JAKARTA. Fried rice is usually served on a plate to allow the heat evaporates from the dish so that it can be enjoyed immediately. However, lot of people actually favor of fried rice served on a bowl.
You can find it at the stall of Nasi Goreng Mangkok (Indonesians for ‘fried rice on the bowl’) in Cempaka Putih area, Central Jakarta.
The stall is located on an intersection that connects Ahmad Yani road/Pulomas with Galur/Senen.
No banner or sign board of the stall. However, the name of the stall is written on a sticker, which is attached on the fried rice’s cart. The sticker is not that big and not clearly visible so that the visitors should look carefully at the row of carts and stalls on the roadside to find the stall. Or, you can just ask to security guards or people, who passed the area. They will definitely know.
The fried rice stall has been famous in Cempaka Putih area since the decade of 1980-an. “We have never moved”, said Parino, who is the second generation owner of Nasi Goreng Mangkok.
The stall serves fried rice and noodles. But the favorite menu is indeed the fried rice. The stall provides limited sets of chairs and tables, even though the stall occupies the yard of a dormant workshop, which is quite spacious. The stall only provides two rectangular tables, each table for a maximum of six visitors. There are also only about 15 plastic chairs so that lot of customers are eating inside their cars.
Actually, the way of the stall in preparing the fried rice is not much different with other stalls. However, this stall has a specific sweet taste and strong garlic aroma. For those who love spicy food, just pour chili paste that is served on every table. But be aware, because the chili paste is quite hot, so that you actually only need to add a little bit chili paste to your dish.
You are suggested to order for spicy fried rice, since some times the cook can prepare 11 portions of fried rice at the same time on a one frying pan. To allow customers to enjoy the fried rice immediately, the cook only pour the basic ingredients without chili paste. No wonder, the fried rice has sweet taste.
The cakwe specialty
The strong aroma of garlic enhances the delicious of the fried rice. Before frying the rice, the cook crushes the garlic and fries the crushed the garlic first. Only then, the cook fries the rice along with the garlic. Afterwards, the shreds of chicken and the slices of cakwe (a kind of fried bread stick) are mixed together with the seasoned rice and fried until they are done.
After ordering, the dish will arrive on your table in less than 10 minutes. The aroma is really tempting. Let alone the appearance of the toppings of pickles, fried shallot, and emping ( a kind of chip made from Gnetum gnemon).
Do not forget to taste the cakwe. The slices of cakwe have soft, flat, and thick textures, unlike other cakwes that have oval and hollow textures. The mixture of savory tastes of cakwe and the fried rice will bring fantastic tongue to your lounge.
The fried noodles is as delicious as the fried rice. But unlike the fried rice, the fried noodles is also served with vegetables like mustard and cabbage, not only the shreds of chicken and slices of cakwe.
According to Parmino, since the stall established, his grand father served the cakwe-fried rice on the bowl. “We only follow the method and recipe. Nothing is changed”, he said. Parmino added that his grand father received the recipes from a Chinese trader in Jakarta. His grand father then tried to prepare the cakwe by himself and mixed it with the fried rice. Apparently, the loyal customers of Nasi Goreng Mangkok are fascinated by the unique serving method and the delicious taste of the cakwe-fried rice. To date, the stall may sell up to 100 bowls of fried rice per day. The price for a portion of fried rice or noodles is IDR22,000.
Are you curious to taste the fried rice? Let’s visit the stall, which is open from 6pm to 00 pm . However, quite often that the fried rice has sold out at 9pm. Nasi Goreng Mangkok also provides spacious parking place so that those who drive car or motor cycle no need to worry of finding parking place.
(MUHAMMAD FARID/Translator)
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