Eats: Being adventurous @ Ibu Samino

Another must-try while in Jakarta is their Sop Buntut which literally translates as "Backside Soup". Despite its outrageous name - some may think it's crude but personally i think Bahasa Indonesia is so rustic in itself that it is charming, Sop Buntut is actually oxtail soup and is usually served with white rice, melinjo emping (crackers) and spicy sambal on the side. Unlike the heavily spiced Sup Ekor Mamak near Bangsar Village or the stew-ish western version at Rennie's in Jln Gasing, the Indonesian Sop Buntut is actually a clear soup with just the right amount aromatic spices without being overwhelmingly spicy.

Knowing my penchant for this and having tried what the locals claimed as the best Sop Buntut in town at Hotel Borobodur in Jakarta during my previous visit, Hubs has since discovered this little roadside warong near his office which he thought serves a rather mean version. Throwing all cautions to wind about eating roadside food in Jakarta, I asked Hubs to bring me here last Saturday for lunch. And it was rather good, having just about the right balance of beefy taste and spices.

Hubs also ordered something else for me to try: Bebek Goreng Kremes, which is Deep Fried Crispy Duck. For some unknown reasons, the Indonesians love their ducks. Everywhere we went, bebek (Indonesian for duck) is featured prominently in their menus. I would say that the mixture of two types of sambal went very well with the fried duck and the crispy bits. And I survived the whole roadside experience with no bad tummy. In fact I was feeling very much like a ular sawa after the heavy lunch - I could barely keep my eyelids open and we have to cut short grocery shopping time to go home for afternoon siesta. ;p

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Sop Buntut Ibu Samino

Jln Setiabudi Selatan, Kuningan, Jakarta Selatan