Kue Leker and A Monkey Dancer

To find kue lekker on the street in Jakarta isn’t easy, only certain places that have this vendors, but for sure, it’s very easy to find them in Semarang and Solo (cities in Central Java). According to the vendor, Kue Leker is originally from Lamongan (a small city in East Java).

The cart is on the bicycle.

More or less, kue lekker is like crepes/thin pancake.

I’m not sure whether literally kue leker means “Yummy cake”.

In Indonesian language, kue means cake.
Well there’s no word “leker” in Indonesian language, however Indonesia was colonized by Dutch for about 300 years and lekker means yummy/delicious in Dutch. A big possibility that the word that the leker word refers to lekker? ;)

Same ingredients as crepes/pancake.

The mini pan rotates on the fire and the vendor has to spin it manually with a handle tool.

The fire under the mini pan

For topping, you can ask for sugar, chocolate or strawberry condensed milk, cheese, chocolate sprinkles or banana, it's your choice! *wink*

The local bananas.

Fold the kue leker.

In a plastic bag.

Not really recommended actually to put in a plastic bag because kue leker has crispy texture at the beginning when taken out directly from the mini pan, so the yummiest way to eat kue leker is right away :)

Doger Monyet
While I was waiting for the kue leker being made, I saw 4 men with a monkey walking into our direction.


They stopped directly across the kue leker vendor and started to let the monkey to do a performance. 2 men were in charge to play "music" ( hitting small drums), 1 man handled the monkey by pulling and pushing with a long chain then the other man started to walk around with a bowl in order to beg for some money from the people who were watching.

This performance called “Doger monyet” and has been performed more than 100 years in West Java.

Doger (in Sundanese - West Java language) means a female dancer; usually in a people's theater, and Monyet (in Indonesian language) means monkey.

Anyway, looking this kind of performance broke my heart. I feel so sorry for this little monkey that must work for these 4 healthy men.


I donated some money but then in my mind, I got a feeling that the monkey might not receive her "right" of the income share. Just imagine, how much money actually would be earned everyday from this kind of performance, not much that's for sure and need to be divided to those 4 men for their living :(

Good thing, I remembered that the kue leker vendor provides bananas for topping, so I asked him for a banana (of course, the banana wasn’t free).


Look how the little monkey enjoyed her banana. She must be feeling very hungry *sobs*

I wish I could give the little monkey a hug or at least a pat on her head.

Tukang Es Jeruk (Orange juice)

A man is selling fresh orange juice on a cart.

He uses Pontianak oranges (Jeruk Pontianak) to make the juice.

Pontianak oranges come from West Borneo - Indonesia. These kind of oranges are also called as Siam oranges.

The orange juice man needs many oranges to make one glass.
Although the oranges are very sweet but the vendor adds white sugar syrup.

There is nothing more refreshing than freshly squeezed orange juice :)

A glass of Pontiank orange juice costs Rp. 5.000 (less than USD 0.50)

Kafe Pisa Menteng, Jakarta

Last night, my friend brought me to Kafe Pisa for a nice and yummy Italian dinner to celebrate my birthday :)

Kafe Pisa is a restaurant that offers authentic Italian atmosphere and a mini nice garden just like Italian patio. The restaurant is divided into the main Café, Garden area, and additional area.

We decided to sit in the additional area although we couldn't see the live music performance in the main Café area.

Our orders:

French Fries with tuna dressing
Price Rp. 30.000

Vulcano Pizze
Price Rp. 89.000
(Volcano style pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, smoked beef and mushrooms)

Involtino Di Pollo
Price Rp. 77.000
(Rolled chicken breast stuffed with mozzarella cheese & smoked beef in mushroom sauce)

Kafe Pisa is famous for its gelato (ice cream), freshly made everyday without any use of additives.

Thus, instead of a birthday cake, I had...

Coppa Amore
Price Rp. 39.500
(6 scoops of Gelato served with crispy wafers, whipped cream, cherry, and chocolate sauce).

All prices are subjected to 18.8% government tax & service.
Currency: 1 USD = Rp. 10. 200

Address:
Jl. Gereja Theresia No.1, Menteng
Jakarta Pusat, 10350
Tel: 021-3100 151

My other related posts of this restaurant:
Kafe Pisa
Lunch at an Italian restaurant
Cafe Pisa

Martabak Mini (Mini Pancake)

A week ago, I was at a bus station when I saw a man selling Martabak mini on a cart.
Here in Indonesia, we have 2 kind of Martabaks (sweet and salty).

Martabak Mini is the mini size of the original Sweet Martabak (the diameter size is about 35 cm). Sweet Martabak is actually sweet thick crepes/thick pancakes - often filled with cheese, chocolate, or ground peanuts. Main ingredients are flour, water, eggs, baking soda and margarine.

Martabak Mini with chocolate sprinkler and banana.

Martabak Mini with chocolate sprinkler and ground peanuts.

Folded.

Final touch, brushed the Martabak mini with margarine.1 Martabak mini costs Rp. 700 (about USD 0.50).

By the way, this early morning, I decided to make mini pancakes ;)

My own mini pancake creation:
3 tbsp flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 egg

Mix altogether then fry on a mini pan.

Less than 10 minutes, 4 slices of mini pancakes are served to be eaten with homemade strawberry jam.

A perfect breakfast to start my birthday :)

Kembang Goela Restaurant

Today, I attended my second cousin's wedding. His wedding reception was held at Kembang Goela restaurant, an Indonesian restaurant that uses a minimalism Dutch colonial era interior and serves authentic food.

The dinning table.

The private dinning room.
Appetizer:
Tahu Telor
(Salad of bean curd and fried eggs with bean sprouts and cucumber)

Lumpia Semarang
(Spring rolls filled with bamboo shoots and dried shrimp)

Rujak Pengantin means bride and groom salad
(sliced potato, fried bean curd, boiled eggs, pineapple, carrot, beansprout, lettuce, cabbage, cucumber with peanut sauce, vinegar and brown sugar plus mayonnaise)

Buffet:

Mie Goreng
(Fried Noodle with sweet soy sauce)

Kakap Goreng
(Fried Red Snapper in batter plus fried vermicelli)

Dendeng Balado
(Fried thin sliced beef)

Sauté Broccoli with salted fish.

Rendang Ayam
(Chicken cooked with coconut milk)

Condiments:
Red chili and chili sauce with pineapple

Desserts:
Pudding and jelly in mini glasses, tropical fruits (sliced pineapple, papaya, watermelon, melon, oranges), mini pastries, and cocktail fruit.

Kembang Goela Restaurant
Plaza Sentral
Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 47-48
Jakarta Selatan