Food

Thinking what is one dish that you must try in Medan town? Ask anyone from Medan and you’ll probably get just one answer: Lontong Sayur.

This traditional Indonesian dish is, in fact, a combination of two different dishes – Lontong and Sayur. It is so versatile that you can have it as a breakfast item, while it can also be served as your main dish for lunch or can even be treated as a snack.

What is it ?

Lontong Sayur, just like most other popular Indonesian dishes, has rice as its base. Lontong is simply a kind of rice cake that is prepared by boiling rice until it is partially cooked. It is, then, rolled tightly with banana leaves and secured with a wooden needle, made from the central rib of a coconut leaf, locally known as lidi semat. Finally, it is kept in boiled water until cooked. Once it is cooled, Lontong is cut into small pieces and served as staple food. It is a common substitute for steamed rice dishes.

Lontong is usually served with a coconut milk soup called Sayur lodeh — hence, the dish is commonly known as ‘Lontong Sayur’. Along with shredded coconut, some of the other ingredients used in Sayur include tempeh, tofu, hard-boiled egg, sambal.

Ketupat Sayur is another variant of this delectable paired dish, commonly seen in other parts of Indonesia. In Malaysia, Lontong Sayur is known by the name, ‘Nasi Himpit,’ which simply means pressed rice.

If you’re travelling in Medan, get a local tour guide with Locaguide to guide you through this culinary journey. The advantage of having a local guide is, he can guide you to the best food stall or restaurant serving the most authentic version of Lontong Sayur in town.

The taste, coupled with the ease of making this Indonesian delicacy in larger quantities, makes Lontong Sayur one of the favourites at wedding receptions too. So, if you’re planning a tour to Medan or nearby regions of Indonesia, don’t forget to get a taste of this lip-smacking delicacy at least once.

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One of the many things that differentiate a traveller or an explorer from a regular tourist is the way they approach the food of the land they travel to. If you’re a traveller on a gastronomical expedition, you shouldn’t miss out on the iconic roasted pork dish of Bali, The Babi Guling. 

Babi Guling, which translates to ‘turning pig,’ is a classic Balinese dishes. It’s truly an unlikely find in a country with the largest Muslim population on the globe.

Traditionally used as offerings to please the Balinese Hindu Gods, with the whole pig served to signify sublimity and perfection.

Know more about Babi Guling

As the name suggests, the entire pig’s stuffing includes a mix of spices including lemongrass, garlic, turmeric and coriander seeds. It is then slow-roasted on an open fire or hand-turning spit roaster  —  giving it a unique texture and taste, unlike any pork dish you find anywhere else in the world. However, the dish is not just about the meat. A good part of your serving would also have fluffy rice and good vegetables like beans and salam leaves.

Bali owns a lot of food joints serving the dish, but the best ones remain in Ubud and adjoining places. Your local guide can help you point to the best places that serve the most authentic Babi Guling. If you happen to visit the northern villages of Bali, like Kubutambahan or Bengkala, you can also witness its preparations. You can also get to dine on an authentic Babi Guling feast.

Order a generous platter of the Babi Guling served with a uniquely-flavoured crispy crackling. With its every bite you can feel it melt in your mouth into literally nothing! If you occur to explore Bali like a local, ask Locaguide for a fully-customisable itinerary and guided tour.

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What if you were told that Indonesia had a salad that wasn’t really a boring salad but a wholesome healthy meal found in every home, street side stall and even fine dining restaurants? We present ‘The Gado Gado’

A beautiful amalgamation of rice, veggies, boiled eggs, potatoes, tofu and peanut sauce, your very first experience of Gado Gado will show you why it deserves a place in the list of national foods of Indonesia.

The Gado Gado: What is it ?

Gado-Gado literally means a potpourri. That’s the perfect description of this dish, a mixed-vegetable salad with a nutty dressing that is served in a variety of personalized modifications all over Indonesia. This go-to meal is always served with something crunchy –  prawn crackers, fried chicken or melinjo chips, made from the hard fruit of a tropical evergreen tree.

During your Jakarta city tour, you will come across multiple open-air eateries, locally called ‘warungs’ where you will see just how many incarnations the Gado Gado has across Indonesia. Trust your local guide to guide you to the best food cart around and order a version of the one dish meal that you would relish.

Gado Gado is one salad that has it all – sweet-and-sour taste complementing the roasted nuts and the subtle fish aftertaste of the sparingly used shrimp paste. Add to that Indonesia’s signature peanut sauce. However, this isn’t the same as the satay peanut sauce but is equally if not more satisfying.

Your tour guide from Locaguide will be able to take you to the best local warung to satisfy your cravings for this iconic dish from the kitchens of Indonesia. The beauty of Gado Gado is in its simplicity and that it can be had any way you like it, every version being equally exquisite. Have you thought of how many versions you are going to try when you go to Indonesia next?0

Whether you’re on a gastronomical expedition to Bali or just happen to be there on a visit, you never know when a sweet tooth comes a-knockin’. That’s why we made this list of the top-rated Balinese desserts that you absolutely should not miss! Try one of these unique local desserts and treat your taste buds during your stay in Bali (and thank us later!):

1) Jaja Laklak

Rice and rice flour desserts are quite a specialty in this part of the world. The Jaja Laklak is a customary Balinese cake that looks and tastes almost like a pancake, but it is sweeter and a lot tastier. It is served with palm sugar and shredded coconut as toppings to give the confectionary its saccharine appeal. Savour it with a cup of tea to get instantly addicted!!

2) Klepon

Also called, Onde-onde, this dessert is not only delicious but quite fun to eat too! Soft, chewy balls of glutinous rice filled with molten palm sugar bursting in your mouth, that’s Klepon for you. From local street vendors to the traditional Balinese markets, you can find Klepon almost everywhere in Bali. But watch out, they are so addictive, you’ll lose count of how many you’ve had!

3) Pisang Goreng

For all those who love banana fritters, this one’s for you! The lip-smacking Pisang Goreng is a banana fritter variety that you can get anywhere in Bali. To give it a whole new dimension of taste, the Balinese serve the deep-fried Pisang Goreng with honey and ice cream toppings. Now, go, get your chompers ready!

During your trip to Bali, don’t forget to try these desserts either to end a meal or simply as snacks between meals! Your tour guide from Locaguide will be able to take you to the right places, only known to the locals, so you have the most authentic experience!1