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| Lawang Sewu |
In 2013, I had the opportunity to visit Semarang, Central Java, the city where historic buildings Lawang Sewu stand. Not just for vacation, but i came to Semarang to meet my co-worker's wedding invitation, Ari Andriyo Anggo with his wife Nur Pawestri Lelivia. Congrats guys .. !! Hehehe ... Semarang is also the hometown of my best friend, Ageng Dewangga Adi. Ageng is my best friend on campus, he often return home from Jakarta to Semarang using his favorite red motorcycle Honda Megapro. That's insane....!!
Because there is a wedding invitation also in Jakarta, my vacation in Semarang can only be a day. There is not enough time to enjoy the places of interest in Semarang. However, the most memorable of my short trip in Semarang is a famous place for all travelers. Famous as a place for selling various typical culinary from Semarang. Various typical culinary of Semarang can be found here. The place is Pandanaran Street. If you're in the area Simpang Lima and want to go to Tugu Muda, You will pass this way. The street is located in the middle of the Semarang City
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| Best Friends - Andriyo & Lelivia (Left), Ageng (Right) |
In this Pandanaran Street, sold a variety of typical culinary of Semarang. The famous and the most in demand are Lumpia (spring rolls), Bandeng Presto (Milkfish Presto), Jenang (Dodol), Wingko Babat and my favorite was Meatballs Tofu. Stores that sell food are lined up along Pandanaran Street. You must be smart when shopping at this Pandanaran Street if you want to get the best price.
Of the many stores at Pandanaran Street, there are some stores that famous among tourists. One of them there is a store selling Lumpia (spring rolls), is well known that Lumpia Mbak (Ms) Lien. Ms. Lien is the next generation of Siem Swie Hie, who founded the Lumpia store in Lombok Alley, Semarang. Typical of Ms Lien's Lumpia (Spring rolls)is using a concoction of local chicken meat. Aside from a stuffing chicken, there is also Lumpia (spring rolls) filled with shrimp and mix of chicken and shrimp.
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| Lumpia Aka Spring Rolls |
Besides Lumpia Mbak Lien, there are also Lunpia Mataram. Yes... !! "Lunpia" with the letter "N", not "Lumpia". Why ?? I also don't know. Maybe You can share stories with us all through this blog. In Lunpia Mataram's store, lunpia served with fried or wet way. Instructions for the preparation of Lunpia Mataram have 2 way. For fried Lunpia, roasted in teflon pan with small fire and without oil. For wet Lunpia is by being covered with clean cloth / napkins and steamed in Rice Cooker. Quite unique. Hehehe ..
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| Bandeng Presto |
Another typical food is Bandeng Presto (milkfish Presto). Milkfish Presto is a typical food made from soft spiny fish cooked using high pressure water vapor. There are two milkfish presto stores and most famous in Pandanaran Street. The stores is "Bandeng Presto" first since 1977 and "Bandeng Juwana". Price of milkfish Presto in Pandanaran varied. If in Bandeng Juwana, it cost Rp.30,000 (about USD 3)per head for milkfish presto teriyaki flavor, Rp.90.000 (about USD 9) per kilo for packaging in a cage. The most interesting from Bandeng Juwana is the testimony of visitors who posted on the wall of the store. This testimony is become some sort of statement that guarantees the quality of milkfish products by Bandeng Juwana.
Another menu is wingko babat. Interestingly, wingko label sold in all stores in Pandanaran mostly labeled the same, namely the train brand. Wingko babat with train brand offers a variety of flavors, from the taste of banana, coconut, durians until the chocolate flavor. This wingko price is adjusted to a large and varied number of wingko.
What I liked best and really my favorite is Meatballs Tofu. It is a simple food but it seems like the champion. As the name, Meatballs Tofu are foods made from tofu and at the inside is filled with meatballs. There are 2 types of Meatballs Tofu,they are wet Meatballs Tofu and Fried Meatballs Tofu. Usually Meatballs Tofu sold in stores along the Pandanaran Street is Meatballs Tofu that are processed and ready for immediate consumption. There are also green chili sold together with Meatballs Tofu. The way to enjoy it is to immediately eaten with the green chilli . For the meatballs there are several options, there are beef meatballs, chicken meatballs, shrimp meatballs and more. My favorite is the fried Meatballs Tofu with the content of the beef meatballs. Because of the taste , I often ask Andriyo to buy out the Meatballs Tofu every time he returns home to Semarang. Sometimes a box of 10 pieces, sometimes up to two boxes. LoL...Hehe...For the price, in my opinion it's still an affordable price.
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| Meatballs Tofu |
There are many more options of Semarang's typical culinary that can be purchased along the way this Pandanaran street. When I was in Semarang I spend buying 2 Bandeng Presto , 3 boxes of each fill 10 Meatballs Tofu, 1 dozen Wingko babat, 5 Jenang (Dodol) and a box of 10 pieces spring rolls. Yes..that was insane, but the most important is the satisfaction. LOL... Hehe ... But what You should remember is, buy the Typical Culinary at this Pandanaran preferably when You had to be returned soon to your hometown, aka in the last days. This is because the food products sold in Pandanaran mostly only lasts for 2-3 days. You should remember that if you do not want food that is purchased become stale.
Semarang, the culinary is the champion indeed. Anyway, if You have an opportunity to visit Semarang, do not forget the Pandanaran Street. My friend, You had to go there .. !! Semarang .... I'll be Back .. !!
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