Jani Journey Journal

So here is another part of my culinary journey in Malang. I was so excited writing about it that I end up write too much on the first post. Thus I decided to split it into two posts. Well, who could’ve thought a little town like Malang could be filled with a tons of amazing food. And to be honest, this second post is filled with my most favorite food in Malang.

Disclaimer: the numbering on the list doesn’t mean it is the best or whatsoever.

It is just the number of what I had first to my very last meal in Malang.

1. Bakso Damas

Bakso Damas is a strong contender in Bakso Malang arena. They considered as one of the best place to get Bakso Malang in town. In here, you can see your food choice, choose and pay for what you pick. Another unique food experience, and very cheap! I ordered two bowls of bakso and it only cost me around IDR 22.000.

In terms of the soup flavor, I personally prefer this one than Bakso Presiden. I can really taste the beef meat in the meatballs rather than the one I had before. The soup was more fragrant and tastier too. However the sides was not so good. I tried the fried meatballs and it was just so mediocre. The fried dumpling and lumpia was quite nice actually. Praised them for having a restaurant not close to the train railway.

Bakso Damas

Jl. Soekarno Hatta No 70

Lowokwaru, Kota Malang

Jawa Timur, Indonesia

(0341) 410-615

Opening hours: 10.00 AM – 10.00 PM

Food: 4,5/5

Ambiance: 3/5

Price: 4/5

Service: 3/5

2. Lumpia Tugu

Our guide personally recommend this to us. You haven’t come to Malang, unless you’ve tried the Lumpia Tugu, he said. I was excited to try this one because I’m a sucker for fried food. Everything that cooked deep fried somehow always amazing, including this one.

We bought the Lumpia, Martabak Telur and Risol Ragut (told ya, I’m a sucker for a fried food). I was madly in love with the Risol Ragut. The filling was generous and delicious. Coated with a perfect crispy skin, it will make you wanting more and more. Same goes with the Martabak Telur. The only disappointment is that the Martabak Telur a little bit oily for me. As for the Lumpia, I’m not a big fan of this one since it was filled with rebung (bamboo shoots) and I hate rebung.

For only IDR 5.000 each, I think this a very good deals. Considering that the size was bigger than the usual. Oh and why does it called Lumpia Tugu? Because it is located near the Tugu Malang.

Lumpia Tugu

Jl. Borobudur

Blimbing, Kota Malang

Jawa Timur, Indonesia

(0341) 733-2340

Food: 3/5

Ambiance: 2/5

Price: 3/5

Service: 4/5

3. Bubur Ayam Endri

I am not a ‘bubur for breakfast’ person. So when our tour guide took us to this place, I wasn’t expect anything. The only thing I was worried about is the place will be filled with lots of people and I would not enjoy my visit there. I was told that citizen of Malang quite fond of this particular bubur because this is considered a healthy bubur due to it’s no preservative and natural ingredients. Turns out it was not as packed as I expected.

Their bubur nice but was not something over the top. It was a little bit dry, they don’t use soup/beef stock like the usual bubur in Jakarta. However the amount of the toppings was massive. They gave us a generous portion of bubur toppings, even I was sure I was eating topping with bubur not the other way round. A bowl of Bubur Ayam is sold at IDR 18.000.

Bubur Ayam Endri

Jl. Danau Kerinci Blok F No 15

Kedungkandang, Kota Malang

Jawa Timur, Indonesia

0813-3341-0800

Opening hours: 5.00 AM – 12 PM

Food: 4/5

Ambiance: 3/5

Price: 4/5

Service: 3/5

4. Bebek Sinjay Madura

The first thing that came in my mind, when I ate the duck was “I HAVE FOUND HEAVEN ON EARTH”. Yeah. That’s how good it was. The duck was crispy and fragrant, the meat was juicy and very delicious. Not to mention the sambal was very very very (I warn you) spicy and addictive. The portion of the rice given very generous. They also put a bit of serundeng on top of the rice, which made it taste even better.

I can’t really describe how it taste and not drooling over all of my laptop. So I think I’m just gonna stop here. However, I really recommend you to eat this when you happen to be in Malang. Like, you MUST to try this Bebek Sinjay and feel all of its glory.

Bebek Sinjay Madura (cabang Malang)

Jl. Perusahaan No 16

Singosari, Kota Malang

Jawa Timur, Indonesia

0822-2830-0100

Opening hours: 8.00 AM – 8.00 PM (usually sold out before the closing time)

Food: 10/5 (I’m being hyperbolic, but it was THAT GOOD!)

Ambiance: 3/5

Price: 4/5

Service: 3,5/5

5. Toko Oen

The glorious and famous Toko Oen. Toko Oen is famous of it’s homemade ice cream. The restaurant itself wasn’t as big as it looks from the outside. I love how they keep the building as it is. Old, a little bit creepy, but somehow feels like home.

We ordered the three flavored ice cream (vanilla, chocolate and strawberry). I hate how small the portion was. As in for the taste, it was taste quite nice. The ice cream has the perfect amount of sweetness. The vanilla and strawberry flavor wasn’t as strong as the usual factory ice cream, but the chocolate was strong and super good. However the ice cream still feel rough, not as smooth as the usual ice cream in the market. I think that is why Toko Oen’s ice cream very special and still got a place in their customer’s heart.

Toko Oen

Jl. Jenderal Basuki Rahmat No 5

Klojen, Kota Malang

Jawa Timur, Indonesia

(0341) 364-052

Opening hours: 8.00 AM – 9.30 PM

Food: 4/5

Ambiance: 4/5

Price: 3/5

Service: 4/5

6. Pia Cap Mangkok

Another Malang’s signature souvenir. It was similar to other pia that sold in the market. However the filling on this one was very rich, dense but somehow light in the same time. I tried both the chocolate and kacang hijau, and it was so addictive!

The chocolate flavor was chewy and has the perfect sweetness to it. I must say that this is the best chocolate pia I ever tasted in my life. While the kacang hijau flavor taste mediocre, nothing special about it but it was still nice. They sold the pia in various packaging size and prize. I recommend you to buy the biggest pack because believe me when I said one is not enough for this Pia Cap Mangkok.

Pia Cap Mangkok

Jl. Semeru No 25

Klojen, Kota Malang

Jawa Timur, Indonesia

(0341) 335-900

Opening hours: 8.00 AM – 8.00 PM

Food: 4/5

Ambiance:

Price: 3/5

Service: 3/5

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So that was everything that I had in Malang. Did I already tried and taste the best of Malang? Or did I missed something even bigger? Let me know by leaving comments down below!

Missed the first post? Don’t worry, just click here to read it!

I know it is almost a year after my Malang Trip with my friends, but I still feel like I need to share it with you guys.

I was kinda doubting Malang on their food selection. All I heard from Malang was their glorious Bakso Malang and that is all. So when my friends and I decided to go to Malang, I was worried I couldn’t satisfy my hungry tummy there. Turns out I was wrong.

Disclaimer: the numbering on the list doesn’t mean it is the best or whatsoever.

It is just the number of what I had first to my very last meal in Malang.

1. Bakso Presiden

If Bakso Malang is the signature dish from this town, then Bakso Presiden might be the most famous restaurant that offer the best Bakso Malang in town. If you don’t know what Bakso Malang is, please google it or just kill yourself because you are missing the amazing kind of bakso. It is pretty much the same with the usual bakso, but Bakso Malang has some sides to add to your bakso such as fried tofu, fried dumpling, etc.

Other than the usual Bakso Malang menu, they also have Bakso Bakar and I’m lovin’ this one. Just and ordinary grilled bakso? To me it wasn’t. It was grilled longer than it should so it has this dark bitter charcoal mark (which somehow make it taste even better) and taste a bit sweet. Maybe it was because of the sweet soy sauce as their marinate sauce.

What else makes Bakso Presiden famous? Hmm… Let me see. I think maybe because it is located next to a train railway. So when a train passed by, you’ll get that shaky earth quake feeling.

Bakso Presiden

Jl. Batanghari No 5

Klojen, Kota Malang

Jawa Timur, Indonesia

(0341) 496-746

Opening hours: 8.00 AM – 9.30 PM

Food: 4/5

Ambiance: 3/5

Price: 4/5

Service: 3/5

2. Koperasi Susu SAE

I think we were on our way to the hotel when our tour guide pull the car over here. I was confused because from the outside it doesn’t look like a restaurant or even a place to eat. It look more like an office or a city hall.

We stop here for a quick refreshments. We ordered a few cup of hot chocolate, milk-ginger drink, grilled bread and also grilled banana. The food wasn’t something over the top but quite nice. The food wasn’t as hot and grilled as I expected it to be, but still good enough for me. As for the drink, it was a great choice after a cold afternoon at the top of the mountain.

Koperasi Susu SAE

Jl. Brigjend Abd Manan Wijaya

Pujon, Kota Malang

Jawa Timur, Indonesia

(0341) 524-204

Food: 3/5

Ambiance: 3/5

Price: 3/5

Service: 3/5

3. Pos Ketan Legenda 1967

Pos Ketan Legenda 1967 is one of the top must try food in Malang. I am sure it was not because of the place. It was very tiny and very full of people. It took more than 1 hour of waiting if you want to sit in the restaurant (I don’t even think restaurant suits that tiny place). My friends and I decided just to take away the food and eat it at our hotel.

We ordered the sweet one, chocolate and milk I guess (I kinda forgot the exact name of the menu). The ketan was quite nice but too dense and too chewy/sticky for my liking but my friends was just fine with it. The topping given was quite generous. To be honest, it was not something over the top. After looking online about this place, I read that the savory one is their most recommended. Too bad I didn’t order it that time. Well, this is just an excuse for me to come back again someday.

Pos Ketan Legenda 1967

Jl. Kartini No 6

Batu, Kota Malang

Jawa Timur, Indonesia

Opening hours: 4.30 PM – 3.00 AM

Food: 3/5

Ambiance: 2/5

Price: 4/5

Service: 3/5

4. Kedai Assalamu’alaikum

Located right across Universitas Muhamadiyah Malang, Kedai Assalamu’alaikum become a famous quick stop over for many students. Not only they serve a good array of nice food, it is also sold in a very cheap price. Not to mention the clean and comfortable ambiance inside. I feel like I want to stay in there and eat forever.

I would recommend you to try their signature Ayam Kremes. I love how the kremes wrapped the chicken and make it like a huge egg. I also love the sambal that comes with it, as it has the perfect amount of spiciness. The other dishes that we ordered that day was also nice. I forgot each of the menu that we ordered, but I still remember my lunch that day was considered amazing.

Kedai Assalamu’alaikum

Jl. Raya Tlogomas No 10

Lowokwaru, Kota Malang

Jawa Timur, Indonesia

Opening hours: 8.00 AM – 9.30 PM

Food: 4/5

Ambiance: 4/5

Price: 4/5

Service: 3,5/5

5. Tahu Campur Pak Iwan Jagalan

I never heard a dish called Tahu Campur before, so I was kinda excited to try this one. Tahu Campur Pak Iwan is considered a street food even it has its own tiny place. Although the place was not comfortable at all to sit and chat all night with your friends, I would highly recommended this place.

As far as I remember, the dish consist of fried tofu, vermicelli noodle, lontong, braised beef, tetelan (I don’t know how to describe in English lol), chicken liver, beansprout and lettuce. Ordinary? Maybe. But the soup was totally different than any other dish that I have tried in my life.

The soup is a clear beef soup but what makes it special is that they used petis in it. Petis is one of Javanese signature spice paste. It is made from a mix of shrimp and fish (I think so). I was so in love with the soup, even I was trying to drink the soup straight from the plate. Sold at only IDR 12.000 per portion, no wonder they already sold out around 8 PM most of the times.

Tahu Campur Pak Iwan Jagalan

Jl. Kapt. P. Tendean 1D No 108

Klojen, Kota Malang

Jawa Timur, Indonesia

Opening hours: 4.00 PM – Sold Out (Usually around 8 or 9 PM)

Food: 4,5/5

Ambiance: 3/5

Price: 4/5

Service: 3/5

6. Malang Strudel

To be fair, Malang Strudel is not a restaurant or a food center. It was a food that became a signature souvenir from Malang. You all know what strudel is, but why Malang make it their signature souvenir? That is because Malang is famous with their apples. Even they have apple picking as one of their top attraction when it is apple season. So I think it is safe to say that the apple they used is probably the best apple in town.

They have lots of filling choices, from the traditional apple to the salty cheese and unique taro flavor. The strudel filling was dense, full of apple bits and rich in flavor. However I still find their signature Apple Strudel is lack of surprise factor. I was kinda hoping it has more cinnamon flavor to make it more strudel-y (I don’t think that is a word). But still it was a decent food and souvenir for your family and friends back home.

Malang Strudel

Jl. Soekarno Hatta

Lowokwaru, Kota Malang

Jawa Timur, Indonesia

0852-3126-9392

Opening hours: 8.00 AM – 10.00 PM

Food: 3/5

Price: 3/5

Service: 3/5

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This is just a part of my food adventure in Malang. The rest of the list is in the next post. Subscribe to my blog if you want to be the first to read the rest of the list :)

What was the first thing you do in 2017? Mine was hike a mountain. Crazy, I know.

I’m not a fit person or whatsoever for my whole life. Yet when my friends planning to hike a mountain for New Year holiday, somehow I agreed. I wasn’t sure I could make it at first, but seeing those beautiful pictures of Gunung Ijen on the internet make me go ‘nah! It won’t be that hard’. And turns out I was wrong.

Disclaimer : most of the pictures on this post is belong to a dear friend of mine, Khalista D. Irmaputri.

Kindly check her instagram @khalistas for more pictures from her.

It was hard, it was freaking hard. The track was just probably about 3 km, but the mountain’s slope was insane. From what I read in Wikipedia, Gunung Ijen has around 25 to 35 slope degree. Seems small? That was what I thought. Believe me, it wasn’t as easy as it looks. Other than the insane slope, the track was covered with dirt (probably because of the rain) and sand in some area, which made it even more slippery.

The ticket entrance to the Gunung Ijen is IDR 7.500. This price is not included a guide. You can hike without a guide since the track is a single lane track and you just need to follow the track until the top. However, if you are planning to catch the blue fire near the main crater, I recommend you to hire one. Since the track from the top part to the bottom part (vice versa) is a bit tricky.

My friends and I started the hike around 1 AM in the morning. We walk together for the first 300 meters. After that, I cried and whine like a baby who lost her candy walk slower than the rest of the group. They finish their track around 3.50 AM while I (and another friend who decided to join me much later) finish around 4.40 AM. Sadly I didn’t catch the blue fire, but still I felt very happy about it. I was so surprise that I somehow managed to climb to the very top even though I need to rest every 5 minutes or so. Yay me!

Funny thing about this mountain. Some of the nearby residents, make a living out of renting a small carriage to take the lazy unfit hiker to the top of the mountain. I’m not judging you if you took this but please beware since most of them try to charge you as high as possible.

I think I came at the wrong season. It was windy and cold on the top of the mountain. Also it was very hazy because of the sulfur gas. You can borrow a gas mask from the tour guide with around IDR 25.000. He will collect it once you get down the mountain. I couldn’t see anything at the top of the mountain. But my friends who finished their track earlier, got the chance to see the blue fire down near the crater. They show me the pictures of the crater, and it was amazing!

My friends also met some of the sulfur miners. They were kind to show them the new fresh from the mine sulfur. Sometimes they carved it into other shape such as airplane, statue, etc. You can buy them if you want but I don’t think they allowed it on the airplane. Because I had a friend who bought this sulfur as a souvenir, and the airport officer took it away.

Getting down from the mountain is much easier. However since it was raining hard the day before, the track become very slippery. Please be careful. Take time as much as you needed and enjoy the beautiful morning sun and view.

I kinda sad, about missing the blue fire and not getting closer to the crater. I was thinking to come again anytime soon. Well not very soon though. I still can imagine how hard it was and I think some parts of my feet still hurts (making excuses lol).

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Top tips for Gunung Ijen:

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Gunung Ijen

Banyuwangi

East Java, Indonesia

Opening hours: 11 PM – 4 PM