming it.

Try the food in small Indonesian restaurants first (kiosks) and see if you can cope with it. When you want to try the street food, observe the way the vendors process their food ( the water to clean the dishes, look for vendors who uses tools such as fork,spoon, spatula. Try to avoid vendors who uses their hands to mix the ingredients etc)

Bakso is a must try, the ones at restaurants are usually not as good as the ones on the street. Indonesians love chili sauce, ketchup look-alike but made out of chili. We consume it with almost every street food! Bakso, Siomay, Bakwan, fritters and more. Some even put it on their pizzas!

The price of street food in Jakarta is ranging between 500-20.000 IDR ( Less than 2 dollars)
My favorite would be Bebek Goreng with spicy sambal. It's a meal consists of steamed rice, fried duck thats already simmered beforehand, sambal and raw veggies on the side to go along with the sambal (traditional home made chili sauce) such as cabbage,cucumber,basil and lettuce.

Dont consume ice cubes from the street, go with the cold bottled drinks if you must. Bring wipes to clean your fork and spoon. Jakarta's air is very much polluted. Dust everywhere.

Enjoy Jakarta!

mas fred · 2013-02-13 10:06:25

Tricks to remember:

Buy it 'dibunkus' (Wrapped up).
A lot of the problems aren't with street food but the way they wash the dishes. They use dirty water, I've even seen them washing in a drain.
If you get it wrapped and take your own plastic knife, fork and spoon, far safer.

See if they freshly cook BEFORE you buy. Food left out for a long time can be a problem.
Hot oil destroys any bacteria so you're pretty much safe.

Rancid smell means their oil has a high PV. This is usually down to overuse.
In turn, that means they're saving money where they shouldn't so you may be buying poor quality stuff (That tastes pretty lousy).

ethancai · 2013-02-13 16:49:34

mas fred wrote:
Tricks to remember:

Buy it 'dibunkus' (Wrapped up).
A lot of the problems aren't with street food but the way they wash the dishes. They use dirty water, I've even seen them washing in a drain.
If you get it wrapped and take your own plastic knife, fork and spoon, far safer.

See if they freshly cook BEFORE you buy. Food left out for a long time can be a problem.
Hot oil destroys any bacteria so you're pretty much safe.

Rancid smell means their oil has a high PV. This is usually down to overuse.
In turn, that means they're saving money where they shouldn't so you may be buying poor quality stuff (That tastes pretty lousy).

Really???!!! Because I eat the street food almost every day with local friends and they told me that is no problem.
Why have eaten for a month and I also did not feel uncomfortable???

mas fred · 2013-02-13 23:02:03

ethancai wrote:
mas fred wrote:
Tricks to remember:

Buy it 'dibunkus' (Wrapped up).
A lot of the problems aren't with street food but the way they wash the dishes. They use dirty water, I've even seen them washing in a drain.
If you get it wrapped and take your own plastic knife, fork and spoon, far safer.

See if they freshly cook BEFORE you buy. Food left out for a long time can be a problem.
Hot oil destroys any bacteria so you're pretty much safe.

Rancid smell means their oil has a high PV. This is usually down to overuse.
In turn, that means they're saving money where they shouldn't so you may be buying poor quality stuff (That tastes pretty lousy).
Really???!!! Because I eat the street food almost every day with local friends and they told me that is no problem.
Why have eaten for a month and I also did not feel uncomfortable???

Luck of the draw.
I can post a couple of pictures of street vendors washing dishes in drains if you don't think it happens.
Lots more use a bucket but don't change the water all night.

Sophie Fisher · 2013-02-15 01:06:21

ethancai wrote:
mas fred wrote:
Tricks to remember:

Buy it 'dibunkus' (Wrapped up).
A lot of the problems aren't with street food but the way they wash the dishes. They use dirty water, I've even seen them washing in a drain.
If you get it wrapped and take your own plastic knife, fork and spoon, far safer.

See if they freshly cook BEFORE you buy. Food left out for a long time can be a problem.
Hot oil destroys any bacteria so you're pretty much safe.

Rancid smell means their oil has a high PV. This is usually down to overuse.
In turn, that means they're saving money where they shouldn't so you may be buying poor quality stuff (That tastes pretty lousy).
Really???!!! Because I eat the street food almost every day with local friends and they told me that is no problem.
Why have eaten for a month and I also did not feel uncomfortable???

You have a very strong stomach, buddy :-)

lukereg · 2013-02-15 03:24:56

Some vendors reuse chopsticks made from wood and drinking straws as well, seen this around Puri Indah in the west of the city. Go where the locals go as they know which vendors are the best.

mas fred · 2013-02-15 14:47:09

lukereg wrote:
Some vendors reuse chopsticks made from wood and drinking straws as well, seen this around Puri Indah in the west of the city. Go where the locals go as they know which vendors are the best.

Someone else who walks around with his eyes open.
Most local food is pretty great but hygiene rules are lax or simply don't exist.

That's why I order food wrapped up and use my own kit.
I can't find the ones where people are washing dishes in the drains but this is the wash bucket at a fried rice place.

mas fred · 2013-02-15 14:49:54

ethancai wrote:
Really???!!! Because I eat the street food almost every day with local friends and they told me that is no problem.
Why have eaten for a month and I also did not feel uncomfortable???

Yes, really.

Last edited by mas fred (2013-02-15 14:51:34)

Sophie Fisher · 2013-02-16 00:23:18

And they dont even use washing soap, simply throw the leftover to the side of the road/river/curb then clean the dishes in the bucket full of water that they have been using over and over again.

Though some vendors would put banana leaf or plastic paper on top of the plate (like the one they use for take aways) which is safer,ofcourse.

Best advice if you want to eat street food would be

1. Like Mas Fred alresdy said, ask "di bungkus" and eat it at home/ at your work place with your own fork and spoon.

2. Watch how vendors prepare their food before you decide to buy

3. There are plenty of food vendors selling their food in a housing complex, you can just run out of the house, ask the guy to stop, order and dont forget to use your own plate/bowl and enjoy it at home.

4. Bring wipes/wet tissue , fork/spoon from home.

5. Dont use the ketchup they have , they made out of "not so fresh" tomatoes. Go figure.

fourwilly · 2013-02-19 15:37:43

Hi

Firstly please introduce your self, but to get started street food in Indonesia especially Jakarta are a lot and so many different style, mix and taste. Feel free to contact anyone on this blog in jakarta, just drop a message.

fourwilly · 2013-02-19 15:42:17

Wow seem so many have commented on this topic, but still love Jakarta's street food. I usually look at the place first and watch my plate and spoon smile

mas fred · 2013-02-19 23:08:29

fourwilly wrote:
Wow seem so many have commented on this topic, but still love Jakarta's street food. I usually look at the place first and watch my plate and spoon

I eat street food a lot and I love it.
You just have to choose wisely.

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Street foods in Jakarta

#1 2013-02-12 05:43:44

Street foods in Jakarta

#2 2013-02-13 05:46:58

Re: Street foods in Jakarta

#3 2013-02-13 10:06:25

Re: Street foods in Jakarta

#4 2013-02-13 16:49:34

Re: Street foods in Jakarta

mas fred wrote:

#5 2013-02-13 23:02:03

Re: Street foods in Jakarta

ethancai wrote:

mas fred wrote:

#6 2013-02-15 01:06:21

Re: Street foods in Jakarta

ethancai wrote:

mas fred wrote:

#7 2013-02-15 03:24:56

Re: Street foods in Jakarta

#8 2013-02-15 14:47:09

Re: Street foods in Jakarta

lukereg wrote:

#9 2013-02-15 14:49:54

Re: Street foods in Jakarta

ethancai wrote:

#10 2013-02-16 00:23:18

Re: Street foods in Jakarta

#11 2013-02-19 15:37:43

Re: Street foods in Jakarta

#12 2013-02-19 15:42:17

Re: Street foods in Jakarta

#13 2013-02-19 23:08:29

Re: Street foods in Jakarta

fourwilly wrote:

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