Foodies

Be it a gastronomical adventure or just a tour for a street-style lunch then Bandung makes sure not to disappoint you! Each food item tastes unique and delicious. But more importantly, the street food in Bandung remains one of the best ways to get a glimpse of Sundanese cuisine! So, the top three dishes you got to try from Bandung’s street food joints during your trip.

Sampling the dishes in Bandung

1. Combro

Combro is a super-Sundanese-snack and is had with your afternoon tea. It contains grated cassava(root vegetable) as its main ingredient and made into medium-sized balls filled with oncom — a traditional fermented Indonesian staple food made with soybeans, similar to tempeh( a soy product like that of tofu). The oncom-filled balls are then deep fried until the outer part becomes brown and crispy. Chew it with green chillies and experience pure bliss!

2. Bakso Tahu Goreng

Popularly known as Batagor, Bakso Tahu Goreng simply refers to Indonesian fried meatballs and tofu. Batagor, primarily, means a fried tenggiri fish dumpling served as a snack with a mildly spicy and aromatic peanut sauce. Relish this Sundanese dish at any popular Batagor outlet in Bandung and you sure will keep coming back for more!

3. Nasi Timbel

Nasi Timbel is a rice dish similar to lontong(compressed rice cakes); wrapped inside the banana leaf and steamed (or sometimes barbecued) until the leaf produces a pleasant aroma. And then served with a variety of side dishes — including fried chicken or beef, duck egg, tofu, a traditional hot sauce, and a special raw vegetable salad called lalab. In the meanwhile, this dish perfectly qualifies for lunch or supper.

Opting for a tour guide from  Locaguide can ease down your hunt for the best street food in Bandung. He/She can not only show you the best places but will also tell you about the history and traditions associated with these lip-smacking Sundanese dishes.

The sublime taste of the dishes, the use of unique spices, the perfect balance of saltiness, sweetness and sourness — Bandung’s food streets have everything that will make your tummy rumble in happiness!

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After a day’s city tour and souvenir hunting, a bowl of soup is just what the soul demands. And when in Penang, nothing other than a bowl of steaming Asam Laksa will do! A fish and tamarind based soup with a touch of a sour aftertaste, it remains a local favourite of all time; right from when the Chinese immigrants moved to the island to this present day. Said to be a dish born out of the intermarriage of the Chinese and local Malays, it is a dish made for the soul.

The many versions of Asam Laksa

Ever since it featured in CNN’s top ten best food list, the dish inevitably remains on everyone’s must-try dishes. Made from poached and shredded mackerel, the sourness of the soup makes it the perfect “feel good” meal. The distinctive flavour attributes to the use of tamarind, lemongrass, chilli and galangal (Asian plant of ginger family) in the right quantities and mixtures. You can customise the soup as per your liking, from the variety of base ingredients used to garnishes. Also, adding a dollop of shrimp paste would do the trick to enhance the flavours a lot more.

The dish tantalises your taste buds with its tangy flavour. Priced low, Asam Laksa makes up a whole bunch of different versions you can try and experiment with. Meanwhile, a friendly little chat with the locals can get you close with the food culture of the locals. 

A local guide from Locaguide will ensure an experiment with the perfect meal to re-energise with, between shopping sprees. The guide will make you try more than just a single version of Asam Laksa during your tour of Malaysia. Take your guide’s help to find the local hole in the wall shops selling the most authentic version of this dish. The dish lets you take home food memories of a lifetime. Thus, sure to change your idea of soup noodles upon tasting the iconic Asam Laksa.

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The best way to explore Malaysia and its culture flows through the various cuisines available in the country. Over the years, each cuisine has adapted to the changing times and preferences. With a perfect blend of Malaysian and Chinese cuisines, Nyonya dishes remain a mouthwatering mix of zing, spice and fragrance. Thus, if you mean to visit Malacca then do try out some of these authentic dishes.

Laksa Nyonya

This makes for a tantalising dish consisting of soupy coconut curry served with noodles or vermicelli. As you tour the city of Malacca you will notice multiple variations of Laksa Nyonya. From the prefered meat to ingredients used to the ever-changing garnishes, the dish just keeps evolving. Its hint of sweetness and heavily spiced coconut gravy, the dish serves as a perfect meal to end your day. Hence, Laksa Nyonya truly signifies a food for the soul.

Ayam Pongteh

For a more wholesome meal try Ayam Pongteh, a traditional Peranakan dish. It will help you walk throughout the day and thus lets you explore the tourist spots around Malacca. Usually, its preparations start a day prior so as to help enhance its rich taste.

Ayam Pongteh forms for a satisfying stew of chicken and potato in a thick gravy base served with rice. Undoubtedly, a perfect dish to explore the food culture of Malacca.

Nyonya Cendol

No one can end their Malaysian holiday without trying the shaved ice, a dessert favourite among the locals. It contains green jelly-like rice noodles, creamy coconut milk and palm sugar syrup topped with red beans. The dish has a subtle smoky aftertaste and does not powerfully tastes sweet. This shaved ice dessert makes the weather of Malacca bearable and gives the perfect excuse to walk around. Thus, allowing you to explore more of the city as you devour on this delicious thirst quenching dessert.

The best way to get a taste of the local food in Malacca is to take a walk with a trusted local guide. With Locaguide’s travel expert you get a chance to hog around the city. The guide will take you to the best places and help you find those hidden eateries. So, on your trip to Malacca make sure not to miss the Nyonya food tour.

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The perfect end to a day-long city tour of Malacca is shopping and dinner at Jonker Street. With the setting sun, the street starts bustling with life. The square lights up filling the air with mouthwatering smells as hawkers start shouting to sell their wares. It goes from being a quiet street in the day to resembling a party at night. 

Things to do at Jonker Street

The night market at Jonker Street on the weekend proves to be the perfect setting for the locals and tourists to mingle. So, enough varieties in the food will help you eat like a local. Sample and nibble at the multiple hawker stalls and restaurants around.

The quirky presentation and aromatic smell of the food will make you want to taste everything that catches the eye. The entire street turns into a stage with live performances and music events set up. The setting seems magical and will truly make you feel like a local.

Among locals, Chicken rice balls, Satay Celup, Nyonya Laksa and Gula Melaka cendol stay on the top of the list.

Shop till you drop

On your walk along the street ensure to keep an eye out on the merchandise available for sale. You can buy anything and everything during the night market. The street is lined with antique shops, shops selling handicrafts, local art pieces, jewellery and a lot more. The night market offers a whole variety of street shopping so haggle for the best prices.

Opt for a local travel guide if the chaos and the bargaining overwhelm you. Connect with a local tour guide from Locaguide before planning a trip to Malacca. Make sure to take suggestions and tips from your guide while purchasing stuff on the Jonker street. An evening at Jonker Street takes you on a completely different note because of its infectious energy.

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