Finding Indonesian Food

There is no complaint about finding Indonesian food or cooking ingredients in Hong Kong. Take the MTR to Causeway Bay, and within a few steps away we can find warung/restaurant/shop/store selling Indonesian food.

One thing that is not available here is Jengkol (Dogfruit or Jering – it has a very strong smell!) which is not my favorite at all, so I don’t bother about it. 

A year ago, when I used to live in Ho Chi Minh City,  the best way to get Indonesian cooking ingredient was to bring them from Indonesia or titip sama teman – asking friends’ favor to bring them in. Otherwise, there was only one Indonesian restaurant. It was closed within a year operation, and a new one has just recently opened.

 

 

Indonesian cooking ingredients is sometimes available in the Asian stores in Hong Kong; Thai stores in Wan Chai or Thai city in Kowloon. I noticed a few shops there sell herbs/seasonings for Thai/Indonesian/Philippine dishes or ready-to-eat meals such as Thai desserts, banana fritter, sweets, etc.

 

Bakso – Meatball

It’s everyone’s favorite! The best time to enjoy this dish is brunch, lunch, snack or even dinner. 

 

Bakso @ Warung Malang, Dragon Rise, Pennington St, Causeway Bay

Bakso @ Indo Proper, Kwong On Bldg, Yee Woo St, Causeway Bay

 

Bakso or baso is very easy to be found anywhere in Indonesian; in small warung by the street or in big restaurant. The main ingredient is meat; mostly beef, chicken or fish.

 

Bakso @ Bu Jocko - Bakso Arema, Fuk Hing Lane, Causeway Bay

 

The side dishes are noodle, tofu, veggie, bawang goreng (slices fried onion), celery, sambal (chili), kecap manis (soy sauce) and perhaps vinegar.  

 

Mie Ayam Bakso (Chicken Noodle & Bakso)
@ Sedap Gurih, Sugar Street, Causeway Bay

 

Mie Ayam (Chicken Noodle) @ Padang Restaurant, JP Plaza, Causeway Bay
I forgot to order the Bakso

Yummy bakso can be found in some places in Causeway Bay.

Bakso Ayam (chicken meatball) - home cooking

 

My first bakso ayam (chicken meatball) – home cooking – ala kadarnya!

 

Pempek – Fishcake

Pempek or mpek-mpek or empek-empek is originally from Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia. It is made of Ikan Tenggiri (Tenggiri fish) with tapioca and served with yellow noodle and dark sauce of vinegar. If you like spicy food, add sambal (chili)! If not, the dark vinegar sauce is more than enough, as it tastes sour already. Preferably, Pempek is consumed for lunch or late afternoon, not so much for breakfast or dinner. 

 

Pempek @ Warung Malang, Causeway Bay

 

Warung Malang has Pempek on their menu, I’m not sure if it’s available every day though.
 

Lontong Cap Gomeh – rice cake

This is one of my favorite dishes is a well-known dish from Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia.

Lontong is a dish made of compressed rice cake in the form of a cylinder wrapped inside a banana leaf. It is served with chicken curry, vegetable curry, spicy beef/chicken liver in, pickles, boiled egg with spicy sauce, sambal (chili), and kerupuk (crackers).

 

Lontong Cap Gomeh @ Padang Restaurant, Causeway Bay

Even though this food is normally served during Cap Gomeh celebration, however, it is often available on the restaurant menu anytime anywhere including in Causeway Bay.

 

Lontong Cap Gomeh @ Warung Sedap Gurih, Causeway Bay

Selamat makan! Bon appetit!