Bika Talago Bukittinggi : Heartwarming Delicacy

Remember that cooking video with the Supercook Bara Pattiradjawane?

Did you catch my tweets when I was in Padang last month? 

Now can you connect the dots? 

Well, let me spell it out for ya then. Yes, we won the writing contest by Indomie on their #AsliCabeIjo event. By we, I mean me and the always cheerful Dina from Dua Ransel. The prize was a three days trip to Padang and Bukittinggi. I've never been to both city, so you can imagine the kind of excitement that I had. There's so much to share, but I guess I'm gonna start with the one that speak to me the most. 

There's a saying that goes: "Often, its the littlest thing that left the biggest mark in your heart." It's exactly the case with Bika Talago. The gem is hidden in a small house off the road, halfway from Padang Panjang to Bukittinggi. Colored in orange, it is as if it's trying to scream out of the ordinary line of local houses and attract passersby to take a visit. They did it I suppose, now that we're here. 

We were lucky that they just started to bake the Bika when we arrived. Dina quickly whip out her camera out of the bag and by peer-pressure I took out mine and start click-clacking the shutter. 

The way Bika cooked is a story of its own. Take a look at the clay pot here. Raw bika is put in the lower clay and then closed with another clay pot on top of it. Big chunk of wood charcoal and hot fire inside. In about 10 minutes or so, the raw Bika would start to warm up and ready to be served. 

While munching them, I knew the universe were conspiring to make us happy by sending us the rain. It just made them twice as tasty. Warm food in a cold weather, it just doesn't get any better than that. I personally love the brown sugar more than the white sugar flavor. It has a strong banana aroma and a very coconutty flavor on the tongue. The fact that it was heated in a closed clay might be the reason why it absorb and in itself disburse such an appetizing smell. Sweet and savory tender loving.

The only regret that day was buying only one four pieces of them. Two of each was definitely not enough for me and Dina. Just as it led us to Bika, I guess the universe also purposefully let us took only a quick teaser, so that we'll crave for more and come back in the future. Well, I hope it happens soon!

Stay tuned for more Padang bites!

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Bika Talago 
Jl. Padang Panjang - Bukittinggi Km. 10
Sumatra Barat

Surga Di Telapak Kaki Lima

“Nenek nenek senam pagi olahraga 

Biar body tambah seksi

Goyang kanan goyang ke kiri

Gak mau kalah dengan gadis-gadis yang di sini

Ini zaman zaman edan

Kakek nenek pacaran di pinggir jalan

Katanya jaman pembangunan

Tapi mengapa kok banyak pengangguran

Ini salah siapa?

Ini dosa siapa?

Coba anda tanyakan pada Tehbotol, tehnik ... bodoh dan tolol.”

Same World Different Universe

Sepenggal lirik lagu Tehbotol yang selalu saya request kalau bertemu dengan bapak pengamen di kawasan Muara Karang. Lagu yang santai tapi mempunyai pesan serius. Lagu yang menyindir sekaligus menghibur. Rasanya campur aduk. Mungkin seperti ini lah gambaran street food atau kaki lima di Indonesia. Lebih kerennya mungkin disebut Amigos, alias agak minggir got sedikit. Kaki lima adalah melting pot dari berbagai hal yang sekilas mata mudah kita lewatkan. We might see the same world, but there are actually different universes. 

Here In The South

Paragraf ini ditulis dari lantai tiga sebuah gedung perkantoran di area Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta Selatan. Memandang dari kaca jendela ke bawah terlihat barisan makanan kaki lima yang bersembunyi di bawah teduhnya pohon-pohon rindang. Menariknya, gerobak-gerobak makanan yang ada di siang hari akan berganti dengan sesuatu yang baru setiap malam dan begitu seterusnya. Gado-gado, ketoprak, baso, nasi gulai, batagor, kue cubit, berganti menjadi sate ayam, pecel lele, martabak, ayam goreng, dan lainnya. Same spot, different food. Same place, different people. Same world, different universe. 

Ada satu hal lagi yg menarik sekaligus mengusik saya. Sebagai warga Indonesia dengan darah Cina yang cukup kental, saya tidak habis pikir mengapa berjualan setengah hari saja? Mengapa tidak sekalian sehari full untuk profit yg maksimal? Mengapa sengaja membawa bahan makanan secukupnya saja? Mengapa tidak menyiapkan lebih? 

Pertanyaan-pertanyaan ini sekalian mengumpat kekesalan karena setiap kali terlambat setengah jam, gado-gado kesukaan saya selalu saja sudah habis. Ternyata saya tidak siap untuk mendengar jawabannya. Dengan ringkasnya sang penjual gado-gado berkata: “Saya jualan yang penting cukup untuk hidup hari ini, Mas.”  Simple tapi menyimpan makna yang dalam. Jarang melihat keyakinan seperti itu di zaman ini. Bahwa dunia akan senantiasa menyediakan apa yang kita butuhkan selama kita berusaha, bahwa kesusahan untuk sehari cukuplah untuk sehari. Jadi teringat petikan ucapan teman saya yang jarang memusingkan soal uang: “Tenang, bank gue Bank Tuhan.”  Same world, different universe. Gado-gado yang sama tapi ternyata ada garis perbedaan yang besar antara sang penjual dan saya, sang pembeli. 

From South To North

Lain halnya di Selatan, lain kisahnya di Utara. Sebuah kaki lima ala tenda dengan merek dagang Pecel Lele Stellamaris adalah salah satu spot favorit dikala galau lapar tengah malam atau disaat terjangkit virus kanker (kantong kering) stadium lima. Saya yakin semua yang membaca pasti punya street food favorit, setidak-tidaknya lapak nasi / mie goreng langganan.

Nah di sini, langganan saya adalah ayam goreng, sambel pecel, tempe dan tahu goreng, tanpa nasi putih. Sang penjual yang lebih akrabnya saya panggil Bang Jowo sudah tahu preferensi saya ini. Terkadang bila lama tidak berkunjung, pada kedatangan berikutnya dia pasti bertanya “Kemana aja bos, udah lama ga keliatan.” Sama halnya juga dengan bapaknya yang seringnya dituakan dengan panggilan Pak Haji. Kalau beliau tidak ada di tempat, saya pun balik bertanya “Si Bapak kemana? Tumben gak kelihatan.” Basa-basi bagi sebagian orang, tapi buat saya itu keakraban singkat yang kadang ngangenin. 

Nah, Pak Haji punya kisah yang inspirasional. Dari tenda kecilnya yang berkapasitas maksimal dua puluh orang dia menghidupi anak-anaknya sekaligus sudah dua kali berangkat ke Tanah Suci Mekah untuk menjalankan ibadah. Dari potongan ayam dan lele yang sama, saya mengenyangkan perut sementara beliau beribadah. Same world, different universe. 

And Further North

Bergerak tidak jauh dari lokasi Pak Haji, mengarah lebih ke Utara adalah sebuah lajur jalan yang cukup terkenal bagi Jakarta’s foodie. Kalau menurut Om Google, nama officialnya Pluit Karang Timur, namun bagi warga sekitar, mereka menyebutnya ‘deretan eaton’. Sepanjang jalan ini tersebar nama-nama kaki lima yang tersohor. Martabak Sinar Bulan dengan sang penjual yang berambut klimis. Salah satu martabak termahal yang dibanderol dengan harga IDR 70.000++ per loyang. Atau Soto Bang Mamat, Ayam Goreng Kiko Sari, Seafood Bola, dan banyak lagi.

Disini bisa ditemukan fenomena yang berbeda. Fenomena yang bisa mencerahkan banyak hal. Disini tidak jarang akan anda temukan Mercedes Benz C Class, Alphard, BMW parkir di sisi jalan bersanding dengan mobil sejuta umat Avanza, Xenia, atau bahkan dengan pengendara motor. Disini tidak ada kasta. Disini tidak ada kaya miskin. Disini kalangan atas dan bawah duduk dalam meja yang sama tinggi, menikmati makanan yang sama terjangkaunya. Disini makanan menyatukan semua. Disini different universes collide in one world. 

And Even Further 

Kalau boleh saya ajak melihat lebih jauh lagi, alias berimajinasi, coba dipikirkan berapa banyak tangan yang terbantukan dengan adanya kaki lima? Selain mereka yang makan dan mereka yang menjual yang menikmati hasilnya langsung, ada jaring besar manusia-manusia yang terhubung. Sang pengamen dengan lagu Tehbotol di atas, anak-anak jalanan yang hidup dari belas kasihan pengunjung kaki lima, penjual bahan makanan di pasar, petani yang menanamnya, tukang parkir, mas-mas penjual dvd bajakan, sampai berekor-ekor kucing yg mencari makan di sana. By the way, kaki lima termasuk dalam sektor informal yang sampai 2012 kemarin masih menyumbang 30% total GDP Indonesia dan kalau dinilai besarnya sama dengan IDR 2.400 Triliun. 

Saya mungkin over-simplifying, tapi kaki lima mungkin bukan sekedar kaki lima. Mungkin kaki lima punya makna yang lebih dari sekedar agak minggir got sedikit. Mungkin a glimpse of heaven is there among street foods. Mungkin sebentuk kecil surga ada di telapak kaki lima. 

Surga bagi saya dan anda penikmat kuliner tentunya. Surga bagi mereka yang menggantungkan hidupnya disana, mereka yang bermata-pencaharian di sana. Surga bagi mereka yang terbantukan hidupnya, yang ikut merasakan impact kehadiran kaki lima. Surga karena ia adalah satu dari sekian sedikit tempat yang bisa menyatukan dunia yang berbeda. Street food might just be the place that unites different people, different universe in one world, the world of food. 

Tippling Club : Ryan Clift's Modernist Creations (And a Side-story)

The first time I heard the name was at Jakarta Culinary Festival and since then, I've always been curious with what he has got to offer to the dining scene. Sometime after that, Tippling Club was ranked #12 in Miele's top restaurants in Asia. Arnold Poernomo seems to praise him a lot on his tweets. And I kinda trust his taste. In short, curiosity maxed out the food geek in me.

It was the first (and probably the only) thing I requested to Miss Googler. Glad that she's just as adventurous, so after an uber-healthy breakfast, we took a cab to Dempsey to have some tippling time.

This place bleeds hipster.

From the choice of venue to how they set the dining experience, it is an epitome of independent thinking and an act of counter-culture in a way. I see Ryan Clift's quirkiness stamped here and there. He removed tablecloths from the equation, have the patrons sit in one counter facing the kitchen, and made an artsy alcoholic Disneyland on top of your head. He differs himself as "fine dining without the snobbery."

Alcohol Disneyland

I love the fact that Tippling Club is placed in an almost hidden spot behind the fancy strip of restaurants in Dempsey. It is surrounded by woods, yes the kind you'd see in Johnny Depp's Secret Window. We even spotted a squirrel running from one tree branch to another, but it was too quick to be captured. I felt like a child up in my own treehouse, having fun with my friends. The atmosphere is warm, but the people behind the kitchen were not. When we started the lunch, they looked tense in a way. Good thing, they still serve great dishes.

Potato Vichyssoise

We had three amuse-bouche courtesy of the house. First was potato vichyssoise with caviar and dill flower on top. Served in a tiny plastic container, it was a bit awkward to suck it in one go. Creamy texture with light sweet salty flavor. It's like Mario Bros level one. Easy palate starter.

The second amuse-bouche was chef interpretation of Singapore curry. Served with puffed rice and curry leaves. It packed all the flavor of a curry, the spiciness, the aroma all in one small glass. Bravo.

Smoked & Chalked Pepper with Soy & Wasabi Sauce

The last was smoked and chalked pepper with soy and wasabi sauce. It was my favorite because it took me by surprise. Despite of the seemingly disturbing burnt chalk aroma, the smoked pepper was pleasing for the tongue. Eating it with a tweezer was a plus. It was also my least favorite because I couldn't feel the wasabi, or maybe the soy's saltiness overthrow it in a way. Asked the waiter about it, he said it was meant to be like that to wake up the palate. Good excuse, but true in a way.

Sipping on the wine while waiting for the next course to arrive, conversation and giggles started. Miss Googler mentioned that everyone behind the counter was so attentive when I took every meal to a spot next to the window to take a good picture of it. She also noticed the 'what-a-weird-guy' look on their rolling eyes. Words on the street, photo-taking was once not allowed inside Tippling. That might be it.

I did not backed down though. Here comes the mains.

Heirloom Carrot Gnocchi

Heirloom carrot gnocchi. Made from concentrated methylcellulose and carrot juice, I can see the effort but it still a bit too soft compared to real gnocchi. Served with carrot stock and garnished with compressed heirloom carrot and chervil stems, it is good but definitely not the best that we had that day.

Lobster Risotto

Risotto with lobster, and white truffle. All inspiring cast, but the sum of it is less than the value of each ingredients taken individually. Or maybe I'm just not a risotto guy.

We forgot what this fish was but it was awesome. On Miss Googler's note, "One thing that strike my palate is sweetness. I was expecting this dish to be savory. The texture was a good contrast between the yellow puff thing and the fish." 

Somewhere along this time, we started to see a change in the chef / waiters attitude. Previously, it was more or less one-liner conversation with them telling us what's in the meal, and they did it so fast I couldn't even catch up with my notes. But somehow they become more attentive and chatty. They began to ask how's the meal so far, then carefully explains what makes the dish different and even shared the technique they used. Turns out while I was taking photo, Miss Googler spills it to them that I'm a foodblogger. Aha! She had quite a big laugh seeing how it shocked them, and thus the change of events. As for me, I thanked her for giving me a story to tell. =D

The lunch just get better and better. Not only because of the special treatment, but we're approaching the end of the saga, and that means: dessert!

Prior to that, another amuse-bouche was served. A meteorite as it appear to be, but it was actually a sorbet. Blood peach meteorite as they call it. I love it. If they would sell this in supermarket, I'd buy them and snack it while watching movies. But on Miss Googler's distinctive tongue, it did not 'explode' as she expected it to be. Also, way too freezing, definitely not for those with sensitive teeth.

Blood Peach Meteorite

Deconstructed Pear Tartin

Deconstructed pear tartin 2009. Mock pear made from gel coated sorbet, sitting on cinnamon pastry crumbs and caramel sauce. Miss Googler chose this, and judging from the smile on her face she enjoyed this, especially being a big fan of ice cream and its sisters. I also think this is a definite winner. A creative approach in dividing the ingredients of a tartin into its elements, and letting the brown butter sorbet stood out among the rest.

Interpretation of Dempsey Hill

Interpretation of Dempsey Hill. A forest like dessert with dark chocolate trees, kaya pandan cake that crumbles in your mouth and sweet-sweet mousse. Too good to be true. It has everything I asked for in a dessert. Texture wise, flavor wise, plus it was a feast to the eyes as well.

All in all it was a tippling lunch. A wonderful first experience. I'd definitely be back if they have new menus in play. And when I do, I wouldn't miss their cocktail pairing next time. You've made quite an impression, Ryan. Thank you too, Miss Googler, for making the lunch worth of remembrance.

Cheers to more stories to come,

Fellexandro Ruby
Food Photographer / Storyteller

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Tippling Club 
8D, Dempsey Road
Singapore

Ph: 64752217
http://www.tipplingclub.com

Open for dinner Monday to Saturday. Lunch on Saturday only.
SGD 55 for Saturday Lunch
SGD 145 - 230 (Lunch - Dinner) for five course classic menu.